Black Hills Red Box Ammunition: not too shabby

[SoupOrMan]

I picked up a box of Black Hills .40 ammunition last week to try it out. I went with the red box ammunition since it's not remanufactured (that's the blue box stuff). I was actually pretty surprised that the price was about $16.00 per box of 50. Usually, I see the same price for two boxes of 20 in stores and at the gun shop. So the price was right for a sample box.

I checked out the bullets themselves. There's some red staining around where the primers are seated. I wondered if there was some kind of corrosive primer or not. I doubt it is, but it does look a little strange. The bullets are 180-grain JHP, and the copper jacket doesn't cover the entire outside of the bullet like you see on some hollowpoint rounds. I don't know if it helps with expansion or not, but there are v-shaped bits of the jacket missing and exposing the lead.

I loaded two magazines with them and shot one magazine during a weekly USPSA match. It's visually different from using my regular load of Blazer Brass 180 FMJs. The muzzle flash seems less intense. It seems brighter, but it's less blinding than the Blazer powder. There also seemed to be less recoil. The bullets move a little faster, too, if I compare the info from Blazer Brass to the info on the Black Hills site. No failures to feed or failures to eject so far.

From what I've used so far, I like the rounds and will keep on testing them along with my regular FMJ ammo. It's good ammunition. Give it a try if you feel so inclined.

[GaryTx]

I've seen that red stain around some primers...can someone elaborate on what that is and the reason for it?

[Deacon Dave]

I don't happen to have any of the red box Blackhills ammo handy to look at. However, if it is like the S & B ammo that I have shot, the red staining is primer sealant. Makes the ammo waterproof. Check around the edge of the brass case where the bullet seats in the case and see if it is there also.

[SoupOrMan]

I'll take a look for that. Thanks for the tip.