Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. Berdan primers are used more often than boxer primers in steel-cased ammunition. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. All of these are made in Russia, and many times, the same ammo can just be repacked into a different box. 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. How do you handle misunderstandings between you and your special someone? It is common for indoor ranges to have the same rules, but I dont always assume that is the case. Felt recoil was greater with the steel load but not by muchagain that stems from the difference in velocity. Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. There isnt always an explanation for the rules. Modern production steel-cased ammo is not corrosive, even when Berdan primed and it will not destroy your extractor. They also claim that using aluminum cases can help reduce weight, which makes carrying your ammunition easier. Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but the majority of them are for companies that collect empty cases for reloading purposes. a 12-gauge shotshell can be chambered into a 20- gauge shotgun and result in serious personal injury. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular. WebSteel case ammo shouldn't damage your gun, though some guns will have reliability issues with it. I had some issues with some Russian made .45 cal steel cased ammo. Steel is less dense than lead. 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. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Under federal law it is perfectly legal to make, sell and purchase armor-piercing ammunition as long as you have the proper licensing. Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? If depends on the quality of the ammunition and the quality of the firearm. Some lots of ammunition have too 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. 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. 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. 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. With steel cased ammo the groups were all over the place at 6,000 rounds with many bullets tumbling and key holing. While a more expensive option than brass, steel is a very durable, resilient metal. When most people think of rifle or pistol cartridges, they think of a shiny brass case with a copper jacketed bullet sitting on top. I received 35 dollars for it. The ferrous bi-metal jackets found on most steel-cased ammo will not damage the rifling of your AR and are perfectly safe to use on any rifle-rated backstop. 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. Steel-cased ammo is not necessarily less reliable or accurate than brass. This means any component it comes in contact with will wear faster than if a shooter was running brass-cased rounds. Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. I was told that it would tend to wear the ejector quicker because it was harder than brass. This is not actually due to the steel case, but the Bi-metal steel jacket of the bullet that most steel-cased rounds have. This makes a very strong piece of metal. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Steel is harder on these guns than brass, so it can jam. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Lets take a closer look. That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. They last a lot! Backstops or traps made of steel will be damaged if steel core rounds are fired into them. 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? Steel cases are usually coated for better performance, and the differences between coatings are relatively minor. Steel Case Ammo The round would cost the business a lot of money to maintain, so the costs could be reduced by banning the round. the case is steel and the bullet has a mild steel jacket with a thin copper coating. ), How to Safely Install Your Gun Safe on a Tile Surface, Why Keeping Your Gun Safe in a Shed is a Smart Idea. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. However, I keep it out of my precision ARs and I do not hunt with it. Ability to Shoot Steel Case Ammo in To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. Registered. An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. Even then, is the small savings worth the time and patience that it takes to reload? 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Are steel cases bad Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. Over time, this can result in decreased accuracy and increased jamming problems. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. There is a lot of debate surrounding aluminum cased ammo and whether or not it is bad for your gun. The projectiles typically have an lead core, not steel. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. 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. This can, however, be compensated with coating, but some worry that this coating could build up in your firearm and create long-term issues. Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. The taper aids extraction considerably. I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. Thus you have less blowback into the chamber and the receiver. Steel casings are therefore coated with a lubricant. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. | The Gun Owner The Gun Owner 558 subscribers Subscribe 893 100K views 3 years ago #TheGunOwner #Californiaguns So, should you shoot steel cased ammo through your rifle or pistol? Cast aluminum is perfect for this job. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. You can reload them. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Some Glocks will indeed eat anything, others not quite. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Can You Shoot Steel Cased Ammo in a Glock? | The Ammo Blog Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. Higher velocity bullets, such as the .223 Remington, will usually cause more wear. Steel rounds also have a greater chance of backfiring. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. Coffee good, coffee bad, dark chocolate bad, dark chocolate good, eggs bad, eggs good. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? - Quora 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! Don't worry, AKs won't get hurt by the steel case. There are different types of coatings (polymer and lacquer), both of which are used as lubricants. The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home? Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. Steel-cored rounds have a much greater likelihood of damaging a backstop than lead FMJs do, so theyre nearly universally prohibited on indoor shooting ranges. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). I told them to switch to brass and all was fine thereafter. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. This is why cast aluminum is used for things like engine blocks and transmission housings. Our range has a two mile backstop so there is no limit except, no tracers. This build up can cause stuck cases. Theres also the issue Thats why I bought an under-seat rifle rack from 4WheelOnline. Practice makes perfect, and there is no better way to practice your shooting skills than dry fire drills. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. As its name suggests, steel-cased ammo utilizes steel for its shell casings instead of brass (or in the case of older Soviet ammo, bi-metal). This lacquer burns off and can potentially foul the chamber. I've read horror stories about steel cased ammo, but I've shot it a ton of it with zero problems. Steel rounds can even cause damage to targets, rail lines and cables. Thus, inspecting a gun before buying is a crucial thing. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. 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. One of them is the excellent LuckyGunner test. Keep in mind that cleaning your guns is more important when shooting mainly steel-cased ammo. 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. 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. Unlock the Benefits of Knowing Your Winchester Serial Number, Complete Buyers Guide to the Sig Sauer P228. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen - 2. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. What is M855? 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. And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. Personally I do not use steel case ammo in ARs. steel rusts, so cases have to be lacquered to control corrosion. Steel tends to keep the chamber sealed slightly longer, causing the case to stick in the chamber as the action is unlocking and attempting to extract the fired cartridge case. Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. Registered. This is true of PSA, SIG, Anderson, Colt, and basically everyone today. 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. Steel creates more friction between itself, the magazine, and chamber. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. I am hoping to test that on camera. The Berger Hybrid design incorporates two different shapes within the nose. Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. We learn from our mistakes. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. 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. At the end of the day, its up to you to decide what you think is best for your gun. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. Id take this ammo over a lot of cheap brass out there. What are the pros and cons for steel shell cases, more specifically, Winchesters USA-Forged 9 mm, 115-grain (Item WIN9S), 150-round pack? 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. Also you will notice a lot of lacquer coating all the parts and this over time can cause a malfunction. ), How to Add Shelves to Your Gun Safe: A Step-by-Step Guide, Shipping Container as a Gun Safe (Yay or Nay? With the current supply and demand issues when it comes to ammo, steel-cased rounds can be found for less than half the price of certain brass-cased cartridges. Your email address will not be published. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". So, yes, steel-cased ammo will wear your AR-15 out faster than brass ammo will. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The Best Firearm and Firearm Accessory Reviews. Experiment a little and see which type works best! Aluminum Cased Ammo: Bad for Your Gun? - YESTACTICAL Ammo with steel cores has a smaller steel bullet that is coated with lead on the outside. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. At what point is the marginal product maximum? The ammunition was mostly manufactured by Tula Cartridge Plant in Tula, Tula District, Russia from 2005 to 2009. I have never seen anyone check ammo with a magnet, so I have no idea if this is true. The aluminum in the case will not damage your guns chamber, extractor, or ejector because they are made from steel. Steel-cased ammo may also be associated with an increased fire risk because it tends to cause more sparks than bullets without steel cases. 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. 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. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. Steel cases cannot be collected and sold like brass cases since they cannot be reloaded. Why would shooters pick steel-cased rounds over standard ammo? It is much softer than the steel used to make gun barrels and actions. So, it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance, regardless of the casing type. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. My only experience with Tula steel cased ammo is 115gr 9mm, and I only used it in my G43. Its a bolt gun and doesnt care. Brass is the most reliable and much cleaner to shoot due to the steel not expanding and forming a gas seal in the chamber upon firing. 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 Thats the only real advantage of the ammo. Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. It needs to be strong enough to withstand a lot of stress. ammo So unless youre looking for an inexpensive way to practice shooting, its probably not worth using aluminum bullets. The ferrous bi-metal jackets found on most steel-cased ammo will not damage the rifling of your AR and are perfectly safe to use on any rifle-rated backstop. 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. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. Otherwise, you could end up with a gun thats not only ineffective, but also dangerous. Another common reason people give for not shooting steel-cased ammo is how dirty it is. Steel cased ammo use in a revolver To the firing pin, etc? A shell contains a firing primer and gunpowder. The steel used in the cases will still be softer than the type of steel used in receivers and extractors of Does putting water in a smoothie count as water intake? The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. One reason people give for not shooting steel case-ammo is that it damages their rifle or pistol. Those of that opinion are quick to reference extractor breakage or failure, especially in the AR-15/M16 platforms. In testing done by LuckyGunner Labs, rifles using Federal brass cased ammo were still shooting decent groups up to 10,000 rounds. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? Due to the lower price of steel-cased ammo, steel-cased ammunition is popular. So experiment a little and see which type works best for you! It doesnt contract as fast as brass does, but you can shoot it in a bolt or lever gun without any problem. Despite its rarity, some gun ranges still prohibit steel-cased ammunition. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. So shooters generally believe it leads to more jams than brass ammo. Where would we be, without the miracles of marketing? Steel case wolf ammo in my This may be true in some cases, but it depends on the make and model of your firearm. Is Steel-Cased Ammunition Really All That Bad? ~ VIDEO As a result, these guns have short or fast cycle times. It does not store any personal data. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. The majority of steel cased ammo is Berdan primed. Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? YourQuickInfo Occasionally, people use a gun range and do not pick up after themselves, leaving shells on the ground after they have fired. For now on I will stick to brass cased ammo only. Sometimes these cases will stick so severely that it is difficult to remove them even with a cleaning rod. In the end, workers will have to do some cleaning. Steel is a tougher material than lead, so firing with a barrel made of solid steel would tear the barrel to shreds. Just make sure to check your guns warranty before running it, just in case. 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. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. Many people in wheelchairs shoot firearms. doubleclick.net - browser supports cookies. The steel case doesn't seal as well so you will get more carbon fouling in the gun. Due to its strength, steel rounds tear into the ranges structure much easier than lead rounds. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. However, this is in large part due to your particular firearm. I asked what ammo they were using and it was the steel case. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Does the Russian military use steel cased ammo? As long as I do some research beforehand, I feel more confident, and I dont take the chance of my reputation getting damaged. However, if you are looking for a little bit of savings at the range, aluminum might be a good choice for you.

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