MosinMan13
CGN Regular
- Location
- Thornbury Ontario
I’m not going to call this a review, because I don’t own a chronograph, or any of the other tech required to break down the specs, but rather my experience with this “PCI Ammo” brand as seen at Rusty Wood Trading Co, and specifically the 41 Long Colt, 200gr Soft Lead ammunition.
The claim:
-New Starline Brass.
-Soft Lead 200gr Hollow Base Round Nose projectiles.
- Real Black Powder Charge.
- Suitable for all firearms of this caliber in good condition
$275 + Shipping etc for 50 Rounds.
After firing 6 rounds at 15 yards from a suitable firearm(1877 Thunderer) in excellent condition, at a 2’x3’ foam
board to pattern, I noticed a few issues.
- Sound report was a little sharp.
- Smell was different
- Less Smoke and Foul
- Every round that made the board key-holed the target.
My first suspicion was maybe the charge, did I accidentally get the smokeless loads, or could it have been a substitute BP?
I reached out to Rusty Wood Trading Co to find out, in the meantime I pulled 4 additional cartridges apart, documented all the weights and specs while I waited for an answer, my findings;
- 185gr Projectile, hard cast/linotype HBRN
- Some sort of liquid dipped lubricant that doesn’t seem like typical BP lube, empty ridges.
- 16-16.5 gr charges, looks like BP but doesn’t smell like any BP I’ve used.
-Low or no compression of charge
- New Starline Brass.
So overall not entirely misleading, I can live with the charge and the powder, but I don’t believe this to be the cause of the tumbling lead, at this point I believe the hard cast lead isn’t allowing the skirt of the hollow base to expand, to achieve a better seal to the bore, and seat the rifling to better stabilize the projectile.
Rocky Mountain replies to me, insisting genuine BP. I don’t know how to test it but at this point I believe to have found the issue, I explained my findings and questioned why the Ammo is hardcast when it’s clearly advertised soft lead, even pleading my case for the lack of proper performance. Essentially in so many words I was told “41LC is hard to load for” also “have you slugged your bore” and a direct quote “It was NEVER meant to be a target round -more just a noise maker – LOL”
For clarity I do my own hand loads and purely bought this ammo at a premium out of curiosity. My load, as taught to me by members on this site, as follows;
-200 gr MP mold HBRN Soft/Pure lead (196gr average)
-18-18.5 gr of Schuetzen 3FG BP (still playing with the amount)
-Slightly compressed charge
- Lambs tallow/ Beeswax lubricant pan lubed.
- Starline brass
To make sure I'm not crazy, I loaded up 6 of my own, took a similar sized foam board and printed a group to see, and sure enough zero keyholes, and for a guy with absolutely zero training and a century old revolver, the group was relatively good.
Conclusion, be careful as a consumer, I’m not saying avoid that brand, or that store, I’ve shopped there a lot before, but buyer beware. If you’re like me and your Colt revolver relies on a soft HB bullet to achieve a stable flight, this ammo is no good, or at very least inconsistent. The store is about the same if you run into trouble.
The claim:
-New Starline Brass.
-Soft Lead 200gr Hollow Base Round Nose projectiles.
- Real Black Powder Charge.
- Suitable for all firearms of this caliber in good condition
$275 + Shipping etc for 50 Rounds.
After firing 6 rounds at 15 yards from a suitable firearm(1877 Thunderer) in excellent condition, at a 2’x3’ foam
board to pattern, I noticed a few issues.
- Sound report was a little sharp.
- Smell was different
- Less Smoke and Foul
- Every round that made the board key-holed the target.
My first suspicion was maybe the charge, did I accidentally get the smokeless loads, or could it have been a substitute BP?
I reached out to Rusty Wood Trading Co to find out, in the meantime I pulled 4 additional cartridges apart, documented all the weights and specs while I waited for an answer, my findings;
- 185gr Projectile, hard cast/linotype HBRN
- Some sort of liquid dipped lubricant that doesn’t seem like typical BP lube, empty ridges.
- 16-16.5 gr charges, looks like BP but doesn’t smell like any BP I’ve used.
-Low or no compression of charge
- New Starline Brass.
So overall not entirely misleading, I can live with the charge and the powder, but I don’t believe this to be the cause of the tumbling lead, at this point I believe the hard cast lead isn’t allowing the skirt of the hollow base to expand, to achieve a better seal to the bore, and seat the rifling to better stabilize the projectile.
Rocky Mountain replies to me, insisting genuine BP. I don’t know how to test it but at this point I believe to have found the issue, I explained my findings and questioned why the Ammo is hardcast when it’s clearly advertised soft lead, even pleading my case for the lack of proper performance. Essentially in so many words I was told “41LC is hard to load for” also “have you slugged your bore” and a direct quote “It was NEVER meant to be a target round -more just a noise maker – LOL”
For clarity I do my own hand loads and purely bought this ammo at a premium out of curiosity. My load, as taught to me by members on this site, as follows;
-200 gr MP mold HBRN Soft/Pure lead (196gr average)
-18-18.5 gr of Schuetzen 3FG BP (still playing with the amount)
-Slightly compressed charge
- Lambs tallow/ Beeswax lubricant pan lubed.
- Starline brass
To make sure I'm not crazy, I loaded up 6 of my own, took a similar sized foam board and printed a group to see, and sure enough zero keyholes, and for a guy with absolutely zero training and a century old revolver, the group was relatively good.
Conclusion, be careful as a consumer, I’m not saying avoid that brand, or that store, I’ve shopped there a lot before, but buyer beware. If you’re like me and your Colt revolver relies on a soft HB bullet to achieve a stable flight, this ammo is no good, or at very least inconsistent. The store is about the same if you run into trouble.
