Silver Bear

[J MOSBY]

Has anyone tried the nickel plated (steel case) ammo from Silver Bear(Russian)?

Aim has it in 7.62x39 and 9mm hollow point.

[WECSOG]

I have a box of 9x18mm, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. The specs are pretty impressive:
9x18mm: 120gr JHP @ 1100fps
9x19mm: 145gr JHP @ 1200fps
:eek:

[Wrangler100]

Originally posted by WECSOG:
<STRONG>I have a box of 9x18mm, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. The specs are pretty impressive:
9x18mm: 120gr JHP @ 1100fps
9x19mm: 145gr JHP @ 1200fps
:eek:</STRONG>

The specs are impressive to the point where it makes one suspicious as to whether or not it is useable in some semi-automatics. Seems like it's ++p++, some manufacturers don't recommend using even p+...

[GridSpot]

Fellas, stay the hell away from this stuff! I've heard NOTHING good about this stuff, and like a half dozen bad reports of this ammo. The main trouble is FTE's (Failure to extract). The stuff is made at the Novosibirsk LVE plant in Russia, and although I've heard good things about their .380 ammo, their 9mm line needs serious quality control help. I bought a case (1000rds) of 9mm 115gr green box LVE ammo (not silver bear, but same factory) from AIM surplus a few months back since it was only $82 per case. Every other round fired in my FEG P9RZ would fail to extract. I became really good at clearing the jams with a piece of brass cleaning rod down the barrel. It's not the gun, since this FEG eats up CORBON hollowpoints all day. Go to: www.hs2000talk.com (http://www.hs2000talk.com) and do a search on Silver Bear. I still love the folks at AIM, but don't buy this stuff when South African brass cased ammo is only a little more. And for liability reasons alone, you should only load your self defense/carry gun with well known name brand stuff that LE agencies use. This will make it easier to get accurate GSR (Gun Shot Residue) testing done, so you don't get screwed in court. (If you have the grave misfortune to be forced to defend your life w/ a firearm, it's a sure thing you'll have your day before a judge) Dave

[WECSOG]

Originally posted by Wrangler100:
<STRONG>The specs are impressive to the point where it makes one suspicious as to whether or not it is useable in some semi-automatics. Seems like it's ++p++, some manufacturers don't recommend using even p+...</STRONG>

Yes, I agree, especially in the Makarov with its direct blowback action, but I have used Wolf ammunition (109gr @ 1050fps) in my Makarov with no negative results.

Originally posted by GridSpot:
<STRONG>I bought a case (1000rds) of 9mm 115gr green box LVE ammo...Every other round fired in my FEG P9RZ would fail to extract. </STRONG>

I've had good luck with the green box 9x18mm LVE ammo. No misfires or FTEs.

Go to: www.hs2000talk.com (http://www.hs2000talk.com) and do a search on Silver Bear.


I did a search and only found one post on silver bear ammo. Only one person in that post had actually fired the silver bear ammunition, the rest ranted on about problems they had with other brands of ammunition.

And for liability reasons alone, you should only load your self defense/carry gun with well known name brand stuff that LE agencies use. This will make it easier to get accurate GSR (Gun Shot Residue) testing done, so you don't get screwed in court. (If you have the grave misfortune to be forced to defend your life w/ a firearm, it's a sure thing you'll have your day before a judge)

I can't say that I agree with this. I use the most effective ammunition that is reliable in my weapon. You have to survive the situation in which you are forced to defend your life w/ a firearm before you have your day before a judge.

[withergyld]

Anyone else try the Silver Bear 145 gr JHP?? The price is tempting!

I recently picked up a 9x19mm handgun and I trying to decide what to feed it.

I shot 100 rnds of Fiochii 115 gr FMJ with no problems.

I have 150 rnds of the Brown Bear 115 gr FMJ to try in it.

Any suggestions on cost effective JHP 9x19mm ammo ??

TIA

[TrooperDan]

I've run about 150 rounds of the 9 m/m 145 hrain HP through my Glocks, a 17 and a 19 without any problems at all. I like it! It is painful to look at that pretty nickled case and realize it is berdan though! :(

Dan in NC

[FAL]

I just bought 100 rounds of the 145gr HP 9mm from AIM so I could try a couple of boxes out in my different weapons. I will say, though, that my Glock17 will eat anything I put in it and I have yet to find a 9mm round that won't function flawlessly in it. I expect this ammo will work fine in my Glock.

I plan on trying this ammo in my SW-5, which is picky about which ammo it eats, and a couple of other handguns I have. I'll know in a couple of weeks how it does.

[GSF1200]

The LVE 7.62x54r is very accurate in my M-44

[Sumoj275]

I had a Argy Hi Power that would eat the 145 gr HP up--and the most accurate of any HP as far as I can recall.

[okiefarmer]

All of the above posts relate to 9mm problems with the Silver Bear, my experience with the 7.62x39 is just the opposite. Have run several thousand through my toys, last 2 to 300 through a kit built AK on a Bulgy milled receiver. Hasn't hicupped yet. Heard it was a little hotter - - can't tell it, heard it was a little dirtier - - can't tell it either. Seems to be good cheap blasting ammo. Buy it in 7.62x39 and have a blast
Okiefarmer

[schjims]

Ive bought 500 nrds of the 9 and 1000 of the 7.62. my AK eats the stuff with no problems..and last night took the Glock and Sig out and no problems with the 9. Blasted right thru a couple of mags fast..perfect..might be a litte dirter the most tho, as both took longer to clean. a lot of gray carbon thruout...

[Terick]

It's a metal case so extraction will be more difficult. Some guns will run better than others. I've used the russian green laquered cases in .223 bushmaster, 9mm ruger P85, 9x18 makarov, 762x39 sks and ak, all no problems. I've only had fired one box of 9mm silver bear, first round thru a 9mm conversion barrel for a tokarov, ripped off the rim and jammed up in spectacular fashion. That gun ran fine on various brass loads so I'm thinking it's the metal case. That was enough of that. Put the rest of the box thru a glock 17. Not a single hitch fwiw. I'd guess it's a step up in reliability from the laquer case but still has essentially the same hard extraction that some guns won't like. I noticed the hollow points are very large cavity, very light jacketed, very soft lead. Expansion was virtually all they are made for. No penetration to speak of. Accuracy at 50 feet was fine. Fired several into an old truck tire on a sandpile. Penetration thru one sidewall, lot of expansion and then stop in or bounce off the second sidewall. I'd keep that in mind. It's great for what it is, but it's a quick and dirty design.

[withergyld]

I just got back from the range :D
I took 100 rnds of Silver Bear 9x19mm 145 gr JHP and 100 rnds of Brown Bear 9x19mm 115 gr FMJ. Both functioned perfectly. No FTF or FTE. I am fairly new to Handgun shooting, so I will not comment on the accuracy other then to say that it seemed as acccurate as the Fiochii 115 gr FMJ as I used last time.

The Brown Bear was copper-washed steel case and the Silver Bear is Nickel plated steel case.

[fal_shooter]

I had a few feeding problems with my Makarov 9x18 using silver bear. I haven't made another range trip since to see if it was the ammo causing the problem or the mags. Will post when I determine the cause.