Okay, so for National Ammo Day this year I did something different and bought ammo I couldn’t shoot because I don’t have a gun in that caliber.
Of course, I’m rectifying that as we speak (grr, 10-day waiting period, grr.)
Anyhoo, I picked up about 100 rounds of the Cor-Bon .380 ACP, and then saw this bunch of Lapua. Lapua’s a nice reputable company, and I know I’ll need some practice ammo, and the price seemed good. What was not to like?
Well, the cartridges got here, and the cardboard boxes were close to falling apart. (No, I didn’t buy enough to get the wooden box.) More distressing, the cases are just ugly:
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Call me a purist, but I’m used to uniformly shiny brass, not brass covered with blemishes. So this is a mite alarming.
I’m not angry with SG, the blemishes are right there to see on their website photo if you care to blow up the image (which I did not; lesson learned.)
Is this stuff safe to fire?
Yep. Jes clean well afterwards.
So, whadya getting?
Best deal I ever did on .380 was 1000rds of Dynomite-Nobel for ~$72.00 including shipping. Wish I had bought two cases. Turned out to be HOT with an exposed-lead flat-tip. The Kel-Tec loved(s) it.
EMDFL,
The first bulk ammo buy I ever made was from Sportsmans Guide and it was 4000 rounds of the RWS Dynamit-Nobel hardball 9mm. I think I have just under 2000 rounds left and it’s great stuff! And the price was good too.
Phil,
It’s a Bersa Thunder 380. Would have got the Kel-Tec that everyone seems to like so much, but we Californians are not so lucky. The Bersa has the required built-in gun lock, so there we go.
It arrived at my dealer yesterday. I’ll get my first look at it Saturday when I head over to start the paperwork.
Oh yeah, the dealer asked if this was my gun for “evening wear,” and laughed that he expects I’ll have new rims on my car to match it when I show up! I’ll admit the gun’s got some tasteful gold trim, but he didn’t need to go there.
Isn’t the .380ACP an old Colt low-pressure cartridge? Should be OK to fire in a modern .380 that will take hot defense loads. The worse thing that can happen is that a case splits.
I found some Lapua WOODEN-BULLET 7.62×39 training ammo, with BRASS cases and BOXER primed. Talk about a cheap source of hulls to reload when Madam Nancy puts the kibosh on importing any more Russ milsurp ammo. It’s also at SG.
RIVRDOG –
Are you sure that stuff is Boxer? The ad says it’s Berdan. Thanks.
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