HSM ammo

bwells · Sep 25, 2009

Stopped by the store yesterday looking for 45 ammo. They had WWB for $29 a box, and HSM for $20 a box. I picked up a couple boxes of the HSM, and it looks like they are reloads (various brands of brass). Is this what they are, and is this a normal price?

Unka-Boo · Sep 25, 2009

Yes, HSM is a reloader. I've had good luck with their product in the past.

Price wise? It was cheaper then 1st run, I guess.....

bmw2 · Sep 28, 2009

I've used a lot of their .38 spec and 10mm ammo and had great results with it. Burns clean and reliable. Great practice ammo.

the4thshake · Sep 28, 2009

I shot a few boxes of .223. The first box was a 75 grain match hollow point bullet loaded to 5.56 pressures. The accuracy was poor and the primers looked about to burst. The second box was 55grain fmj. It seemed to perform like UMC. Accuracy wasn't any better but they weren't showing pressure signs. Both loads were shot out of two guns with
Wylde chambers. One was a 16" rock river and the other was a 16" White Oak. I can consistantly shoot 1/2 moa with the right ammo in both of those guns. The HSM was 2 1/2 moa at best.

Bon Sauvage · Sep 30, 2009

I have many boxes of it in .38 Special. I have found it to be dirty and smokey, often leaving unburned powder grains in the barrel of the revolver. That being said when I got it the price was right: free. I only use it to punch holes in paper and would never consider it carry type ammunition.

Bello425 · Sep 30, 2009

What store did you go to?

22many · Oct 1, 2009

I bought a box of that junk at the gun show last month. I still have 43 rounds of 45 acp that I use for a paperweight. The other 7 rounds didnt make it through my baby desert eagle without jamming. EVERY round jammed!!!! Pulled a box of remington out and shot all 50 rounds without a single problem.

It may look cheaper..........but if you cant shoot it (as in my case) then you just wasted $20.00.

bwells · Oct 1, 2009

Bello425 said:
What store did you go to?

Four Corners in Castle Rock

Varmit · Sep 11, 2012

I found this thread a little late. On an impulse buy a couple weeks ago, I picked up a box of 50 HSM 223 55gr psp ammo. For $22, I figured I could probably reload the cases a few times for practice ammo. Next trip to the range I had them along, so I tried two 5 shot groups and they were a little more accurate than the Federal ball loads I had with me. Feeling pretty good with my purchase, when I got home, I took a close look at the cases to see what kind of condition they were in. I also took a closer look at the loaded rounds and to my surprise, the bullets were not straight in the case mouths. If rolled across a table, or rotated in my fingers, they were noticeably out of alignment. I am amazed that I even hit the paper with them.

It looked like their crimping process was too heavy, as some of the bullets were deformed where they left the case mouth. I knew I was buying Lake City ammo for a reason.

RVTECH · Sep 11, 2012

I have no experience with the reloads but the HSM plated bulk bullets (actually made by someone else) are some of the best I have ever used. The plating is the best I have ever seen on a bullet. The .357, 125 gr HPs are deadly accurate out of my Taurus 605. When I am ready I'll be using their 9mm stuff.

Greenbug · Sep 11, 2012

RVTECH said:
I have no experience with the reloads but the HSM plated bulk bullets (actually made by someone else) are some of the best I have ever used. The plating is the best I have ever seen on a bullet. The .357, 125 gr HPs are deadly accurate out of my Taurus 605. When I am ready I'll be using their 9mm stuff.

+1 on HSM's component bullets, good stuff! Never tried their loaded ammo since I primarily shoot my own reloads.

Velzey · Sep 11, 2012

HSM 50BMG was horrible!

deadshot2 · Sep 12, 2012

Use their reloads at your own risk. I saw a brand new, fresh out of the box Beretta 92 come apart in the owners hand when shooting HSM reloads. This was not the first KaBoom that the range personnel had seen with that ammo either.

I've looked at some of their 9mm reloads and it looks like they were assembled by someone with a wood dowel and a hammer.

I'd wager that I could make better looking ammo while totally stoned, loaded with Jack Daniels, and without my eyeglasses.

Those that like their stuff can have my share.

GRingle · Oct 15, 2012

Where can somone find some good starting load data for the HSM components? I am looking for info on their plated 230 gr RN in 45 ACP.

markpeters1970 · Oct 24, 2012

Interesting to hear the "saw that at the range" responses. HSM is used as practice rounds by law enforcement around the country. I personally have put 10k+ down my 9mm without one FTF.

deen_ad · Oct 24, 2012

the4thshake said:
I shot a few boxes of .223. The first box was a 75 grain match hollow point bullet loaded to 5.56 pressures. The accuracy was poor and the primers looked about to burst. The second box was 55grain fmj. It seemed to perform like UMC. Accuracy wasn't any better but they weren't showing pressure signs. Both loads were shot out of two guns with
Wylde chambers. One was a 16" rock river and the other was a 16" White Oak. I can consistantly shoot 1/2 moa with the right ammo in both of those guns. The HSM was 2 1/2 moa at best.

Finally, someone that understands the difference between 5.56 and .223!

deen_ad · Oct 24, 2012

ogre said:
I have many boxes of it in .38 Special. I have found it to be dirty and smokey, often leaving unburned powder grains in the barrel of the revolver. That being said when I got it the price was right: free. I only use it to punch holes in paper and would never consider it carry type ammunition.

I would never use reloads for carry ammo anyway. The prosecution loves to find a hole, any hole, in your defense. Unknown ammo is one since you can't prove the loadings.