The Berger Hybrid design incorporates two different shapes within the nose. Both bores and barrels of the rifles that fired steel-cased/bimetal jacketed ammunition were basically unserviceable. And it is true that it is more dirty than brass. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. 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. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. Depending on the caliber, barrel life can usually be decreased anywhere from 3-15 percent. For example, some ranges may state steel casing, but in fact, mean steel jacketed or steel core. Today we only have to wait one week to get the opposite answer to what they just said yesterday. Others claim that there is no difference between aluminum and brass cased ammo. Ammo Deals: ZSR Ammunition 9mm 124 Grain FMJ 1000 Rounds $259.99 FREE S&H, AR-15 Barrel Length Does It Even Matter? However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. The issue I had with steel was I experienced a hard lock almost every 60 rounds or so, which required a hammer and steel rod to rectify, as you all know. If I were to try ANY steel cased ammo, it would be the new Hornady stuff. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Steel-cased ammo is not necessarily less reliable or accurate than brass. 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. 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. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. Some firearms have no problem with using aluminum cases, while others may experience damage. I seen problems with stuck cases in AR type rifles. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. This build up can cause stuck cases. 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. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? Will Steel Cased Ammo Hurt Your Gun | The Armory Life Forum Using steel in the entire bullet is impossible because it would damage the barrel. Steel is also able to work in more temperatures than brass and tends to last longer. The answer is no at least not any more than brass-cased ammo. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. 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. Indoor gun ranges often have a rule such as Armor Piercing/ Steel Core rounds are prohibited or Steel core ammunition is not allowed.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. It was never engineered to be reloaded, while it isRead more . The aluminum in the case will not damage your guns chamber, extractor, or ejector because they are made from steel. Your email address will not be published. The ammunition was mostly manufactured by Tula Cartridge Plant in Tula, Tula District, Russia from 2005 to 2009. Better not tell the hundreds of AK shooters whom are shooting thousands of Steel cased 7.62X39 rounds per day, here and world wide. 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. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. This is because Berdan primers dont contain an anvil. There are different types of coatings (polymer and lacquer), both of which are used as lubricants. 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. These 5.56 cartridges push a 62 grain projectile designed with a boat tail, lead core, and a special steel penetrator tip. I personally shoot pretty much all steel-cased ammo when it comes to plinking and occasional target practice. Ive reloaded a few 9mm boxer primed steel cases and they work fine. How do you handle misunderstandings between you and your special someone? - AllOutdoor.com It is even worse if you fire a bunch of steel cased ammo then fire brass cased right behind it in a dirty chamber. 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. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. If I had a junk yard it would be worth it. This cookie is used to keep track on user informations and reports it to Alexa analytics service. Instead I donate them now and I actually get more money and it is less work. Thats not entirely accurate while it is true that steel core rounds can damage a backstop, it is actually that bi-metal ammunition, including Wolf, can result in steel-to-steel contact that can cause sparking. The 556 has little taper. Steel is a tougher material than lead, so firing with a barrel made of solid steel would tear the barrel to shreds. It is not possible to reload steel cases. Just make sure to check your guns warranty before running it, just in case. 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. Accidental shootings are a big problem, and they happen all over the world. 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. The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a 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 Or should you stay away from it? Does aluminum cased ammo hurt guns? - Quora Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them). Another common reason people give for not shooting steel-cased ammo is how dirty it is. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. 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 ? As far as man-made issues, many ranges ban the use of steel-cased ammo out of concern for their backstops this is particularly true with indoor ranges. Theres also the issue And, just like with any ammo, bullet weight and twist rate are also big factors when it comes to accuracy. In addition, there may be surplus ammunition from other countries that have higher lead prices than the United States. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Aluminum is a softer metal than lead, so it will not produce as accurate a bullet as lead. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Where would we be, without the miracles of marketing? Aluminum bullets also have a tendency to jam in the gun barrel, which can cause damage to your firearm. My HK USPc owners manual specifically states: CAUTION: HK firearms are designed to function with quality manufactured brass cased ammunition. 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. Steel is harder and less malleable than brass so its a lot harder to accurately resize the cases after firing. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. Cast aluminum is perfect for this job. For most people, it doesnt really matter at all. YouTube - Store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen - 2. list of mortuary science schools in kenya. Those of that opinion are quick to reference extractor breakage or failure, especially in the AR-15/M16 platforms. Another advantage of steel casings is that cartridges are extracted more efficiently than brass casings. The taper aids extraction considerably. 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? Its a small price to pay for the substantial savings steel ammunition provides over brass cased ammunition. 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. I have a friend the reloads 223 steel cases better him than me. It can start a heck of a fire in a rubber backstop medium. 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. Penetrator rifle rounds similar to M855 are available as well, and they do have steel core. Thats why I bought an under-seat rifle rack from 4WheelOnline. 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. So shooters generally believe it leads to more jams than brass ammo. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. This causes additional blowback, which causes more residue buildup in the action. Its not as powerful, clean, or pretty as brass-cased stuff, but it runs fine if your gun is properly-gassed. Are Berger hybrid bullets good for hunting? 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. 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. I have never had a problem with it in my pistols. If you want ammo that might put you through some exercises in clearing a jammed round, then TulAmmo is great. Does steel cased ammo damage a gun? - TimesMojo Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. While the steel used in the ammos casings is relatively mild, and thus not terribly hard, it is still harder than brass. Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bzPRtn29u0, Spotting Scope for 1000 Yards: How to Achieve Maximum Accuracy, 209 Primers for Muzzleloaders: The Best Ones for Your Gun, This div height required for enabling the sticky sidebar, 2022 Yestactical.com We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The direct-impingement AR-15 can be ammo sensitive especially when not ran, wet. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. The jury is still out on this one. Personally I don't use it in my C9 because it just doesn't feed reliably. Also, some of the steel cased ammo is now polymer coated. 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. Further, HK specifically says: All USPs are approved for use with +P and +P+ ammunition as it appliesRead more . What is M855? Bullets with steel cases differ from bullets with steel cores. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? And a sloppy chamber adds to bad performance in accuracy. The range may use a magnet to determine whether the ammunition is steel core or not. 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. Yeah, I also have shot Tulammo from Russia with the steel casings. Having said that, I don't use it in my high end guns, Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. It caused alot of feed problems in my Kimber Ultra Carry II 3". A shell contains a firing primer and gunpowder. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. So experiment a little and see which type works best for you! That does tend to clean up the excess grass in the range area. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. ), How to Add Shelves to Your Gun Safe: A Step-by-Step Guide, Shipping Container as a Gun Safe (Yay or Nay? Steel is less dense than lead. Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? [Solved] (2022) This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. One reason people give for not shooting steel case-ammo is that it damages their rifle or pistol. The steel case has a coating, which cushions against wear. 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. I'll "stick" to brass hulls in my firearms. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It will still bend and deform under pressure, just like regular aluminum. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. Have you searched on extractor wear with steel cased ammo? Webrob stafford daughter chicago fire. The biggest disadvantage of brass ammo was its cost and lack of availability in certain countries. 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 a nutshell, steel-cased ammo is good to go. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. Cutting open the bullet and inspecting its composition is the only way to tell the difference. It is only the jacket which is bi-metallic, NOT the case. Steel creates more friction between itself, the magazine, and chamber. Aluminum cases are less expensive to produce than brass cases, so they are often used in budget-friendly ammunition. It can happen in many different ways, but most often, it happens when someone is cleaning a gun or showing a gun to friends, and they accidentally pull the trigger. The steel cased Ammo usually has a bimetallic jacket that is magnetic and is harsher on your barrel. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. Despite its rarity, some gun ranges still prohibit steel-cased ammunition. Steel cores are banned because the rounds can cause damage to ranges. Sometimes these cases will stick so severely that it is difficult to remove them even with a cleaning rod. The only ammo that's is affordable to go blasting with in an AK47 or 74 is Wolf. You can reload them. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. The money you saved on steel That using such ammunition is dangerous and will also void the manufacturers warranty. Brass, being less hard than steel, will spring back to a smaller dimension than a steel case will after firing. Mac, Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I do have to do a little more cleaning after shooting them but I was going to clean them after shooting anyways. 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. Under federal law it is perfectly legal to make, sell and purchase armor-piercing ammunition as long as you have the proper licensing. Steel retains less energy and may not kill birds cleanly at the same ranges. 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 Basically, I feel it is the same as global warming, scientists just dont fully understand or know but they getRead more . The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. Keep in mind that cleaning your guns is more important when shooting mainly steel-cased ammo. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. Thus, inspecting a gun before buying is a crucial thing. My experience with steel cased ammo in a Mosen Nagant was the coating was heated up with the explosion of the round in the chamber melting the coating and after a few rounds you couldnt get a round to chamber because there was too much coating in the chamber. There is no other way to put it. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu18.htm, http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/. WebAnswer (1 of 2): No, I do not believe you can/will damage your firearm solely because you were shooting aluminum cased ammunition. An example of commercial, Russian-made steel-cased, but non-corrosive 7.62x54mm ammunition. In fact, they argue that aluminum casings are actually more reliable than brass casings because they are less likely to corrode. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. 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. Why Should You Practice Dry Fire Shooting Drills At Home? 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. ammo I shot thousands of rounds of it in AKs SKS with out trouble. Does steel cased ammo Steel Case Ammo This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges.An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. Darrell Moriarty, Lago Vista, TXSteel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. Thus you have less blowback into the chamber and the receiver. I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by about 4,000-5,000 rounds. Cartridges or shells of ammo are referred to as casings, not bullets. If used exclusively however it will reduce the barrel life by Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. However, some shooters believe that the softer metal can cause more wear and tear on your guns barrel and chamber. Steel case ammo is cheaper to shoot and generally works well in most firearms, but does have some downsides. Its only maybe $1 more per box but its worth it. And it does not corrode, so it can be used in humid and saltwater environments without issue. 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. Finally, aluminum ammo is typically more expensive than lead ammo. This is not actually due to the steel case, but the Bi-metal steel jacket of the bullet that most steel-cased rounds have. As long as I do some research beforehand, I feel more confident, and I dont take the chance of my reputation getting damaged. 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. 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. A steel case is also prohibited because a magnet will attract it, thus making it more difficult to check for steel-core ammunition. At the end of the day, its up to you to decide what you think is best for your gun. Does the Russian military use steel cased ammo? The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. Its no secret that the cost of shooting ranges is high. The steel load printed a few inches higher than the brass load, most likely because it chronographed 60 fps faster. Perhaps the biggest drawback to steel-cased ammo is that it is not easily reloadable. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. I have some steel cased ammo in a few calibers556, 762x39, 9mm, .45because it's got incredibly long shelf life under adverse conditions. Ive been to some shooting ranges, and this actually bothered me quite a bit. For now on I will stick to brass cased ammo only. Over time, this can result in decreased accuracy and increased jamming problems. Another problem with steel cased ammo is a lot of it seems to be somewhat underpowered which can cause short stroking issues. Registered. 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.