Ultramax Ammo?

[Browns Fan]

I just bought a 150 round pack of Ultramax .45 ACP LRN, it was on sale at Dick's for about $25. Is it any good? I figure it might be good enough for range fodder. What do you think?

 

[Ky Larry]

I haven't shot any of the UltraMax .45 ACP. I have shot their .38 ammo. It shoots okay. Accuracy was acceptable. However, it was the dirtiest, filthiest, ammo I have ever shot. After half a box, my revolver, my hands, and my face were grimy black. Clean up was a nasty mess.

 

[BigSlick]

I got a box of the same exact ammo from a shooting buddy.

He bought it and didn't notice it was LRN. He shoots only jacketed. I fugured, I'll take it, shoot it and scarf the brass. I can reload cheap, but this was free.

I noticed the ammo was factory reloads. Several headstamps, mixed nickel and brass.

I shot the box, last thing before leaving the range.

I have been shooting for over 40 years, reloading for about 25.

I have *never* seen ammo that was so crappy. It was dirtier than the worst combloc stuff I have ever shot, and I have yet to encounter any load that leaded the barrel so much.

It took four good hard cleanings with a good soak in between to finally get all the lead out of the barrel. It wasn't in streaks, like most, it looked like a topo map of the Rocky Mountains.

I have shot other UltraMax ammo, found it to be ok - nothing special. The 500 SW loads were so soft they were only good for the brass. They chronoed at about 840 fps (325 gr JHP). Their website claims 1400 fps - not likely unless you duct taped some of it to a bowling ball and dropped it out of an airplane.

I would pull the bullets, dump the powder and bullets and save the brass and primers - reload, then leave them at the range. This, coming from someone who will dumpster dive in a heartbeat for one brass case.

Of course all of the above is my experience and opinion, as always, YMMV.

BigSlick

 

[modifiedbrowning]

I have never shot their handgun ammo, but I have shot quite a bit of their .223 reloads. I have never had any problems.

 

[BHPshooter]

I tried two boxes of Ultramax of sheer desperation once... I was dismayed to see that they were reloads. After checking every round visually for defects (I found none) they were shot.

I didn't have any problems with them... However, I wouldn't buy them again. I just don't trust any reloads that aren't my own, and I would much rather stick with ammunition from a manufacturer that I recognize and trust.

YMMV,
Wes

P.S. Yes, it was incredibly filthy.

 

[Browns Fan]

Well, I finally got to the range to shoot this stuff in my Kimber and all I have to say is you guys are right. I had a few FTF's. The powder is the filthiest stuff I have ever seen. I took my neighbor with me as a guest. He was shooting a ruger p90 (nice gun, btw, shoots well and no FTF, even with the ultramax!). Anyway, watching him shoot this stuff, each round had a huge puff of smoke. I felt like we were shooting black powder! When I got back to the house for cleaning, well, let me just say that I have never seen any of my guns that dirty. I should have started this post before I bought this stuff!!

 

[trickyasafox]

i had really good luck with a 200 round value pack of their 38 sp. shot well, was dirty and smokey but other then that it was accurate and soft. their 223 shot okay, not great but it worked fine. i dont mind it to scrounge brass and use for plinking

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I had good luck with Ultramax .45 ACP 230 grain LRN in my Springfield Loaded. Smoky and dirty? So what. Most lead bullet loads are, IME. Hoppe's No.9 will handle it.

 

[roguepilot]

I bought a couple of boxes a few years ago and used it in a 10mm Glock full-size. While shooting the first 50, I had 2 that burst at the case head. I thought the first was a fluke and stopped after the second. Each time the mag was blown out of the gun with no apparent damage. I called utramax and sent the remaining rounds and the other full box back to them. They were unable to duplicate the problem and sent me new boxes. I didn't have any further problems...but I haven't bought any more of thier stuff.

 

[BluesBear]

Ultramax is just your ordinary, smokey, sooty factory reloads.

The problems is that it's priced like high quality reloads.

I can buy Miwall about 40-50% cheaper than Ultramax.

 

[Average Joe]

They are too expensive for reloads. I would rather get WWB from Wally world.

 

[Dave R]

However, it was the dirtiest, filthiest, ammo I have ever shot.

Ditto! Worst of all, it leaded my bore like nothing else ever has. Was TOUGH to clean. Makes me wonder if they mix their lead with cosmoline and epoxy.

 

[Slimjim]

I believe i have read about two KB's with Ultramax ammo in its .223 loading.

If you want good cheap range ammo. Get wolf. Its accurate and pretty clean.