I'll "stick" to brass hulls in my firearms. I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. What are the disadvantages of brass ammo? Thats the only real advantage of the ammo. 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. The taper aids extraction considerably. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Bullets with steel cases differ from bullets with steel cores. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. Backstops or traps made of steel will be damaged if steel core rounds are fired into them. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. However, steel-cased ammo has become popular in recent years primarily due to the substantial price difference between it and brass-cased ammo. Brass shells may be collected by some ranges, reloaded, and resold. There is the grip, trigger, barrel, and even others. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. In a nutshell, steel-cased ammo is good to go. From discussion withRead more . Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Is it safe for my gun? In fact, they argue that aluminum casings are actually more reliable than brass casings because they are less likely to corrode. I reload, so Ive no interest in shell casings I cant reload. Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. In general, any type of ammunition can be harmful to your gun if it is not properly cleaned and maintained. 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 Its not as powerful, clean, or pretty as brass-cased stuff, but it runs fine if your gun is properly-gassed. Everything I have shot through it has been either steel or aluminum cased. 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. 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. That using such ammunition is dangerous and will also void the manufacturers warranty. 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. 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? With the carbon ring you will build up, you can stick a brass case. It needs to be strong enough to withstand a lot of stress. No. It's annealed to be soft. A lot of old surplus stuff was laquer coated and could gum up chambers. If a round was fired in a hot chamber and coo Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. So unless youre looking for an inexpensive way to practice shooting, its probably not worth using aluminum bullets. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. Is My Flash Hider or Muzzle Brake Removable. 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 lieu of a single, centered flash hole, two flash holes are off to one side of the primer pocket. AKs weren't "designed" to fire steel cased ammunition. The casing is usually made of steel. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. With steel cased ammo the groups were all over the place at 6,000 rounds with many bullets tumbling and key holing. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? Bulk purchases of non-standard ammunition support a wide variety of U.S. military assistance programs, as well. Other than that we can use just about anything. 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. M855 is often called green tip ammo for its special color coding (the full metal jacket is painted green at the nose). As far as downsides, there are a few objective drawbacks to running steel and a few man-made ones. Aluminum is a softer metal than lead, so it will not produce as accurate a bullet as lead. It should be noted that the rule about the use of steel core ammo can also be applied to outdoor ranges. In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. My only experience with Tula steel cased ammo is 115gr 9mm, and I only used it in my G43. Both bores and barrels of the rifles that fired steel-cased/bimetal jacketed ammunition were basically unserviceable. Most of the curved section of the bullet has a Secant (VLD-style) ogive for low drag. More work is involved if theyre berdan primed but it can be done. Would shooting the steel cased ammo damage the pistol in any way? While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. My understanding is that you cannot reload the steel cases. Its a bolt gun and doesnt care. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. You will find in most firearms manuals (if you read them) a sentence stating something like: such and such firearm company does not recommend using re-loaded or re-manufactured ammunition in the handgun. The steel case has a coating, which cushions against wear. At the end of the day, its up to you to decide what you think is best for your gun. Bottom line: most modern firearms will have no issues whatsoever running with steel-cased ammo, but I would still recommend thorough lubrication and regular cleaning. The cookie is set by crwdcntrl.net to collect statistical data such as the number of visits, average time spent on site, and what pages have been loaded, for targeted advertising. 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. The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. KyJim, you are correct of course. However, this is in large part due to your particular firearm. 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. (SKS / AK owners, neednt worry.). I don't shoot match grade ammo in a field grade gun nor do I shoot bulk grade ammo in a match grade gun. Some Glocks will indeed eat anything, others not quite. doubleclick.net - browser supports cookies. Also, if you use the steel cased ammo close to dark it had a massive muzzle flash, if things come to a combat situation you want the flash coming from the other side so you can see where, they, are, not the other way round. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument and let you decide for yourself! The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. There is a higher risk of sparks and a fire starting with steel core rounds. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. Steel is a tougher material than lead, so firing with a barrel made of solid steel would tear the barrel to shreds. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Not good if he would have been a dummy and kept pulling the trigger. Due to its strength, steel rounds tear into the ranges structure much easier than lead rounds. In fact, many experts say that aluminum cases are just as safe to use as brass cases. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. As the bearing surface ends, a tangent ogive begins. Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services. 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. Another common reason people give for not shooting steel-cased ammo is how dirty it is. Higher velocity bullets, such as the .223 Remington, will usually cause more wear. The steel used is a very soft mild steel vs. the very hard feed ramp and chamber. ), How to Safely Install Your Gun Safe on a Tile Surface, Why Keeping Your Gun Safe in a Shed is a Smart Idea. Steel cores are banned because the rounds can cause damage to ranges. 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. That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. A shell contains a firing primer and gunpowder. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. 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. Not one mention of reloading. Steel creates more friction between itself, the magazine, and chamber. To test if a bullet is ferrous, some ranges hold a magnet to it. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. Accidental shootings are a big problem, and they happen all over the world. He also likes to take his kids shooting as often as possible. I've reloaded .45 ACP steel cases for years. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. This might in some cases make them easier to extract possiblybut also explains the excess dirt build up. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. Steel cased ammo is non reloadable. Ive met many talented shooters with disabilities. So, there is no benefit to using cast aluminum over regular aluminum when making bullets. So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. Why? Depending on the caliber, barrel life can usually be decreased anywhere from 3-15 percent. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns Wolf and the like are so dirty to shoot. 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. 3 What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? 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. 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. 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). 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 If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. Steel case ammo will not harm any part of your firearm. 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. There is a lot of debate surrounding aluminum cased ammo and whether or not it is bad for your gun. A damaged steel target or, in this case, a backstop can also ricochet steel core rounds. 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 There are times when rules are unclear. Your Arsenal build will be fine with it. Registered. I think it is generally dirty ammo. I have also found some deviations is accuracy with different brands of ammo. Feel free to reach out to us or read our affiliate disclosure and privacy policy. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the My HK USPc owners manual specifically states: CAUTION: HK firearms are designed to function with quality manufactured brass cased ammunition. No, not for any well made gun. Modern production steel-cased ammo is not corrosive, even when Berdan primed and it will not destroy your extractor. I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. Its only maybe $1 more per box but its worth it. The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. No one is perfect. I was told that it would tend to wear the ejector quicker because it was harder than brass. For most people, it doesnt really matter at all. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular. I asked what ammo they were using and it was the steel case. 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 Most commonly, steel cased ammo is found in popular calibers such as .223 Remington, .308 Winchester, 7.6239, and 9mm, but it can be found in other calibers as well. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a Big Daddy Unlimited usually has some steel-cased ammo in stock. And it is true that it is more dirty than brass. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Steel cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. Experiment a little and see which type works best! The lacquer will soften, and if the round sits in the chamber as it cools, it can make extraction more difficult in firearms not designed with a generous chamber. At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which ammo casing is best for you and your firearm. What about American guns? 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. Steel-cased ammo may also be associated with an increased fire risk because it tends to cause more sparks than bullets without steel cases. The bullet traps are not designed to handle steel bullets. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. 1 Why is steel case ammo bad for your gun? Thus, inspecting a gun before buying is a crucial thing. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. steel rusts, so cases have to be lacquered to control corrosion. 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. Finally, cast aluminum can be recycled over and over again without losing any of its strength or quality. Ive been to some shooting ranges, and this actually bothered me quite a bit. What does it mean when your boyfriend takes long to reply? Required fields are marked *. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. A new and innovative take on an AR-15 compatible rifle. Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. This makes a very strong piece of metal. The steel used in the cases will still be softer than the type of steel used in receivers and extractors of There are different types of coatings (polymer and lacquer), both of which are used as lubricants. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. Imported ammunition that is newly produced has a steel core, so far as I know. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. 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. In addition, steel is more penetrating than lead since it does not expand as much. 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. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This leaves air pockets in the metal, which make it less strong. Sounds like a good argument - until you remember that the steel in your chamber is MUCH harder than the steel of the shell. The only ammo that's is affordable to go blasting with in an AK47 or 74 is Wolf. 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. It is not possible to reload steel cases. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Here are two excellent articles regarding the issues with steel cased ammunition that I always recommend. WebAnswering: Is steel cased ammo bad for your gun? The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a case. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! However, this is not the case. This means any component it comes in contact with will wear faster than if a shooter was running brass-cased rounds. This means that they are less prone to fragmenting. As a result, these guns have short or fast cycle times. Most shooting ranges will not let you use steel-cased ammo at the range. Some firearms have no problem with using aluminum cases, while others may experience damage. Is aluminum cased ammo bad? The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. Then, Winchester jumped into the steel-cased market. One of the biggest misconceptions is since Every vendor is different so Ammoseek doesnt really have anything to do with whatever experience you may have. The lacquer that coats the steel case can be problematic when a round sits in a hot chamber. 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? Lets take a closer look. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. I took one car to the crusher years ago. Another advantage of steel casings is that cartridges are extracted more efficiently than brass casings. On the other hand, the 9 mm, especially in military loads, is twice the pressure of the .45 ACP. I personally shoot pretty much all steel-cased ammo when it comes to plinking and occasional target practice. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. It is much softer than the steel used to make gun barrels and actions. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic.