Silver Bear Ammo is Russian-made ammunition, which begs the question, is it good? Should you shoot it in your gun? Or should you pass on this ammo?
All these questions and more are answered in this Silver Bear Ammo Review.
So grab your favorite drink, sit back, and keep reading to discover why you should or shouldn’t buy Silver Bear Ammo.
Is Silver Bear a Good Brand For Ammo?
Yes, Silver Bear is a good brand for ammo. Especially for shooting enthusiasts needing cheap yet quality ammo.
Silver Bear ammunition is often more accurate than other cheap ammo like Tula and Wolf ammo; however, it’s slightly more expensive, and it’s still Zinc plated steel-cased ammo, which isn’t reloadable partly due to the Berdan primers.
I could not find one negative comment, so here are some of the positive comments left by Ammo.com customers after shooting Silver Bear ammo-
“I’ve never been satisfied with the accuracy of my SKS. I know its limitations, yet I thought we could do better. We just did. The Silver Bear ammo consistently grouped tighter and closer to my point of aim than the Tula or Wolf ammo.” – M60Gunnr discussing the Silver Bear 7.62×39 125-grain SP.
“I shot 100 rounds of this ammo without any problems. Actually pretty clean too. I will buy this again even tho it’s Russian-made.” – ShooterJoe talking about the Silver Bear 45 ACP 230-grain FMJ.
“Great job and even better prices. Keep up the good work, ammo.com.” – ski commenting on Silver Bear 5.45×39 60-grain FMJ.
That was pretty good praise for cheap Russian ammo, so I tested 50 rounds of Silver Bear 45 ACP 230-grain FMJ in my Springfield XDs handgun.
I found it to be good ammo for plinking with no misfires or jams since my extractor did its job, even with the zinc coating on the steel casings.
I wouldn’t hesitate to feed Silver Bear to my AR or Remington bolt-action rifle for a fun day at the range without spending a fortune on expensive match ammo. However, I’m skeptical about using it for hunting or self-defense.
I’m pretty stuck on Winchester for my soft point hunting ammo and Hornady for my concealed carry hollow point ammo. But I’m always exploring new options!
Pros and Cons of Silver Bear Ammo
Like any ammo, Silver Bear ammunition has upsides and downsides to buying and shooting it. I found a few while testing out and researching this ammo company.
Pros
- Non-corrosive powder
- Reasonably priced
- Accurate for cheap ammo
- Reliable, rarely get a misfire or jam
- Clean shooting, so you can shoot more rounds at the range without it drastically affecting performance
Cons
- Berdan primed
- Slightly more expensive than Tula and Wolf
- Harder to find than PMC
- It will rust if you get it wet
Which Calibers Are Available from Silver Bear?
Below you’ll find the calibers offered by Silver Bear:
- 9×19mm Luger (9×19mm Parabellum)
- 9×18mm Makarov (9mm Makarov)
- .45 ACP
- 410 Magnum
- 12 gauge
- 5.45×39mm
- 5.56×45mm NATO
- .223 Rem
- 6.5×39mm Grendel
- 6.61×51mm
- .243 Winchester
- 7.62×39mm
- 7.62×51mm
- .308 Winchester
- 7.62×54mmR
- 7.62×63mm
- .30-06 Springfield
- 9.3×64mm Brenneke
Silver Bear Ammo History and Important Information
Silver Bear ammo is mysterious because there’s no “silverbearammo.com” to get information about the company or products.
A pretty bold move in the information age, where 99.99% of companies have a website.
It’s made in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the Barnaul Cartridge Plant, which dates back to Emperor Alexander II. This was one of the first cartridge factories founded in the 19th century, and it provided the Russian Imperial Army with ammo during World War I until it was evacuated during the Russian Civil War.
The plant was evacuated during WWII to keep the invading Imperial German forces from capturing it.
The factory produced 7.62mm, 12.7mm, and 14.5mm with armor-piercing bullets during WWII. After it received the Soviet Union’s highest decoration for outstanding services rendered to the State, the Order of Lenin, the Barnaul factory began making various hunting and sporting cartridges. It continues to manufacture sport, hunting, and military ammunition today.
The parent company of the factory is Barnaul Machine Tool Building Plant. They manufacture the BEAR Series (Golden Bear and Brown Bear Ammo) and CENTAUR, BARNAUL, and MONARCH (Academy Sports & Outdoors ammo brand) here.
Where Is Silver Bear Ammo Made?
Silver Bear Ammo is made at the Barnaul Cartridge Plant in St. Petersburg, Russia.
This plant has had numerous name changes, originally “Arsenal P,” then “Factory P,” and then “Factory 17” in 1928.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you’ll find some of the most commonly asked questions about Silver Bear Ammo.
Is Silver Bear ammo corrosive?
No, Silver Bear ammo is not corrosive. They use non-corrosive propellant in their cartridges.
Who makes Silver Bear ammunition?
The Barnaul Cartridge Plant makes Silver Bear ammunition.
What is the difference between Silver Bear ammo and Brown Bear ammo?
The difference between Silver Bear ammo and Brown Bear ammo is Silver Bear is zinc-coated steel-cased, and Brown Bear is lacquer coated steel-cased.
Another difference is price. Brown Bear now uses a gray polymer coating instead of lacquer. The more expensive Golden Bear ammo is brass-coated steel; it does not have a brass case.
Parting Shots
As you can tell after reading these Silver Bear ammo reviews, it’s good stuff for plinking and shooters on a tight budget.
Silver Bear gives us solid accuracy, reliability, and clean shooting, all at an affordable price. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for competition shooting, as it doesn’t stack up to the high-end ammunition used in matches.
Be sure to stock up on your favorite caliber at Ammo.com with our excellent prices and unbeatable customer service.
