Need advise: Geco ammo with TRN brass

[IvanTheTerribleShot]

Need advise of the community.

I just purchased some 9x19 ammo from ammoshoponline.com at 27 cents a round + taxes, with free shipping.
(I have purchased Norma from them previously and was content so far.)
They told me it is Geco (which I never shot but read favorable opinions of.)
When it arrived, I was surprised to see "TRN" headstamp which I believe refers to Turkish "Turan" brand.
Now, I am prejudiced against Turkish ammo and read horror stories of barrel blowout because of poor bullet diameter clearance; I would not have consciously buy any.
The seller response to my request was:

It is GECO brand ammunition with a brass substitution, this is common between our multiple facilities where we use brass for different products. All components are produced by us, it was merely stamped for a separate purpose and was then used in the production of the GECO ammunition.

I would like to ask community opinion of this; should I believe what they are saying?

Thank you all!

[crbutler]

So is this remanufactured ammo?

Doesn’t make sense; if GECO made it, it would be headstamped as such.

If it was assembled by GECO, using provided components, I suppose it’s possible that GECO assembled it.

OTOH it’s 9mm para. A relatively low intensity cartridge, that is a standard round for the Turkish military.

I’ve used some pretty ugly 3rd world surplus ammo at times in rifles. Occasional issues with extraction, poor accuracy, duds… but no ill effects to me (the odd corrosive primer was an issue for the rifles…)

I think you are in the boat of you get what you pay for. It probably won’t be very uniform, but it should go bang and put a hole in something downrange.

As to if you have an incident, the seller is liable if it’s not what they said it is (9mm para ammo.). Even the top US makers have occasionally had QC blips. If they were negligent in performing safety checks, and you can prove it, then you get a settlement.

[gun_fan111v2]

115 gr TMJ loose in the ammo can? I just got one of those too but have not looked at it yet.

I also have few boxes of this same 115gr TMJ I ordered in March but have not used any yet, as far as I remember. There was a recall in May but my lot number is different.

My prior experience with Geco was in 38 Super and that was positive. Stout load.

[Holland&Holland]

Maybe Geco makes cases for Turan? Does it pass the barrel plunk test?

[IvanTheTerribleShot]

Maybe Geco makes cases for Turan? Does it pass the barrel plunk test?

I just received a call from ammoshoponline. They told me that they are, indeed, a frontend for RUAG, and have manufacturing facilities both in Germany and Turkey (and a handful other European countries; also in Tampa, FL.) The ammunition was assembled in the US (not 100% sure if I got that point right) from Turkish brass and German other components.

They agree that unambiguous disclaimer belongs in the product page. And yes, it was that TMJ loose Plano can (now gone from the web site). They also sell "Venom" ammunition, and that one is as Turkish as Turkish is; seemingly also under RUAG umbrella.

Pluck test is a good idea, will report the results.

[gun_fan111v2]

Ivan…, wondering what you decided to do with this ammo. Last range visit I went through two boxes of the boxed variety and it ran OK for me.

[IvanTheTerribleShot]

The seller (who, turns out, is an outlet for Norma/RUAG/Geco) convinced me it's their genuine ammo.

I shot about 150 of them rounds already. So far so good. Accuracy seems OK.