Different shooters prefer different ammo casings for different reasons. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. The ammunition was mostly manufactured by Tula Cartridge Plant in Tula, Tula District, Russia from 2005 to 2009. This lacquer burns off and can potentially foul the chamber. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. Americans first got a taste for steel-cased rounds when China began exporting its arms and ammo to the US in the 1980s. Darrell Moriarty, Lago Vista, TXSteel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. 9mm steel case ammo bad for handguns So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. Then the brass case expanding normally really sticks to the carbon left behind in the chamber. As long as I do some research beforehand, I feel more confident, and I dont take the chance of my reputation getting damaged. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. There is a higher risk of sparks and a fire starting with steel core rounds. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Ammo Deals: ZSR Ammunition 9mm 124 Grain FMJ 1000 Rounds $259.99 FREE S&H, AR-15 Barrel Length Does It Even Matter? It is strong enough to withstand the stress of firing, yet light enough to allow for high-speed projectiles. Wolf Ammunition is NOT bad for your gun. In general, any type of ammunition can be harmful to your gun if it is not properly cleaned and maintained. I could be wrong but I wouldnt want to put something that harsh in my dies even if I could. The brass case expands inside the chamber, the steel case does not and so there is a lot of blow back. It even sometimes says that it ISNT reloadable for those that dont understand it from the names. My only experience with Tula steel cased ammo is 115gr 9mm, and I only used it in my G43. Not really it always says that its Berdan primed, not Boxer. This means that they are less prone to fragmenting. 2. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. There is a lot of debate surrounding aluminum cased ammo and whether or not it is bad for your gun. The solution was simple they over-gassed their guns. Vimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos to the website. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. One of the biggest misconceptions is since Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. In most Russian ammo (Tula, Monarch, etc.) Steel is also able to work in more temperatures than brass and tends to last longer. This is because most steel-cased ammo uses a mild steel core, and is difficult for ranges to differentiate from armor-piercing steel-core ammo which would The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Whats The Problem With Shooting Steel-Cased Ammo At The Range? A value-priced red dot with a full set of features. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. Steel Cased I'll "stick" to brass hulls in my firearms. Some firearms have no problem with using aluminum cases, while others may experience damage. Steel case ammo will not harm any part of your firearm. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. Up to 100 rounds, the more the better. On the other hand, the 9 mm, especially in military loads, is twice the pressure of the .45 ACP. However, there is an issue: some ammo is steel jacketed, so it has a layer of steel on top of a standard lead bullet. Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. 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. Steel rounds also have a greater chance of backfiring. I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. He also likes to take his kids shooting as often as possible. steel case 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. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. This build up can cause stuck cases. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. Steel is harder on these guns than brass, so it can jam. On the one hand, some people believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your gun. Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. Ability to Shoot Steel Case Ammo in No problems. The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. WOLF Performance Ammunition is a trademark associated with Sporting Supplies International (SSI), a corporation in the United States. I wouldn't use steel case ammo in any gun, except for an AK47 or SKS 7.62x39 type rifle. Funny, you want to sell it and its not worth squat you want to buy it and steelRead more , If you look at a 5.56 besides a 7.62 russian round youll notice th x39 and x54 both have a taper from the base to the mouth. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. Is Steel-Cased Ammunition Really All That Bad? ~ VIDEO Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. So experiment a little and see which type works best for you! There isnt always an explanation for the rules. No commercially available handgun rounds have the steel core as they would qualify as illegal armor piercing ammo under federal law. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. The design of the cartridge has perhaps the greatest effect on how extraction takes place with steel cases. There is literally no danger to your firearms steel parts when using aluminum cased ammo. All of these are made in Russia, and many times, the same ammo can just be repacked into a different box. I'd buy a little and try it out. Steel Case Ammo It is much softer than the steel used to make gun barrels and actions. What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? Though lead core bullets deliver a quick and humane blow to big game animals, they do so at the cost of lead fragmenting throughout the wound tract. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. This was even more the case a few years ago when most companies made sure their guns were precisely gassed. I have had very few issues with reliability when using steel-cased ammo. A damaged steel target or, in this case, a backstop can also ricochet steel core rounds. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! Yes, you can cast bullets out of aluminum. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. But shortly thereafter, many found that the rounds werent performing as accurately, or reliably in their American firearms. I have some steel cased ammo in a few calibers556, 762x39, 9mm, .45because it's got incredibly long shelf life under adverse conditions. Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. Playing with steel targets is risky, if you must do it then do it on a private range when you are alone, set something in front of your shooting bench to deflect spent or partly powered rounds that might come back, I have sections of cut up oil tank steel in front of my bench , and sand bags on top of it with as little of me exposed as possible. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A tapered case fares much better during extraction, since once the seal is broken and the case moves even the slightest amount to the rear, friction between the case and the chamber is appreciably attenuated. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. In my own experience, the accuracy of steel cased ammo in my rifles really is not that much worse than lower-end brass cased ammo. Brass Deflection for Left Handed Shooters firing the CF-15, Smoothing up the trigger pull on a standard AR15, Removal & Reinstallation of the Rear Sight Aperture. My understanding is that you cannot reload the steel cases. 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. What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? Steel cased ammo is said to be less expensive and brass cased ammunition more reliable. 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. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. To add to a excellent list of reasons,some ranges use rubber peices in the backstops and if steel can start fires on certain outdoor ranges with grass. Copyright 2020 Windham Weaponry, Inc. All rights reserved. During World War 1, countries such as Germany experienced a shortage of brass as a raw material and looked to using steel cased ammo as an alternative. (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. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bzPRtn29u0, Spotting Scope for 1000 Yards: How to Achieve Maximum Accuracy, 209 Primers for Muzzleloaders: The Best Ones for Your Gun, This div height required for enabling the sticky sidebar, 2022 Yestactical.com We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. In this article,, Read More What is a Bull Barrel Bull Barrel Variations and BenefitsContinue. Survival | Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your gun? To the firing pin, etc? WebAnswering: Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? bigdogbuc Banned Joined Mar 22, 2012 2,112 Posts From discussion withRead more . 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. In fact that's all they use in the Comblock countries. In answer to your question specific to the. The casing is usually made of steel. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. How can I stop being frustrated while reading? Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your Gun | Page 2 | The Armory They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, case expansion and contraction characteristics, First Look: Freedom Munitions American Steel Ammo, First Look: Freedom Munitions American Steel Ammo | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Steel-Case Ammo: Bad For Your Gun? Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. the case is steel and the bullet has a mild steel jacket with a thin copper coating. No one is perfect. Berdan primers are used more often than boxer primers in steel-cased ammunition. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. Using gas-powered cycling systems on firearms makes the extraction less effective. Due to the lower price of steel-cased ammo, steel-cased ammunition is popular. So, there is no benefit to using cast aluminum over regular aluminum when making bullets. WebSteel case ammo shouldn't damage your gun, though some guns will have reliability issues with it. Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your Gun? - AllOutdoor.com Perhaps the biggest drawback to steel-cased ammo is that it is not easily reloadable. But I do question the hypothesis, unless demonstrated, that a new steel case increases wear over brass. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. 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. I received 35 dollars for it. The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. What is M855? Also you will notice a lot of lacquer coating all the parts and this over time can cause a malfunction. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. I have also found some deviations is accuracy with different brands of ammo. Feel free to reach out to us or read our affiliate disclosure and privacy policy. Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). And always follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance. Under federal law it is perfectly legal to make, sell and purchase armor-piercing ammunition as long as you have the proper licensing. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Its more trouble than its worthalthough it is possible, especially with boxer-primed cases.In answer to your question specific to the Winchester USA-Forged WIN9S ammunition, I decided to do an informal test against the Winchesters Q4172, a similar 115-grain brass-cased load. This cookie is used to keep track on user informations and reports it to Alexa analytics service. 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. Steel is harder and less malleable than brass so its a lot harder to accurately resize the cases after firing. But for people who reload, shooting steel cased ammo may actually be more expensive. Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. Bill, I know that there has been testing on it, though I dont have them bookmarked. Benefits. Larry, who is a family man and a gun enthusiast, enjoys keeping his collection in pristine condition. Why is it imperative that different gauge shotshells not be mixed together? Many shooters began to see the value of steel-cased ammo when $299 Saiga carbines were able to chew through the stuff without a single hiccup. Not one mention of reloading. Vortex to take over customer service and support for the app. Imported ammunition that is newly produced has a steel core, so far as I know. They last a lot! This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. I doubt anyone will stick around after a firefight to police up their brass. Steel is a tougher material than lead, so firing with a barrel made of solid steel would tear the barrel to shreds. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. Cast aluminum is stronger than aluminum because the casting process forces the metal to fill all the spaces in the mold. Your email address will not be published. An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. If you want ammo that might put you through some exercises in clearing a jammed round, then TulAmmo is great. The issue I had with steel was I experienced a hard lock almost every 60 rounds or so, which required a hammer and steel rod to rectify, as you all know. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Most if not all of this ammo uses a copper coated steel jacketed bi-metal bullet which increases wear on the barrel. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. I do have to do a little more cleaning after shooting them but I was going to clean them after shooting anyways. Sounds like a good argument - until you remember that the steel in your chamber is MUCH harder than the steel of the shell. Again, however, I am not really certain whether that is the case. However, I keep it out of my precision ARs and I do not hunt with it. Steel is less dense than lead. i don't use steel case Russian crap. 4500 15th Street East Finally, aluminum ammo is typically more expensive than lead ammo. However, using steel casings with outdoor ranges should not be a problem. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. Well, it depended on the action and type more than anything. There are times when rules are unclear. For example, some ranges may state steel casing, but in fact, mean steel jacketed or steel core. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. The steel case doesn't seal as well so you will get more carbon fouling in the gun. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. 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. Basically, I feel it is the same as global warming, scientists just dont fully understand or know but they getRead more . Steel Cased 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. Pretty sure that anyone reading the article, especially this bunch would know that. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? A lot of people think that going to the range is the only way you can practice, but dry fire practice can be extremely efficient. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. Cast aluminum is perfect for this job. In semi-automatic firearms, this affects the timing of the cycle of operation, particularly in the extraction phase. Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. It can start a heck of a fire in a rubber backstop medium. The 556 has little taper. Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Does steel cased ammo damage a gun? - TimesMojo It is possible to get steel-cased ammunition for half the price sometimes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. 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. This might in some cases make them easier to extract possiblybut also explains the excess dirt build up. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Its more trouble than its worthalthough it is possible, especially with boxer-primed cases. The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. The reason is because steel is not as malleable as brass and therefore does not create as good of a seal between the shell casing and the chamber. There should be no problem accommodating you at your local range. What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Steel-cased ammo is not necessarily less reliable or accurate than brass. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. The only ammo that's is affordable to go blasting with in an AK47 or 74 is Wolf.