We’ve all heard horror stories about Russian ammo. Whether or not we’ve experienced them, or even heard them from someone we trust is another story. Some of them may have merit; others are doubtless just rumors.
And yet, the rumors persist, and if you’ve been shooting for a few years you’ve almost certainly come across TulAmmo before. Their lead-gray, steel-cased cartridges are nearly immediately recognizable, as is their high-contrast black-and-red branding.
But does TulAmmo 9mm deserve the bad rap it gets? We say no – and here’s why.
It’s Cheap (Like, Really Cheap)
First off, TulAmmo 9mm is inexpensive. In most shops, you can get a box of TulAmmo 9mm cartridges for under $15 dollars. In fact, it’s so cheap, most gun shops place limits on purchases.
Some of these prices break down to close to a quarter per round, which is dirt cheap for centerfire pistol cartridges. If you can find another 9mm load that rivals those prices, maybe you should be shooting that.
It’s High-Quality
TulAmmo 9mm is made by Tula Cartridge Works in Tula, Russia, which is actually the largest producer of small arms and ammunition in the world and has been in operation for 140 years.
But age alone does not constitute quality; what TulAmmo produces does. Its cartridges meet not only the standards of the United States’ Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI), but also Europe’s Permanent International Commission (C.I.P.) requirements.
It’s Accurate and Reliable
Is TulAmmo 9mm what you would call match-grade ammo? Well, no, but it’s still accurate enough that you probably won’t even notice anything off at the ranges at which most people shoot their handguns, anyway.
And when it comes to reliability, what really matters when push comes to shove, TulAmmo is well known. It’s extensively tested for reliability and quality under various climatic and weather conditions and testing aside, most shooters (despite what they think of fouling and accuracy) give TulAmmo high scores on reliability.
There Is Little to No Reason for Pistol Shooters to Worry About Bimetal Bullets
Some shooters will tell you not to fire bimetal bullets through your gun because they accelerate barrel wear. When a barrel gets “shot out,” accuracy will start to suffer and you’ll need to replace it.
They have a point. TulAmmo does use bimetal bullets and bimetal bullets do accelerate wear on rifling. But we are talking about 9mm here. Barrel wear in a pistol is something most shooters never give a second thought to, let alone a first.
For the most part, shooting a barrel out is a problem for rifle shooters. Handgun cartridges simply do not generate the extreme pressures associated with accelerated barrel wear, bimetal bullets or not.
Most pistol barrels will last between 30,000 and 50,000 rounds anyway.
No, It Won’t Ruin Your Gun (As Long As You Are Conscientious)
Some shooters believe steel casings will damage their firearms – specifically, their chambers. It is conceivable, as steel casings can scratch chambers and the throats of barrels.
But TulAmmo uses annealed, polymer-coated steel cartridges, which means they are softer – and no, they won’t scratch your handgun’s chamber or barrel.
There are just two things you should know here: one, you really can’t reload TulAmmo’s steel-cased cartridges, and the second is that if you are concerned about chamber or barrel wear, simply clean your pistol judiciously to prevent fouling accumulation in and around the action and you will almost certainly never have a problem with steel-cased ammo like TulAmmo.
Get a Box of TulAmmo 9mm Online and Try It
Ready to start saving at the range? Pick up a box of TulAmmo 9mm online at Bucking Horse Outpost (BuckingHorseOutpost.com) and shoot through it the next time you’re at the range.
Go ahead and see how reliable and accurate it is. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised, and love the price on top of it.
