The vast majority of concealed carry holders, experienced or not, make the, Read More Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)Continue, Address 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. Some people say that aluminum cases can cause damage to the gun, while others claim that there is no difference between using aluminum and brass cases. In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument and let you decide for yourself! (SKS / AK owners, neednt worry.). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Foreign manufacturers often use powders that are dirty and contribute to the chamber fouling.Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. 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. Nope. (Video) HERE'S WHY YOU CAN'T SHOOT STEEL CASED Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Vortex to take over customer service and support for the app. 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. 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. The design of the cartridge has perhaps the greatest effect on how extraction takes place with steel cases. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Nope. Steel-cased ammo may also be associated with an increased fire risk because it tends to cause more sparks than bullets without steel cases. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. In fact, many experts say that aluminum cases are just as safe to use as brass cases. 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. But dont get me wrong, they arent over-gassed to the point of negatively impacting performance. Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. The direct-impingement AR-15 can be ammo sensitive especially when not ran, wet. I've reloaded .45 ACP steel cases for years. In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. Registered. This build up can cause stuck cases. Having said that, I don't use it in my high end guns, I would sure hope not as they did issue steel case GI .45 during WW-2. 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. 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. But are they really? That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. Steel cased ammo is non reloadable. Or should you stay away from it? 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. However, I keep it out of my precision ARs and I do not hunt with it. Ive been to some shooting ranges, and this actually bothered me quite a bit. Some people believe that aluminum cased ammo is bad for your gun, but this is not necessarily true. Quantserve sets the mc cookie to anonymously track user behaviour on the website. Steel case ammo will not harm any part of your firearm. This doesn't affect reliability as long as you keep shooting steel cased ammo or clean the chamber before shooting brass cased ammo. The good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. If I had a junk yard it would be worth it. A value-priced red dot with a full set of features. So unless youre looking for an inexpensive way to practice shooting, its probably not worth using aluminum bullets. Thats why I bought an under-seat rifle rack from 4WheelOnline. 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. Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. 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. If I were to try ANY steel cased ammo, it would be the new Hornady stuff. Don't worry, AKs won't get hurt by the steel case. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? Steel cased ammo is definitely not known for its accuracy. Is My Flash Hider or Muzzle Brake Removable. 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). Unless you plan to reload the spent cases, Id say the steel is fine for general purposes, leaving price as the only consideration. This means that they are less prone to fragmenting. Some people might think that using cast aluminum instead of regular aluminum for bullets would make them stronger. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. This may not seem like a whole lot, but if you are doing a lot of shooting, it will add up quickly. The 556 has little taper. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! What about American guns? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. At what point is the marginal product maximum? They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns Berdan primers are used more often than boxer primers in steel-cased ammunition. Its a bolt gun and doesnt care. Its no secret that the cost of shooting ranges is high. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. 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. Otherwise, you could end up with a gun thats not only ineffective, but also dangerous. Up to 100 rounds, the more the better. To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. As a result, these guns have short or fast cycle times. Why is it imperative that different gauge shotshells not be mixed together? Occasionally, people use a gun range and do not pick up after themselves, leaving shells on the ground after they have fired. There are times when rules are unclear. In answer to your question specific to the. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Not really it always says that its Berdan primed, not Boxer. 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. This means any component it comes in contact with will wear faster than if a shooter was running brass-cased rounds. I have found that my AR does quite well with steel case, where as my Mini-14 has trouble holding 4 MOA. Whats The Problem With Shooting Steel-Cased Ammo At The Range? The projectiles typically have an lead core, not steel. 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? There is a lot of debate surrounding aluminum cased ammo and whether or not it is bad for your gun. They do not wish to deal with these issues mentioned above. So, it expands to snugly fit the walls of the chamber. Copyright 2020 Windham Weaponry, Inc. All rights reserved. With the ammo supply issue nowadays, steel-cased ammo is significantly cheaper than brass-cased, sometimes less than half the price. The firearm can be functional and perfect, but it can also be damaged, faulty, or even outright broken, or non-functional. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Modern production steel-cased ammo is not corrosive, even when Berdan primed and it will not destroy your extractor. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. I asked what ammo they were using and it was the steel case. There is literally no danger to your firearms steel parts when using aluminum cased ammo. Larry, who is a family man and a gun enthusiast, enjoys keeping his collection in pristine condition. The old Soviet Bloc countries have manufactured and used used steel ammunition in their AK platforms since day one, the AK / SKS is somehow designed to function with that ammo. If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by about 4,000-5,000 rounds. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. Is it safe for my gun? Steel is harder on these guns than brass, so it can jam. The ammunition was mostly manufactured by Tula Cartridge Plant in Tula, Tula District, Russia from 2005 to 2009. On the other hand, the 9 mm, especially in military loads, is twice the pressure of the .45 ACP. 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. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. Communism only made one thing that works, and capitalism can make it even better. Due to the lower price of steel-cased ammo, steel-cased ammunition is popular. The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. Wolf and the like are so dirty to shoot. So, there is no benefit to using cast aluminum over regular aluminum when making bullets. Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: A guy who works at my LGS said some of the russian steel cased stuff has a coating that can leave a gummy residue in the chamber once the gun starts heating up. These wont damage steel-core backstops, but they will still attract a magnet, nonetheless. 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. Aluminum bullets also have a tendency to jam in the gun barrel, which can cause damage to your firearm. For now on I will stick to brass cased ammo only. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. And it is true that it is more dirty than brass. Foreign manufacturers often use powders that are dirty and contribute to the chamber fouling. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. It does not corrode or rust, even in extreme environments, It can be recycled endlessly without losing any quality or strength. Due to its strength, steel rounds tear into the ranges structure much easier than lead rounds. The brass that is left behind is sold, and they dont want to trouble themselves with having to separate the steel from the brass. Pretty sure that anyone reading the article, especially this bunch would know that. This is partly due to the design of the tapered case, which enhances extraction regardless of case-material composition. Tula has performed the worst in my firearms, and Brown Bear has performed the best. Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. 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 website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Are steel cases bad Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Have you searched on extractor wear with steel cased ammo? No problems. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Basically, I feel it is the same as global warming, scientists just dont fully understand or know but they getRead more . One reason people give for not shooting steel case-ammo is that it damages their rifle or pistol. Then the brass case expanding normally really sticks to the carbon left behind in the chamber. Not only The casing is usually made of steel. While it is false that steel cased ammo does damage to your rifle, it may decrease barrel life slightly. They last a lot! I was told that it would tend to wear the ejector quicker because it was harder than brass. Another advantage of steel casings is that cartridges are extracted more efficiently than brass casings. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. the case is steel and the bullet has a mild steel jacket with a thin copper coating. If you are someone who likes to stick with tradition, then brass may be the better option for you. I am not sure that steel cased ammo would wear out anything faster than brass, and would like documentation rather than theory on this. 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 Practice makes perfect, and there is no better way to practice your shooting skills than dry fire drills. As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. It should be noted that the rule about the use of steel core ammo can also be applied to outdoor ranges. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. Its not as powerful, clean, or pretty as brass-cased stuff, but it runs fine if your gun is properly-gassed. Thats the only real advantage of the ammo. In today's episode of "I Carry," we have a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal pistol with a Holosun EPS Red2 red-dot sight carried in a KSG Armory Lexington IWB holster. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. 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. 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. For most people, it doesnt really matter at all. However, a lot of folks wont use aluminum Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. 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. The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. The same held true a few years later when Russian Saigas, Mosin Nagants, and SKS carbines hit the market -but not for those guns. 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. 4500 15th Street East Sounds like a good argument - until you remember that the steel in your chamber is MUCH harder than the steel of the shell. Ammo Deals: ZSR Ammunition 9mm 124 Grain FMJ 1000 Rounds $259.99 FREE S&H, AR-15 Barrel Length Does It Even Matter? The benefits in favor of steel-cased ammo are mostly economic, making it cheaper to shoot than conventional brass offerings. However, some shooters believe that the softer metal can cause more wear and tear on your guns barrel and chamber. I'd buy a little and try it out. It is possible to get steel-cased ammunition for half the price sometimes. Aluminum, on the other hand, can be poured into a mold and will not fill all of the spaces. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel. Steel rounds can even cause damage to targets, rail lines and cables. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. 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 money you saved on steel A shell contains a firing primer and gunpowder. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. The majority of steel cased ammo is Berdan primed. 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. In a nutshell, steel-cased ammo is good to go. Despite its rarity, some gun ranges still prohibit steel-cased ammunition. So, yes, steel-cased ammo will wear your AR-15 out faster than brass ammo will. The gun spits the cartridge out after every fire as it goes through the cycle of re-chambering another round. I think it is generally dirty ammo. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Higher velocity bullets, such as the .223 Remington, will usually cause more wear. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. Some ranges may also ban aluminum cases for the same reason. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. The steel cased Ammo usually has a bimetallic jacket that is magnetic and is harsher on your barrel. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. Then, Hornady hit the market with their steel-cased ammo. It was never engineered to be reloaded, while it isRead more . Perhaps the biggest drawback to steel-cased ammo is that it is not easily reloadable. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. It is common for indoor ranges to have the same rules, but I dont always assume that is the case. 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 Youtube - Track the views of embedded videos. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Its that way with everything if you noticed. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". One of the biggest misconceptions is since These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? The design of the cartridge has perhaps the greatest effect on how extraction takes place with steel cases. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges.An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. Backstops or traps made of steel will be damaged if steel core rounds are fired into them. The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. 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. - AllOutdoor.com I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. What are the pros and cons of using steel-cased ammo? I just burn mine in my Rem 700. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. For example, some ranges may state steel casing, but in fact, mean steel jacketed or steel core. They also claim that using aluminum cases can help reduce weight, which makes carrying your ammunition easier. 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. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. In fact, they argue that aluminum casings are actually more reliable than brass casings because they are less likely to corrode. Its a small price to pay for the substantial savings steel ammunition provides over brass cased ammunition. YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. 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. Copper bullets may be lighter than lead bullets, but they are also harder. Cheap ammo is always good, or at least was. The aluminum in the case will not damage your guns chamber, extractor, or ejector because they are made from steel. This is because most steel-cased ammo uses a mild steel core, and is difficult for ranges to differentiate from armor-piercing steel-core ammo which would quickly destroy targets. When most people think of rifle or pistol cartridges, they think of a shiny brass case with a copper jacketed bullet sitting on top. 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. This leaves air pockets in the metal, which make it less strong. Cast aluminum is simply a stronger form of aluminum. The taper aids extraction considerably. . How can I stop being frustrated while reading? Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. I am hoping to test that on camera. Further, HK specifically says: All USPs are approved for use with +P and +P+ ammunition as it appliesRead more . WebSome people will say that steel ammo is dangerous for your pistol and can harm it. However, if you are looking for a little bit of savings at the range, aluminum might be a good choice for you. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This is because Berdan primers dont contain an anvil. 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. In addition, there may be surplus ammunition from other countries that have higher lead prices than the United States. The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. Most of them are Sig, Beretta and CZs. It may not have been match-grade or the cleanliest ammo, but the Soviet calibers ran perfectly in Soviet-designed firearms. The reason it is not easily reloadable has to do with the steel cases being harder and less malleable than brass but also due to the fact that steel-cased ammunition is Berdan primed. The short answer is no. Another often overlooked advantage is the spent cartridge cases can be policed up with a magnet. They have a nice feature that tells you what range the shipping is(low,medium,high). Aluminum is a softer metal than lead, so it will not produce as accurate a bullet as lead. 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? I had some issues with some Russian made .45 cal steel cased ammo. So experiment a little and see which type works best for you! It does not store any personal data. This is because brass cased ammo can be reloaded multiple times, and it is possible to reload ammo for around the same price per round as steel cased ammo can be bought. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. The guns are just slightly over-gassed to ensure reliable operation with underpowered cheap ammo. 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? I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. Customer Service at Springfield Armory had this to say about using steel cased ammo: BTW, as long as we are talking about it, what are the benefits to steel cased ammo ? Also you will notice a lot of lacquer coating all the parts and this over time can cause a malfunction. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides.