Defensive Use of Firearms - Ammo Info
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Since 10-12-06


http://www.recguns.com/Sources/VG3.html

V. Defensive Use of Firearms
2. Ammunition Information
3. Cor-Bon Ammunition
by Chris Luchini (luchini@scrye.com)
You can reach Cor-Bon at 1-800-6-Corbon for information on a retailer in your area.

One manufacturer of high performance ammunition that stands out from the crowded field is Cor-Bon. Cor-Bon makes some of the highest performance ammunition available to civilians. Most of the ammunition they sell is loaded to the maximum pressure that modern guns are designed for. So for instance, please don't use their 44 Special ammunition in your antique 1'st generation Colt SAA, you may do an enormous amount of damage to the gun, and possibly yourself.

The very high velocities achieved are substantially higher than those achieved by the main line manufacturers. In my experience, you will generally get the velocity advertised. Additionally Cor-Bon generally included the barrel length of the test firearm, so you can compare to your firearm. As you will note below, barrel length does make a significant difference in the muzzle velocity.

Another note of warning: While most aluminum frame 38 Special guns of modern manufacturer can handle a very large amount of 38 Special +p, they are likely to fail very quickly when firing 38 Special +p+. The SAMMI specifications for 38 Special are

38 Special (standard pressure) 17000 psi max
38 Special +p 18500 psi max

There is no SAMMI specification for 38 Special +p+. I called Corbon and found out that their working pressure is 26000 psi. As you can see, the difference between 38 and 38 +p is small, but there is a large jump to Corbon's version of +p+.

There has been at least one report of a aluminum frame S&W being streched to the point that it failed to function in just 2 rounds of Corbon +p+ 125 grain 38 Special.

The ammunition Cor-Bo manufactures is assembled from components that are available to the reloader, so it becomes practical to reload practice ammunition to that will feed and function just like the factory ammunition you use for self defense purposes. The one component that is not available to the average reloader is the powder, they use a non-cannister grade power that is specially selected for use in that lot of ammunition.

So, unless you are very sure you know what you are doing, do not try to duplicate the velocity of the Cor-Bon loads with the same components, as pressures high enough to wreck your gun, and possibly injure you may result.

An additional advantage of Cor-Bon ammunition over similar high performance ammunition is the very low level of muzzle flash. Muzzle flash of some of the conventional ``high performance'' ammunition will make you think that an atom bomb went off at the end of your gun, if you fire it at night, or in very low level light situations.

One thing you need to watch out for is to make sure that the ammo feeds and functions through your gun . For instance, the Cor-Bon 115 grain load has not functioned through Sig 226's in my experience. Also, there have been a level of reported problem in Glocks. The culprit in the feeding problem in the Sig is that the COL of the 115 grain loads are too short, they move around in the magazine under recoil, prompting feeding failures.

Here are some of the Cor-Bon loads I've tested, and their velocities:

Cor-Bon Ammunition Velocity Barrel length/gun
38 Special +p+ 158 gr. LSWCHP     950 fps     2" S&W revolver
9mm +p+ 115 gr. JHP                      1225 fps     3.25" Firestar
9mm +p+ 147 gr. JHP                     1030 fps      3.25" Firestar
9mm +p+ 115 gr. JHP                     1325 fps      4.5" Glock 17
45ACP +p 185 gr. JHP                   1060 fps      3.?" Star PD
45ACP +p 185 gr. JHP                   1140 fps      5" 1911
45ACP +p 200 gr. JHP                   1070 fps      5     " 1911
10mm 150 gr. JHP                          1325 fps      5" Delta Elite

Other loads available are: (all data from Cor-Bon's literature)

9mm 125 gr. JHP 1275 fps
38 Special +p+ 115 gr. JHP         1300 fps     4" revolver
38 Special +p+ 115 gr. JHP         1116 fps     2" revolver
357 Magnum 125 gr. JHP            1450 fps     4" revolver
40 S&W 150 gr. JHP                     1200 fps     4.5"
10mm Auto 150 gr. JHP              1300 fps     5"
10mm Auto 180 gr. JHP              1175 fps     5"
380 ACP 90 gr. JHP                      1100 fps     3.5"
44 Special 170 gr. JHP                 1000 fps     4"