AGUILA Ammunition:

I have been using Aguila .22" L.R. Rim-Fire ammunition since buying my Glock G44 pistol .. with excellent results - but it is remarkable that their Mexican made ammunition smells very distinctively - something like the sweetish aroma of burning polystyrene?

The Aguila factory is on the same site originally developed in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico by Remington - who built that SHOT TOWER. - Here is a link to an American Rifleman review-story that makes better sense than most ..

https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/rising-to-the-occasion-aguila-ammunition/

Remington may - or may not - have sent seventy employees to Mexico to assist in the changeover of "ownership". - 1967 Cartuchos de Portivos de Mexico, SA, - in which Remington had a 40% interest, declared its first cash dividend. Remington had interests in South America & Brazil,  since 1936.

Various U S based sites have comments about the performance and aroma .. expounding multiple insulting theories  about cat-piss and black-powder and Bubba-style Bullshit - So I had a deeper look at the AGUILA - ELEY - Remington linkage:

Aguila is a brand of INUSTRIAS TECNOS & I understand Aguila (- as Cartuchos Deportivos de México) took-over the Remington manufacturing plant in 1961 and became TECNOS in 1978.

In 2011 Aguila partnered with Tx AT of Houston Texas as their exclusive Distributor.

Aguila rimfire ammunition seems to be made using Eley Prime technology .. and I suspect that there is a financial cross-ownership connection here as Eley production seems to have moved from UK to Mexico for at least some of their Match Grade ammunition.

 A non-toxic primer composition suitable for use in rimfire ammunition comprising, by dry weight percentage, dinitrobenzofuroxan salt, as the only primary explosive, in the range 25 to less than 50%, an oxidising agent in the range 10 - 40%, and a friction agent in the range 10 - 40%, said composition being free from tetrazene.

Further very detailed Patent information may be found here:

https://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0704415.html

I'm NO scientist - but I reckon the different smell might be something to do with the "lead free" chemical make-up of the priming material and propellants used (!!) and the Eley Technology likely varies from others in that it might use some kind of 'piston' to place the priming into place rather than 'squirt & spin' ..

It seems that the two trailer loads of their 7 MILLION rounds of U S bound ammo that were hi-jacked recently have been recovered .. but no HEADLINES there then.

If Aguila would like to invite me to fly over and tour their factory I'd be happy to continue saying good things about their product ..

Marty K.