Remington Black Belt defense ammo

[jhjimbo]

The black belt ammo has been available to non-LEO for a few years. Does anyone have any comments re: it's performance?
With the indent for the belt, does that make the case non-reloadable? I picked up a couple boxes in 9mm and .40 to try out.

[PigHunter]

Jimbo, have you shot some of the ammo? If so, how accurate was it? Do the fired cases look reloadable?

Here's a great article concerning gel tests with the Remington Black Belt
https://www.americanrifleman.org/art...t-pistol-ammo/

[jhjimbo]

Jimbo, have you shot some of the ammo? If so, how accurate was it? Do the fired cases look reloadable?

Here's a great article concerning gel tests with the Remington Black Belt
https://www.americanrifleman.org/art...t-pistol-ammo/

I should get to the range today. Good article / review. The brass is straight wall, the hour glass shape is in the bullet. The .40 I got shows some of the belt, the 9mm I got the belt is completely within the case. I got standard 9mm, not +P.

[PigHunter]

I should get to the range today. Good article / review. The brass is straight wall, the hour glass shape is in the bullet. The .40 I got shows some of the belt, the 9mm I got the belt is completely within the case. I got standard 9mm, not +P.

I look forward to hearing how well this ammo functions in your handguns. For self-defense in the 9mm, I've carried Remington Golden Sabre for years and am considering a switch.

[PigHunter]

Jimbo, I was able to finally get to the range Tuesday afternoon to check out my latest revolver. It's a gently used S&W model 642 in .38 Special. Here's a link to the S&W page:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-642



This is the 3rd Airweight J-Frame that I've purchased and it performed as expected. (The other two ended up as gifts to family members). With factory trigger it did pretty good on slow, aimed shots while standing shooting off-hand. At 7 yards I put 4 shots into one ragged hole but pulled the 5th shot about an inch off. But, most of the groups were in the 3-inch category on slow fire and 5-inch on rapid fire.

The 6-inch steel plates at the 15 yard line were easy to hit on slow fire once I got familiar with the the +P test loads and the revolver's tendency to shoot a little low.

My carry load is the 110 grain Hornady Critical Defense and the 642 did very well with it too. My thinking is that short barrel needs all the help it can get so I picked the lighter bullet with higher velocity. Hornady says, "Critical Defense^® ammunition is optimized for short barreled, concealed carry style handguns and will not deliver excessive recoil and associated muzzle flip."

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/h...cal-defense#!/

[jhjimbo]

Jimbo, I was able to finally get to the range Tuesday afternoon to check out my latest revolver. It's a gently used S&W model 642 in .38 Special. Here's a link to the S&W page:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-642



This is the 3rd Airweight J-Frame that I've purchased and it performed as expected. (The other two ended up as gifts to family members). With factory trigger it did pretty good on slow, aimed shots while standing shooting off-hand. At 7 yards I put 4 shots into one ragged hole but pulled the 5th shot about an inch off. But, most of the groups were in the 3-inch category on slow fire and 5-inch on rapid fire.

The 6-inch steel plates at the 15 yard line were easy to hit on slow fire once I got familiar with the the +P test loads and the revolver's tendency to shoot a little low.

My carry load is the 110 grain Hornady Critical Defense and the 642 did very well with it too. My thinking is that short barrel needs all the help it can get so I picked the lighter bullet with higher velocity. Hornady says, "Critical Defense^® ammunition is optimized for short barreled, concealed carry style handguns and will not deliver excessive recoil and associated muzzle flip."

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/h...cal-defense#!/

Nice, I have the S&W mod 36. 5 shot with a bobbed hammer. It is exposed so if desired one can lock it back and shoot single action. Only thing is if you decide not to shoot you have to figure a way to lower the hammer without a discharge. I do not use that feature very ofter. BTW, there are a lot of high tech .38 spl out there - it is not you fathers .38spl.

As for range time today:

I tried to do too much at the range (a .22 rifle sight in for silhouette, SKS, Ruger Mini-30 on 100yd and shotgun on the trap range) and only tried the 9mm black belt for function. I loaded 7+1 in two different mags and repeated 3 times each mag firing only the first 3 rounds. No FTFunction over 18 fired rounds in my Remington R-51. I did notice a couple things - the ammo seemed to have a different sound vs. other 9mm I have shot. Less of a crack more of a boom. It is rated at 960fps which is less than other 9mm so maybe the action timing is different enough to affect the sound. I do not shoot +P. Another observation is less smoke. Daylight so I can't say about reduced flash but I did notice the reduced smoke. Jim

I turned around on a lawn and got stuck so left tired and dehydrated. A guy helped and we got chains and come along from tractor shed and got it out. Otherwise a nice day.

[PigHunter]

Nice, I have the S&W mod 36. 5 shot with a bobbed hammer. It is exposed so if desired one can lock it back and shoot single action. Only thing is if you decide not to shoot you have to figure a way to lower the hammer without a discharge. I do not use that feature very ofter. BTW, there are a lot of high tech .38 spl out there - it is not you fathers .38spl.

As for range time today:

I tried to do too much at the range (a .22 rifle sight in for silhouette, SKS, Ruger Mini-30 on 100yd and shotgun on the trap range) and only tried the 9mm black belt for function. I loaded 7+1 in two different mags and repeated 3 times each mag firing only the first 3 rounds. No FTFunction over 18 fired rounds in my Remington R-51. I did notice a couple things - the ammo seemed to have a different sound vs. other 9mm I have shot. Less of a crack more of a boom. It is rated at 960fps which is less than other 9mm so maybe the action timing is different enough to affect the sound. I do not shoot +P. Another observation is less smoke. Daylight so I can't say about reduced flash but I did notice the reduced smoke. Jim

I turned around on a lawn and got stuck so left tired and dehydrated. A guy helped and we got chains and come along from tractor shed and got it out. Otherwise a nice day.

Jimbo, trying to do too much at the range is typically what I do. So, I'm making an effort to start going more often but carry fewer firearms at a time.

I've never shot a model 36 but had a model 38 with shrouded hammer. That was my 1st J-Frame and I used Wolff Gunsprings to reduce trigger pull. However it's rather light in cocked single-action and the shooter must be very careful. Sold that one to my Dad and he only fires it in double action. The 642 I shot this week has a decent factory trigger and I might not modify it.

Thanks for the report on the 9mm ammo. I'd figured you would be running it through that R-51. I'll get some and try it in my Taurus G2C. Our range is outdoor and allows shooting until 9pm so perhaps I can try after dark and see if there's a difference in muzzle flash.

[jhjimbo]

I look forward to hearing how well this ammo functions in your handguns. For self-defense in the 9mm, I've carried Remington Golden Sabre for years and am considering a switch.

I forgot to mention when I was getting my .22lr rifle zeroed in for a silhouette match coming up I was shooting Aquila Interceptors - 40gr at 1470 fps. The thing is they have a very different odor from any other .22 I have shot. Almost a perfume, sweet smell. They use the same priming process as Ely that is used by our Olympic team. You should get a box and try them out - rifle only thing is, not for handgun.

[PigHunter]

I forgot to mention when I was getting my .22lr rifle zeroed in for a silhouette match coming up I was shooting Aquila Interceptors - 40gr at 1470 fps. The thing is they have a very different odor from any other .22 I have shot. Almost a perfume, sweet smell. They use the same priming process as Ely that is used by our Olympic team. You should get a box and try them out - rifle only thing is, not for handgun.

Thanks for the tip. Right now I'm sighted in with CCI Mini-mag HP's for the old Winchester model 74. 5-shot groups at 50 yards are running about 1/2 inch.


The new Ruger American Rimfire is sighted in with ELEY subsonic because I'm using a suppressor. Killed a racoon at 60 yards back in February with that combination.

[jhjimbo]

Thanks for the tip. Right now I'm sighted in with CCI Mini-mag HP's for the old Winchester model 74. 5-shot groups at 50 yards are running about 1/2 inch.


The new Ruger American Rimfire is sighted in with ELEY subsonic because I'm using a suppressor. Killed a racoon at 60 yards back in February with that combination.

When I first got the Interceptors I shot about an inch at 100yds. There was a vertical string that I thought unusual for a .22 but I have not tried it again. Yesterday, sighted 9" low at 100, the trajectory is on at 40, 1.5 high at 50 and on at 69.

[PigHunter]

When I first got the Interceptors I shot about an inch at 100yds. There was a vertical string that I thought unusual for a .22 but I have not tried it again. Yesterday, sighted 9" low at 100, the trajectory is on at 40, 1.5 high at 50 and on at 69.

I've tried the standard velocity Aquila but not the Interceptors. Will try to get a box on my next ammo order. Generally, I sight all my .22 rifles to be dead on at 50 yards. Thanks again.

[99explorer]

Jimbo - The Model 36 has a gritty trigger because the mainspring is a coil spring that rubs against the guide rod when it is compressed.
This can be remedied somewhat by polishing the guide rod, but it will never be as smooth as the K-frame models with leaf rings that are adjustable with the strain screw.

[PigHunter]

Jimbo - The Model 36 has a gritty trigger because the mainspring is a coil spring that rubs against the guide rod when it is compressed.
This can be remedied somewhat by polishing the guide rod, but it will never be as smooth as the K-frame models with leaf rings that are adjustable with the strain screw.

I've never noticed a gritty trigger on the J-Frame and think S&W does a pretty good job producing that size revolver. On another point, the J-Frames are not meant to be target firearms anyway and their primary use is intended for concealed carry.

[99explorer]

I started out carrying a Model 36, but I now carry a K-frame snubby (a five-screw Model 10) with Tyler grip adapter and a light slick trigger, with the thought that I might have to take an aimed shot at something.

[PigHunter]

I started out carrying a Model 36, but I now carry a K-frame snubby (a five-screw Model 10) with Tyler grip adapter and a light slick trigger, with the thought that I might have to take an aimed shot at something.

That's why I have a Ruger SP101 with 4-inch barrel in .357 mag. However, I tend to reach for semi-automatics for my concealed carry and reserve the SP101 for open carry when hunting. I'll probably give the model 642 to a female family member.