[ltrmc02]

I just bought a 1000 rd box of ammo from a guy that claims it was loaded by Armor Ammunition Company. The limited info I could find shows they were only in business for about 4 years, couldn't find good or bad on them. He said that it is mixed brass but never fired brass. I got it home and looked through it and there is a bunch of junk in that ammo can and I'm a bit concerned to fire any of it.

Questions
1) Can you even buy military stamped brass that's never been fired?

2) Can you buy +P stamped brass non-fired?

3) Even if this is manufactured reloads, would they run so many mixed type brass in the same batch? Thinking different casings have slightly different case space which changes the powder load to maintain safe pressures Ex. thicker military brass next to a thinner walled brass with the same powder charge.

I'd bet my life that they are reloads and I'd bet good money they were probably loaded by some individual amateur by the looks of some of that brass.

Even found a .380 round in the batch with the same bullet loaded into the casing. Not much noticeable difference in 9mm and 380 when they have the same long pointed nosed 115 grain projectile in the tip. I only noticed it by looking at the head stamp, it would be hard to pick out unless they were lined up, level and sitting on the rims in a vertical position.

 

[Jack the Toad]

#1 Maybe, but I doubt it.
#2 yes
#3 I doubt it. Why would you mix unfired brass

My feeling is that you have someone's reloads. Finding a .380 mixed in is disturbing.

 

[rayikeo2]

Thar company must have worked out of thier garage. You might try to find out WHY they went out of business. Bad ammo? Injured shooters? Blow ups? or Just poor quality ammo. No reputable reloading company would use mixed brass (new or used). I have never seen any New unfired military brass. Sounds like all Once fired brass pickups. The 380 round with a 9mm bullet says their quality control was missing. You better not shoot any of the ammo until you can find someone else that has used (shot it) it with good results. I am thinking this was all re-loaded ammo by 1 individule and never really a company. Anyway beware and get more info before shooting any of the ammo. Don't dispose of it either as even if it might be unshootable the components can be salvaged if necessary, (except powder which would have to be pitched):shock: Red Flag
The question is, why did this guy sell the 1000 rounds to you? Was he afraid to shoot it himself? Can you get a refund? Something doesn't smell good here.

 

[Bultx1215]

Yes, new unfired military brass exists. Its semi-rare, but it does exist. Lake City is the most common to find with overruns, but I'm sure the others do it as well.

 

[ltrmc02]

Thar company must have worked out of thier garage. You might try to find out WHY they went out of business. Bad ammo? Injured shooters? Blow ups? or Just poor quality ammo. No reputable reloading company would use mixed brass (new or used). I have never seen any New unfired military brass. Sounds like all Once fired brass pickups. The 380 round with a 9mm bullet says their quality control was missing. You better not shoot any of the ammo until you can find someone else that has used (shot it) it with good results. I am thinking this was all re-loaded ammo by 1 individule and never really a company. Anyway beware and get more info before shooting any of the ammo. Don't dispose of it either as even if it might be unshootable the components can be salvaged if necessary, (except powder which would have to be pitched):shock: Red Flag
The question is, why did this guy sell the 1000 rounds to you? Was he afraid to shoot it himself? Can you get a refund? Something doesn't smell good here.

I'm going to call the guy back and see if he'll buy it back. He seemed reasonable and claims to have bought it from another individual a couple years back. He has been selling many of his guns due to cut backs at work. Said he had 35 pistols in his collection a year ago and has sold most of them and paid off the wife’s fairly new car LOL. Sounded like he was more of a collector than a shooter as he sold a XD tactical OD green he'd bought brand new and never fired. I missed that deal though.

My point is I asked him deliberately was the ammo reloads and he stated no that it is new unfired mixed brass. That would be reasonable grounds to ask him to buy it back right?

 

[ltrmc02]

Yes, new unfired military brass exists. Its semi-rare, but it does exist. Lake City is the most common to find with overruns, but I'm sure the others do it as well.

I doubt that a company that started around 2002 would have ended up with a new piece of military brass head stamped year of 92 and that particular case is tarnished like an old penny. Most of the brass is fairly clean, some nickle plated and a few rounds in pretty bad shape. I'll see about posting some pics of the bad rounds tonight.

 

[rayikeo2]

I'm going to call the guy back and see if he'll buy it back. He seemed reasonable and claims to have bought it from another individual a couple years back. He has been selling many of his guns due to cut backs at work. Said he had 35 pistols in his collection a year ago and has sold most of them and paid off the wife’s fairly new car LOL. Sounded like he was more of a collector than a shooter as he sold a XD tactical OD green he'd bought brand new and never fired. I missed that deal though.

My point is I asked him deliberately was the ammo reloads and he stated no that it is new unfired mixed brass. That would be reasonable grounds to ask him to buy it back right?

First, ask him how much of this ammo he has personally shot. If he says none, ask him if he knows anyone else that has shot it. If the answer is still none, ask for a refund for safety reasons. If he knows of people that have used this exact ammo without problems and your buying price was really cheap you might consider keeping it.

 

[ltrmc02]

First, ask him how much of this ammo he has personally shot. If he says none, ask him if he knows anyone else that has shot it. If the answer is still none, ask for a refund for safety reasons. If he knows of people that have used this exact ammo without problems and your buying price was really cheap you might consider keeping it.

I paid $175 for the ammo so pretty good deal for what I though was new brass but for much of it looking like old worn out reloaded brass I wouldn't consider it a good deal, more so a questionable hazzard.

 

[Bultx1215]

I doubt that a company that started around 2002 would have ended up with a new piece of military brass head stamped year of 92 and that particular case is tarnished like an old penny. Most of the brass is fairly clean, some nickle plated and a few rounds in pretty bad shape. I'll see about posting some pics of the bad rounds tonight.

Don't be so quick to doubt. I am looking as some brand new LC-93 .308 cases that I acquired two years ago. They are brand new, never fired and never crimped. They were also very tarnished but cleaned up nicely. I am not doubting what you have are reloads. I am saying the military brass is possible and likely since I have done it a few times of late.

 

[fredj338]

I just bought a 1000 rd box of ammo from a guy that claims it was loaded by Armor Ammunition Company. The limited info I could find shows they were only in business for about 4 years, couldn't find good or bad on them. He said that it is mixed brass but never fired brass. I got it home and looked through it and there is a bunch of junk in that ammo can and I'm a bit concerned to fire any of it.

Questions
1) Can you even buy military stamped brass that's never been fired? Yes, but I doubt in 9mm

2) Can you buy +P stamped brass non-fired? Yes

3) Even if this is manufactured reloads, would they run so many mixed type brass in the same batch? Thinking different casings have slightly different case space which changes the powder load to maintain safe pressures Ex. thicker military brass next to a thinner walled brass with the same powder charge.

I'd bet my life that they are reloads and I'd bet good money they were probably loaded by some individual amateur by the looks of some of that brass. PICS???

Even found a .380 round in the batch with the same bullet loaded into the casing. Not much noticeable difference in 9mm and 380 when they have the same long pointed nosed 115 grain projectile in the tip. I only noticed it by looking at the head stamp, it would be hard to pick out unless they were lined up, level and sitting on the rims in a vertical position.

Of course they are reloads. No reputable ammo company puts up new ammo in mixed brass. It's mixed because it IS reloaded. Is that a problem, maybe. MAny companies that remanuf ammo use mixed brass, they just never load to max so the small variation in cases doesn't matter pressure wise. Is it safe, maybe? The company is no longer in business, could mean they made a poor product & got sued. The 380 thing tells me their QC was suspect at best. Your call.
BTW, it's easy to spot new brass, it looks, well new. No defects, no burrs or knicks in the rims. I can't tell you how many times a case has been fired, but I can spoit new brass form fired brass. The more times it's fired the more damage the case head takes. You are right @ $175/k, not a good deal for unkown remanuf 9mm.

 

[ltrmc02]

Of course they are reloads. No reputable ammo company puts up new ammo in mixed brass. It's mixed because it IS reloaded. Is that a problem, maybe. MAny companies that remanuf ammo use mixed brass, they just never load to max so the small variation in cases doesn't matter pressure wise. Is it safe, maybe? The company is no longer in business, could mean they made a poor product & got sued. The 380 thing tells me their QC was suspect at best. Your call.
BTW, it's easy to spot new brass, it looks, well new. No defects, no burrs or knicks in the rims. I can't tell you how many times a case has been fired, but I can spoit new brass form fired brass. The more times it's fired the more damage the case head takes. You are right @ $175/k, not a good deal for unkown remanuf 9mm.

I bought an Eotech site and magnifier from the guy and was inspecting it more so than the ammo. I opened the can and everything on top looked pretty good but when poured it out at the house for better inspection all the ugly rounds were apparently placed at the bottom of the can, go figure LOL. Wish I could find some info on the manufacturer but there are no reviews that I can find for Armor Ammunition Inc. out of Erwin NC

 

[scooterj]

Companies that reman ammo will give a considerable price cut if you send brass to be reloaded. This doesn't mean that the brass you send will come back, they just replace what they sell with what you send.
Some of these companies sell a top-notch product, others...not so much.

 

[ltrmc02]

Which is the .380?

 

[ltrmc02]

Now you can tell

 

[ltrmc02]

A little dinged up

 

[ltrmc02]

What happened to this new brass rim?

 

[ltrmc02]

Looks like a barber shop spiral pole

 

[ltrmc02]

 

[rayikeo2]

Check out this web page.
Armor Ammunition (Armor Ammunition, Inc) - Erwin, North Carolina (NC) | Company Profile

 

[ltrmc02]

Check out this web page.
Armor Ammunition (Armor Ammunition, Inc) - Erwin, North Carolina (NC) | Company Profile

I'd saw that but I can't find any reviews or why they went out of business. If this ammo that I have actually came from them then I see why they no longer are in business.