does steel cased ammo hurt your gun

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. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. 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. Aluminum cased ammo is great for saving money at the range, but its important to remember that not all guns are created equal. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. Coffee good, coffee bad, dark chocolate bad, dark chocolate good, eggs bad, eggs good. Quantserve sets the mc cookie to anonymously track user behaviour on the website. 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. Steel cases may be more likely to get stuck in the chamber, particularly in lightly-extracting guns like the AR-15. I have some steel cased ammo in a few calibers556, 762x39, 9mm, .45because it's got incredibly long shelf life under adverse conditions. 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. Then the brass case expanding normally really sticks to the carbon left behind in the chamber. So, it expands to snugly fit the walls of the chamber. Wolf .223 55 grain ammo is one of the most popular types of steel-cased ammo that I shoot through my guns. For those not familiar with Hybrid bullets, the Hybrid design blends two common bullet nose shapes on the front section of the bullet (from the tip to the start of the bearing surface). The only ammo that's is affordable to go blasting with in an AK47 or 74 is Wolf. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. For most people, it doesnt really matter at all. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. My only experience with Tula steel cased ammo is 115gr 9mm, and I only used it in my G43. I reload, so Ive no interest in shell casings I cant reload. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Steel Case Ammo Foreign manufacturers often use powders that are dirty and contribute to the chamber fouling. On the one hand, some people believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your gun. 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. One of the biggest misconceptions is since Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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 Bullets With Steel Cases Versus Bullets With Steel Cores, Concealed Carrier Stops Mass Shooting After Being Shot in the Head Himself, DampRids on Gun Safes (Should You Use Them? If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. 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 Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. They do not wish to deal with these issues mentioned above. So, it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance, regardless of the casing type. Shoots really good in all my glocks, burns fairly clean, same as WWB does and at $28 for 150 rounds, i`ll buy/shoot it anytime. One of them is the excellent LuckyGunner test. 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. However, this is not the case. The answer is no at least not any more than brass-cased ammo. From discussion withRead more . Our range has a two mile backstop so there is no limit except, no tracers. Not one good experience with steel case in an AR or AK. I doubt anyone will stick around after a firefight to police up their brass. 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. There are times when rules are unclear. It is only the jacket which is bi-metallic, NOT the case. Ive been to some shooting ranges, and this actually bothered me quite a bit. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. 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. Are Berger hybrid bullets good for hunting? AKs weren't "designed" to fire steel cased ammunition. Higher velocity bullets, such as the .223 Remington, will usually cause more wear. Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. In rifle calibres bi-metal jackets, which are common with steel cased ammo, will cause faster barrel wear, but the barrel life on a 9mm is so long you'll likely never wear it out regardless of what you shoot. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I have had very few issues with reliability when using steel-cased ammo. 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. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. From what I can tell and have seen/read..since steel is less malleable than brass, the cases dont fireform as well to the chamber when fired. I used to shoot steel cased ammo through my Ruger P97 all the time, too. Bullets with steel cases differ from bullets with steel cores. 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. Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and, Read More 5 Helpful Tips for Disabled ShootersContinue, Getting a new gun is not the easiest thing. All of my ARs and my Mini-14 eat up steel cased ammo with the same, or better, reliability as they do with brass-cased rounds. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. There should be no problem accommodating you at your local range. All of these are made in Russia, and many times, the same ammo can just be repacked into a different box. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Steel is also able to work in more temperatures than brass and tends to last longer. So if you are going to use steel cased ammo I recommend breaking the rifle in with decent brass cased ammo first. It does not store any personal data. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. Lets take a closer look. Steel is a tougher material than lead, so firing with a barrel made of solid steel would tear the barrel to shreds. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. Read More How To Prevent Accidental Shootings?Continue. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This grit and mess gets between the case and chamber wall and acts like sand paper. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. I'll "stick" to brass hulls in my firearms. However, a lot of folks wont use aluminum 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. steel rusts, so cases have to be lacquered to control corrosion. This build up can cause stuck cases. ammo Just make sure to check your guns warranty before running it, just in case. Another often overlooked advantage is the spent cartridge cases can be policed up with a magnet. However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. What does it mean when your boyfriend takes long to reply? Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. Why would shooters pick steel-cased rounds over standard ammo? Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. I have never seen anyone check ammo with a magnet, so I have no idea if this is true. Survival | Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your gun? As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. Copper bullets may be lighter than lead bullets, but they are also harder. Then, Winchester jumped into the steel-cased market. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. I am hoping to test that on camera. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Ive reloaded a few 9mm boxer primed steel cases and they work fine. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In this article,, Read More What is a Bull Barrel Bull Barrel Variations and BenefitsContinue. 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. In semi-automatic firearms, this affects the timing of the cycle of operation, particularly in the extraction phase. 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. I would sure hope not as they did issue steel case GI .45 during WW-2. Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. Cartridges or shells of ammo are referred to as casings, not bullets. So, I disagree with all steel case ammo is great. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. My Blog does steel cased ammo hurt your gun In a world where all ammo is accurately loaded, finely-tuned gas systems are ideal, the gun has less felt recoil, lasts longer, and requires less cleaning. Is there a difference between steel cased and brass cased ammo? 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? I have found that my AR does quite well with steel case, where as my Mini-14 has trouble holding 4 MOA. Steel retains less energy and may not kill birds cleanly at the same ranges. It was founded in 2005. Both bores and barrels of the rifles that fired steel-cased/bimetal jacketed ammunition were basically unserviceable. I tried the winchester steel case 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. Steel cased ammo is said to be less expensive and brass cased ammunition more reliable. So shooters generally believe it leads to more jams than brass ammo. Basically, I feel it is the same as global warming, scientists just dont fully understand or know but they getRead more . No reason for outdoor firing ranges, especially if youre going to police your own brass. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when doing so: That said, if you do choose to use aluminum bullets, be sure to clean your gun frequently and check for any signs of wear and tear. It is not possible to reload steel cases. I'd buy a little and try it out. I wouldn't use steel case ammo in any gun, except for an AK47 or SKS 7.62x39 type rifle. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Why? For example, a steel-cased .45 ACP is essentially a straight-walled case, but the working pressures are around 20,000 psi which make extraction easier. But are they really? The brass that is left behind is sold, and they dont want to trouble themselves with having to separate the steel from the brass. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. 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. The projectiles typically have an lead core, not steel. Personally I do not use steel case ammo in ARs. Therefore, understanding why certain rules were created will enable you to better perceive how a gun range operates and what factors are involved with using and operating a gun range. I had some issues with some Russian made .45 cal steel cased ammo. 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. I am not sure that steel cased ammo would wear out anything faster than brass, and would like documentation rather than theory on this. Jim is one of the elite editors for AmmoLand.com, who in addition to his mastery of prose, can wield a camera with expert finesse. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. 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. No issues with Steel (Tula or Wolf) and full power striker springs, occasional FTE with aluminum and I had one yesterday with Fiocci brass. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. They also claim that using aluminum cases can help reduce weight, which makes carrying your ammunition easier. While a more expensive option than brass, steel is a very durable, resilient metal. It will still bend and deform under pressure, just like regular aluminum. As the bearing surface ends, a tangent ogive begins. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Price. I seen problems with stuck cases in AR type rifles. It doesnt contract as fast as brass does, but you can shoot it in a bolt or lever gun without any problem. Another often overlooked advantage is the spent cartridge cases can be policed up with a magnet. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. The same held true a few years later when Russian Saigas, Mosin Nagants, and SKS carbines hit the market -but not for those guns. In fact, many experts say that aluminum cases are just as safe to use as brass cases. 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. Aluminum cases are less expensive to produce than brass cases, so they are often used in budget-friendly ammunition. 1 Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? 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. What Steel Cased Ammo Does To Guns! | The Gun Owner This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The firearm can be functional and perfect, but it can also be damaged, faulty, or even outright broken, or non-functional. 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. (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. While it is false that steel cased ammo does damage to your rifle, it may decrease barrel life slightly. I shot thousands of rounds of it in AKs SKS with out trouble. It does not store any personal data. It is possible to get steel-cased ammunition for half the price sometimes. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. The majority of steel cased ammo is Berdan primed. Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. 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. Funny how you didnt mention the elephant in the room RELOADING. It may not have been match-grade or the cleanliest ammo, but the Soviet calibers ran perfectly in Soviet-designed firearms. Experiment a little and see which type works best! In answer to your question specific to the. This is partly due to the design of the tapered case, which enhances extraction regardless of case-material composition. I just burn mine in my Rem 700. Is Steel-Cased Ammunition Really All That Bad? ~ VIDEO Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The bullet traps are not designed to handle steel bullets. The steel used in the cases will still be softer than the type of steel used in receivers and extractors of i can get american made quality stuff for the same price, or only a little more. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. Because steel is cheap and readily available, and the steel required to make shell casings is bottom of the barrel recycled steel. The chamber abso I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. It's important to point out one of the reasons why ranges are banning steel-case Russian ammo: some of it has copper-washed steel. Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home? Steel rounds also have a greater chance of backfiring. Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. 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. And, just like with any ammo, bullet weight and twist rate are also big factors when it comes to accuracy. Many people in wheelchairs shoot firearms. These 5.56 cartridges push a 62 grain projectile designed with a boat tail, lead core, and a special steel penetrator tip. The direct-impingement AR-15 can be ammo sensitive especially when not ran, wet. WebWhat Steel Cased Ammo Does To Guns! Do that with steel cases. 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. 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. Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. 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? Perhaps the biggest drawback to steel-cased ammo is that it is not easily reloadable. But shortly thereafter, many found that the rounds werent performing as accurately, or reliably in their American firearms.