[falseharmonix]

I purchased 500 rounds of Sellier and Bellot 9mm FMJ at a gun show in January for what I deemed a good deal (50 rd boxes for $5 a box). Having never purchased this ammo before (i was looking for deals on ammo before 1/20/09) I've got a few questions.

1) I noticed the primer seems to have some kind of red laquor (sp??) on it. Is this the norm for Sellier and Bellot?

2) From talking with several of the operators at my local shooting range I was told that the 'brass' is actually brass coated steel. They went on to tell me that this could greatly damage my pistol due to steel being unforgiving in the barrel. Damage to the point of a kB!

Is there any truth to this, or are they just blowing smoke?

I've got a Glock, or as JD would say, a plastic wonder pistol.

Thanks for the input.

[johnsteele]

So far I've shot about 600 rounds of S&B 9mm "Range Safe" FMJ through my Kahr CW9 without any FTF or FTE. The ammo is electroplated brass on steel case. As I said zero problems. Oh, and mine also has the red sealant on the primer, which I take it is a precautionary seal to prevent moisture, oil, etc., from penetrating the primer.

[hillbilly68]

I fired some of it a couple of years ago, I won't buy that (IMO) junk again. It was more like a shotgun pattern than groups. Might as well have been throwing a hand full of corn through a fence.

[canebrake]

Sealed primers (and neck to bullet) not only offer a high level of waterproofing, but also provide protection against primer deactivation by solvents and lubricants. Penetrating lubricants can creep through incredibly small openings. Primers that are compromised will not ignite when struck.

[falseharmonix]

I figured the red was a sealant of sorts, so good to have that verified..

any input to the kB! due to the steel-brass combo instead of 100% brass?

[M14sRock]

In the mid 90's I shot many thousands of rds of S&B 9mm. My cost on it at the time was $3 per 50, but it came in 25rd boxes. Aguila 9mm was almost $7 per 50, so the S&B got used a lot.

S&B was brass cased, with steel jacketed bullets. I still have a few thousand rds of .380 and .32ACP, and they are brass cased, too.

It shoots fine, but was not a hot load. Very mild, and accuracy was excellent. Fun to shoot.

The cases reloaded several times with no issue.

It ran fine through everything I tried it in. Pistols and carbines.