ELEY Minor9 USPSA ammunition at Killough Shooting Sports
ELEY entered the centrefire market two years ago. They started with the .38 Super Comp major loaded round that we reviewed with the Infinity Open gun, as well as a 9mm major load that was tested in the July 2020 issue.
The team from ELEY had these new offerings on hand at the Back-to-Back Nationals and sent me 250 rounds of each of the new 115gr, 124gr and 147gr ammunition. Factory loaded competition ammunition isn’t something that is new. There are several companies that have recognized that we are high volume users and that many competitors no longer have the time or desire to pull the handle on reloaders to make our ammunition.
When more companies were entering this market space, USPSA updated their Certified Match Ammunition Program in 2018 that would allow for many companies to be apart of it.
The Certified Match Ammunition Program information is online at USPSA.org and is covered in the rulebook appendixes C2 and C3.
Essentially, an ammunition company can submit to be a part of the program if they meet the criteria and their test sample passes C2, C3 review and chronograph results.
Once the ammunition is on the list, competitors who wish to use the ammunition can, following the C2, C3 specifics, and will be sure to meet their declared power factor. It is great match “insurance” to have. Plus, sourcing components, finding the time to reload and testing the results can definitely be nervous for many of us.
ELEY has paid attention to what is going on in this market space and jumped into the centrefire market.
Killough Shooting Sports, established in 2008 by Dan Killough and now a wholly owned subsidiary of ELEY Inc., is making the ammunition here in Texas. Based in Winters, Texas the Killough team is making several new offerings now available on their website.
The new 115gr, 124gr, and 147gr ammunition was tested in several different firearms for accuracy, function and over the chronograph.
I also used ELEY ammunition as part of the shooting review for the new Beretta 92x Defensive handgun.
I had two separate trips to the range with a bag full of guns and the ammo to do the testing. I first went to the indoor range for accuracy and function testing. I shot all three bullet weights through the guns that I took that day, the Ruger 1911 DK, the STI Trojan 1911, the Beretta 92x Performance Defensive, and the JP GMR15.
The ammunition functioned flawlessly and all shots were taken at 15 yards either offhand or using the CED range bag as a rest. I was shooting three to five groups with each load through the various handguns and PCC that day at the indoor range. The clean-burning propellant left little noticeable smoke shooting indoors on this trip.
I followed this up with a trip to an outdoor range to chronograph the three loads through various handguns. The information is in the accompanying chart. I was using a Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital older model that had served me well. That is, until I was a little hurried since it was getting dark and didn’t consider the offset with the PCC. I am now in the market for a new chrono and the reason there are no results from the chrono for the PCC.
If you are like me and don’t enjoy reloading ammunition, or have a hard time finding the time to reload, factory loaded competition ammunition is a great option and the new ELEY ammunition definitely is something to check out.
All of the new ammunition is loaded to offer consistency and predictability in both feel and performance. The ammunition is very accurate using the jacketed full metal round nosed bullets loaded to an overall length of 1.15” using clean-burning propellants. There is no compromise in safety, quality or performance with the ELEY ammunition.
Currently available from the Killough Shooting Sports website (killoughshootingsports.com) are these three loads, listed at $20/50 round boxes.
There are also two PCC competition loads that are now available, a 115gr and 124gr, as well as the .38 Super Comp 124gr ammunition.
By Jake Martens, DME, A52987