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 was even more the case a few years ago when most companies made sure their guns were precisely gassed. Keep in mind that it is going to foul pretty quickly with steel cased ammo. They argue that the softer metal of the casing can wear down your guns barrel and chamber, causing problems with accuracy and reliability. There is literally no danger to your firearms steel parts when using aluminum cased ammo. The main concern is that the soft metal of the casing can lead to wear and tear on your firearms barrel and chamber. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. 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 Does steel cased ammo damage a gun? - TimesMojo Read More How To Prevent Accidental Shootings?Continue. The only way that shooting steel casing would not save you money is if you reload your own ammo. But shortly thereafter, many found that the rounds werent performing as accurately, or reliably in their American firearms. Steel cores are banned because the rounds can cause damage to ranges. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Otherwise, you could end up with a gun thats not only ineffective, but also dangerous. It does not store any personal data. The ammunition was mostly manufactured by Tula Cartridge Plant in Tula, Tula District, Russia from 2005 to 2009. A critical marksmanship skill that is easy to overlook. Steel cases are usually coated for better performance, and the differences between coatings are relatively minor. Different gauge shotshells should not be mixed together because: a smaller gauge shotshell can slip past the chamber of a larger gauge gun and result in serious personal injury. http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu18.htm, http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. However, a lot of folks wont use aluminum Steel-Case Ammo: Bad For Your Gun? - An Official Journal Of If you are a reloader, dont bother with the steel cases. Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. Quantserve sets the mc cookie to anonymously track user behaviour on the website. Amp up your AK with these exciting accessories. M855 is often called green tip ammo for its special color coding (the full metal jacket is painted green at the nose). 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. 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. 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? It is not uncommon to find steel-cased ammunition made in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union using steel-core bullets, which are steel slugs encased in a thin layer of lead. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. 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. Some of it is sealed with lacquer that stinks. The shooting ranges do obviously recycle the lead. The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. Also, they dont want steel mixed with that for obvious reasons. Penetrator rifle rounds similar to M855 are available as well, and they do have steel core. To me, this is not a big problem because I regularly clean my rifle. 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. What are the disadvantages of steel cased ammo? Does steel cased ammo damage your gun? No one is perfect. That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. Some people shoot nothing but steel cased through their firearms, while others will not touch the stuff. Envision the contact surfaces with the chamber as the cartridge case is being extracted. I noticed that there was some burning of the breach when using steel case ammo. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. 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. Sometimes the cases will be sticky, though, and will be harder to eject. These parts can generally be switched out with other parts of the same type to customize the gun to the way you want it. Its no secret that the cost of shooting ranges is high. 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. My understanding is that you cannot reload the steel cases. what's the point? But in the end I will stick with brass because it just isn't work a couple of dollars difference in price to fight with your piece while you are at the range. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Steel Case vs. Brass: Worth It? | Reload Your Gear We learn from our mistakes. I received 35 dollars for it. Steel cartridge case use in handguns (as well as long guns) has been the source of controversy since their inception. But are they really? Why would shooters pick steel-cased rounds over standard ammo? The steel used for the cases is much softer than that in your gun. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. The extractor may be the first part to show wear, but the wear is going on nonetheless. 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. Availability may be different depending on where you live. This is why cast aluminum is used for things like engine blocks and transmission housings. While the steel used in the ammos casings is relatively mild, and thus not terribly hard, it is still harder than brass. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Common brands of steel-cased ammo are TulaAmmo, Brown Bear, and Wolf. 4500 15th Street East 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. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. 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). The short answer is no. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased 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 think it is generally dirty ammo. I disagree on the viability of steel cased ammo in weapons when the mfg states otherwise. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? They last a lot! No problems. Does putting water in a smoothie count as water intake? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. 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. It caused alot of feed problems in my Kimber Ultra Carry II 3". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And always follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Registered. I shoot steel case all the time in my ARs but haven't tried it in a pistol yet. doubleclick.net - browser supports cookies. Are Berger hybrid bullets good for hunting? 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. Generally speaking, its not gonna hurt it. The solution was simple they over-gassed their guns. Not one mention of reloading. An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. Does the Russian military use steel cased ammo? Although the 5.56 NATO cartridge is slightly tapered, it is not nearly as forgiving as the 7.62x39 mm in a dirty chamber during extraction. My understanding is that steel cases are not reloadable and that the brass from the brass cases is sold in order to cover the range of upkeep costs. So, it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions for cleaning and maintenance, regardless of the casing type. If you are buying ammo for home defense or your carry weapon, then DO NOT BUY TulAmmo. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. No issues with Steel (Tula or Wolf) and full power striker springs, occasional FTE with aluminum and I had one yesterday with Fiocci brass. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Some people liked to shoot them in brush when it had been dry for a while. WebSteel case ammo shouldn't damage your gun, though some guns will have reliability issues with it. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. 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. Using gas-powered cycling systems on firearms makes the extraction less effective. From discussion withRead more . Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. Then after it is worn out and too brittle to be used, I can turn it in for weight and get some money back!!! 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 good news is that it seems as though demand might have peaked. It can start a heck of a fire in a rubber backstop medium. Steel Cased Having said that, I don't use it in my high end guns, Americans first got a taste for steel-cased rounds when China began exporting its arms and ammo to the US in the 1980s. Should be fine for plinking and I can't see how it would hurt a quality firearm. The primary, and really only, benefit of shooting steel cased ammo is the price. Cast aluminum is perfect for this job. One reason people give for not shooting steel case-ammo is that it damages their rifle or pistol. 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. In lieu of a single, centered flash hole, two flash holes are off to one side of the primer pocket. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. I agree that the price of steel cases has gone through the roof so the affordable ones are only made in hard plastic. Why is it imperative that different gauge shotshells not be mixed together? Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and, Read More 5 Helpful Tips for Disabled ShootersContinue, Getting a new gun is not the easiest thing.