PMC Ammunition announced that the company was reintroducing the Starfire line of ammunition in 2017. The new loads are said to improve both expansion and penetration. Additionally, the company specially worked the load of the 9mm to make it “completely reliable” in full auto firearms in addition to semi-automatic handguns.

The new ammo will be available in the following calibers:

• .380 ACP
• .38 Special +P
• .357 Magnum
• 9mm
• .40 S&W
• .44 Magnum
• .45 ACP

The new loads are easily distinguished from the old by the use of blue packaging on the current manufactured stuff. Think blue=new.

If you are not familiar with the Starfire line, it has been around for several decades. The bullet was designed by Tom Burczynski. Burczynski is the designer of several major bullet designs including the Hydra-Shok, Expanding Full Metal Jacket and HST used by Federal. He also designed the Remington Black Belt bullet and others.

The Starfire bullet design uses a deep hollow point with ribs and flutes to create what PMC calls hyper-expansion. In theory, the Starfire will expand up to 2x its original diameter. Average penetration depths of the bullet run from 9″-14″ depending on caliber.

In the late 90’s my former police department issued this round in .40 S&W. From our Glock 22 pistols, it ran very reliably and testing showed good penetration and expansion. Other than dispatching the occasional deer on the side of the highway, we were never forced to use it in the “real world” before we transitioned to the 155gr Speer Gold Dot.

I can’t help but wonder if this round would be a more popular cartridge if one of the big ammo companies had licensed the design.