Questions about Blazer Brass ammo box warnings

[photographix]

I'm pretty new to handguns after a long hiatus away from the sport.

While at the range today, they had some CCI Blazer Brass 9mm for $13. I couldn't resist the price and decided to replenish what I shot, plus an extra box.

Got home, and was looking at the box, having never bought Blazer Brass before, though I have purchased other Blazer types before.

On the back of the box, there were a couple warnings that aren't on my boxes of WWB, Win SuperX, or Aguila boxes:

"Do not use in firearms with ported barrels or ported recoil compensators."

...and...

"Not for law enforcement use."

As for the first warning, is Blazer Brass really dirty or something, throwing out large bits of ash through the ports on a ported weapon? (No, my pistols are not ported.)

As for the second warning, the ammo is FMJ ball. So I assume it's not for duty use, but is it not for LE practice either?

I know this is a really cheap price for 9mm. Will I need to clean my pistol more often/better if I run this?

Thanks for your time from your favorite curious newbie.

[g.willikers]

Maybe the Blazer folks hired some new lawyers straight out of law school, who are trying to justify their existance?
There's nothing on their web site about it:
http://www.blazer-ammo.com/blazer_brass.aspx

[indie_rocker]

Originally Posted by photographix

...is Blazer Brass really dirty or something, throwing out large bits of ash through the ports on a ported weapon? (No, my pistols are not ported.)

As for the second warning, the ammo is FMJ ball. So I assume it's not for duty use, but is it not for LE practice either?

I know this is a really cheap price for 9mm. Will I need to clean my pistol more often/better if I run this?

Thanks for your time from your favorite curious newbie.

Before starting to handloading, I shot more Blazer Brass than any other commercially loaded ammunition. It was inexpensive, reputable and available. It never seemed to perform any dirtier or significantly different in any other way than other commercially available ammunition. You will not have to clean your firearms any sooner or any more thorough than usual.

None of my pistols are ported/compensated so I can't comment on the ammunition having any interference with those setups. I'm not sure why they would put such specific C.Y.A. warnings on the box, but their has got to be a reason (a.k.a. lawsuit) for it. Maybe the L.E. warning is a jab at a lost contract?

On a sidenote, Blazer's brass is holding up very well through many reloading cycles so far. Getting a few with primer pockets starting to loosen up, but I've really beat that brass around!

[osbornk]

I use with not issues of any kind. I've never read the box on it (or any other).

[jasmith85]

I have fired plenty of Blazer Brass and I have never noticed it being any dirtier than any other ammunition. I have not noticed any brands to be exceptionally dirty compared to the rest though.

[DaleA]

I use with not issues of any kind. I've never read the box on it (or any other).

Same here. But I suppose (sigh) that folk might consider that irresponsible. Maybe I'll start. I had no idea what I'd been missing.

P.S. Checked a recent box of Blazer Brass 9mm Luger 115 grain FMJ and sure enough on the back of the box:

DO NOT USE IN FIREARMS WITH PORTED BARRELES OR PORTED
RECOIL COMPENSATORS.

NOT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE.

Just like the original poster said.

[photographix]

Gang, thanks for all the responses! This forum is the best!

I also hit a couple other forums, and along with the comments here, I feel like I scored a decent deal on the BB. Guess I should know by now that CCI doesn't make junk.

PS: Since making the OP, I found an empty box of Blazer (not Brass) non-reloadables. I was saving the box and the plastic tray in case I started reloading in some point in the future.

No mention of either warning on that box.

[hornetguy]

my 9mm Blazer Brass ammo says the same thing on the back. Why no law enforcement? Perhaps just a legal CYA to keep them from using fmj ammo?
Can't think of a reason, otherwise.

[Skeets]

Been thinking about trying Blazer Brass for sometime.Your info to OP has convinced me nows the time! TFL is the best.

[Slimjim9]

All I will say is try a box at least before getting a bulk order. I got a "bad box" or maybe it was "new Glock" but my G19 got more than a few FTFs from that box of Blazer Brass and I haven't had a problem with anything else. YMMV

[8MM Mauser]

Since I bought my first 9MM, a Glock 19 in March of 2014 I have put probably about 2000 rounds of Blazer brass through it at the range; as well as a smattering of other brands. I have never had any malfunctions and the gun doesn't seem to be hardly dirty at all.

Blazer is GTG.

[osbornk]

I just checked a box of Brass Blazer in 380 and it has the warnings on it. They shoot great and don't seem dirty at all to me.

[gothcopter]

The bullets use a thin jacket plating which can separate from the bullet core and be thrown out of the ports. Details here:

http://blog.joehuffman.org/2010/08/1...forcement-use/

[osbornk]

The bullets use a thin jacket plating which can separate from the bullet core and be thrown out of the ports. Details here:

http://blog.joehuffman.org/2010/08/1...forcement-use/

Thanks for the logical explanation.

[indie_rocker]

Originally Posted by gothcopter

The bullets use a thin jacket plating which can separate from the bullet core and be thrown out of the ports. Details here:

http://blog.joehuffman.org/2010/08/1...forcement-use/

Wow, I did not know that. I don't currently use any ported firearms, but that's good to know for the future.

[jasonjeep]

We can't use compensated guns indoors at our range because of the copper jacket shreading off in the compinsators

[TailGator]

I have never heard that either. I don't own any compensated guns, but it is a lousy day when you don't learn something.

[Doc Holliday 1950]

I am not an expert by any means in guns and ammo. But, I do follow this one Golden Rule. Only use American made ammo. Period IMHO. Every time I've used cheap foreign ammo I have regretted it.
Doc

[Dabull]

Every time I've used cheap foreign ammo I have regretted it.

What have you used and how have you regretted it?

I've used Aguila (Mexican), PMC (Phillipino), RWS (German), Sellier & Bellot (Czech), and a ton of Tula/Wolf (Russian) without any issues. (I haven't had any trouble with US made ammo either).

[tipoc]

I thought CCI Blazer is U.S. made.

http://www.blazer-ammo.com/about_us.aspx

Blazer is owned by some outfit named Vista Outdoors, which is headquartered in Utah.

http://www.vistaoutdoor.com/

A large conglomerate...

http://www.vistaoutdoor.com/history/

But looks to be American as much as anything.

tipoc

[osbornk]

Every time I've used cheap foreign ammo I have regretted it.

I shoot cheap ammo and it's made all over the world. I've never had problems with any of it. I might if I were a better shot and could tell the difference. I will continue to buy the cheap stuff.

[JDBerg]

These are standard legal weasel words. I personally wouldn't hesitate to shoot Blazer ammo through a comped (ported barrel) Glock 9mm, those guns were literally a "blast" to shoot, you just had to keep cleaning the soot off the front sight! And if you happen to have a full custom IPSC Open Major 9mm racegun with an external comp on it, and for some demented reason you want to shoot Blazer ammo through it, the ammo wouldn't cycle anyway, way too underpowered!

[JDBerg]

We can't use compensated guns indoors at our range because of the copper jacket shreading off in the compinsators

In that case I need to tell the Range Officer at my LGR to get rid of the Glock 17"C" sitting in the rental case! Seriously, any plating residue that could escape through a barrel port on that Glock 17C would fly straight up in the air anyway! You're holding the gun 2-1/2 - 3 feet away from your face & eyes, and you're wearing eye protection anyway!

Boy, the litigation lawyers have everybody totally sandbagged these days!