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357 Magnum Ammo from Ammo To Go Review

The good people at Ammo To Go sent us some samples to try out and review for them.  They sent a battle pack of PMC .223 and four Federal Premium Low Recoil 357 Magnum Personal Defense (20 ct). Links are provided at the bottom of the page for your convenience.

DELIVERY:

In preparation for our review, I ordered a Plano case of 9mm before they had my contact information. This way I could get a raw assessment of their shipping and packaging department. I did opt for the additional discrete packaging for an additional 79 cents, and was impressed with the way the package concealed it's true contents. The Plano case of 9mm  was professionally packaged and delivery in great condition (just like you'd expect).

The package for review did have a cracked case on one of the boxes of the 357 magnum, but the cracked case didn't affect the ammunition in the slightest. Just rough handling on the Brown Truck. I might suggest some bubble wrap, or positioning the bottom of the box towards the outside of the box, but otherwise a flawless delivery. They also provided email updates on the status of your order and this does include a link to the shipping provider for estimated delivery date and time. For standard delivery, it took two days for both packages to arrive at my doorstop.

The Range Trip:

We were only able to review the 357 Magnum during this trip, since baby sitters only aligned with pistol cartridge day at our favorite range, Arkansas Armory. Hey! We get to go shooting again, and that makes us happy. We just might bring our two oldest boys. 

We brought several different kinds of 357 Magnum and 38 Special to compare with the Federal Premium Low Recoil 357 Magnum Personal Defense rounds. Our Smith and Wesson Pro Series Model 60 is our standard concealed carry, and these Hydra-Shok rounds are meant to be carried.

We started with standard Gold Dot 357 Magnum rounds, then switched to a 38 Special cartridge. We each ran a couple of wheels down range to get a good baseline for our comparisons, then switched to the Low Recoil test ammunition. We were hoping that the recoil from the 357 Magnum would be on par with the 38 special rounds, but were disappointed. The recoil from our Smith and Wesson (Weight: 21.4 oz / 606.7g) was more than we were expecting and perhaps a heavy revolver would help subdue, or dampen the recoil to within comfortable levels. On the flip side, you want stopping power, and these Federal Premium Low Recoil Personal Defense rounds are the bullets that you want in your gun when it's needed. The lower recoil does help get back on target a little quicker, but I'm positive that one hit and your target will be out of the fight. 

Final Thoughts:

These rounds are for things that go bump in the night. Stopping power, flawless, and the ability to get back on target for empty cylinders. 

Additional Notes:

California is trying to pass legislation to require permits for ammunition purchases to the tune of $50 for a four year permit, a background check, and a 30 day waiting period.

This election has the possibility of having another anti-gun President, so stock up on your ammo needs.

A special thanks to Maggie H. at Ammo To Go for being so gracious and allowing us to review their products. We look forward to shooting the .223 in our local national forest for another review.

LINKS:

Ammo To Go

PMC FMJ Battle Pack .223 (200 ct)

357 Federal Hydra-Shok HP Ammo - Low Recoil (20ct)

Plano Case of Blazer Brass 9mm (350ct) 

Smith and Wesson Model 60 Pro Series 357 Magnum review

Arkansas Armory 

California Infringement on Personal Defense - Ammo Legislation