Sellier & Bellot JHP, what's the difference?

[rabidsquirrel]

I purchased a couple boxes of S&B 9mm JHP yesterday and it got me wondering, whats the difference between these seemingly high quality, inexpensive import ammunition and vastly more expensive USA made defensive ammunition? I have shot hundreds of rounds of the S&B and I keep the bed side Sig stacked with them. I can afford to practice with these rounds, but I find it financially painful to fire enough rounds of say, Hornady Critical Defense, to feel comfortable carrying them. So honestly, is there a justified difference in quality or performance?

Also, does anyone know of any ballistic reviews of S&B ammo?

 

[woodsie57]

All the S&B ammo I have tried has been of top quality. Have used .357 ,9mm makarov, 6.5 x55, and .380s. Most seemed on the "warm" side, a good thing IMO.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Besides any engineering differences, the bullet jacket. S&B uses much more zinc in their jacket than quality SD ammo.

Bonded jackets retain more weight and penetrate better. I've no idea what differences the zinc adds but apparently the only benefit is cost.

 

[Robert Richardson]

S&B is good stuff. Never had a problem with it. No worry at all

 

[ol' poke]

All the S&B ammo I have tried has been of top quality. Have used .357 ,9mm makarov, 6.5 x55, and .380s. Most seemed on the "warm" side, a good thing IMO.

I've had the same experience as the above, only with .45 ACP.

 

[Leo]

My first introduction to S&B as old, generic looking cheap 9mm in waxy blue/green boxes that the nomenclature was such poor printing it was hard to read. THe rounds were off color, uneven sealer on the primer and case mouth. Clearly old, third word surplus stuff. Pretty marginal shooting, and the powder smelled really bad, leaving lots of soot behind. Fast forward about 20 years and they retail S&B ammo in modern packaging. Clean, smooth formed brass. Clean uniform bullets. Shooting proves the quality. Accurate and clean. 100% dependable, none feel weak or overcharged. The once fired brass looks pretty clean and it reloads pretty well. The primer pockets are a little tight with CCI primers. You can either uniform the pockets or reload them a couple more times and they feel like other brands during repriming. Must be a slight difference between foreign primers and USA primers.

A am confident enough of S&B that I do carry S&B hollow points in one of my defensive handguns. They have really gotten their act together.

 

[rabidsquirrel]

Thanks for input guys, I feel even more comfortable carrying S&B.