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Silver Bear 9mm Ammo
reload999
Member Posts: 3,080 ✭✭✭
I'm looking for any current opinions regarding this ammo before I try it. I found some old threads where the reviews seemed to be mixed, but nothing recent. I'm looking for cheap 9mm with disposable cases to plink at an indoor range, as recovering my brass there is difficult (most seems to go down range). Thanks...
Comments
The Zinc plated steel cases, of the Silver Bear worked fine in my 9mm Keltec P 11. This stuff is just cheap FMJ range ammo, but it works.
I would buy 1 box to see if it functions OK, in your pistol.
I've shot plenty of this through rifles. . .never had an issue, and I'd say this stuff is a little better than the more common steel case "Wolf" ammo (which comes from Tula, a different Russian plant).
The different "bears" are all basically the same; the main difference is just how the respective cases are plated. EG, the "silver" bear ammo has zinc-plated steel cases; the "golden" bear has brass plated steel cases, etc.
I don't think this is "match grade" ammo, but its safe to shoot, offers normal power levels (ie more than cheap/plinker Winchester "white box"), and should run fine.
Only caveat with steel case ammo is that because of lower case elasticity, the cases don't stretch as much as brass on firing, and also don't "rebound" back to size so readily. The result can be a little more gas blowback around the neck, leading to more chamber fouling, and also a little more "sticking" of cases in the chambers, requring a bit more work on the part of the gun's extractor compared to ordinary brass cases.
In SOME cases (depends on gun, extractor in question, etc), this increased case "stickiness" can cause increased wear and tear on extractors, leading to earlier failure. That's especially true if you alternate steel case and brass case without good scrubbing in between.
For this reason, I personally don't like to shoot steel-case rounds through my own pistols, which (unlike Commie-bloc pistols and rifles) weren't designed to handle steel case ammo. Given the choice, I'll pay another buck or two for brass. . .if its available.
Note that many people get away fine with steel case ammo in their handguns, and realistically the cost of replacing an extractor is probably small compared to the cost savings you'll realize shooting lots of this ammo (vs brass). But just realize that this COULD be an issue, and act/plan accordingly.
The Silver Bear is Russian made ammo, made in the Barnaul plant. Barnaul is a major ammo plant; its been in business for 150 years, and is one of the biggest domestic ammo makers in Russia, supplying the Russian army (and many others).
I've shot plenty of this through rifles. . .never had an issue, and I'd say this stuff is a little better than the more common steel case "Wolf" ammo (which comes from Tula, a different Russian plant).
The different "bears" are all basically the same; the main difference is just how the respective cases are plated. EG, the "silver" bear ammo has zinc-plated steel cases; the "golden" bear has brass plated steel cases, etc.
I don't think this is "match grade" ammo, but its safe to shoot, offers normal power levels (ie more than cheap/plinker Winchester "white box"), and should run fine.
Only caveat with steel case ammo is that because of lower case elasticity, the cases don't stretch as much as brass on firing, and also don't "rebound" back to size so readily. The result can be a little more gas blowback around the neck, leading to more chamber fouling, and also a little more "sticking" of cases in the chambers, requring a bit more work on the part of the gun's extractor compared to ordinary brass cases.
In SOME cases (depends on gun, extractor in question, etc), this increased case "stickiness" can cause increased wear and tear on extractors, leading to earlier failure. That's especially true if you alternate steel case and brass case without good scrubbing in between.
For this reason, I personally don't like to shoot steel-case rounds through my own pistols, which (unlike Commie-bloc pistols and rifles) weren't designed to handle steel case ammo. Given the choice, I'll pay another buck or two for brass. . .if its available.
Note that many people get away fine with steel case ammo in their handguns, and realistically the cost of replacing an extractor is probably small compared to the cost savings you'll realize shooting lots of this ammo (vs brass). But just realize that this COULD be an issue, and act/plan accordingly.
A+++++
OK for plinking purposes
I'm looking for any current opinions regarding this ammo before I try it. I found some old threads where the reviews seemed to be mixed, but nothing recent. I'm looking for cheap 9mm with disposable cases to plink at an indoor range, as recovering my brass there is difficult (most seems to go down range). Thanks...
Be aware, some indoor ranges don't allow any "steel" (bi-metal casing of the bullet, or steel cased) ammo on their range.
In some places where they have this rule, I think they are concerned someone might be shooting steel-core ammo -- which could damage their bullet catch systems. But I think most of the time the reason they don't want the steel is that is messes up their recycling of the brass and lead. (The scrap dealers won't pay them as much when it is "contaminated" with steel.)