Geco Pistol Ammunition for IPSC World Shoot

CZ 75 SP01 

With the CZ 75 SP01 in the Ransom Rest the 9mm 124 and 139 grain FMJ loads were able to produce a five shot group of 44mm and 33mm respectively in size. In the Sphinx the 124 grain FMJ produced a group of 52mm and the 139 grain FMJ produced a group of 33mm.

The ogival form of the Geco FMJ bullet is what gives this ammunition its functional reliability in your pistol.

The 139 grain bullet was power factoring at 137 and the 154 grain bullet was power factoring ( PF ) at 139. A lot of competitors on the IPSC match circuit load 9mm ammunition, with what ever bullet weight, to a PF of 133 to 135. This ensures that the pistol will function properly and have enough energy to knock down steel targets. If you have a power factor above 135 then the recoil of the pistol will start to be harder to control.

With the Sphinx in the Ransom Rest the Geco 139 grain FMJ load produced a group of 33mm in size.

Velocity

Geco will consider reducing the velocity of the 139 and 154 grain rounds in future batches. If the velocity of the 139 and 154 grain rounds is reduced so that the power factor is 135, this will greatly increase the appeal of ammunition loaded with these two bullet weights to IPSC competitors.

The Geco Capsulated FMJ bullet is a logical development of the conventional FMJ bullet, with a reduction of smoke and contamination.

Primer ignition and functional reliability was 100 % with all the three 9mm loads in the three pistols used. Examining the indentation on each primer I could see that they were all well struck. All three pistols were fitted with the original factory parts, with some minor detailing and smoothing of parts to improve the feel of the trigger. Remember that in Production Division IPSC rules limit the amount of changes that can be carried out and that all internal parts must be from the pistols original manufacturer.

The primer strike on all of the ammunition tested was positive, with 100 % ignition.

Results

The fourth 9mm load that we did not have the opportunity to test was the 9 x 21mm round. Some countries, such as Italy, forbid the ownership of 9 x 19mm ammunition. Geco have also provided a 9 x 21mm round loaded with a 124 grain FMJ bullet to cater for competitors from these countries that compete in Production Division. The following results were obtained with the Geco 9mm ammunition in the three pistols used in the test.

Sphinx Production 3000
Bullet Weight	Velocity	Power Factor
124	1076	134
139	989	138
154	908	140

 

Geco .38 Super Ammunition

The Geco .38 Super loaded to major power factor uses a 124 grain FMJ bullet loaded to an overall length of 32.31mm. The .38 Super load was tested in a STI Trubor pistol and made a PF of 160.4. Using a Ransom Rest, with the target set at 20 metres, this STI grouped five rounds into a 30mm cluster. I also chronographed the .38 Super load with two other Open Division pistols; a Tanfoglio, which had a PF of 155 and in a SVI Infinity with a PF of 157.

The Geco .38 Super IPSC ammunition had a power factor of 160.4 when tried in this STI Trubor.

Reliability

Again primer ignition and functional reliability was 100 % in the three pistols used. The pistols used had tuned triggers and the primers were all well struck. These power factor results mirror what competitors at the SVI Infinity Open in Germany in June found when they tried this ammunition.

The Geco .38 Super IPSC ammunition also functioned with 100 % reliability in the Tanfoglio and SVI Infinity Open Division pistols.

Geco .38 Super 124 Grain FMJ
Open Division Pistol	Velocity	Power Factor
Tanfoglio	1247	155
STI Trubor	1293	160
SVI Infinity	1266	157

The STI Turbor grouped five rounds of Geco .38 Super IPSC ammunition into a 30mm cluster.

Geco .40 S&W Ammunition

The last load tested was the .40 S&W 180 grain FMJ. At 20 metres in a STI Executive it gave a five shot group out of the Ransom Rest of 28mm and a PF of 178. In a SVI it gave a five shot group out of the Ransom Rest of 51mm and a PF of 164. The Ransom Rest and inserts to hold each pistol were supplied by Brownells Inc. An article on the Ransom Rest can be seen in the Brownells section on the menu bar on our home page.

Out of the SVI Infinity the Geco .40 S&W ammunition grouped into 51mm.

Testing

In a CZ Tactical Sport it had a PF of 175 and in a Tanfoglio Limited it had a PF of 169. Primer ignition and functional reliability was 100 % with all the four .40 calibre pistols used. The triggers on all of the four pistols used have had their triggers tuned. I examined the primer indentions from all four 40 calibre pistols used and the primers were all well struck.

Five rounds grouped into 28mm in this STI Executive.

The .40 calibre round has an overall length of 28.52mm. Although it functioned with 100% reliability in all four pistols, those who compete in IPSC events with 2011 style pistols load their .40 ammunition to a longer overall length. This length is usually between 29.50 and 31mm to ensure functional reliability. Geco cannot bring out a .40 calibre round loaded to a length greater than factory specification due to C.I.P. rules.

The Geco .40 S&W ammunition was 100 % reliable in the .40 calibre pistols used in the review, three of which were a STI Executive, SVI Infinity and CZ Tactical Sport.

If you are going to use the Geco .40 calibre ammunition at the World Shoot, then load a 180 grain FMJ bullet to an overall length of 28.52mm at a PF greater that 170 and then check the reliability in your pistol.

Geco .40 S&W 180 Grain FMJ
Standard Division Pistol	Velocity	Power Factor
CZ Tactical Sport	973	175
STI Executive	989	178
SVI Infinity	911	164
Tanfoglio	941	169

I did not have the opportunity to test the Geco .45 ACP ammunition. Revolver shooters will need .45 ACP ammunition at the World Shoot. Primer sensitivity will be a major concern for the S&W 625 wheel gunners. Also IPSC will start a single stack M1911 division next year so the use of .45 ACP ammunition in IPSC competition should increase next year.

You will have noted that the .38 Super ammunition was border line to make the major power factor of 160. Geco have noted this and will be working with this ammunition so that it will make the required power factor suitable for IPSC competition. In an IPSC match were the ammunition is supplied by the organisers, it is deemed to make major or minor irrespective of the power factor that is recorded with the chronograph.

So every competitor who is using GECO official match ammunition with the “IPSC” on the box will not need to worry about the power factor in their pistol or revolver. The primer ignition and functional reliability will be of more importance to you. From the testing that I carried out primer ignition and functional reliability was 100% in all the calibres tested.

GECO has made an agreement with the IPSC to print on every box” IPSC Approved”. This ammunition will not have to pass the chronograph check. So, every shooter taking part in any graded IPSC competition using the GECO IPSC ammunition with the “IPSC Approved” on the box will not have to worry about the power factor in their pistol or revolver.

The following table gives technical information on the Geco ammunition tested. The bullet weight is in grains and the overall length; an average of 10 rounds measured, is in millimetres.

GECO IPSC PISTOL AMMUNITION
Calibre	Bullet Weight	Over All Length
9mm	124	29.34
9mm	139	29.28
9mm	154	28.52
.38 Super	124	32.31
.40 S&W	180	28.52

Summary

If you intend to use the Geco ammunition at the World Shoot, the information in this article will also enable you to reproduce these factory loads with your own reloaded ammunition. This will enable you to check for functional reliability, accuracy and point of impact in your own pistol.

As part of RUAG Ammotec Group Geco’s function is to produces hunting and target shooting ammunition. Geco presented this new assortment of pistol ammunition designed for use in IPSC events at IWA 2011 and these loads will be available around Europe and Canada over the next months. It is currently not available in the USA at the moment, because RUAG Ammotec distributes their RWS brand there. The Geco IPSC pistol ammunition will be available in the USA in the future. Ammunition designed for use in practical pistol competition is a small niche market in the overall commercial ammunition production that is manufactured by this company, so thank you to Geco for their efforts on our behalf. This will also be useful to people who live in countries were you are not permitted to reload ammunition.

The .38 Super IPSC ammunition will be of value to those who fly to matches and have to purchase additional ammunition and to people who live in countries were you are not permitted to reload ammunition.

The organisers of World Shoot XVI have opened an information page for ammunition on their website. The link is: http://www.wsh2011.org/match-ammunition.html

The 154 grain FMJ 9mm load Practical Handgun tested is not on the list. A .40 S&W round loaded to a longer than factory specification length will also be provided, but not by Geco, for the reasons stated in this article.

The maximum weight of ammunition that you are permitted to carry by European airlines is 5 kilograms. Max Michel attended the Greek Nationals in Rhodes, at the same range that will be used for the World Shoot. Max landed at Athens Airport with 1000 rounds of .38 Super. When he took the internal flight from Athens to Rhodes the Greek authorities would only let him take 450 rounds with him, forcing him to leave 550 at Athens Airport. Max faired better than the CZ Shooting Team, as they were not permitted to bring any ammunition onto their plane! Martin Kamenicek shot the match 9mm minor with his CZ Checkmate and still finished in a very credible third place.

This is a major problem when you are organising a Level IV or V IPSC competition. The ammunition requirement for the big Level III matches around Europe also exceeds 5 Kg of ammunition. This has given both IPSC and the organisers of Continental and World Shoot events a big headache to ensure that competitors have enough ammunition to complete all the stages. The solution to be used at World Shoot XVI is to have Geco supply the designated match ammunition for competitors to use.

Geco have contacted me this morning ( 21/07/11 ) and informed me that they are working at full speed to produce a .40 S&W round with a longer overall length with C.I.P. approval, for Standard Division competitors to use at World Shoot XVI. When I get more information on this I will add it to the article.

At the request of USA Team Infinity Shooter Lee Neel, I measured the case head diameter of the Geco IPSC Approved .38 Super major power factor ammunition.

Lee wanted to know this information so he could determine that this ammunition would properly function through his SVI.

I just measured the case head diameter of 10 cases.

The smallest diameter was 10.18mm and the largest diameter was 10.23mm.

The average diameter of the 10 cases measured was 10.215mm.

For Further Information

www.brownells.com

www.geco-ammunition.com

www.ramsomrest.com

Ransom Rest Products can be obtained in Europe from www.ballisticservice24.eu