Does CCI Blazer seem underpowered?

[Deer Hunter]

This is sort of an update on my CZ75B shooting Blazer FMJ ammo.

I decided to load up four mags and go have some fun with my pistol this evening. It was all Blazer that I had bought a few days ago, the same stuff that sends brass to hit my nose.

Everything started out nicely, but while on my second magazine I had a problem. The aluminum casing got stuck mid-ejection (FTE?), and I had to clear it by taking the casing out, turning the gun upside down witht he slide held back to let the round that was about to go into the chamber drop out, and then letting a second round slide in smoothly. That was the only time it happened in this magazine.

The third magazine had two more.

The fourth had four more. I was thinking to myself, "If this trend continues, I'm going to have 16 FTEs on my sixth mag!"

Anyone else have these experiences? The gun's clean, the mags havn't acted up before, and it only seems to have problem with the aluminum-cased CCI.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Folks say a lot about Blazer, but I can't recall any suggesting it is underpowered.

From the sounds of things, your guns doesn't like Blazer cases.

 

[Deer Hunter]

From the sounds of things, your guns doesn't like Blazer cases.

That's what I'm thinking. Seems like I'll have to go out and buy a box of Winchester to take with me to Uvalde.

 

[hpg]

I have never had a problem like that. hpg

 

[Bobo]

Aluminum casings and sometimes steel casings have a tendency to stick in some guns.

 

[HSMITH]

Probably a little gunk or roughness in the chamber.

I have chronographed the 9mm and 40, it is not underpowered at all. It is right there with WWB and the other common low cost ammo.

 

[albanian]

I have not chronographed like HSMITH but I never felt like it was lacking punch. In fact, I think of it as rather hot practice ammo. CCI claims it make great practice ammo since it has the kick of self defense ammo rather than mild target ammo. In shooting objects, it seems like it has good punch and penetration ability. I think it is hotter than WWB.

I have had a few guns that didn't like the CCI Blazer ammo. Most of the Kahr pistols I have owned didn't like it. Kahrs have tight chambers so that may be the main reason. Another reason may be that the chambers were a little rough. After a feedramp and chamber polish, I have not had any problems. Whatever the cause was, it was able to be cleared up. I think in the case of the Kahr, it may have been a little of both.

One thing is different though, I have never had FTE jams with Blazer, only FTF jams.

Your CZ would probably feed and eject it well if you had the feedramp and chamber polished.

 

[gudel]

no problem here with cci blazer in 9, 40, 45 in my USP's.
It could just be your gun.

 

[daysleeprx]

Sounds like you need some new springs. Do a search, many people have FTE problems with CZ guns that are spring related.

 

[The-Fly]

underpowed? no. But I agree with previous posters, sometimes the aluminum ammo has problems ejecting from the gun. My G17 and 92fs eat it by the ton without issues, but my G26 will choke on it about every other mag.

 

[JoeHatley]

Does CCI Blazer seem underpowered?

No.

You may want to double check the chamber on your CZ. It may be a little rough for the alloy cases.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[rbernie]

The only 9mm ammo that I find to be underpowered is the cheap Fiocci stuff. Blazer works just fine for me in all of my 9mm pistols.

 

[xMetal]

Except for 2 mags of HP stuff, I've only shot blazer through my 1911 and have had no issues whatsoever. At least 1000 rounds. The HP does have a bit more "pop" but the Blazer worked fine.

 

[eastwood44mag]

I've only shot it in .45, and it seemed pretty lively.

 

[Mark54g]

I have a similar problem in my CZ 75 that I plan on inspecting. I called CZUSA and they are sending me a new extractor spring to see if that will fix the issue.

As for Fiocchi ammo being underpowered... not a chance. The 5 boxes I shot were hot. They were more powerful than the .40 WWB that I shot that same day.

 

[Technosavant]

Some guns just don't like Blazer.

The only FTLs my 1911 has ever had (well, not counting the 50 year old lead SWC reloads) were with Blazer (both Al cased and brass). Winchester and Remington play quite nicely- no issues EVER with those. But sometimes it just won't chamber Blazer- beats me why. Easier to spend another $2/100 rounds for Winchester White Box value packs than obsess over something the gun just refuses to eat.

 

[kymarkh]

9mm Blazer

I've shot several cases of the Blazer 9mm 115gr FMJ and would not call it underpowered at all. No issues with a G34 or XD9. A friends CZ75B will not work well with it at all - failure to feed, failure to go completely into battery, or failure to eject several rounds per magazine. He has several other 9mm pistols that run fine with the Blazer. I think his particular CZ has a 'tight' chamber and just will not work well with Blazer ammunition.

 

[bender]

I've only shot it in .45, and it seemed pretty lively.

me too. my 1911 works great with it. I think its good stuff, and cheap. I've been buying it lately, since I haven't been reloading in several years.

 

[weregunner]

Blazer 9mm. works in my Ruger P95.Never had a problem with it.But then I'm a cheap @#!&* when it comes to practice ammo.Winchester 100 round value pack ,SIlverbear 115 gr&145 gr.,are my primary stuff.Da,comrade. Russian stuff works well .Amazingly the impact point is almost the same for all bullet weights. Go figure.

 

[Shipwreck]

I like CCI Blazer - its all I ever use in any of my 9mms...

I have noticed that in some guns, the casings eject slightly different - I assume it is the weight of the casing being lighter. But, no functioning issues.

 

[raz-0]

It was all Blazer that I had bought a few days ago, the same stuff that sends brass to hit my nose.

Brass hitting your nose? Sounds like you might be limp wristing, which can lead to stovepipes, which sounds like what you are describing.

A roughed up cz75 chamber tends to lead to death jams rather than stovepiping. (i.e. where the fired rouund never gets fully extracted fromt he chamber, but a live round gets stripped fromt he magazine and forced into the half-extracted case).

 

[Rotorflyr]

When I still had my HK USP 9 the only ammo it ever choked on was Blazer Aluminium Cased, and it only did it a couple of times.
My wifes Taurus PT111 also choked on it once or twice (also the only time the gun has ever choked)

I think it's the weight of the case that causes the problem, we won't buy it anymore but have used the Blazer brass ammo with no issues.

 

[daysleeprx]

I have a similar problem in my CZ 75 that I plan on inspecting. I called CZUSA and they are sending me a new extractor spring to see if that will fix the issue.

CZ is notoriously slow sending out parts (so I've read). If they don't get you your spring in a timely manner Mark, lemme know. I've got a couple of extra Wolff extractor springs and I'd be more than happy to drop one in the mail for you.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I've shot several cases of the Blazer 9mm 115gr FMJ and would not call it underpowered at all. No issues with a G34 or XD9. A friends CZ75B will not work well with it at all - failure to feed, failure to go completely into battery, or failure to eject several rounds per magazine. He has several other 9mm pistols that run fine with the Blazer. I think his particular CZ has a 'tight' chamber and just will not work well with Blazer ammunition.

That sounds exactly like my issue. My gun eats anything else like candy.

Thanks for all the helpful posts.

 

[Frog48]

Blazer 9mm. works in my Ruger P95.Never had a problem with it.

I also have a Ruger P95, and have never had any problems with Blazer 9mm. Works just as well as any other brand, in my experience.