The money you saved on steel It will still bend and deform under pressure, just like regular aluminum. Again, however, I am not really certain whether that is the case. A: Yes. The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a case. I've read horror stories about steel cased ammo, but I've shot it a ton of it with zero problems. 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. There is the grip, trigger, barrel, and even others. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. 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. 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. It is even worse if you fire a bunch of steel cased ammo then fire brass cased right behind it in a dirty chamber. Its no secret that the cost of shooting ranges is high. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. This leaves air pockets in the metal, which make it less strong. But for people who reload, shooting steel cased ammo may actually be more expensive. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. But if you skimp on cleaning your guns, you might want to be careful if doing a lot of shooting with steel cased ammo as carbon buildup may start to cause reliability issues. Penetrator rifle rounds similar to M855 are available as well, and they do have steel core. To test if a bullet is ferrous, some ranges hold a magnet to it. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. If you want ammo that might put you through some exercises in clearing a jammed round, then TulAmmo is great. Steel cases are usually coated for better performance, and the differences between coatings are relatively minor. Tula has performed the worst in my firearms, and Brown Bear has performed the best. Read More Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home?Continue, You may end up seriously hurting both yourself and those closest to you if you conceal a firearm in the wrong way. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. My HK USPc owners manual specifically states: CAUTION: HK firearms are designed to function with quality manufactured brass cased ammunition. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. 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? 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. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Its only maybe $1 more per box but its worth it. And for quite Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. Survival | Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your gun? Then, Hornady hit the market with their steel-cased ammo. 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. So, should you shoot steel cased ammo through your rifle or pistol? Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. This build up can cause stuck cases. Google DoubleClick IDE cookies are used to store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads and according to the user profile. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Nope. 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. Copper bullets may be lighter than lead bullets, but they are also harder. One of the biggest misconceptions is since YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. In addition, there may be surplus ammunition from other countries that have higher lead prices than the United States. 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. 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. Berdan primers are used more often than boxer primers in steel-cased ammunition. Occasionally, people use a gun range and do not pick up after themselves, leaving shells on the ground after they have fired. But many companies around the mid-2000s discovered that customers were complaining that their guns werent reliable because they wouldnt run Russian steel-cased ammo very well. Better not tell the hundreds of AK shooters whom are shooting thousands of Steel cased 7.62X39 rounds per day, here and world wide. 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. 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. 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. This can, however, be compensated with coating, but some worry that this coating could build up in your firearm and create long-term issues. No reason for outdoor firing ranges, especially if youre going to police your own brass. 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 An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. The Berger Hybrid design incorporates two different shapes within the nose. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. Not only I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. Steel is less dense than lead. This is partly due to the design of the tapered case, which enhances extraction regardless of case-material composition.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. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. Id take this ammo over a lot of cheap brass out there. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. There is a higher risk of sparks and a fire starting with steel core rounds. 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. Wolf and the like are so dirty to shoot. How do you handle misunderstandings between you and your special someone? 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. The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. Unlock the Benefits of Knowing Your Winchester Serial Number, Complete Buyers Guide to the Sig Sauer P228. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. These rounds are often maligned for performance, reliability, and being generally inferior to brass-cased ammo. Would shooting the steel cased ammo damage the pistol in any way? Availability may be different depending on where you live. Everything I have shot through it has been either steel or aluminum cased. At the end of the day, its up to you to decide what you think is best for your gun. 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 These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. Another common reason people give for not shooting steel-cased ammo is how dirty it is. Should be fine for plinking and I can't see how it would hurt a quality firearm. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Thats why I bought an under-seat rifle rack from 4WheelOnline. 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. No one is perfect. 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 The solution was simple they over-gassed their guns. Is there a difference between steel cased and brass cased ammo? 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 A critical marksmanship skill that is easy to overlook. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. Personally I don't use it in my C9 because it just doesn't feed reliably. While it is false that steel cased ammo does damage to your rifle, it may decrease barrel life slightly. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". My best guess at the time was that it was because the rangers only wanted the brass ammo, which they could recycle; they could resell and make money off of. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. However, if you are looking for a little bit of savings at the range, aluminum might be a good choice for you. I have found that my AR does quite well with steel case, where as my Mini-14 has trouble holding 4 MOA. Then, the prices skyrocketed. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: They do not wish to deal with these - AllOutdoor.com Now, miraculously, steel-cased ammo will no longer hurt your gun. What is M855? 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 Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. Steel is also able to work in more temperatures than brass and tends to last longer. 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. 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. But dont get me wrong, they arent over-gassed to the point of negatively impacting performance. The other real downside is that steels coefficient of friction is greater than that of brass, so when the spent casing is being extracted from a hot chamber, it requires more force to break the initial bond. Thus, inspecting a gun before buying is a crucial thing. The extractor may be the first part to show wear, but the wear is going on nonetheless. I am not sure that steel cased ammo would wear out anything faster than brass, and would like documentation rather than theory on this. 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. I have had six show up here in the last two years saying that they had an AR that was not working right. 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. 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. The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. Personally I do not use steel case ammo in ARs. Bill, I know that there has been testing on it, though I dont have them bookmarked. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. Your Arsenal build will be fine with it. This lacquer burns off and can potentially foul the chamber. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. list of mortuary science schools in kenya. 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. Steel with the same weight and shot size contains more pellets than lead, making loads that contain more shot than necessary. | The Gun Owner The Gun Owner 558 subscribers Subscribe 893 100K views 3 years ago #TheGunOwner #Californiaguns Many people think its dirtier because the steel case isnt as forgiving as brass and so more spent carbon theoretically gets deposited into the chamber. I have a friend the reloads 223 steel cases better him than me. It does not store any personal data. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. bigdogbuc Banned Joined Mar 22, 2012 2,112 Posts Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. This doesn't affect reliability as long as you keep shooting steel cased ammo or clean the chamber before shooting brass cased ammo. If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by Using steel in the entire bullet is impossible because it would damage the barrel. I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. This build up can cause stuck cases. So if you are going to use steel cased ammo I recommend breaking the rifle in with decent brass cased ammo first. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. This grit and mess gets between the case and chamber wall and acts like sand paper. Aluminum is a softer metal than lead, so it will not produce as accurate a bullet as lead. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. No commercially available handgun rounds have the steel core as they would qualify as illegal armor piercing ammo under federal law. Yeah, I also have shot Tulammo from Russia with the steel casings. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. Only issue I have heard, working in a LGS: Some guys where rapid firing a Glock 22 and apparently the TULAMMO they were shooting is coated with laquer and it gummed up the chamber after the gun got hot. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Big Daddy Unlimited usually has some steel-cased ammo in stock. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. It depends what you shoot it out of. Steel cases are hard on a firearm. When they are fired,like any other case, the expand to seal the chamber. Bu 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. In addition, steel is more penetrating than lead since it does not expand as much. The general rule for steel-cased ammo is high-pressure loads in straight-walled cases tend to have more extraction problems than high-pressure loads in tapered cases or lower-pressure loads in straight-walled cases.The benefits in favor of steel-cased ammo are mostly economic, making it cheaper to shoot than conventional brass offerings. This means any component it comes in contact with will wear faster than if a shooter was running brass-cased rounds. Registered. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns In fact, many experts say that aluminum cases are just as safe to use as brass cases. This might in some cases make them easier to extract possiblybut also explains the excess dirt build up. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. However, this is not the case. Keep in mind that cleaning your guns is more important when shooting mainly steel-cased ammo. WebAnswer (1 of 2): No, I do not believe you can/will damage your firearm solely because you were shooting aluminum cased ammunition. Communism only made one thing that works, and capitalism can make it even better. So, there is no benefit to using cast aluminum over regular aluminum when making bullets. Also, if you use the steel cased ammo close to dark it had a massive muzzle flash, if things come to a combat situation you want the flash coming from the other side so you can see where, they, are, not the other way round. 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. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. If you are someone who likes to stick with tradition, then brass may be the better option for you. How can I stop being frustrated while reading? Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. Non brass ammo is my JIC prepper ammo. 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. WOLF Performance Ammunition is a trademark associated with Sporting Supplies International (SSI), a corporation in the United States. It does not corrode or rust, even in extreme environments, It can be recycled endlessly without losing any quality or strength. It is strong enough to withstand the stress of firing, yet light enough to allow for high-speed projectiles. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Over time, this can result in decreased accuracy and increased jamming problems. The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. It was never engineered to be reloaded, while it isRead more . Otherwise, you could end up with a gun thats not only ineffective, but also dangerous. Brass Ammo Pros & Cons Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. And you will start to notice reliability problems if your firearm is not properly maintained. The taper aids extraction considerably. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. Where would we be, without the miracles of marketing? As long as I do some research beforehand, I feel more confident, and I dont take the chance of my reputation getting damaged. They last a lot! The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. Instead I donate them now and I actually get more money and it is less work. It is common for indoor ranges to have the same rules, but I dont always assume that is the case. Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). I have some steel cased ammo in a few calibers556, 762x39, 9mm, .45because it's got incredibly long shelf life under adverse conditions. I have also found some deviations is accuracy with different brands of ammo. Pretty much daily I get the question Is it okay to shoot steel cased ammo in my Windham Weaponry AR15?. My only experience with Tula steel cased ammo is 115gr 9mm, and I only used it in my G43. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges.An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. One of them is the excellent LuckyGunner test. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. Youtube - Track the views of embedded videos. WebSome people will say that steel ammo is dangerous for your pistol and can harm it. What does it mean when your boyfriend takes long to reply? Russian primers have also proven to prove vulnerable to being punctured, which results in the hot gases of the powder detonating rushing back through the punctured primer onto the bolt face, which can significantly damage the firearm. However, I keep it out of my precision ARs and I do not hunt with it. 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 softest of steels has a surface hardness at least 2 1/2 times the surface hardness of annealed brass (on the Brinell scale), that being the case, unless the chamber was manufactured for the use of steel, from a metallurgical standpoint, steel will erode the chamber over time, not just the extractor. 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. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but the majority of them are for companies that collect empty cases for reloading purposes. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. This may not seem like a whole lot, but if you are doing a lot of shooting, it will add up quickly. Steel rounds also have a greater chance of backfiring. Generally speaking, its not gonna hurt it. Larry, who is a family man and a gun enthusiast, enjoys keeping his collection in pristine condition. Most of them are Sig, Beretta and CZs. That using such ammunition is dangerous and will also void the manufacturers warranty. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Report Content | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. 1 Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? 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. The old Soviet Bloc countries have manufactured and used used steel ammunition in their AK platforms since day one, the AK / SKS is somehow designed to function with that ammo. It is pretty dirty & tends to leave some lacquer when the gun heats up. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. This is not actually due to the steel case, but the Bi-metal steel jacket of the bullet that most steel-cased rounds have. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. I'd buy a little and try it out. With steel cased ammo the groups were all over the place at 6,000 rounds with many bullets tumbling and key holing. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Aluminum, on the other hand, can be poured into a mold and will not fill all of the spaces. The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. Find it here bigdaddyunlimited.com/login.php. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. Another often overlooked advantage is the spent cartridge cases can be policed up with a magnet. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. 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 quickly destroy targets. However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. Another good reason, and maybe the best reason you cant shoot steel ammo at the range, is that the bi-metal or steel bullets will damage the floor, walls, and ceiling and can damage the bullet traps. No, not for any well made gun. Up to 100 rounds, the more the better. Why? 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. Absolutely not for a lot of my guns. A lot of my guns are former Soviet bloc guns, specifically designed for steel case ammo. My guns that feed ste What are the pros and cons for steel shell cases, more specifically, Winchesters USA-Forged 9 mm, 115-grain (Item WIN9S), 150-round pack? 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. A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. It caused alot of feed problems in my Kimber Ultra Carry II 3". They either cant afford the rounds or cant find the rounds at all and whenever they can, the majority of the rounds are steel-cased. 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. Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The reason it is not easily reloadable has to do with the steel cases being harder and less malleable than brass but also due to the fact that steel-cased ammunition is Berdan primed. And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. It has always worked fine for me. (Video) HERE'S WHY YOU CAN'T SHOOT STEEL CASED I shoot steel case all the time in my ARs but haven't tried it in a pistol yet. AKs weren't "designed" to fire steel cased ammunition. Is aluminum cased ammo bad? It even sometimes says that it ISNT reloadable for those that dont understand it from the names. (SKS / AK owners, neednt worry.). generally not that bad, depending on what the coating is, you may have to clean the chamber more after shooting. The main drawback is that you can . In fact that's all they use in the Comblock countries. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. With the ammo supply issue nowadays, steel-cased ammo is significantly cheaper than brass-cased, sometimes less than half the price. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. The brass that is left behind is sold, and they dont want to trouble themselves with having to separate the steel from the brass. I think it is generally dirty ammo. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. Pretty sure that anyone reading the article, especially this bunch would know that.