Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. 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 Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. With ammunition in short supply and good ammo priced very high, many people are buying cheaper steel cased, bi-metal jacket ammunition from Wolf, TulAmmo, Herters, etc. Backstops or traps made of steel will be damaged if steel core rounds are fired into them. Steel rounds also have a greater chance of backfiring. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen - 2. Most if not all of this ammo uses a copper coated steel jacketed bi-metal bullet which increases wear on the barrel. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Steel-cased ammo is not necessarily less reliable or accurate than brass. 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. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. It was founded in 2005. Find it here bigdaddyunlimited.com/login.php. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Experiment a little and see which type works best! This doesn't affect reliability as long as you keep shooting steel cased ammo or clean the chamber before shooting brass cased ammo. The round would cost the business a lot of money to maintain, so the costs could be reduced by banning the round. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. Over time, this can result in decreased accuracy and increased jamming problems. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. Its more trouble than its worthalthough it is possible, especially with boxer-primed cases. 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. 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. For now on I will stick to brass cased ammo only. So, I disagree with all steel case ammo is great. Some people liked to shoot them in brush when it had been dry for a while. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved I personally shoot pretty much all steel-cased ammo when it comes to plinking and occasional target practice. 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. While a more expensive option than brass, steel is a very durable, resilient metal. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. Id take this ammo over a lot of cheap brass out there. 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. Sometimes these cases will stick so severely that it is difficult to remove them even with a cleaning rod. Again, however, I am not really certain whether that is the case. 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. The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a case. The lacquer that coats the steel case can be problematic when a round sits in a hot chamber. Well, it depended on the action and type more than anything. My understanding is that you cannot reload the steel cases. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. They have a nice feature that tells you what range the shipping is(low,medium,high). So experiment a little and see which type works best for you! Generally speaking, its not gonna hurt it. 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. The solution was simple they over-gassed their guns. Americas oldest Second Amendment News outlet. This in turn means more force is exerted on your firearms extractor which can lead to premature breakages if the gun wasnt designed for the rounds in the first place. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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. Perhaps the biggest drawback to steel-cased ammo is that it is not easily reloadable. So, there is no benefit to using cast aluminum over regular aluminum when making bullets. The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. Theres also the issue Further, HK specifically says: All USPs are approved for use with +P and +P+ ammunition as it appliesRead more . That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. The Best Firearm and Firearm Accessory Reviews. 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. Another common reason people give for not shooting steel-cased ammo is how dirty it is. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. This leaves air pockets in the metal, which make it less strong. Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. Ammo with steel cores has a smaller steel bullet that is coated with lead on the outside. I still have some brass Berdan primed ammo for my 1918 Enfield, but I also found that IVI makes MilSpec brass for it and it is made for Boxer primers. Its that way with everything if you noticed. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but the majority of them are for companies that collect empty cases for reloading purposes. This is partly due to the design of the tapered case, which enhances extraction regardless of case-material composition. 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. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. This lacquer burns off and can potentially foul the chamber. 5 What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? Cast aluminum is stronger than aluminum because the casting process forces the metal to fill all the spaces in the mold. This build up can cause stuck cases. 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 Some people might think that using cast aluminum instead of regular aluminum for bullets would make them stronger. Copyright 2020 Windham Weaponry, Inc. All rights reserved. Larry, who is a family man and a gun enthusiast, enjoys keeping his collection in pristine condition. Those of that opinion are quick to reference extractor breakage or failure, especially in the AR-15/M16 platforms. 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. There is literally no danger to your firearms steel parts when using aluminum cased ammo. Common brands of steel-cased ammo are TulaAmmo, Brown Bear, and Wolf. If I were to try ANY steel cased ammo, it would be the new Hornady stuff. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. I received 35 dollars for it. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Some guns have steel casings because steel holds up better than brass. What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? I have some steel cased ammo in a few calibers556, 762x39, 9mm, .45because it's got incredibly long shelf life under adverse conditions. WebSome people will say that steel ammo is dangerous for your pistol and can harm it. However, some shooters believe that the softer metal can cause more wear and tear on your guns barrel and chamber. So shooters generally believe it leads to more jams than brass ammo. Woodbury said prices and availability for hunting ammo already have started to stabilize. 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. Price. Another advantage of steel casings is that cartridges are extracted more efficiently than brass casings. Vortex to take over customer service and support for the app. Having said that, I don't use it in my high end guns, Tula has performed the worst in my firearms, and Brown Bear has performed the best. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. Then, the prices skyrocketed. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. With the carbon ring you will build up, you can stick a brass case. There is no other way to put it. ), How to Safely Install Your Gun Safe on a Tile Surface, Why Keeping Your Gun Safe in a Shed is a Smart Idea. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. Yes they are bad for any firearm. However the AK47 and SKS rifles will tolerate the steel cases better. Brass cases are always kinder on any firearm. Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. The guns are just slightly over-gassed to ensure reliable operation with underpowered cheap ammo. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I used to shoot steel cased ammo through my Ruger P97 all the time, too. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. 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. It is strong enough to withstand the stress of firing, yet light enough to allow for high-speed projectiles. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. Steel cased ammo is definitely not known for its accuracy. This is why cast aluminum is used for things like engine blocks and transmission housings. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. Finally, aluminum ammo is typically more expensive than lead ammo. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. I had some issues with some Russian made .45 cal steel cased ammo. 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. 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 bullet traps are not designed to handle steel bullets. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 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. 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. But is there really a difference between the two types of ammunition, particularly over a long period of time? 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. It even sometimes says that it ISNT reloadable for those that dont understand it from the names. The steel case doesn't seal as well so you will get more carbon fouling in the gun. 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. That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. 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 Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. The extractor may be the first part to show wear, but the wear is going on nonetheless. Funny how you didnt mention the elephant in the room RELOADING. The majority of steel cased ammo is Berdan primed. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. 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. Due to the lower price of steel-cased ammo, steel-cased ammunition is popular. In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which ammo casing is best for you and your firearm. The range may use a magnet to determine whether the ammunition is steel core or not. I get paid cash for brass but they dont pay very good on either. So if you are going to use steel cased ammo I recommend breaking the rifle in with decent brass cased ammo first. Under federal law it is perfectly legal to make, sell and purchase armor-piercing ammunition as long as you have the proper licensing. Have you searched on extractor wear with steel cased ammo? What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? Opinions vary, but I think the prevailing wisdom is that Yes, steel cased ammunition is hard on extractors. 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. 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. Any sparks from a steel round might also spark a fire, which is more likely. So, should you shoot steel cased ammo through your rifle or pistol? 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. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. However, if you are looking for a little bit of savings at the range, aluminum might be a good choice for you. i can get american made quality stuff for the same price, or only a little more. It is possible to get steel-cased ammunition for half the price sometimes. The 556 has little taper. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart. Because of this, most if not all steel ammo comes with a coating to help extract easier and stay free of rust which can also cause extraction issues. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. Occasionally, people use a gun range and do not pick up after themselves, leaving shells on the ground after they have fired. This grit and mess gets between the case and chamber wall and acts like sand paper. It has always worked fine for me. This can, however, be compensated with coating, but some worry that this coating could build up in your firearm and create long-term issues. And it is true that it is more dirty than brass. This is true of PSA, SIG, Anderson, Colt, and basically everyone today. It does not corrode or rust, even in extreme environments, It can be recycled endlessly without losing any quality or strength. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. 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. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. The steel case has a coating, which cushions against wear. Accidental shootings are a big problem, and they happen all over the world. In general, any type of ammunition can be harmful to your gun if it is not properly cleaned and maintained. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! 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. Its a small price to pay for the substantial savings steel ammunition provides over brass cased ammunition. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Why would shooters pick steel-cased rounds over standard ammo? I reload, so Ive no interest in shell casings I cant reload. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Then, Hornady hit the market with their steel-cased ammo. I seen problems with stuck cases in AR type rifles. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. If you want ammo that might put you through some exercises in clearing a jammed round, then TulAmmo is great. 1 Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? Should be fine for plinking and I can't see how it would hurt a quality firearm. The answer is no at least not any more than brass-cased ammo. The money you saved on steel 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. Imported ammunition that is newly produced has a steel core, so far as I know. 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. Steel with the same weight and shot size contains more pellets than lead, making loads that contain more shot than necessary.
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