A Close Look At: Slingin' Lead

Makers from big to little seem to work overtime developing new loads, bullets and cartridge concepts. This is just a quick peek to keep you thinking when it comes to smart-buying, especially in the defensive ammo category. Remember, this isn’t everyone making ammo — by a long shot — and it pays to keep on top of what’s out there with some judicious reading here, at manufacturer’s websites, our own digital on-line world, your local gunshop — and trusted buddies. Keep in mind chances are good if you don’t see your favorite caliber here, rest assured a zillion makers have what you need, all in the most up-to-date designs. Some of this is so new we haven’t gotten our paws on any, but once we do, we’ll let you know if things went bang when they were supposed to!

The 10mm is riding a tidal wave of popularity and for good reason. It’s essentially the same as having a .41 Magnum in a semi-auto! SIG Sauer, the same people who build those best-quality firearms, introduced premium ammo last year and this 10mm 180-gr. FMJ load at 1,250 fps is a go-to load for any 10mm shooter. Look for other calibers from them, as well as 10mm loads from most of the major makers and a host of small shops too.

Our middle names might as well be “revolver” here at Handgunner, so it’s pleasing to see companies still treating the .357 Magnum with new loads and technology. HPR’s recent offering is a classic 158-gr. load, the work horse in that caliber. HPR has built a fast reputation on quality and performance.

Big boomers are still the rage, but revolvers don’t own that show entirely. A good reminder is the fact Hornady makes this thumper in .50 AE. It’s a 300-gr. XTP/HP at about 1,475 fps from the big Desert Eagle auto. Hornady says its still clocking 1,114 fps at 100 yards. That’s serious deer medicine.

Wilson Combat makes more than quality guns. Not long ago they started a custom loading operation at their plant and now offer many calibers and loads. I like the fact Bill Wilson’s “Signature” ammo comes in plastic boxes. Look for other high performance ammo (like this 10mm with a 155-gr. Hornady XTP at 1,320 fps) in more conventional packaging but still delivering the goods.

This “crate” of classic 230 ball ammo from Winchester is a must-have if you’ve got a classic old military 1911 banging around. Loaded with 200 rounds of 230-gr. FMJ “Service Grade Ammunition” with mil-style headstamps. It’s American made, of course, and comes in a really neat wooden box. Shoot up the ammo, then keep that old Colt in a box where it’d feel right at home.

The .380 is going strong and these four new offerings make sure you have plenty of performance in your compact auto. The Barnes TAC-XPD slings an 80-gr. bullet at about 990 fps using the famous Barnes bullet technology. Browning’s very new BXP (Personal Defense X-Point) uses a 95-gr. bullet. The ammo is so new we didn’t get any test samples and the final ballistic info isn’t out yet. Look for a complete line of handgun, right and shotgun ammo. Federal’s new 99-gr. HST .380 load delivers the legendary Federal performance with almost 100 percent weight retention after expansion. Ruger has entered the ammo market with a line-up of high performance, ultra-lightweight ammo. Their .380, for instance, sends a 56- gr. ARX bullet at 1,315 fps. They’ve partnered with Polycase and the loads have their proprietary molded copper/polymer matrix bullets.

Buffalo Bore’s new 9mm +P “Outdoorsman” load is just that, an innovative idea loading a hard cast flat-nosed 147-gr. 9mm bullet at about 1,100 fps from standard length auto barrels. This deep penetrating bullet will allow people with favorite auto pistols (look for other calibers too) to carry their defensive 9mm, for instance, in the woods in case they stumble onto something big and mean. We’re not saying it can replace a big bore, but it’s better than a lightweight defensive hollow point in a “I’m about to get eaten” situation.

Colt has spread their wings a bit and has introduced a line of ammo. Called “Colt Defender” ammunition, they’ll have .380, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP and a couple of common rifle calibers, at least at first. It will be distributed by DKG Trading company in an arrangement with Colt. They show the handgun ammo to be loaded with “solid copper” bullets, of HP design and will be an “affordable price” according to early info. The .45 tosses a 185-gr. HP at 1,100 fps, with the 9mm 115-gr. doing 1,200 fps as a sample of some numbers.

CorBon announced a new 9mm load in their Urban Response series. This rocket load sends their 100-gr. Urban Response bullet (a sort of HP with a black polymer ball crimped into place in the cavity) at about 1,475 fps. That’s mighty fast for a 100-gr. bullet. CorBon says the ball delays the hollow point’s expansion, allowing deeper penetration, even at that velocity. We’ll get some to test when we can.