The price of ammo at the gun show is tempting me, last show had 500 loose rounds of .40S&W for $100, sometimes less. Is this stuff any good? Should I avoid it or stock up? This was at the Phoenix Show.

Question:
Quality of gun show ammo?

Choices:
Goes bang
Goes bang, but dirty
Usually goes bang
Not worth it

 

What type of vendor was it that was selling the reloads?

If it is the Miwall stuff, it has been my experience that they are very light loads. I no longer buy them.

The only vendor I can remember was BVAC Sales.

If ou see GaArms ammo, dont be worried, the stuff is GREAT!

Not sure about other brands/companies.

If they sell the same stuff in less quantity, I'd try it.

It has been my experience that the least expensive jacketed gun show ammo is usually only about two dollars per box of 50 less than Wal-Mart prices. At that savings rate I prefer to use US factory made ammunition and not risk the possible issues with reloaded pistol ammunition.
I do not use the non-jacketed, cast lead bullets ammunition that is also frequently available at gun shows but it usually averages about four dollars less for a box of 50 than Wal-Mart. If you don't mind using lead bullets and the risk, however minor, associated with reloaded rounds, then the gun show ammo with cast bullets may be a viable option.
I shoot about four to five boxes of ammunition per month and the gun-show ammo would save me about $25, at best. For this amount, I personally would rather use factory made ammo.

Last Crossroads show i went to in Phx i bought a can of 9mm factory reloads from BVAC. Overall i have found it to be excellent. It is cleaner, cheaper and stronger than WWB and seems at least as good as Blazer, which i can't find locally anymore. Evidently these guys do a lot of LE loads, have a contract with Lake City for brass, and just seemed to be good guys. I am waiting for the Aug 16-17 show to go get some more and some .45acp to go with it.

Is this billy bo's reloads or Winchester ammo?

If it's factory loaded, new or reload, no problem.

If it's home reloads forget it.

quote:

Originally posted by lestuff:
Last Crossroads show i went to in Phx i bought a can of 9mm factory reloads from BVAC. Overall i have found it to be excellent. It is cleaner, cheaper and stronger than WWB and seems at least as good as Blazer, which i can't find locally anymore. Evidently these guys do a lot of LE loads, have a contract with Lake City for brass, and just seemed to be good guys. I am waiting for the Aug 16-17 show to go get some more and some .45acp to go with it.

Thats the nice thing about the crossroads show, they come back so often. I know it is kinda far for you, but the Walmart in north phoenix/scottsdale on bell road carrys blazer brass at ~12.50 for .40. I think they had .45 for about 15?

-tank soldier: Is there any way to tell the difference between factory reloads and home reloads? I recall hearing one person asking if one of the vendor's loads shot clean and they responded: "Oh yeah, its really clean". I imagine they would tell me whatever I wanted to hear.