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Thread: Practice Ammo for Revolvers

  1. #1
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    Apr 2011
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    Back in northern Virginia

    Practice Ammo for Revolvers

    Given the information being passed along in this thread about how certain powders tend to burn hotter or not completely burn thus leaving powder flakes in annoying places, I wanted to inquire if any of you have any commercial ammunition that you'd recommend not using for practice. They usually don't list the powder.

    For instance, on SGAmmo.com you can buy a case of Tula steel case .38 FMJ for about half the price of brass case competitors, which is an incredible price savings.....but do they use a powder that will likely cause our revolvers to bind up with fouling/unburned flakes, or does it burn excessively hot like Titegroup powder? I have only shot a box of Tula at a time, so I don't know. That's something that could influence our decision on what to buy. Personally, I go to the range to shoot....not to mess with downed guns.

    So, if you've shot substantial amounts of various commercial wheelgun ammo, share your findings if you noted any of this.
    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  2. #2
    I'm no expert, but my understanding is that steel cased ammo does not expand like brass does, allowing carbon and unburned powder to escape back into the chamber/cylinder and beyond. With diligent cleaning I don't think this is a particular problem, especially considering the cost of the ammo.

    On another note, however, I purchased a half case of 38spc Speer Lawman CleanFire and after 50 or so rounds I would notice plaque-like flakes collecting around the firing pin and in the slot that rachets the cylinder (I forget what it's called). I'm almost certain the flakes are coming from the primers. More than once it caused the cylinder to lock up until I cleaned that ratchet slot.

    I will say this, it is the cleanest ammo I've ever used.


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    I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

  3. #3
    Member rsa-otc's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    South Central NJ
    Right now I'm using Freedom Munitions when running New or Re-manufactured ammo. The gun got kind of toasty last saturday when I was in a hurry and loaded all my speed loaders (about a box and a half worth) and hammored away until I needed to load more. I'm talking doing El Pres at a pace that at 20 yards keeping all the rounds in the black of a B-8 replacement, back to back to back.

    The only real factory ammo I will not ever buy again is Pruzi. Bought several cases for the company training fodder at the very beginning of the ammo drought right before moving to the commercial reloader. They were extremely cheap and it showed. They used extremely soft lead and especially dirty powder.

    In the distant past we used American Eagle 158 grain lead as our training round with good success. Shot a case of that through the gun during a week long course and didn't need to clean the gun to keep it up and running. Don't remember the gun being particularly hot after firing 6 consecutive speed loaders through the gun during a rolling thunder (function check) exercise.
    Scott
    Only Hits Count - The Faster the Hit the more it Counts!!!!!!; DELIVER THE SHOT!
    Stephen Hillier - "An amateur practices until he can do it right, a professional practices until he can't do it wrong."

  4. #4
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Tagging for interest.

  5. #5
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Aug 2017
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    New Hampshire
    I'm about halfway through a case of perfecta 158 grain fmj. Cost about .23cpr.

    Very clean burning and accurate

  6. #6
    Site Supporter ST911's Avatar
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    Dec 2012
    Location
    Midwest, USA
    90% of my revolver shooting is with these two, clean burning and consistent.
    Black Hills 148 HBWC - quite accurate
    Fed AE 130 FMJ (AE38K)

    Winchester shoots dirty in general, and there isn't really anything I like from them. CCI Blazers are also dirty. AE38N 158 RNL smudges easily and fouls cylinders but is okay for burn. The Federal RTP version of the above (RTP38130) is okay too.

    I don't think about price point much with 38 due to lower overall volume.
    Last edited by ST911; 07-21-2018 at 08:52 PM.
    الدهون القاع الفتيات لك جعل العالم هزاز جولة الذهاب

  7. #7
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    PacNW
    @rsa-otc would know, but I’ll add my .02 about ammo: Freedom Munitions 158 jacketed in both new and reman, as well as their copper plated 148 full wadcutter. It’s all worked for me, and I’ve shot thousands of rounds through various .38s. I’m also partial to the same Winchester 130fmj that @Dagga Boy has mentioned using.

    The FA did get my early 90s 640 hot enough to cause interesting sensations when reholstering AIWB after the walkbacks requiring reloads to keep up in ECQC under the summer sun, but nothing burning. The FA isn’t quite as stout as the green n tan perfecta 158 fmj that I got from SGammo recently. FWIW.

  8. #8
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Aug 2017
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    New Hampshire
    I think perfecta rates their 158 rn at 960fps

  9. #9
    Site Supporter
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    North Carolina
    I’m on my third 1K case of Precision Delta’s remanufactured .38 SPL 158gr SWC. I am relatively lazy about cleaning, and so far I’ve had no issues.

  10. #10
    Tag for knowledge.
    #RESIST

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