I just received an unsolicited e-mail from them which is not unexpected in the world we live in today where consumer information can be purchased.

A link to their web-site -

Pilgrim Ammunition

They claim their ammo is made in the USA and they currently have three handgun calibers available - .380, 9mm +P and .45 +P.

For the 9mm the bullet is 50 gr. SCHP (solid copper hollow point), has a muzzle velocity of 2,000 fps and 450 FPE.

Direct link to their 9mm +P

There’s some info out on the inter-webs on this product but not a whole lot.

Innovative, effective and reliable and the next up and coming technology, or just a flash in the pan?

So I've got a buddy I served with (owns a big gun store) down in the Tampa/St Pete/Bradenton area who knows these Pilgrim guys in Sarasota and he's been saying this stuff is for real. Based upon some "Halo Point" technology or something like that ... massive tapered hollow point light weight projectile traveling above 2000 fps. Supposed to penetrate hard barriers but when it hits soft tissue it expands and does massive tissue damage. Low recoil, etc., etc., etc. I cannot remember if it is solid copper or composite or press formed but at only 50 grains I suspect it is solid something or other and individually machined or CNC'd or something. The big drawback, last I heard, is that it is insanely expensive.

$35 plus shipping for 20 rounds of 9mm defensive ammunition these days does not strike me as unusually expensive (assuming it's available).

There was an older Clear Gel test of a similar all copper 50 grain bullet at close to 2000 fps. As I expected before seeing the results, the performance was nothing to get excited about, either the permanent cavity or the penetration. Without a current gelatin test of the Pilgrim bullets, I wouldn’t bet the rent that they will do any better. Hopefully, though, someone will do that before long.

Link to older test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_hZMZM1l04

quote:

Originally posted by Cookster:
I just received an unsolicited e-mail from them ...

That would put them on my Do Not Buy list immediately & permanently. I will never buy a product from spammers. Period.

Sounds like a variant of RBCD ammo.

Innovative in the sense of "thinking outside the box," perhaps. But handgun ammo with light & fast bullets made of metal other than lead - or even no metal at all - has been around by various makers for a good 30 years. It may or may not be a "gimmick." It does tear big holes in ballistic gelatin. That doesn't necessarily translate to actual effectiveness. I don't know of any actual shooting results in a man to bear it out. My "beef" with such ammo, because the recoil characteristics or properties are so different, is that it may cause cycling problems in an autoloading pistol. (Revolvers are not affected by this.) That wonder bullet does you no good hung up on a feed ramp or the case "stovepiped" in an ejection port.

The video that sigfreund posted of the ballistic gelatin test shows that a round similar to the Pilgrim does not penetrate as deeply as one of the popular and 'traditional' offerings from the Speer, Winchester, Federal or any of the popular manufacturers.

My guess is that they are 'again' trying to make their way into the market in light of the current ammo shortage.

Sounds like another wonder bullet. Remember Aguila IQ ammo back in the day?

From different statements on their website:


"Top quality components and proprietary formulas manufactured on state-of-the-art ammunition and CNC machinery"

"The goal was to avoid over-penetration and transfer 100% of the bullet’s energy into the target with reduced recoil for the shooter. We accomplished that goal by using copper machined from solid monolithic stock. We then nickel plate them after they are made."