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Friday, November 4, 2011

Sellier & Bellot .45 Auto Review Part One

So Steven at bulkammo.com shoots me an e-mail asking if I would review something. I ignored it. Hey I'm a busy guy and what's in it for me? Besides there can't be that many people wandering by here to check on my pedestrian ramblings right?

He sends another email a couple of weeks later. I say sure this time around and several days later a box of 50 S&B .45 auto shows up at stately manor.

First I have to say I have a history with this Czech Republic ammo. It is sold at the home range. I reload brass recovered from same. I have shot it many times. This is the hardest I have worked for a box of ammo!  The selection they have for this caliber is here

I will of course use this for testing:




















I will run it through a Colt Combat Commander with a 4.25" barrel. While I am at it I will run it through a Para Ordinance 1911 too.

I am interested in seeing how the physical dimensions measure up on this ammo and never had a chance to do so. So, I take a round apart. 

First, OAL. Well within specs!



















Then, since I don't know what powder is used I was curious to see what the load weight was. This powder looked totally different than powder I use for reloading. Weight was almost identical though. 4.1 grains or so. 





 













230 Grain bullet? Let's find out!















Dead on it!


Brass Length? Well within specs:































Bullet diameter? Much the same:




















Brass? Looks great!





So I hope to run some through the chronograph Sunday. I have to make a day trip tomorrow to shoot this:

My home range can't handle rifles unless in handgun calibers. I perhaps played a part in that. On the plus side I get to see old friends. 


FTC Stuff: Yes I did get a free box of ammo in exchange for this review. I spent more time so far on this than the box of ammo is worth and if the ammo sucks, the next review will accurately report it!








 

11 comments:

  1. I spent more time so far on this than the box of ammo is worth and if the ammo sucks, the next review will accurately report it!

    :)

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  2. LOL, I hope your Chrony works when you go to the range, unlike mine... sigh

    S&B stuff I've shot tends to be pretty strong on recoil, and pretty dirty.

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  3. Brock- Indeed!

    NFO- If it is a Pace, it is a plastic cased ball of suck and fail. Had one.

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  4. I like S&B brass. Primer pockets might be a tad tight, but it still loads well.

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  5. TJ- Yeah the primer pockets are a bit tight, but not the OMG!!! crap I have found on the Interwebs. Brass cleans and resizes well IMHO.

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  6. I've shot some before, but never realized it was from the Czech Republic.
    I got the same email, and will be doing my "review" after the ammo gets here.
    I never thought to do the tech-spec stuff like you just did, but then I don't reload, either!
    I'll review mine from the "Average User" viewpoint.

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  7. drjim- No worries there! I felt I had to bring something to the table as I make my own .45's! The stuff shoots well and I was impressed after taking a round apart.

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  8. Hm. Two of you getting review requests?

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  9. Yep. Came right 'out of the blue' for me, and I assume Keads, too.

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  10. Brooke and drjim, Yep right out of the blue!

    ReplyDelete