Wolf .45 ACP

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444

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After reading a thread several months ago about Wolf handgun ammo, I decided to give it a try. AFterall, it had proven to be superb in my Ar15s.
So, I ordered 500 rounds and gave it a spin.
I shot most of it in a Series 80, Colt Government Model. It functioned flawlessly. Accuracy ? Not sure, it was accurate enough for what I was doing. I used it in a plate match at it was accurate enough for that. I shot one box on paper and it seemed to shoot as well as the PMC stuff I had with me. Both ammo's accuracy was limited by my shooting. I didn't try any serious sandbag shooting or anything like that.
I am an avid handloader, but for the price of this stuff, why bother ? The biggest bonus is that I don't have to pick up my cases. In a lot of the venues I shoot, you can't pick up your brass. So, I am going to order another two 500 round cases tomororw and two more in 9mm for my submachine gun.
 
I haven't used any Wolf .45 ACP for a couple of years now. i bought a case of it because it was cheap and I was looking for an absolute low-buck solution for the need to purchase 2000 rds 0f .45 for a training class.

Neither my Springfield Champion nor my Govt. Model liked it even a little. The case lacquer coupled with the extremely dirty powder then used made for lots of FTEs, especially when it had heated-up a bit. As I couldn't get three consecutive mags full to run in either, I was forced to go to Plan "B" and buy two cases of CCI Blazers.

In fairness, both 1911s have "Match' barrels and the chambers are at the small end of the tolerance spectrum. I used the rest of the Wolf up in my CZ 97B which will tolerate a lot more gunk before malfing. Even with it I'd have to swab some of the sooty crud off every hundred rounds or so to keep it going.

Wolf has supposedly made some changes in current production to address these issues. Replaced the lacquer with a poly and different powder, I'm told. Can't say from personal experience as yet whether the new stuff runs better, but lots of the other folks at my club use tons of their .223 in their ARs and aren't bitching.

FWIW, it's about all I use in my Maks and SKSes, and I shoot them a lot. Perhaps when Natchez runs out of cheap case lots of Blazers, I'll try some more Wolfs in my .45s.
 
I'll happily use Wolf, Silver Bear, etc. in ComBloc guns that were designed for it, and have had no problems with them. However, I've had numerous problems with it in the tighter-tolerance US and European guns I've tried it in.

Olympic went so far as to put an explicit warning on their Web site against using lacquer-coated ammo in their AR clones - but I don't know whether this applies to the newer, teflon-type coating on more recent Wolf ammo. Anyone know?
 
I am an avid handloader, but for the price of this stuff, why bother ? The biggest bonus is that I don't have to pick up my cases
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You know, you can reload the .45 Wolf, it's Boxer primed and I've reloaded about 15 just see if it could be done.

I don't know if any given pistol's extractor would like it, but case life would probably be pretty high.


Cat
 
I don't know if any given pistol's extractor would like it, but case life would probably be pretty high.
Click to expand...
I'd think just the opposite. I'd figure the steel would work-harden much faster than brass.
Had an AR 15 come in today with a case jammed in the chamber...wanna gues what kind it was....
Click to expand...
I'll guess.
A crappy Model 1 upper? Had one of those one time. Tight and rough chamber - would heat up or get dirty and then I'd have to knock the casing out disturbingly often. Of course, I was using brass case stuff ... Or were you asking if we wanted to guess the ammo? ;)

Point is, some guns will function flawlessly with it. Some guns will choke, and it isn't necessarily entirely the ammo's fault.

I shot up a few hundred rounds of Wolf .45 without problem. I don't like it as much as 444 does, nor do I hate it as much as Wild does (well, I don't suppose he hates it because he thinks it is good for business, but ...). It's just low-end, inexpensive ammo that works in my guns. I reload enough .45 to not care about buying Wolf in that caliber, but I'll use it in other flavors.
 
I've run 150 rounds of Wolf .45 ACP through my Springfield M1911 with no problems. It seemed to be as accurate as WWB.
 
Over 7,000 rounds of 9mm through a couple of hi-powers with no problems, about 2,000 of .45 ACP through a 1911 with no problems, about 3,000 of .223 through a Bushmaster AR with no problems.:neener:
 
No problems with Wolf here, either. HOWEVER, I've seen a generic Russian 9 mil with what looks like a lacquered case at Academy Sports for $3.86/box (same as 9mm Blazer), so watch out.

The cheapest I can find .45 ACP Wolf here in B'ham is $6.90/box, so reloading is becoming very attractive.
 
I read online and was told by someone whose opinion I deeply respect that Wolf ammo would hurt your extractor by wearing it down. With thoughts of my custom hi-power being out of commission at some point, I went ahead and got one of the C&S hardened extractors (I had some FN factory ones but I wanted to try a "hardened" one). I took the one out of the hi-power that had the bulk of the Wolf through it (probably 90% of the 7,000 rounds) and checked all of it's dimensions against the C&S one with digital calipers and found that there was absolutely no difference. If over 6,000 rounds of it don't give any wear, then I feel pretty safe.
 
I've put a few hundred rounds of Wolf through a 9mm and a 45 with no problems in either one, both pistols were Glocks.

It seems to be either a home run or strike out with Wolf ammo.

I'll tell you this, it is some dirty and foul smelling ammo. I think that for 9mm, I'll just stick with WWB because the price isn't significant.

I also find that a lot of ranges (at least around here) don't like ammo that isn't made in America. I asked one time about ammo restrictions because IL sucks for gun owners and he said, "American ammo only." I took that more like, "Buy our overpriced ammo here at the range."
 
I took that more like, "Buy our overpriced ammo here at the range."
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And we have a winner! Ranges that don't allow Wolf or Blazer do it because they can't sell the spent cases and picking them out of the rest of the brass is a time-consuming pain in the rear, or they want to sell you their house brand of ammo. I don't mind if they require it, I'd just like for them to be a little more honest about it. Giving some lame excuse to cover for it is an insult.

Brad
 
A few further thoughts on Wolf ammo, and why I won't use it in non-ComBloc guns:

1. The Olympic Arms warning, as referenced in my post above.

2. The gunsmiths at Clark Custom Guns love the stuff - they say that a good deal of their work comes from fixing AR15's and 1911's that have been damaged by Wolf ammo:

3. Talking with Clint Smith at Thunder Ranch, who has many horror stories of what's happened to students' guns during courses at TR when they arrived with a thousand rounds or more of Wolf ammo. (BTW, if you borrow a gun from him, he'll tell you not to use this ammo in it, or else!).

Adding this to my own experience with Wolf ammo, and I've got very solid reasons not to trust it or use it in any gun not originally designed for use with steel-case, lacquered ammo.
 
I've put a couple hundred rounds of .45 through my Kimber with no ill effects. I'd thought it would only be good for defensive practice, 7 - 11 yards, but I'm pleased with how well it does at 25 yds also.
 
It's my understanding that the newer manufacture Wolf ammo no longer uses the laquer coating. It has some kind of polymer coating instead that doesn't melt and jam guns like the old stuff did.
 
Surpirse Surprise

I love these Wolf ammo threads.
Once again, the people who have actually shot it, have no problems.
The others, base their opinions on speculation, something someone else told them, or something they read.
Maybe someday we can base our opinions on actual experience. Until, then, threads like this will be popular.
 
Wolf 7.62x39 is awesome stuff, their 9mm is ok, and their .45 ammo sucks. It won't even feed in my Kimber, almost locked it up real tight once. Yes it's cheap, but I'd rather spend a little bit more for something of higher quality.
 
I have personally fired about 10,000 rounds of Wolf through 3 of my Colt .45 autos (2 full size and 1 lightweight commander). I love the stuff!
My current Colt Government has had 6500 rounds of Wolf through it so far with absolutely NO problems. And this is with the dreaded factory extractor.

I watched a fellow THR member shoot 200 rounds of my Wolf ammo through his newly aquired Colt 1991 Compact a few weeks ago. It worked 100%.

Now, as of yet, I've never fired a simgle round of their rifle ammo, so I know nothing first hand about it's properties. But I have fired about 100 rounds of Wolf 9mm in a friends S&W 559. It was 100% as well.

Now y'all y'all shoot what you want to in your guns, but as long as i can buy a 50 round box of Wolf .45acp for about $6.50 I'll gladly continue to use it for practice.
 
Wolf .45 seems to be god plinking ammo at a good price. I have shot 200 or so rounds out of my 1911 with no problems. My guess is that expensive guns that have tighter tolerances may or may not like the Wolf, just my speculation. What kind of SMG you got there 444?
 
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