does steel cased ammo hurt your gun

Every vendor is different so Ammoseek doesnt really have anything to do with whatever experience you may have. And you will start to notice reliability problems if your firearm is not properly maintained. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. I would sure hope not as they did issue steel case GI .45 during WW-2. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. With a price tag well below the average cost of American-made brass-cased ammo, many American shooters on a budget gobbled up the ammo in droves. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Semi-autos sometimes have problems if the chamber is tight and because it hasnt fully contracted when the extractors try to grab it. Whats The Problem With Shooting Steel-Cased Ammo At The Range? Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. Is there a difference between steel cased and brass cased ammo? An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart. Communism only made one thing that works, and capitalism can make it even better. Depends on who makes it and in what caliber. The Germans confined steel cased 7.9x57 to ground use only because it jams aircraft machine guns. The Pure greed is what it is when it comes to indoor ranges. In a nutshell, steel-cased ammo is good to go. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Thus you have less blowback into the chamber and the receiver. Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. No. It's annealed to be soft. A lot of old surplus stuff was laquer coated and could gum up chambers. If a round was fired in a hot chamber and coo Personally I do not use steel case ammo in ARs. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? The lacquer that coats the steel case can be problematic when a round sits in a hot chamber. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. WOLF Performance Ammunition is a trademark associated with Sporting Supplies International (SSI), a corporation in the United States. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. Steel is harder and less malleable than brass so its a lot harder to accurately resize the cases after firing. For most people, it doesnt really matter at all. 2. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Copyright 2020 Windham Weaponry, Inc. All rights reserved. If you are someone who likes to stick with tradition, then brass may be the better option for you. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. I was told that it would tend to wear the ejector quicker because it was harder than brass. The steel cased Ammo usually has a bimetallic jacket that is magnetic and is harsher on your barrel. Are Berger hybrid bullets good for hunting? On the one hand, some people believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your gun. Non brass ammo is my JIC prepper ammo. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . In semi-automatic firearms, this affects the timing of the cycle of operation, particularly in the extraction phase. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. Registered. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. I don't shoot match grade ammo in a field grade gun nor do I shoot bulk grade ammo in a match grade gun. Read More How To Prevent Accidental Shootings?Continue. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. These 5.56 cartridges push a 62 grain projectile designed with a boat tail, lead core, and a special steel penetrator tip. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Thats the only real advantage of the ammo. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. I wouldn't use steel case ammo in any gun, except for an AK47 or SKS 7.62x39 type rifle. So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. Cast aluminum is perfect for this job. There is a higher risk of sparks and a fire starting with steel core rounds. Theres nothing about steel-cased ammo that says this has to be the case however, Hornady proved that with their competition-ready Steel Match ammo that is produced with all the quality and attention to detail that any of their other premium offerings are made with. As for the increased wear on the barrel, my logic is that I will have saved plenty of money by shooting steel cased ammo that I could buy a new barrel and still be ahead. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. This doesn't affect reliability as long as you keep shooting steel cased ammo or clean the chamber before shooting brass cased ammo. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Steel casings are therefore coated with a lubricant. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. The gun spits the cartridge out after every fire as it goes through the cycle of re-chambering another round. Some ranges may also ban aluminum cases for the same reason. A critical marksmanship skill that is easy to overlook. Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. (Video) HERE'S WHY YOU CAN'T SHOOT STEEL CASED The steel used in the cases will still be softer than the type of steel used in receivers and extractors of Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. A guy at work got some 45 ACP Russian loads and was quick firing when one didn't sound right and he managed to stop pulling the trigger before the next round went off,when he looked down the barrel the bullet was about an inch from the muzzle! YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. You will find in most firearms manuals (if you read them) a sentence stating something like: such and such firearm company does not recommend using re-loaded or re-manufactured ammunition in the handgun. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. No commercially available handgun rounds have the steel core as they would qualify as illegal armor piercing ammo under federal law. This is true of PSA, SIG, Anderson, Colt, and basically everyone today. Is it safe for my gun? The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. This is because brass cased ammo can be reloaded multiple times, and it is possible to reload ammo for around the same price per round as steel cased ammo can be bought. Nope. WebSteel cased ammo is safe to use in modern firearms because the steel used in the case is very soft. There is no other way to put it. It does not store any personal data. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. I had to add that it was my first break-in session so the gun was brand new, but the very next session I used all brass cased ammo with not a single feed failure. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. As stated above, as long as it's softer than the steel parts that are coming in contact with it then there shouldn't be a problem, should there? With steel cased ammo the groups were all over the place at 6,000 rounds with many bullets tumbling and key holing. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which ammo casing is best for you and your firearm. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. All those issues were worsened by pandemic-related workforce shortages and supply chain issues, which drove the prices up and up and up, Woodbury said. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. At the end of the day, its up to you to decide what you think is best for your gun. What about American guns? The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. The guns are just slightly over-gassed to ensure reliable operation with underpowered cheap ammo. the case is steel and the bullet has a mild steel jacket with a thin copper coating. Brass, being less hard than steel, will spring back to a smaller dimension than a steel case will after firing. Guns are not put under as much stress as an engine block, but it is still important that they are made with a strong material. A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. Tula has performed the worst in my firearms, and Brown Bear has performed the best. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. However, this is in large part due to your particular firearm. In today's episode of "I Carry," we have a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal pistol with a Holosun EPS Red2 red-dot sight carried in a KSG Armory Lexington IWB holster. There isnt always an explanation for the rules. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. Maybe NOT, POF 5PK MP5 The Budget Reverse-Stretch Semi Auto from Pakistan, Ammo InStock: PMC Bronze 223 Rem 55 Grain FMJ Ammo 1000 Rounds $397.00 FREE S&H, Survival Deal: Thyrosafe Potassium Radioactive Iodide Tablets $21.95 FREE S&H, Gun Deals: Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol 12 Gauge Shotgun $949.00 FREE S&H, Brownells Coupon Codes www.brownells.com Updated Monthly. Big Daddy Unlimited usually has some steel-cased ammo in stock. The vast majority of concealed carry holders, experienced or not, make the, Read More Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)Continue, Address I have found that my AR does quite well with steel case, where as my Mini-14 has trouble holding 4 MOA. Steel-cased ammo is not necessarily less reliable or accurate than brass. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. One of the biggest misconceptions is since steel is harder than brass or aluminum, it must be harder on the gun as it travels through the cycle of operation. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when doing so: That said, if you do choose to use aluminum bullets, be sure to clean your gun frequently and check for any signs of wear and tear. They do not wish to deal with these issues mentioned above. Registered. Steel case ammo will not harm any part of your firearm. When hes not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. M855 is often called green tip ammo for its special color coding (the full metal jacket is painted green at the nose). Its a bolt gun and doesnt care. Then, Winchester jumped into the steel-cased market. Better not tell the hundreds of AK shooters whom are shooting thousands of Steel cased 7.62X39 rounds per day, here and world wide. Experiment a little and see which type of ammo works best for your gun! In short, the bullets offer maximum aerodynamics from a bullet that is also forgiving about seating depth, making them an ideal projectile for hunting in conditions where shots can be on the long side and one that will shoot well in more rifles. U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- COVID 19 and Joe Biden suck, they have driven the price of ammo through the roof, even previously-affordable steel-cased stuff. Funny how you didnt mention the elephant in the room RELOADING. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. what's the point? Id take this ammo over a lot of cheap brass out there. And always follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance. - AllOutdoor.com That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. No reason for outdoor firing ranges, especially if youre going to police your own brass. Thus, inspecting a gun before buying is a crucial thing. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. In most Russian ammo (Tula, Monarch, etc.) Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. Steel-cased ammo may also be associated with an increased fire risk because it tends to cause more sparks than bullets without steel cases. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. A steel case is also prohibited because a magnet will attract it, thus making it more difficult to check for steel-core ammunition. It is not uncommon to find steel-cased ammunition made in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union using steel-core bullets, which are steel slugs encased in a thin layer of lead. Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Accidental shootings are a big problem, and they happen all over the world. It was never engineered to be reloaded, while it isRead more . Common brands of steel-cased ammo are TulaAmmo, Brown Bear, and Wolf. AKs weren't "designed" to fire steel cased ammunition. The brass case expands inside the chamber, the steel case does not and so there is a lot of blow back. After draining the fluids, taking out the battery and all the plastic and seats and removing the shocks it was more work than it was worth. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. It needs to be strong enough to withstand a lot of stress. For example, a steel-cased .45 ACP is essentially a straight-walled case, but the working pressures are around 20,000 psi which make extraction easier. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. So, in addition to always picking up your brass, if they dont want to give it to you, dont ever return to that shooting range and tell your friends to stay away from that place as well. From discussion withRead more . Ammo with steel cores has a smaller steel bullet that is coated with lead on the outside. (emphasis mine) For further information on ammunition selection, contact HK Customer Service HK does not sell ammunition, so they have no dog in the cost of ammunition argument. Cartridges or shells of ammo are referred to as casings, not bullets. Up to 100 rounds, the more the better. God I hate ammo snobs. Steel cased ammo is not bad for AR-15s. It is only bad for people who suck at math. People will claim that the steel will w For now on I will stick to brass cased ammo only. Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Bill, I know that there has been testing on it, though I dont have them bookmarked. Tacoma, Washington 98424 USA, 2023 Rainier Ballistics | The Journey To The Top Demands Peak Performance, What is a Bull Barrel Bull Barrel Variations and Benefits. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. What are the pros and cons for steel shell cases, more specifically, Winchesters USA-Forged 9 mm, 115-grain (Item WIN9S), 150-round pack? If the gun is broken in first with brass cased ammo this helps seal the gas system somewhat which will make the lower powered steel cased ammo work a bit better. Felt recoil was greater with the steel load but not by muchagain that stems from the difference in velocity.Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. So, should you shoot steel cased ammo through your rifle or pistol? bigdogbuc Banned Joined Mar 22, 2012 2,112 Posts The only items that are true is that steel-cased ammo runs dirtier (steel cases don't expand and seal out fouling as well as a brass), and you just have to clean your gun more often. Why? Thats it. Darrell Moriarty, Lago Vista, TXSteel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. Most commonly, steel cased ammo is found in popular calibers such as .223 Remington, .308 Winchester, 7.6239, and 9mm, but it can be found in other calibers as well. This is because Berdan primers dont contain an anvil. This makes a very strong piece of metal. Even then, is the small savings worth the time and patience that it takes to reload? 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? This cookie is used to keep track on user informations and reports it to Alexa analytics service. In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. Further, HK specifically says: All USPs are approved for use with +P and +P+ ammunition as it appliesRead more . The casing is usually made of steel. Quantserve sets the mc cookie to anonymously track user behaviour on the website. . They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. Vortex to take over customer service and support for the app. My experience with steel cased ammo in a Mosen Nagant was the coating was heated up with the explosion of the round in the chamber melting the coating and after a few rounds you couldnt get a round to chamber because there was too much coating in the chamber. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. One of the biggest misconceptions is since steel is harder than brass or aluminum, it must be harder on the gun as it travels through the cycle of operation. Therefore, understanding why certain rules were created will enable you to better perceive how a gun range operates and what factors are involved with using and operating a gun range. I get paid cash for brass but they dont pay very good on either. I'd buy a little and try it out. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. WebSteel case ammo shouldn't damage your gun, though some guns will have reliability issues with it. With a little fouling, it is easy to see how the more-tapered 7.62x39 mm would be easier to extract than the 5.56 NATO. There are times when rules are unclear. I told them to switch to brass and all was fine thereafter. There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: Steel jackets cause more wear and tear on backstops than copper ones, even though they do not damage backstops to the same extent as steel core rounds. In addition, steel is more penetrating than lead since it does not expand as much. Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. One reason people give for not shooting steel case-ammo is that it damages their rifle or pistol. In the end, workers will have to do some cleaning. Now, miraculously, steel-cased ammo will no longer hurt your gun. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. I am hoping to test that on camera. No issues with Steel (Tula or Wolf) and full power striker springs, occasional FTE with aluminum and I had one yesterday with Fiocci brass. In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument and let you decide for yourself! Sounds like a good argument - until you remember that the steel in your chamber is MUCH harder than the And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. With a little fouling, it is easy to see how the more-tapered 7.62x39 mm would be easier to extract than the 5.56 NATO. 5 What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? But for people who reload, shooting steel cased ammo may actually be more expensive. So unless youre looking for an inexpensive way to practice shooting, its probably not worth using aluminum bullets. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? It is pretty dirty & tends to leave some lacquer when the gun heats up. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Why would shooters pick steel-cased rounds over standard ammo? The causes often stem from the buildup of corrosion in the chamber and rust-prevention materials used to coat steel cases in order to preserve the ammunitions integrity in harsh conditions. The causes often stem from the buildup of corrosion in the chamber and rust-prevention materials used to coat steel cases in order to preserve the ammunitions integrity in harsh conditions. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. One of the biggest misconceptions is since There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: They do not wish to deal with these In my not-so-humble-opinion, this is a cop-out to let companies brush off shooters who want to run cheap ammo in their gun. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. I have had very few issues with reliability when using steel-cased ammo. Steel cases cannot be collected and sold like brass cases since they cannot be reloaded. To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. They also claim that using aluminum cases can help reduce weight, which makes carrying your ammunition easier. Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. This is a huge problem given the recent surge in new gun-owners who are looking to hone their skills on their new guns, but simply cant. Find it here bigdaddyunlimited.com/login.php. Shoots really good in all my glocks, burns fairly clean, same as WWB does and at $28 for 150 rounds, i`ll buy/shoot it anytime. Thats why I bought an under-seat rifle rack from 4WheelOnline. Or should you stay away from it? The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net to collect statistical data such as the number of visits, average time spent on site, and what pages have been loaded, for targeted advertising. In addition, there may be surplus ammunition from other countries that have higher lead prices than the United States. Although the 5.56 NATO cartridge is slightly tapered, it is not nearly as forgiving as the 7.62x39 mm in a dirty chamber during extraction. The lacquer will soften, and if the round sits in the chamber as it cools, it can make extraction more difficult in firearms not designed with a generous chamber. Steel creates more friction between itself, the magazine, and chamber. I've reloaded .45 ACP steel cases for years. Ammo Deals: ZSR Ammunition 9mm 124 Grain FMJ 1000 Rounds $259.99 FREE S&H, AR-15 Barrel Length Does It Even Matter? Those of that opinion are quick to reference extractor breakage or failure, especially in the AR-15/M16 platforms.In reality, its not the steel cartridge case thats the problem. Again, however, I am not really certain whether that is the case. Some people say that aluminum cases can cause damage to the gun, while others claim that there is no difference between using aluminum and brass cases. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. I could be wrong but I wouldnt want to put something that harsh in my dies even if I could. Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. Since steel cases work-harden and lose their elasticity, you cannot resize them to hold another bullet since they lack the elasticity that brass cases possess. Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. Its a small price to pay for the substantial savings steel ammunition provides over brass cased ammunition. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Thats not entirely accurate while it is true that steel core rounds can damage a backstop, it is actually that bi-metal ammunition, including Wolf, can result in steel-to-steel contact that can cause sparking. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. Cast aluminum has a lot of great properties that make it perfect for manufacturing things like bullets: These qualities make cast aluminum an ideal material for making bullets and other ammo components. While the ammo was kind of weak, dirty and even smelled bad, every one of the 2,700 rounds I fired through G43 worked okay and cycled my gun just fine with no malfunction of any kind. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Does the Russian military use steel cased ammo? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? This build up can cause stuck cases. The direct-impingement AR-15 can be ammo sensitive especially when not ran, wet. This build up can cause stuck cases. From what I can tell and have seen/read..since steel is less malleable than brass, the cases dont fireform as well to the chamber when fired. Lets take a closer look. I asked what ammo they were using and it was the steel case. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Steel cased ammo is non reloadable. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. If you want ammo that might put you through some exercises in clearing a jammed round, then TulAmmo is great. While the steel used in the ammos casings is relatively mild, and thus not terribly hard, it is still harder than brass. Your email address will not be published. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Wolf and the like are so dirty to shoot. Having said that, I don't use it in my high end guns, Our range has a two mile backstop so there is no limit except, no tracers.