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View Full Version : Not too happy with Aguila ammo...



BaiHu
06-16-2012, 10:54 PM
I picked up about 2k rounds to fill out my training ammo that is mostly comprised of Sellier & Bellot (115 gr). Although they are nearly the same price at about $200/1k rounds, I have never had a problem with S&B, but I just had to share the 4 separate, but exact same issue that occurred in the last month with the last case of Aguila (124 gr).

Forgive my newbness, but I think these 4 rounds were over pressurized or something, b/c the brass swelled and stuck in the barrel and looked like a double feed at first glance, but after dropping the mag and trying to strip the round again, I literally had to disassemble my P30 and use my leatherman set of pliers to take the case out of the feed ramp.

Here's what it looked like:

http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx38/djdemarco/Pistol%20Forum/20120611_173934-1.jpg

http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx38/djdemarco/Pistol%20Forum/20120611_173928-1.jpg

And here's what the casing looked like:
http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx38/djdemarco/Pistol%20Forum/20120611_174023-1.jpg

http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx38/djdemarco/Pistol%20Forum/20120611_174037-1.jpg

I can't see anything other than the lead build up on the case from being over expanded, but I'm a total newb when it comes to ammo.

Anyone knows better than me, so feel free to explain this stuff to me or simply take this as a warning.

Lastly, is this happening 4 times out of 2k rounds worse than other 'not-so-good' manufacturers??

jslaker
06-16-2012, 11:03 PM
Huh. Something's definitely not right there.

FWIW I've run 2600 rounds of Aguila 124 in the past couple of months, and the only problem I've had was a single round failing to detonate. Deep primer strike, but no boom. 2100 of those rounds were run during a 2KRC, so I'd have expected to see misfeeds like this, if I was going to.

GJM
06-16-2012, 11:14 PM
I have shot over 20,000 rounds of Aguila 124 just in 2012, and can't remember a single bad round. Just bought another 8,000 rounds last week. It has been accurate, reliable and clean -- is my favorite practice ammo.

I had a problem with a bad round of AE 115 ball, similar to what ou experienced, in the one case of 1,000 of that load that I have shot this year.

jstyer
06-16-2012, 11:35 PM
6000 rounds of aguila here... not a single failure to date.

TGS
06-17-2012, 12:16 AM
Huh. Something's definitely not right there.

FWIW I've run 2600 rounds of Aguila 124 in the past couple of months, and the only problem I've had was a single round failing to detonate. Deep primer strike, but no boom. 2100 of those rounds were run during a 2KRC, so I'd have expected to see misfeeds like this, if I was going to.

I also had a couple dud primers out of 2000 rounds ordered through SGAmmo.com when it was going for cheap at $182 per case.

For anyone looking at the picture and not familiar with the HK P30, do be aware that HK's have a stepped chamber. This causes a distortion as the front 1/3 of the chamber is slightly tighter than the rear. So, that part is normal.

I don't usually have spots of powder on the case as shown in the pics, though. Maybe that's a result of it being stuck inside the chamber until it was cooled off.

I would certainly list overpressured ammo as a suspect. Is this your P30 or P30L? If the former, how many rounds have you put through it? From hanging around at HKPRO.com, the two biggest things I've noticed as problems that slip past HK are tight chambers and out-of-spec extractors. That isn't something I can support with data, just something I've noticed from people coming online saying their stuff ain't working, it going to HK, and the customer reporting that HK either replaced the extractor or cited a tight chamber. So, if you haven't shot too many out of the P30, I would shoot some more of other brands, or at least a different lot # of the Aguila. Remember how you were having stoppages with the P30 the last time I was shooting with you? That would lead me to suspect the gun if this post is about your P30 and not the L.

MEH
06-17-2012, 07:32 AM
Couple thousand rounds of Aquila 124 thru my M&P this year with no problems.

JConn
06-17-2012, 09:20 AM
3k through my Glocks and no problems here.

BaiHu
06-17-2012, 09:30 AM
I also had a couple dud primers out of 2000 rounds ordered through SGAmmo.com when it was going for cheap at $182 per case.

For anyone looking at the picture and not familiar with the HK P30, do be aware that HK's have a stepped chamber. This causes a distortion as the front 1/3 of the chamber is slightly tighter than the rear. So, that part is normal.

I don't usually have spots of powder on the case as shown in the pics, though. Maybe that's a result of it being stuck inside the chamber until it was cooled off.

I would certainly list overpressured ammo as a suspect. Is this your P30 or P30L? If the former, how many rounds have you put through it? From hanging around at HKPRO.com, the two biggest things I've noticed as problems that slip past HK are tight chambers and out-of-spec extractors. That isn't something I can support with data, just something I've noticed from people coming online saying their stuff ain't working, it going to HK, and the customer reporting that HK either replaced the extractor or cited a tight chamber. So, if you haven't shot too many out of the P30, I would shoot some more of other brands, or at least a different lot # of the Aguila. Remember how you were having stoppages with the P30 the last time I was shooting with you? That would lead me to suspect the gun if this post is about your P30 and not the L.

It was the P30 and not the 'L', so I'll have to keep an eye on that. As for the ring, that was definitely lead from the chamber that stuck to the casing when I pulled it out.

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396
06-21-2012, 12:45 PM
About 400rds of Aquila 124 9mm through my new HK USP so far with no issues.

BaiHu
06-21-2012, 06:51 PM
4 issues out of 1800 rds. All the same issue. Maybe just a bad lot mixed in?

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Odin Bravo One
06-21-2012, 07:06 PM
I'll give you $5 bucks for it.............

TGS
06-21-2012, 07:16 PM
4 issues out of 1800 rds. All the same issue. Maybe just a bad lot mixed in?

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4 issues out of 1800 is pretty significant. I'd fully vet the gun before I dismiss it as a bad lot of ammo, especially since that gun has had problems before this 1800 rounds. You got a case of malfunction amnesia, bro. ;)

BaiHu
06-21-2012, 10:17 PM
I'll give you $5 bucks for it.............

For the empty shell casings? Sure ;)

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Odin Bravo One
06-21-2012, 11:58 PM
I'll take those too.............

fuse
06-22-2012, 10:37 AM
My offer is $6.00, minus a 95 cent service charge

lamarbrog
06-23-2012, 08:58 PM
My only experience with Aguila is limited to a single box of .45ACP. I learned enough in that box that I won't be buying any.

Bullet seat depth varied so much that upon first glance I thought they had actually forgotten to press a bullet into some of the casings. There was probably .010" variation in seat depth (I didn't have dial calipers at the time, and have since shot up the ammo.)... it was very noticeable, and very unnerving. It worked fine in a cheap Rock Island 1911, but their quality control seemed questionable at best.

jslaker
06-24-2012, 12:30 AM
Just happened to remember: the only thing that made me raise my eyebrow a little bit with the Aguila is that when I finally did clean my gun after a 2KRC, there were tiny brass-colored flakes everywhere inside the gun. Not sure if they came off the cases being ejected or if it's something in the power Aguila uses, but it's not something I'd encountered before.

Then again, that could be because I'd never let a gun get that dirty before, too. :cool:

JConn
06-24-2012, 08:50 AM
Just happened to remember: the only thing that made me raise my eyebrow a little bit with the Aguila is that when I finally did clean my gun after a 2KRC, there were tiny brass-colored flakes everywhere inside the gun. Not sure if they came off the cases being ejected or if it's something in the power Aguila uses, but it's not something I'd encountered before.

Then again, that could be because I'd never let a gun get that dirty before, too. :cool:

Wouldn't that be your ejector messing with the brass? I had that a bit with some American Eagle. I have not encountered that with Aguila yet, and my gun right now is over 2k without cleaning. It is cheap ammo though, I'll give you a good price.

Odin Bravo One
06-24-2012, 05:50 PM
Just happened to remember: the only thing that made me raise my eyebrow a little bit with the Aguila is that when I finally did clean my gun after a 2KRC, there were tiny brass-colored flakes everywhere inside the gun. Not sure if they came off the cases being ejected or if it's something in the power Aguila uses, but it's not something I'd encountered before.

Then again, that could be because I'd never let a gun get that dirty before, too. :cool:

That happens with every type of ammo.

Keep up the good work in your research to get the gun dirty..... :D

In all seriousness, for the price of Aguilla, I will accept 4 out of 1k rounds that have an issue. I buy cases of it at the LGS because they have some steals on it every so often. Since the majority of the 9mm I get from work is virtually un-reloadable, and the price, availability, and reliability (relative of course) of Aguilla is what it is............ a .004% issue percentage is something I can live with. I've has plenty of American made ammo that can't claim that.

fuse
06-24-2012, 06:26 PM
Since the majority of the 9mm I get from work is virtually un-reloadable

Crimped primer pockets?

JM Campbell
06-24-2012, 06:28 PM
TAP steel cased?

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jslaker
06-24-2012, 07:26 PM
Wouldn't that be your ejector messing with the brass?
That's what I had assumed. Just one of those "new to me" things.


That happens with every type of ammo.

Keep up the good work in your research to get the gun dirty..... :D

Thanks. :cool:

That's all I needed to know. In that case, nothing unusual about the 3150 rounds of Aguila I've fired at this point.

Odin Bravo One
06-24-2012, 08:23 PM
Crimped primer pockets?

Yeah.

GJM
10-04-2012, 12:22 PM
While I have had great luck with Aguila ammo, over 30,000 rounds of it thru Glock and M&P pistols, I just had two stoppages with Aguila 124 ball in a P30 -- both failures to eject. This is my back-up P30, and last weekend I shot 1,000 rounds of AE 147 and 350 rounds of Aguila through my number 1 P30 without a single issue.

Can't remember when I cleaned this P30, so I just did, but it makes me wonder if Aguila and the P30 are not a perfect match?

orionz06
10-04-2012, 12:24 PM
On the suggestion of this forum I bought some Aguila 124 when it was all the rage, finally broke into the first case at AFHF with zero issues (when I started with a loaded gun or full mag).

Odin Bravo One
10-04-2012, 06:37 PM
And I'll gladly help you guys offset your costs by taking any 9mm Aguilla brass off your hands.

GJM
10-04-2012, 06:56 PM
I am thinking that we may have a bad case of Aguila, because my wife's G17 started to fail to lock back with the same ammo this afternoon. Her pistol was flawless with another case of Aguila and a case of AE 147 thru Todd's class this past weekend.

Odin Bravo One
10-04-2012, 07:52 PM
Yeah, sounds like a bad batch of ammo.

Better send it down here for a second opinion.

JodyH
10-04-2012, 08:10 PM
I had a few failures to extract shooting Aguila through my P30.
None locked down as tight as yours, but I remember at least one required a couple good yanks on the slide to extract it.
I think there's just something about the combination of Aguila brass and the P30 stepped chamber that doesn't always work as designed.

MikeyC
10-04-2012, 08:11 PM
The last case I bought was flawless. I just picked up another one to take to class. If there's any bad ammo in it it'll show up there.

JM Campbell
10-04-2012, 09:00 PM
2k going through a class tomorrow in a M&P9 and G17. We will report back failures.

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GJM
10-04-2012, 10:21 PM
We have plenty of Aguila brass at our place in CO if you want to make a road trip. :)

1068

Odin Bravo One
10-04-2012, 11:08 PM
I pay $25 per thousand of once fired mixed headstamp, tumbled and cleaned locally.

I think driving out to CO, picking it up, throwing it in the truck, driving back to VA, tumbling, sorting, etc might drive that cost up just a tad beyond what I am paying now.

Thanks for the offer though. It was tempting. Until it turned up in COLORADO!!!!!

Besides, it is cold there.

orionz06
10-05-2012, 06:43 AM
I have shot over 20,000 rounds of Aguila 124 just in 2012, and can't remember a single bad round. Just bought another 8,000 rounds last week. It has been accurate, reliable and clean -- is my favorite practice ammo.

I had a problem with a bad round of AE 115 ball, similar to what ou experienced, in the one case of 1,000 of that load that I have shot this year.

I bought some on your recommendation a while back, worked well in my Glock.

JM Campbell
10-06-2012, 12:57 AM
2 FTFire in M&P9 2nd strike = bang
Light primer strike.

1 mag out stovepipe (glock g17)
1 live & 1 dry fire drill mag removed.

1800 rounds expended.

I'm still happy with the ammo. Might try the S&B 124 for giggles next.


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Default.mp3
10-19-2012, 06:36 PM
Had my first issue with Aguila 124 gr. today. Didn't take a picture, but the case length was slightly too long, and didn't allow the gun to properly return to battery. The OAL and location of the cannelure of the round was the same as all other rounds that fed properly. Sticker inside the box said "05-HZ-3 300312013 *ASS*" which I presume is the lot number or something. First issue I've had thus far out of the 2750 rounds of it that I've tried using.

vkarr154
04-21-2013, 09:29 PM
Ran 150 rounds though my 10-22 and mossberg plinker, not a sinlge missfire or problem. Shot from 25 - 100 yards. Wasn't the primer fed stuff. Was still pricey by my standards ar $8.99/50, but shot well nonthless.

bofe954
04-22-2013, 09:38 AM
I had a squib with the 124gr 9mm a few weeks ago.

1911Nut
04-26-2013, 07:43 PM
4.5K thru an STI 5.0 Tactical, a Glock G19, G17, and G34 and a few thru a G26 . . . . zero malfunctions.