I inherited some boxes of this type of ammo.  Anyone have any input on what to do with it?  Would you shoot it and if so what would you shoot it or not shoot it with?  Input?  Thanks!

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Be more specific:
1-post a picture of the boxes and/or describe the writing on the boxes
2-Does the ammo look like factory or reloads?
3-Are the headstamps all the same? If so what is the headstamp?
4-post a picture of a few rounds of the ammo itself if possible.

Without more info it would be like texting, "Well, I caught this creature down by the beach...so what can I do with it?"


It is all factory ammo in factory boxes.  I think about three different manufacturers.  Retired police officer stash.  I only did about 5 minutes research and was hesitant to run it through my 1911.

Quote from: Tom_G on November 11, 2012, 01:55:28 PM

I have a .45 acp revolver that LOVES lswc ammo. You bet I'd shoot it!

I don't have a .45 acp revolver only a 1911 or Hi-Point .45.  I was considering trying it in the Hi-Point but was hesitant with the 1911.  Just checking here to see if there is a consensus. 

As Tom_G says, you may experience annoying malfunctions.
If you post a photo of the 3 boxes with some rounds from each box in front of their respective box, you would get much better feedback.

If they are military boxes marked as match, don't worry. You won't get busted.
There are only a few manufacturers that ever made factory 45 swc ammo and most all of them would have used short nosed metal cased heads.
If you have ammo with lead bullets, it is probably not "factory" ammo.

I inherited some boxes of this type of ammo.  Anyone have any input on what to do with it?  Would you shoot it and if so what would you shoot it or not shoot it with?  Input?  Thanks!

1. Shoot it
2a. Use a gun
2b. Avoid a slingshot, cartridge might tumble.

I was thinking:

1.  Shoot it.

2.  Shoot it.

3.  Shoot it.

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If they are really old reloaded semiwadcutters made with the old standard target recipes they might not have enough recoil to function either a 1911 or the heavy blowback slide on a Hi-Point. In fact, if they are poorly made reloads they may not even chamber reliably in your guns. Old reloads (prior to 1980s) tended to use a roll crimp rather than the usual taper crimp found on modern loading dies. They do not chamber as reliably as tapered crimp.

A good thing to do would be to REMOVE the barrel from your 1911 and try dropping the rounds into the chamber to see if they fall in and fall out. The case should be flush with the hood of the bbl. or slightly below. It should take little or no effort to chamber a round.

Just for fun, here is a worst case scenario:

1-Drop the slide
2-Curse- because the slide didn't close all the way.
3-rap the slide to chamber the round
4-Fire
5-Curse -because the empty shell is stovepiped in the ejection port.
6-drop the mag and clear the weapon.
7-load another round
8-fire
9- curse because the gun did not cycle
10-lock slide back to discover bullet lodged in barrel because it was a poorly made handload
11-drop magazine
12-grab your wooden dowel and tap the stuck bullet out
13-curse again
14-go home

If you were here on Oahu, I could tell you immediately if they were factory or reloaded. If they are factory made then no problem.

 If not, then I would check the dimensions first. Then I would pull the head and weigh the head and powder charge. The size and shape of common older propellant granules are pretty easy to recognize.

Oldfart, the OP stated that it was factory ammo in factory boxes.

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I did see that. However the very fact that our friend Bud is even asking this question leads me to believe he is a novice in this field. In my experience, a novice or casual shooter may have trouble discerning factory ammo from reloaded ammo. As a matter of habit, I routinely make reloads that appear to be new factory ammo.
Additionally, I have never seen factory loaded lead 45 swc ammo. Much less 3 different manufacturers making 45 lead swc ammo. That is why I requested more info before offering more specific advice.

There was one other bit of advice that can offer. In the event that the ammo is factory loaded and very old (as Bud said) there is a possibility it may have corrosive primers.
In which case he would probably be better off avoiding the whole mess. That is unlikely, but without further info we don't really know.