First off, I’m a reloader, so I don’t shoot that much commercial ammo any more. But I bought my first .45acp (Taurus PT-145) and wanted to shoot it right away (and get some brass by “emptying the brass,”) so I bought 1 box each of Winchester White Box, Remington UMC, and Ultramax remanufactured ammo. Had two range sessions, shooting about half of each box in each session. Here’s what I found.
Let’s start with the bad. Ultramax. Please stay away from this stuff if you possibly can. Shooting it is not very pleasant. It produces big clouds of foul-smelling, waxy smoke. Probably from a combination of the bullet lube used for the lead round-nosed bullet, and the powder they chose.
Accuracy was not as good as the other two brands, but was not a problem. The PT-145 shot well for me, and accuracy was sufficient for plinking. I’d shoot it if I could stand the smell and thickness of the smoke. And, oh yeah…
This stuff is the dirtiest ammo on planet earth. And the lead in the bullets must be real soft, because after 25 rounds, the inside of my bore looked like the surface of the moon. Loads and loads of lead streaks, covered by impossibly thick layers of powder fouling. The powder fouling came right out. The lead wanted to stay.
I shoot a lot of Laser-Cast lead bullets, and they just don’t foul like this. They use a harder alloy. But the lead from these Ultramax bullets—hoo boy! First session, I cleaned my barrel 4 times as long as I cleaned the other 3 pistols I shot that day. 4 complete cycles of scrubbing, waiting for the solvent to work, then using brush again, followed by patches. I was finally clean after the 4th cycle. It gave me Popeye arms.
Second range session was just as bad. Except that after 4 cycles, there was still lead in the bore. I’m going to have to clean it again. One record of note: on the 4th cycle I had the biggest piece of lead on a patch that I have ever seen. The width of a groove, and over half-inch long.
I will never shoot this stuff again. Takes too much time to clean. And the brass is mixed headstamps, too. When decapping the brass, I noticed significant differences in thickness of the brass. Some of those headstamps I have never seen before.
OK, better stuff. The Remington UMC was reasonably clean. And almost as accurate as the Winchester White box. The only ding on the UMC was the BIG FIREBALLS it made from the PT-145’s short barrel. We’re talking big, bright flameballs. Obliterate the sight picture and sunburn your retina. Wear SPF-45 when you shoot this stuff.
Best stuff: Winchester White box. Most accurate of the 3. Cleanest. Low muzzle flash. Nice brass, too. My choice in cheap .45acp ammo.
Let’s start with the bad. Ultramax. Please stay away from this stuff if you possibly can. Shooting it is not very pleasant. It produces big clouds of foul-smelling, waxy smoke. Probably from a combination of the bullet lube used for the lead round-nosed bullet, and the powder they chose.
Accuracy was not as good as the other two brands, but was not a problem. The PT-145 shot well for me, and accuracy was sufficient for plinking. I’d shoot it if I could stand the smell and thickness of the smoke. And, oh yeah…
This stuff is the dirtiest ammo on planet earth. And the lead in the bullets must be real soft, because after 25 rounds, the inside of my bore looked like the surface of the moon. Loads and loads of lead streaks, covered by impossibly thick layers of powder fouling. The powder fouling came right out. The lead wanted to stay.
I shoot a lot of Laser-Cast lead bullets, and they just don’t foul like this. They use a harder alloy. But the lead from these Ultramax bullets—hoo boy! First session, I cleaned my barrel 4 times as long as I cleaned the other 3 pistols I shot that day. 4 complete cycles of scrubbing, waiting for the solvent to work, then using brush again, followed by patches. I was finally clean after the 4th cycle. It gave me Popeye arms.
Second range session was just as bad. Except that after 4 cycles, there was still lead in the bore. I’m going to have to clean it again. One record of note: on the 4th cycle I had the biggest piece of lead on a patch that I have ever seen. The width of a groove, and over half-inch long.
I will never shoot this stuff again. Takes too much time to clean. And the brass is mixed headstamps, too. When decapping the brass, I noticed significant differences in thickness of the brass. Some of those headstamps I have never seen before.
OK, better stuff. The Remington UMC was reasonably clean. And almost as accurate as the Winchester White box. The only ding on the UMC was the BIG FIREBALLS it made from the PT-145’s short barrel. We’re talking big, bright flameballs. Obliterate the sight picture and sunburn your retina. Wear SPF-45 when you shoot this stuff.
Best stuff: Winchester White box. Most accurate of the 3. Cleanest. Low muzzle flash. Nice brass, too. My choice in cheap .45acp ammo.
I also heard lead is a no,no from a glock Is that true.