The ammunition requirements for each course are found at the end of each courses description. Course Descriptions.
General Information
Front Sight requires factory-new ammunition with full-metal jacket bullets. Hollow points are acceptable. Blaser aluminum cased ammunition is acceptable.
Not permitted are:
- Hand reloads
- Factory reloads
- "Remanufactured" ammunition
- Lead bullets
- Copper "washed" bullets (as opposed to copper jacketed bullets)
- Steel jacketed bullets
- Armor-piercing bullets (core of steel or other hardened material)
- Tracers or other incendiary ammunition
Specific brands which are not permitted:
- American Ammunition made in Miami, Florida. American Ammunition uses copper washed bullets instead of copper jacketed bullets. American Ammunition is not to be confused with American Eagle ammunition made by Federal Cartridge Corporation. American Eagle ammunition is acceptable.
- Sellier and Bellot (S&B) rifle ammunition. S&B uses steel jacketed bullets which cause damage to steel targets. S&B handgun and shotgun ammunition are acceptable.
The reason for the above policy is that the most common cause of a catastrophic failure of a firearm (the gun blowing up, bruising the hands with minor lacerations) is the use of reloaded ammunition. The case is not sized correctly or the case wall is fatigued from previous use, or there is too much powder charge.
The second most common cause is the squib load (too little powder charge) lodging a bullet in the barrel, then followed by a full power charge against the plugged barrel. Squib loads are most commonly found in reloaded ammunition.
The third most common cause is due to excessive pressures due to lead build-up in the barrel from using soft lead or copper washed (not copper jacketed) bullets.
Due to our strict policy, we are pleased to say that, to date, we have had only one catastrophic failure of a student's gun at Front Sight. This is a phenomenal statistic considering the fact that Front Sight trains more students than all the other shooting schools in this country combined -- and students shoot millions of rounds each year at Front Sight. The failure was due to a student shooting copper washed (not copper jacketed) ammunition in his Glock pistol.
The minimal difference in the cost of reloads versus factory-new, full metal jacket ammunition is insignificant when you consider your peace of mind and the product liability insurance that the major manufactures carry when you shoot their factory-new ammunition. Factory-new, full metal jacket ammunition is well worth the minimal additional cost.
Please Note: Due to problems with unreliable shippers in the past, Front Sight is only able to accept shipments of ammunition from purchases through calling our Pro Shop at 702.897.9107. Therefore, Front Sight cannot accept delivery of your ammunition from any other source than Front Sight's Pro Shop. Front Sight is not able to store your unused ammunition, so please make appropriate travel and storage arrangements.
