Proof Loads

[Dragoon 45]

I was watching "Sighting In" on the Outdoor Channel tonight and in their segment on Begara Barrels they showed some proof loads being fired. The entire case head and primer was painted a bright red. Is this an industry standard? Or is it just something that this barrel maker uses to tell proof loads from standard loads?

I ask this question because a friend of mine came up with some 5.56mm loads with the case heads and primers painted red and has so far been unable to identify them. The stamping on the case heads appear to be cyric writting suggesting Eastern European or Russian manufacture. We have been unable to match the head stamps to any references that we have available. I do not have any pictures available of the head stamps.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank You.

[454PB]

I don't know if it is universally true, but many years ago I bought some nickel plated .44 magnum brass from a dealer, and it had a purple stain on the case heads. He told me it was fired proof rounds. The staining appeared to be an ink of some kind, and it stayed on the brass through another 15 to 20 firings. That was the toughest .44 brass I've ever owned.

It seems illogical to me that a firearms manufacturer would even allow fired proof brass to escape, due to safety and liability concerns, but maybe they didn't worry about our litigious society 30 years ago.......or maybe an employee high graded it.

[beagle]

I had a loaded box of .45/70 proof loads several years ago. The case was tin plated and had red on the case head and base. Same with some .38/55, .30/30, .32 H & R Mag and .44 Mag proof brass. All was either tin or nickel plated.

The .45/70 was pulled and had standard 405 grain bullets in them and what looked like Unique powder (a whole bunch but I won't state the amount here).

I have been firing this brass off and on for about 10 years and it's excellent stuff. Wish my source hadn't dried up./beagle

[TCLouis]

Wasn't one of the slang terms a "Red Pill" load. . . .
Or wait, is that blue pill?

[mike in co]

Wasn't one of the slang terms a "Red Pill" load.

i doubt it...
no serious shooter/person in the industry, that i know, uses the term pill for a bullet/boolit.

[Adam10mm]

The red mark around the primer is probably primer sealant.

Most proof loads use a steel case to differentiate from production pressure ammunition.

[redneckdan]

I have seen a lot of Black Hills proof brass in remanufactured .44 mag boxes lately (I think the brand is accurate ammo).

[Dragoon 45]

The red mark around the primer is probably primer sealant.

Most proof loads use a steel case to differentiate from production pressure ammunition.

That was my first thought, but the entire case head has been painted red, not just the area around the primer pocket. I am retired military and have seen, handled, and fired many ammo types with sealed primers, but this is very different from what I have seen before.

I should have stated earlier that these cases are laquered steel cases, not brass.

It seems that every day some new ammo maker pops up in Eastern Europe or Russia. Historically there have been problems with quality control on ammo in Russia and Eastern Europe before. Most of that has been duds and I am not aware of any proof loads getting loose, but after watching that show last night I am beginning to wonder.

I have advised my friend not to shoot this ammo until he can positively ID what it is and that it is safe. He got it at a gun show from an out of state dealer in a plain white carton with only the bare minimum of markings on the box. Ammo type and bullet weight were the only markings, no manufacturers ID, no estimated velocity, etc. It could be some commercial loadings from Eastern Europe that were very sloppily put together, but I hope he will err on the side of safety.

I personally am rather leary of any ammo that I did not personally hand load or that I can not id the manufacturer. If it was mine I would take it apart and maybe salvage the bullets, but nothing else.

[gnoahhh]

They were known (and may still be) as "Blue Pill" loads.

If in doubt don't shoot it. Gun safety 101! Pull the bullets and dump the powder and start over.

[nicholst55]

They were known (and may still be) as "Blue Pill" loads.



General Hatcher mentions proof loads several times in Hatcher's Notebook; they used tin-plated brass cases back in those days which lent a blue tint to the case, hence the nickname.

[TCLouis]

i doubt it...
no serious shooter/person in the industry, that i know, uses the term pill for a bullet/boolit.

"Pill" refers the loaded proof round, not the bullet, boolits would not like the extra pressures of proof rounds methinks.

[Rocky Raab]

Throwing my chips in with the "Don't risk it" crowd. Guns are required to withstand ONE firing with a proof load when first manufactured. Any gun you have already has experienced that -- but might not withstand one more, especially if it is used much. They don't get stronger with age, you know.

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon
+1 on the "Ere to the side of safety" .