New Review: May 1999

By Chris A. Choat

BLACK HILLS HEAVY BULLET .223 AMMUNITION

In response to requests, Black Hills has introduced a .223 caliber 62-grain Full Metal Jacket loading into its long line of high quality ammunition. The popularity of semi-auto rifles with twist rates of 1/7 to 1/10 inches has resulted in a demand for heavier FMJ bullets specifically designed for these rifles.

The Black Hills 62 grain FMJ is available loaded in virgin brass with the Black Hills headstamp or in the cost efficient remanufactured line which utilizes once fired military specification casings reprocessed with the attention to detail that Black Hills is famous for. Ballistically, both loads are identical at 3150 fps. This ammunition will be available by the time that you read this. For more information contact Black Hills Ammunition, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 3090, Rapid City, SD 57709. Phone: 1-605-348-5150. Fax: 1-605-348-9827.

As a side note, Black Hills Ammunition has been awarded a contract to provide match ammunition to the US Marine Corps. The contract required .223 (5.56mm) ammunition that would be magazine length and meet the demanding accuracy standards of 5 consecutive groups of 10 shots each at 300 yards with the average group not to exceed 2 inches. This ammunition will be used in competition at ranges up to 600 yards. The ammunition to win the contract used a 73-grain Berger hollow point, molycoated and loaded by Black Hills. This load is custom produced for the Marines and is not a catalog item for Black Hills.

AGUILA .22 SSS (SNIPER SUBSONIC) AMMUNITION

Aguila Ammunition, long known for its high quality line of ammunition, has just introduced two new products that will interest our readers. The first is a new .22 long rifle subsonic round. The new round is called the .22 SSS (Sniper SubSonic). This new subsonic cartridge is loaded with the heaviest .22 rimfire bullet in the world. The bullet is a solid point lead bullet weighing 60 grains. It can be fired in any .22 LR caliber gun that is in good condition. The velocity of the new .22 SSS is 950 fps with 120 ft-lbs of energy. The trajectory of the .22 SSS exhibits a greater drop than that of .22 LR ammunition loaded with 40 grain bullets, but it has a better residual velocity due to the higher inertia generated by its 60 grain bullet. Tests show that it penetrates approximately 24 inches of ballistic gelatin at 200 meters. The new .22 SSS will reliably cycle semiautomatic rifles and pistols. The other new ammo is the .45acp High Power round.

This new round features a high weight (117 grain) hollow point, alloy bullet that is loaded at a velocity of 1450 fps. The bullet is the same size and shape of a 230-grain bullet but is lighter in weight due to the sophisticated alloy that it is made from. It has a very low specific weight. The bullet has very high penetration capabilities in hard surfaces, consistently penetrating a 3/4-inch ballistic polycarbonate plate plus 12 inches of ballistic gelatin. It also transfers all of its energy into soft targets. When shot into ballistic gelatin the .45 ACP High Power bullet breaks up into 3 or 4 sharp fragments with each piece going in a separate direction. The new ammo is loaded in nickel cases and both the bullet and the primer are sealed. For more information on these two new innovative types of ammunition contact Aguila Ammunition distributor, Centurion Ordnance, Inc., Dept. SAR, 11614 Rainbow Ridge, Helotes, Texas 78023. Phone: 1-800-545-1542. Fax: 1-210-695-4603. E-mail to COrdnance@aol.com.

MIDWAY USAr RELOADING PRODUCTS

Midway USAr, “the world’s largest shooting and reloading store”, has now expanded its tremendous line of shooting and reloading supplies to include reloading tool products. Unveiled in the January issue of the Midway USAr monthly catalogs and introduced to the industry at the 1999 SHOT SHOW, the Model 2099 single stage reloading press is a unique addition to the industry. Designed to rigorous quality control standards, the Model 2099 will handle everything from routine loading to radical case forming. Its design features a frame opening with enough clearance for 3” Sharps and Nitro Express cartridges.

Super-sturdy cast heat-treated aluminum alloy construction, a steel press arm and a steel ram, will provide a lifetime of reloading pleasure. The new Model 2099 will retail for $109.99, which includes s&h to the first 48 states. Other new reloading products that are now available will be their “Indispensable” powder measure and their Smarter powder funnel which includes 16 different caliber specific nozzles. For more information on these and all of their excellent products contact Midway USAr, Dept. SAR, 5875 W. Van Horn Tavern Road, Columbia, Missouri 65203. Phone: 1-573-445-6363. Fax: 1-573-445-0863. On the web at midwayusa.com.

LEATHERWOOD SPORTER SCOPE

Most of our readers are familiar with the Leatherwood ART (Adjustable Ranging Telescope). Until now, the ART system scope has been very expensive and confined to one caliber. But now, that has changed. The new Leatherwood SPORTER uses a revolutionary new mechanism that allows the user to ballistically match the scope to the rifle’s specific ammunition by caliber, bullet weight, style and manufacturer. This allows its use on virtually any rifle from .17 Remington to .375 H&H Magnum. And this means that point of aim will equal point of impact, from less than 200 yards out to over 600 yards! The shooter no longer needs to estimate range and adjust for holdover; the scope adjusts trajectory automatically. The Leatherwood Sporter is a high quality 3X9X40mm variable power scope and base which utilizes four rings on the rear of the scope. These rings called the range, power, caliber and trajectory rings are interconnected so that they work together.
Once the scope has been set for caliber and sighted in, the four rings work together so that all the shooter has to do is bracket the target in the scopes’ aiming reticle by changing the magnification ring. The shooter then places the crosshairs on the desired point of impact and fires. For more information on the Leatherwood Sporter scope contact Federal Arms, Dept. SAR, 7928 University Avenue, Fridley, MN 55432. Phone: 1-612-780-8780.