Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, case expansion and contraction characteristics, First Look: Freedom Munitions American Steel Ammo, First Look: Freedom Munitions American Steel Ammo | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Steel-Case Ammo: Bad For Your Gun? 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. 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. Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. 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 Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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. So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. Many people in wheelchairs shoot firearms. Steel cores are banned because the rounds can cause damage to ranges. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. I have had very few issues with reliability when using steel-cased ammo. Americas oldest Second Amendment News outlet. Sometimes these cases will stick so severely that it is difficult to remove them even with a cleaning rod. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges.An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. My Blog does steel cased ammo hurt your gun I had some issues with some Russian made .45 cal steel cased ammo. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart. 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. But shortly thereafter, many found that the rounds werent performing as accurately, or reliably in their American firearms. But dont get me wrong, they arent over-gassed to the point of negatively impacting performance. What does it mean when your boyfriend takes long to reply? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Coffee good, coffee bad, dark chocolate bad, dark chocolate good, eggs bad, eggs good. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. 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. 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. I shot thousands of rounds of it in AKs SKS with out trouble. Personally I do not use steel case ammo in ARs. The answer is no at least not any more than brass-cased ammo. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? 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 The brass case expands inside the chamber, the steel case does not and so there is a lot of blow back. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. They last a lot! It caused alot of feed problems in my Kimber Ultra Carry II 3". Ammo Deals: ZSR Ammunition 9mm 124 Grain FMJ 1000 Rounds $259.99 FREE S&H, AR-15 Barrel Length Does It Even Matter? Larry, who is a family man and a gun enthusiast, enjoys keeping his collection in pristine condition. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! This is true of PSA, SIG, Anderson, Colt, and basically everyone today. Just make sure to check your guns warranty before running it, just in case. The issue with steel cased ammo is that it does not occlude the chamber as well as brass. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. 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. Your Arsenal build will be fine with it. I took one car to the crusher years ago. This build up can cause stuck cases. It is possible to get steel-cased ammunition for half the price sometimes. So, in addition to always picking up your brass, if they dont want to give it to you, dont ever return to that shooting range and tell your friends to stay away from that place as well. How can I stop being frustrated while reading? Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. 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. It does not store any personal data. The Best Firearm and Firearm Accessory Reviews. Your email address will not be published. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. I seen problems with stuck cases in AR type rifles. The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Then the brass case expanding normally really sticks to the carbon left behind in the chamber. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. 2. 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. This cookie is used to keep track on user informations and reports it to Alexa analytics service. However, steel-cased ammo has become popular in recent years primarily due to the substantial price difference between it and brass-cased ammo. what's the point? Common brands of steel-cased ammo are TulaAmmo, Brown Bear, and Wolf. 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. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. The bullet traps are not designed to handle steel bullets. Envision the contact surfaces with the chamber as the cartridge case is being extracted. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. 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. There should be no problem accommodating you at your local range. It will still bend and deform under pressure, just like regular aluminum. The Berger Hybrid design incorporates two different shapes within the nose. 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. 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). 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. 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. A value-priced red dot with a full set of features. I've read horror stories about steel cased ammo, but I've shot it a ton of it with zero problems. In fact that's all they use in the Comblock countries. To the firing pin, etc? 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. Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. Steel casings are therefore coated with a lubricant. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. 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. Ive reloaded a few 9mm boxer primed steel cases and they work fine. 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. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. Its only maybe $1 more per box but its worth it. It may not have been match-grade or the cleanliest ammo, but the Soviet calibers ran perfectly in Soviet-designed firearms. WebAnswering: Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? 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. If I were to try ANY steel cased ammo, it would be the new Hornady stuff. Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. It can start a heck of a fire in a rubber backstop medium. Why? Depending on the caliber, barrel life can usually be decreased anywhere from 3-15 percent. Our Sitemap. 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. Is it safe for my gun? But are they really? WebWhat Steel Cased Ammo Does To Guns! The same held true a few years later when Russian Saigas, Mosin Nagants, and SKS carbines hit the market -but not for those guns. 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. I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. 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. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. Lets take a closer look. Though lead core bullets deliver a quick and humane blow to big game animals, they do so at the cost of lead fragmenting throughout the wound tract. Otherwise, you could end up with a gun thats not only ineffective, but also dangerous. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. No issues with Steel (Tula or Wolf) and full power striker springs, occasional FTE with aluminum and I had one yesterday with Fiocci brass. So, it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance, regardless of the casing type. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. Don't worry, AKs won't get hurt by the steel case. Copper bullets may be lighter than lead bullets, but they are also harder. In semi-automatic firearms, this affects the timing of the cycle of operation, particularly in the extraction phase. It is common for indoor ranges to have the same rules, but I dont always assume that is the case. Opinions vary, but I think the prevailing wisdom is that Yes, steel cased ammunition is hard on extractors. 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. I've reloaded .45 ACP steel cases for years. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. 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. Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. Some people might think that using cast aluminum instead of regular aluminum for bullets would make them stronger. 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. 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. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. These rounds are often maligned for performance, reliability, and being generally inferior to brass-cased ammo. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. At what point is the marginal product maximum? This build up can cause stuck cases. 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. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. They have a nice feature that tells you what range the shipping is(low,medium,high). Aluminum cases are less expensive to produce than brass cases, so they are often used in budget-friendly ammunition. Some people believe that the aluminum casings can cause damage to your firearm, while others claim that there is no difference between aluminum and brass cased ammo. Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. Answering: Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? Opinions vary, but I think the prevailing wisdom is that Yes, steel cased ammunition is hard on ex The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Because the bullet doesnt have a solid lead core, it is called a steel core .A copper jacket can be found on steel core ammunition, making it difficult to distinguish steel core from non-steel core ammo. Ive met many talented shooters with disabilities. 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. These wont damage steel-core backstops, but they will still attract a magnet, nonetheless. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. - AllOutdoor.com 4500 15th Street East Due to its strength, steel rounds tear into the ranges structure much easier than lead rounds. I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. So shooters generally believe it leads to more jams than brass ammo. I am hoping to test that on camera. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. KyJim, you are correct of course. This was even more the case a few years ago when most companies made sure their guns were precisely gassed. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. Steel case ammo will not harm any part of your firearm. The direct-impingement AR-15 can be ammo sensitive especially when not ran, wet. Everything I have shot through it has been either steel or aluminum cased. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which ammo casing is best for you and your firearm. It is also possible for steel jacketed ammo to ignite dustings of unburnt powder found on the floors of indoor ranges when it sparks when it hits a hard surface, making it a fire hazard. The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. 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. 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. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. However, this is not the case. I doubt anyone will stick around after a firefight to police up their brass. Is there a difference between steel cased and brass cased ammo? Or should you stay away from it? 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. a 12-gauge shotshell can be chambered into a 20- gauge shotgun and result in serious personal injury. As long as I do some research beforehand, I feel more confident, and I dont take the chance of my reputation getting damaged. In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument and let you decide for yourself! This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. No commercially available handgun rounds have the steel core as they would qualify as illegal armor piercing ammo under federal law. An example of commercial, Russian-made steel-cased, but non-corrosive 7.62x54mm ammunition. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. 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. In fact, they argue that aluminum casings are actually more reliable than brass casings because they are less likely to corrode. 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A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? One of the biggest misconceptions is since 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. I have found that my AR does quite well with steel case, where as my Mini-14 has trouble holding 4 MOA. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. I wouldn't use steel case ammo in any gun, except for an AK47 or SKS 7.62x39 type rifle. In a nutshell, steel-cased ammo is good to go. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. And always follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance. Brass, being less hard than steel, will spring back to a smaller dimension than a steel case will after firing. 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 Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. Some ranges may also ban aluminum cases for the same reason. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. Are steel cases bad A: Yes. Registered. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. I do. I could be wrong but I wouldnt want to put something that harsh in my dies even if I could. What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. I'd buy a little and try it out. i can get american made quality stuff for the same price, or only a little more. 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. 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. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. When hes not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country. To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. If you believed the hype (as did I), the mere thought of using such trash would surely destroy your gun. Steel creates more friction between itself, the magazine, and chamber. Envision the contact surfaces with the chamber as the cartridge case is being extracted. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. 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. Felt recoil was greater with the steel load but not by muchagain that stems from the difference in velocity.Winchesters USA-Forged steel-cased ammo performed as well or better than comparable brass-cased ammo in my guns. Webrob stafford daughter chicago fire. All of these are made in Russia, and many times, the same ammo can just be repacked into a different box. Steel cases cannot be collected and sold like brass cases since they cannot be reloaded. Its not as powerful, clean, or pretty as brass-cased stuff, but it runs fine if your gun is properly-gassed.