What are your thoughts on Winchester Ranger Ammo

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TheGasMan
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Re: What are your thoughts on Winchester Ranger Ammo

Post by TheGasMan »

Thanks for the insight guys. Exactly the type of info I was after.
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Skiprr
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Re: What are your thoughts on Winchester Ranger Ammo

Post by Skiprr »

Just a note that, when referencing the Winchester series, you need to use the actual product number. There are, and have been, enough variants that simply commenting on Ranger ammunition isn't specific enough. I carry RA45TP and have found no reason to switch.
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Re: What are your thoughts on Winchester Ranger Ammo

Post by killerfly128 »

I was packing RA9TA when I had my USP compact 9mm ... I now pack RA40T in my new sig.
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Re: What are your thoughts on Winchester Ranger Ammo

Post by mgood »

Is that the one that used to be called the Black Talon?
I recently tested some 230 gr .45ACP in my little 3" Kimber and it was impressive.

Copied from my post on another website:

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I lined up the five one-gallon milk jugs filled with water. To add to the realism, I shot through four layers of denim and into the jugs. The four layers of denim is a common test to simulate heavy clothing, so I thought I'd try it. I cut the leg off a pair of jeans.

My carry load for this weapon is the Federal Personal Defense 165 grain Hydra-Shok. I've long been a fan of Federal Hydra-Shoks. The Personal Defense line is designed with lower recoil, which I figured would be advantageous in this light weight, short barreled pistol. Advertised velocity is 1060 feet per second. That's fast for a .45ACP. And at 165 grains, that's light for a .45. A 165 grain bullet leaving the muzzle at 1060fps would be more typical of a .40S&W load.
All shots were fired from a distance of 21 feet (measured).

The first shot I fired went all the way through all five jugs and kept going, never to be seen again. That surprised me. It also makes me think that it probably stopped up with denim and did not expand as designed. That would give it penetration approximating a full metal jacket round. Not really what you want in defensive ammo, but it still makes a .45" hole.

The second round, the bullet on the left in the pic, was found in the third jug. More like what I expected. It punctured the back side of the third jug and actually put a leak in the fourth jug, but did not escape the third. The jacket separation is not something you want either. But I found both the bullet and the jacket in the third jug, so I suspect it came apart toward the end of it's journey, otherwise the jacket would have been in a different jug than the lead. It did expand nicely though.
The third round performed perfectly. I found it between the third and fourth jug, having punctured the fourth but not found a way inside.

The last one is the evil Winchester Black Talon. At 230 grains, this is the usual weight for a .45ACP. It expanded as advertised, with the vicious claws clearly sticking out. I found it in the fourth jug.
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