I recently bought a couple boxes of Blazer CCI .40 180gr FMJ since it was on sale. I have used and shot a lot of Blazer Brass, but never the CCI with the aluminum casings.

My only question is can I leave a couple magazines loaded with CCI or are the aluminum casings weaker and should not be kept under tension. This may seem like a silly question, but I would like to know how soft the aluminum is since I know it's not re loadable.

I've read a few reviews on Glock Talk and some people have had problems and about the same number of people reported having no problems. If its not good ammo, Ill just shoot what I have and expect some FTEs and never buy it again.

I do believe that the aluminum cases are a little more prone to deformation than brass cases, but I doubt it's enough to make a noticeable difference to anything. Blazer aluminum is my ammunition of choice in any cartridge I can find it and I've shot about a gazillion rounds of it.

Not that it's any of my business of course ( ), but why do you feel the need to leave magazines loaded with practice ammuniton for long periods?

When the ammo shortage/hoarding was in full swing, the only ammo I could find was BLAZER in aluminum cases. I took a chance and bought a few boxes. I had no previous experience with it, but some say it will leave aluminum trace in the chamber. I don't think a couple of boxes will be a problem.

I didn't have any issues with it (9mm in P239). The indoor range I go to didn't have any posted exemptions to it, whereas the outdoor ranges usually don't want it on the ground...

I was curious about this too, so about 6 months ago I loaded some spare 1911 mags up. I am going to give it another 6 months and see if there is any problem. They feed, fire and extract just fine from my 1911 when fresh.

No reason really Sigfruend. I just keep two mags loaded with JHP and usually keep the third loaded with FMJ. I can't explain why to be honest, but I've done it that way with any gun I've kept close for home defense.

I think it started because my local gun store I frequent usually sells boxes of hollow points in boxes of 20 or 25 and so I'd buy one box to keep loaded (10 rounds per mag in Cali) and I'd just want to keep my other mags full up.

Again, I really don't have a reason.

I don't believe Blazer aluminum will deform excessively from merely being left in a magazine. If I were concerned, though, and wanted a mag full of FMJ, I'd just use some conventional brass-cased stuff for that purpose and continue to shoot the Blazer at the range. As I say, I've fired huge quantities of it and prefer it to many brass-cased practice brands. Its only disadvantage is that it can't be reloaded.

Thanks for all the info. I'm just going to fill my magazine with some brass FMJ or buy some more JHP next time Im at the store.

I have never had any problem with CCI Aluminum, 9mm, 40, and 45. Loaded mag, even in full, didn't creat any problem for me either.
Actually, for autoloader's ammo, the presure from spring will be taken by where the case is supported by the bullet and the primer end (which is thicker), if the mag spring shall cause any problem, you shall have more issues related to fire them than store them.
To compare the strength between brass and aluminum, just pick up a few spent brass/aluminum, give them the "finger press" test, which should have more poundage than mag spring. You will know. I have seen brass case weaker than CCI Aluminum. (Remember, an unfire round has the bullet to support it, that make it harder to crash.)

Way back when, what a decade or so ago? Didn't CCI/Speer load GoldDot or some other jacketed hollow points in select loadings of Blazer AL? I assume they were meant for carry and not for practice.

quote:

Originally posted by detroit192:
Way back when, what a decade or so ago? Didn't CCI/Speer load GoldDot or some other jacketed hollow points in select loadings of Blazer AL? I assume they were meant for carry and not for practice.

Absolutely, and they STILL DO!! I carry, at times, a Taurus Ti Revolver in 45 Colt. CCI Blazer loads a 45 Colt round with a Speer Gold Dot "ash tray" hollow point of 200gr., and plenty of "Zip". It is definately a self defence round!!

I have used it in a variety of different calibers in several different handguns; I think the aluminum cases are a bit 'harder' than brass cases; here's the list:

S&W 642 (.38 spl +p): 158gr lrn & 125gr +p jhp

various .357 mag revolvers: 125gr jhp .38 spl +p & 158gr jhp .357 mag

S&W 629 (.44 mag): 200gr jhp .44 spl & 240gr jhp .44 mag

Uberti Cattleman (.45 colt): 200gr jhp .45 colt

various .45 acp autos: 230gr fmj

the stuff I shot in my 642 & dad's 642 took alot of clearcoat off the breech face/recoil shield (when base of case hits recoil shield during recoil jump during firing)...more than brass cased ammo

overall I have no major complaints; minor annoyances is case expansion in magnum calibers and aluminum ding marks that don't come off parkerized pistols very easily

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
.......

Not that it's any of my business of course ( ), but why do you feel the need to leave magazines loaded with practice ammuniton for long periods?

Since this thread has been resurrected...

I used to keep range-only mags loaded with Blazer aluminum for a few months and never had a problem. I have separate CCW mags and range mags for all my guns, and for a while I was prepared to head for the range at a moment's notice. That's no longer the case, though I am prepared for TEOTWAWKI.

Blazer aluminum cased 165 grain shoots POA in my 229. It loves the stuff. Not too expensive either so I love it too.

I don't think it will deform. I used about 1500 rounds of the aluminum, it worked fine in everything I owned 9mm, but wouldn't work worth a damn in my cz-75. I'd get a stovepipe about every third round, which is about right with the cz-75 and blazer aluminum for some odd reason.