Customer Reviews
Howdy Ashley, Finally got around to trying the above load on paper yesterday in my S&W 629 Mountain Gun; two comments: 1. Shot a 3-shot group measuring 7/16" interlocking holes at about 10 yds (another group with PMC 240gr measured 2 1/8"!). Best accuracy I have ever found for this revolver! Most impressive! 2. Recoil was A LOT LESS than the other 240gr "full-case of 296" loads I have shot for many years, and was much "SMOOTHER" feeling and not as "SHARP". Also a great discovery! GOOD JOB ON LOAD DEVELOPMENT! Regards, Bill
Thank you. Also thank you for your website. Very informative and learned a lot. I will be moving to Colorado and working in MT and WY and needed a good field gun. Saw the S&W 329PD that you talked about. Bought that and some of your ammo, I'm ready to go. Thanks again, have a great day. John
All is good Ashley, I hope all is well with you guys as well. I totally enjoyed that last batch of cartridges and look forward to the new ones. I'm happy to promote your product to all my friends it's a great cartridge to shoot and enjoyed. All the best, Joe
I am changing to use your 540 grain ammo for "all" of my 45-70's. I just want to have one cartridge that I can use in all my firearms that is superior to the others and is over 500 grains. You have that. Thanks, Stevan
I am excited to use the best Magnum .44 ammo out there! And I appreciate your hands on customer service. Very cool. Best, David
Thank for your outstanding service and product, received today. Fast shipping and great looking rounds! Putting some down range this weekend. Will be ordering some for my 45/70 soon. Just great, Reed
My wife is a bit averse to recoil. We are out camping in black bear country all the time, so I want her to have something that will be at least marginally effective. I got her the new 3" Ruger GP100 in 44 Spl, which is one sweet perfectly balanced little gun! We were out practicing the other day, and were shooting at a 6X6" piece of lumber. Your 44 Spl HH loads chronographs at ~900 fps from this gun, and penetrated the wood through-and-through with no problem. We also had some Buffalo Bore 255 grain Keith loads, that go ~950 fps, and even though the BB bullet goes a bit faster, it failed to exit the piece of wood. I am accounting this to the difference in bullet designs, and your harder alloy. Also, your 250 grain 44 Mag HH load chronographs at just a bit over 1000 fps from my S&W 329NG, with it 2.5" snubby barrel. So basically, the short barrel turns the magnum load velocity into what I would get from a 44 Spl...with a 7.5" barrel. Recoil is mild and not at all unpleasant. So, not bad at all, for a compact little 29 oz trail gun! Take Care! Wayne
Absolutely love your ammunition. Here in Pennsylvania with a much reduced deer herd that has created an overabundance of secondary growth the only thing that works better is a 155mm Howitzer. Blessings, Ed
I accidentally washed a 540 when I washed the drop cloth I sleep on when backcountry hunting. It was washed in very hot water with bleach. I only discovered the round when I went to dry the drop cloth and heard a loud sound as it was banging around inside the dryer for a few seconds. I took this as an opportunity to see if the round would fire, so I took it to the range, I aimed at 200 yards with my Fulton rifle and squeezed it off. Bullseye on a 100 yard target posted at 200 yards. Maybe I got lucky but I think if it can go through a hot sanitizing wash and still fire without issue and nail the target center I think it's water resistant enough for me! PS: 540 cartridge was very clean and the lead bullet was mirror shiny from the wash. Ha ha! Larry
I wasn't sure if I shared the picture of the Bison I shot with the 540g cartridge in February. You were absolutely right, at 110 yards and a direct frontal head shot the bullet was not able to be recovered! The ranch owner who typically shoots the 325 Hornady round even commented on the efficiency of the round. In parting I left him with 5 rounds and gave him your information in hopes he will make the switch. Thanks again! Michael
Last weekend I ordered a box of your 45-70 420gr Government ammo. I received it on Thursday from UPS. I had the chance to take it out this morning to the range and test it out. I have been using factory 300 grain ammo from Federal and Winchester. With the first shot of your Garrett ammo I felt like my little Henry guide gun was on steroids. The Garrett ammo grouped into a little over an inch for 3 shots at 50 yards with open sights. I am sure someone with far more experience with open sights and who doesn't have to wear progressive lens eye glasses would get a far better group. Your ammo is the real deal!! Great product!! Fast shipping!! The personal emails from Deanna were a very nice way to do business in this day of computer generated emails. Enjoy the holiday weekend!! Chris
In the field it is cumbersome to carry any large firearm, so my son and I opt for the Ruger Alaskan. The compact 2.5" barrel gives up a lot of velocity, so it takes a stout load to get the velocity up to a reasonable level. Your H454 shoots beautifully from the Alaskan, with no hint of crimp jump or anything bad like that. I have always been a .454 fan, and this is the load I have been waiting for! Thanks! Wayne
Ordered ammo from you, including the Exiter African big game rounds after Henry's told me that their rifle meets or exceeds Marlin specks. All went fine although recoil is a bit rough with the heavy stuff. Probably wouldn't mind that if being charged by a Rhino. Very accurate rifle and the lighter loads are fun to shoot. Plan to order more soon. I'd give it a 5 out of 5. FYI, Roger
540 + P Knockdown Power Witness. Shot her through the shoulders at 10 yards. Totally denigrated outboard shoulder. She face planted instantly. She was dead in less than 30 sec. One bad A$$ round from close up close for sure; Absolutely devastating!!! I have no fear of being within 10 yards of a brown bear with these rounds in the tube after witnessing their power first hand. Next time I'm going for a 10 footer :) Charlie
So glad you added 454 Casull as I just ordered a new Ruger Super Redhawk Toklat. I killed a deer this year with your 44 Magnum 310 grain at 1325 fps in my 8 inch Dan Wesson 744. Complete penetration and less than 100 yard recovery. This was my 4th deer with this load. Brian Bielema
You both are the best. I received my package today and felt very special there were Defender loads in there. ...they looked great! Your rounds are noticeably more accurate. (From the shoulder or a rest) You have multiple loads for different applications, suited perfectly. Your product is phenomenal, service is phenomenal, and the attention to detail is second to none. I formally commit to buying my 45-70 ammo from your company alone going forward. From plinking (Springfield load turned this awesome lever into a plinker...) to hunting (Springfield, Super jack) you guys have delivered. I bought 250 Hornady rounds Leverultion, a ton of Buffalo Bore, (as in everything they make) and decided it's all Garrett from here on out. Got a whitetail DRT with your Springfield load (and plenty of too much fun target practice.) Still practice with your HH loads if I get a chance at an Alaskan grizz...lottery... I should reload, but I like your rounds better. Thanks again. Stephen
This is the finest handgun ammo I've ever seen, and I've seen it all. I can't wait to order some more. Keep up the GOOD work. I'll be ordering some .45-70 also. It's a harder lead alloy than I have encountered. I am excited about this ammo! Tom
Hi, I just want to pass on my satisfaction with your Defender ammo. My new S&W 629-6 in 44 mag was disappointing with factory ammo as I attempted to sight it in. I got it close then tried your hard cast and the groups were amazing. One click of the sight to lower the groups and I am now hitting every time. I will be flying sport fishermen in Bristol Bay Alaska this summer and as a defensive weapon against brown bear I hope to never fire another round, yet, I am now very confident that I am as ready as I can be. Thanks for all that you do, Charlie
Guns Magazine October 2015 If you do not reload, custom handloads turned out one at a time are available from Garrett Cartridges of Texas. My friend, Ashley Emerson, recently purchased Garrett and moved it to Texas and has now expanded the line to include the .454 using a 365-grain hard cast bullet at both 1,350 and 1,650fps. I used the former on a bull elk and a bison this past fall with the results being instantaneous-the freezer is now filled with elk and buffalo meat. John Taffin
American Handgunner March/April 2016 John Taffin