Wolf Ammo

[tptplayer]

At various times the merits or demerits of Wolf ammo has been discussed. I have been testing Wolf ammo in .45 lately. So far I have been very satisfied with it. I don't shoot huge quantities of .45 but I shoot about 300 rounds a week. I get it through Sportsman's Guide for about 13 cents a round including shipping.

www.sportsmansguide.com/

Compared to even Walmart White box that saves me about $25 a week. You can hardly afford to reload for that. Accuracy is satisfactory. Some people say it is dirty but I don't find it bad that way and it only takes a couple of minutes to clean a gun.

[TBT]

I've found Wolf to be very dirty, even to the point of watching the "oil" spray the ground in front of me as I shot. Cleaning it out of the gun was never that big of a deal I guess, just a little extra "elbow grease" gets it done. I do worry about "hidden deposites" of grease though.

I've experienced a good number of bad rounds and misfeeds in Wolf too.

I dunno ... for me WWB is the way to go. Even if I can get Wolf a little cheaper I think that the difference in quality outweighs the difference in price.

IMHO anyway ...

[TA]

A little more expensive than Wolf, but pretty good plinking ammo is Sellier & Bellot. I picked up a case from Natchezz for $165.00 plus shipping.

www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=specials&category=54

[tptplayer]

I am starting to go through my 3rd 1000 of the Wolf .45. It is dirty! But I have discovered for the $25 a week (less than WWB even) I can wash my hands and clean my guns. I still have not had any failures with the ammo. Except for the necessity of cleaning more often, I can not see it as less satisfactory then WWB. I certainly wouldn't use it as a self defense round but it is good for practice. The price is $118 per thousand plus shipping.

[TMan]

TA said:

...pretty good plinking ammo is Sellier & Bellot. I picked up a case from Natchezz for $165.00 plus shipping.

Oh, those are some good prices. If you check my previous posting, handgunforum.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=Talks&action=display&n=1&thread=1589 you will find that S&B is some explosive stuff. I guess that is why I never get any jams. Other than occasional WB when I'm getting low, I shoot it exclusively. I've never had a bad round out of the thousands that I've shot.

When y'all say "oil" with the Wolf ammo, do you really mean oil, or is it just a way of describing the unburned powder that comes out?

[DeadeyeUSP45]

For me Wolf was the only ammo that ever jammed in my USP 45. I bought 2 boxes for the price to try out, about 5 rounds into the 1st box, I had my first jam on the feed ramp. Two rounds later same thing, this one was nasty, I had to have the armorer at the range remove it, it was wedged so tight, he had to use tools to remove the round. I gave the rest away to somebody else at the range and never bought it again. The only other time I used Wolf was in my AR-15. Other than being dirty, no problems there. I haven't used it in any of my other guns, but, after the .45 experience, I probably won't.

[kynardsj]

I've used two calibers of Wolf ammo.... 45 acp in my Springfield which performed flawlessly and 7.62 x 39 which I tried in my Ruger Mini 30 and it jammed on about every 3rd shot. So I have mixed reviews about it. Also like the other guys mentioned, it's in-expensive but dirty.

[MLB]

I should start by saying that I've never used it in my own firearms, only in a friends AR.

I think I could live with dirty ammo, but I'm most bothered by the steel casing which would be more wear on the chamber, extractor and ejector.

I understand that they've changed the laquer coating to something that dosen't gum up the action, which was another concern.

[Callahan]

The Wolf ammo thing just won't go away.

Seems like folks are always looking for some reassurance that it's OK to use. I think if you want to use it, fine.

Me, I'm not all that enthused about having to do extra cleaning, plus I feel your gun should get as good an ammo as it deserves.

I also don't use anything but brass cases -- no Wolf, no CCI Blazer. No reloads, either, but Georgia Arms quality may change my mind on that.

Just my opinion. ;D

["DoubleAction"]

I've tried the IMI, Sellier & Bellot, but no Wolf. I will not bother with the IMI or Sellier in the future either. I got strapped with 2,000. rds of the hard kicking, frame pounding IMI .45 acp almost two years ago, and still haven't shot this junk up. I obtained 1,000 rds. of the Sellier and it shoots worse than the IMI. Maybe in other countries they might load these cartridges for use in the submachine guns.
I will go from the Sellier or IMI to the Georgia Arms reloads and my accuracy gets dead on the mark while the recoil becomes a transition of smoothness and speed in my follow up shots. If I can average $10. @ 50 rds in the .45 acp, for ammunition more tuned to the pistol I'm shooting, I'll be happy to spend the $10. dollars.
Seems like all my 1911s and Sig 220s, in .45acp, shoots best with the Ga. Arms, Winchester, Federal, Gold Dot, Remington, or PMC.

[TA]

Wolf is good for sling shots. ;D

I haven't gotten the chance to get through much of my S&B yet, but so far, it doesn't seem too bad. My Black Hills is much more accurate, but it costs around twice as much.

DA, what issues are you finding with S&B? I know it is somewhat hotter, but it actually seemed cleaner to me than WWB, other than the red laquer flakes.

[TMan]

Yeah, what is with the red lacquer paint on the back of each cartridge? I don't understand the reason for that.

I won't answer for DA, but I bet his answer will be that it is hotter ammo and therefore is harder on the gun unless you go to stronger springs.

I know the CCI Mini-Mag's are hotter too, but I don't get jams with them. If parts break, they can be replaced (unless it is the frame, and that probably wouldn't be a problem with 1911's).

My feeling on S&B is that if Bill Wilson recommends it, it is good enough for me.

[TA]

I believe the red lacquer is a sealant to keep the powder dry. That is why it is around the primer and the bullet. That is my understanding.

["DoubleAction"]

TA said:

DA, what issues are you finding with S&B? I know it is somewhat hotter, but it actually seemed cleaner to me than WWB, other than the red laquer flakes.

TA; The Sellier & Bellot is loaded too hot for target practice in the 230 gr. fmj .45 acp. I use 18 1/2 lb. recoil springs in my full length 1911s. I use a 24 lb, recoil spring in my 4" 1911 and they both suffer from very hard frame pounding from the Sellier & Bellot. I can shoot the Winchester 230 gr. SXT Personnal Protection, The 230 gr. Federal Hydra Shok, The Remington 230 gr. Golden Saber, or the 185 gr. Gold Dot with better results in accuracy and less frame pounding on recoil.
S&B has a sealer between the bullet and case, but I would not think this has anything to do with it; Could be the kind of powder, I really do not know. What I do know is the Georgia Arms canned heat shoots a heck of alot better, maybe because ga. arms caters alot to the shooting community.
I checked my inventory this afternoon and it looks like the S&B is about finished, but I still have around 500 rds of the IMI to use up.

[TA]

I'm pretty well stocked up right now, but I definitely want to give the canned heat a try. Plus the ammo cans are a useful bonus. I will have to call them and see if they will take brass yet. There is a local reloading company here in Cleveland that will give brass credit, but I have to try some of their ammo out before I commit to 1000 rounds.
nationalbullet.com/

["DoubleAction"]

TA; You will find that your Wilson CQB Compact will shoot the Ga. Arms as good as anything you will ever put up it's mouth. Muzzle rise will be very minimal, recoil will not be noticed, accuracy will be where you put the front sight, and your follow up shots should be in very rapid sucession. I'm almost glad I tried to save a few bucks by picking up on this other stuff; At least I now know better. I still shoot the Winchester, Federal, or PMC in between making orders with ga. arms. Their Sheer Power Plus Gold Dots, with the starline cases, is good ammunition too.

[TA]

I had mentioned before about a possible increase in price for the .45 acp canned heat. I double checked today directly with Georgia Arms and it is still $189.95 / 1000. Also, they will still take .45 brass. Credit is 3 1/2 cents each.

["DoubleAction"]

TA; The brass credit is good. I turn in so much it's like a bonus. The 3 1/2 cents credit has been stable for a few years; At one time it was 4 cents. I know 1.000. cases is only $35. dollars, but add another 1,000., some 44 magnum, .357 magnum, 38 specials, and other calibers, it begins to total up to alot toward a thousand rounds of canned heat.

[tptplayer]

When did they start taking brass again? Last time I checked, they were not taking brass (especially .45).

[TA]

I don't think they are advertising it. I asked and the guy paused...and said is it .45? Ok, 3.5 cents each.

They seem like the kind of company that will work with you. I have spoken to them a few times and have gotten that impression.