One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. Availability may be different depending on where you live. Steel is harder and less malleable than brass so its a lot harder to accurately resize the cases after firing. The solution was simple they over-gassed their guns. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and how well your particular firearm handles different types of ammunition. WebSteel cased ammo is safe to use in modern firearms because the steel used in the case is very soft. With the ammo supply issue nowadays, steel-cased ammo is significantly cheaper than brass-cased, sometimes less than half the price. 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. There is a lot of debate surrounding aluminum cased ammo and whether or not it is bad for your gun. 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.The benefits in favor of steel-cased ammo are mostly economic, making it cheaper to shoot than conventional brass offerings. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. The former is utterly reliable in most platforms in which it is chambered. My HK USPc owners manual specifically states: CAUTION: HK firearms are designed to function with quality manufactured brass cased ammunition. The lacquer that coats the steel case can be problematic when a round sits in a hot chamber. Everything I have shot through it has been either steel or aluminum cased. Not really it always says that its Berdan primed, not Boxer. Why is it imperative that different gauge shotshells not be mixed together? 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. It even sometimes says that it ISNT reloadable for those that dont understand it from the names. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. Its no secret that the cost of shooting ranges is high. Price. Because spent shells are mixed with brass ammo, a gun range may prohibit steel-cased ammo. The short answer is no. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. The issue with steel cased ammo is that it does not occlude the chamber as well as brass. Its more trouble than its worthalthough it is possible, especially with boxer-primed cases. Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. Wolf .223 55 grain ammo is one of the most popular types of steel-cased ammo that I shoot through my guns. a 12-gauge shotshell can be chambered into a 20- gauge shotgun and result in serious personal injury. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. 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. One difference between steel-cased rifle and pistol ammo is the working chamber pressure. Exactly why I gave all my steel case .223 to my Brother who does not reload. Under federal law it is perfectly legal to make, sell and purchase armor-piercing ammunition as long as you have the proper licensing. Felt recoil was greater with the steel load but not by muchagain that stems from the difference in velocity. No reason for outdoor firing ranges, especially if youre going to police your own brass. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. One of them is the excellent LuckyGunner test. However, if you are looking for a little bit of savings at the range, aluminum might be a good choice for you. This is true of PSA, SIG, Anderson, Colt, and basically everyone today. And, just like with any ammo, bullet weight and twist rate are also big factors when it comes to accuracy. Its more trouble than its worthalthough it is possible, especially with boxer-primed cases. The pellets weigh one-third less than lead pellets of the same size. The steel case doesn't seal as well so you will get more carbon fouling in the gun. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. No, not for any well made gun. This tangent section of the ogive results in the bullet being much less sensitive to seating depth. Some shooters believe that aluminum cased ammo can cause damage to your firearm. I do have to do a little more cleaning after shooting them but I was going to clean them after shooting anyways. Some Glocks will indeed eat anything, others not quite. 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. @jh45gun Your statement above non bi-metallic seems to be saying that the case is bi-metallic. 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. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges. 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. 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. This build up can cause stuck cases. Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. So, yes, steel-cased ammo will wear your AR-15 out faster than brass ammo will. In addition, steel is more penetrating than lead since it does not expand as much. Some people liked to shoot them in brush when it had been dry for a while. 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. The only ammo that's is affordable to go blasting with in an AK47 or 74 is Wolf. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. In fact, they argue that aluminum casings are actually more reliable than brass casings because they are less likely to corrode. Another often overlooked advantage is the spent cartridge cases can be policed up with a magnet. This grit and mess gets between the case and chamber wall and acts like sand paper. Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. Read More How To Prevent Accidental Shootings?Continue. While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. 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? 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 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. Experiment a little and see which type of ammo works best for your gun! The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the cases dont expand the same way that brass cases do. I tried the winchester steel case ammo. Every vendor is different so Ammoseek doesnt really have anything to do with whatever experience you may have. Americas oldest Second Amendment News outlet. By comparison one was as accurate as the other in group size. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: They do not wish to deal with these In fact they used to use the corrosive stuff with no ill effect. My understanding is that you cannot reload the steel cases. 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 cases are more difficult (if not impossible) to reload. We learn from our mistakes. I suggest trying a box or two before buying a large quantity. But are they really? This is apparent in higher-pressure cartridges.An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. What is M855? It was founded in 2005. Same load as their white box ammo with exception to using steel cases. What are the pros and cons for steel shell cases, more specifically, Winchesters USA-Forged 9 mm, 115-grain (Item WIN9S), 150-round pack? Steel casings are therefore coated with a lubricant. For example, some ranges may state steel casing, but in fact, mean steel jacketed or steel core. I noticed that there was some burning of the breach when using steel case ammo. 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. 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. Thats the only real advantage of the ammo. Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category . Forever, you could not find a kind word being said about steel-cased, Russian ammo. I have shot some 9mm in my my SW M&P and my SW 3913, not a lot but some. This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior. Most if not all of this ammo uses a copper coated steel jacketed bi-metal bullet which increases wear on the barrel. 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. However, it is much, Read More How To Inspect A Gun Before Buying?Continue, Guns have all kinds of different parts. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The other manufactured downside is that some companies will tell shooters that using steel-cased ammo voids their warranty. So, it expands to snugly fit the walls of the chamber. Paper target scraps or gun powder residue might also ignite. To the firing pin, etc? I wouldn't use steel case ammo in any gun, except for an AK47 or SKS 7.62x39 type rifle. Since steel cases work-harden and lose their elasticity, you cannot resize them to hold another bullet since they lack the elasticity that brass cases possess. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". With steel cased ammo the groups were all over the place at 6,000 rounds with many bullets tumbling and key holing. The steel cased Ammo usually has a bimetallic jacket that is magnetic and is harsher on your barrel. Opinions vary, but I think the prevailing wisdom is that Yes, steel cased ammunition is hard on extractors. Don't worry, AKs won't get hurt by the steel case. In this article,, Read More What is a Bull Barrel Bull Barrel Variations and BenefitsContinue. 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. 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.