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Thread: Steel case ammo

  1. #11
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunowner99 View Post
    It is the bi metal that I am most concerned with however if there is no sustained fire I should be fine as you said.

    Now, with that bi-metal or all steel round, that is where ranges have an issue as far as ricochet and do not want you shooting it (specifically indoors) but what about at steel targets?

    I have shot thousands of rounds of 7.62x39 and .223 Russian steel cased ammunition of all brands out of SKS's, AK's and AR's and probably double what I have shot out of rifles in 9mm hand guns. I have never run into any issues with extreme erosion to the point where I noticed a difference in practical accuracy. If you watch channels like AK Operators union who runs 5000 rounds of through every new AK or AR he is testing and 99% of it is always steel cased ammunition. He does 100 yard moa testing before and after each test as well as bore scoping and I cannot remember ever seeing any kind of erosion in quality firearms or a significant change in moa after all testing was done. If you have a precision rifle then yeah I would stick with Federal Gold or Match but for everything else outside of shooting tiny groups then go for it. For the amount of ammunition I used to shoot replacing an AR barrel if need be would have still been cheaper then the amount I would have spent going with brass cased ammunition.

    I have really good AR500 targets and have shot it as close as 15 yards with .223 which was loaded to 5.56 specs and 7.62x39 steel cased ammo with no damage at all. From 10 yards in then the .223 will leave a tiny dimple in the steel. Most ranges have garbage mild steel targets which will get destroyed from things like bi metal bullets and even worse by green tip. I don't recommend using any mild steel regardless of the ammunition from 30 yards and in. I have been hit and cut enough to bleed for up to a half hour with back splash from jackets and bullet fragments at steel changeling competitions and that's when using 9mm brass cased FMJ.

    Indoor ranges have bullet traps to worry about which are very expensive as well as an excessive build up of unburnt powder and in rare cases a bi metal bullet could cause a spark and ignite the unburnt powder. A lot of it also has to do with how they recycle their brass many sell it and the companies do not want steel cases mixed in which causes seperating issues.

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by father-of-three View Post
    Is their any truth that steel cased ammo is harder on ejectors than brass cased ammo?
    Again it's a very thin non treated low grade mild steel while those parts on your firearm should be a hardened heat treated steel of higher quality. I have never worn an ejector or extractor on a pistol or rifle. If I did after 5 to 10 thousand rounds on an AR15 it's a $15-$20.00 common wear replacement part that we should already have in our spare parts kit like gas rings and even a spare bolt.
    Last edited by Hodgie; February 4th, 2020 at 11:53 AM.

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by bigandy1966 View Post
    I have a PTR91 and a DPMS AR10. Some of the milsurp 7.62 nato is filthy. I have some zqi (turkish) and some german surp ammo. From reading the webz these are sealed with tar to keep them water proof, and makes a mess in the chambers.
    I was having FTE issues with my PTR past few weeks with the german milsurp. The DPMS was having issues with the ZQI as well.
    I found that a couple drops of bar chain oil on the shoulder of the first 2 rounds in the mags lubes the chambers enough to run full mags without any FTE issues and helps with the cleanup. I have yet to test this on the DPMS
    Both are brass cased correct? I have some early 2000's German battle packs I used to use for NRA HI-power about 7 or 8 years ago out of my M1A that was decent and pretty accurate for being cheap (at that time). I never had good luck with ZQI in their 223/5.56 loads it would always short stroke in the majority of my AR's which are all Mid length gas systems. I have a few boxes of their .308 from when Walmart was clearanceing it all off but I never shot it.

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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    I get it, I was just making sure that using bi-metal or steel rounds wont be an issue with ricochet on steel targets is all. Just asking for future, don't shoot those types of targets yet.
    Gunowner99 - NRA Benefactor Life Member

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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunowner99 View Post
    I get it, I was just making sure that using bi-metal or steel rounds wont be an issue with ricochet on steel targets is all. Just asking for future, don't shoot those types of targets yet.
    As long as the steel of your target is harder then the bullet itself which it should be, and making sure the target is properly angled especially if shooting at closer ranges.

  6. #16
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Thinking AR500 at least 25 yards out hanging target that moves.
    Gunowner99 - NRA Benefactor Life Member

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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunowner99 View Post
    Can someone help me to understand why is steel case dirty? I mean, brass vs. steel why would it be dirtier? You are not talking jackets, right?
    I was told the steel case has a lacquer on it which is why they say it's dirty

  8. #18
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by Polish HG View Post
    I was told the steel case has a lacquer on it which is why they say it's dirty
    What caliber and firearm type are you looking to shoot this out of?

    Some does and some doesn't depends on the brand or line your looking at. Silver and Golden bear do not I believe Brown does but it's never been an issue for me. It can be an issue for some with extended shooting and the lacquer melting off. Standard grey colored wolf ammo does not it's polymer coated for lubricity which holds up a bit better then the lacquer however people say the lacquer is better for long term storage. I like it all and don't see any major issues with any of it.

    Polymer coated.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/wolf-...ic-made-russia

    Lacquer coated and also considered the best x39 on the market for many years.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/golde...grain-hollow-p

    This is loaded to Russian military standards and is excellent.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/surpl...d-bullet-and-p

    Zinc plated steel.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/silve...mmo-made-russi

    Brass plated steel.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/silve...-ammo-brass-pl

    Copper jacket non magnetic bullet.
    https://www.sgammo.com/product/wolf-...ket-non-magnet
    Last edited by Hodgie; February 4th, 2020 at 12:44 PM.

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    You are the man with the plan and info!
    Gunowner99 - NRA Benefactor Life Member

  10. #20
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    Default Re: Steel case ammo

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunowner99 View Post
    You are the man with the plan and info!
    Before I got sick I did a shit ton of shooting, owing a couple dozen SKS's and AK's didn't hurt either so steel cased ammo was the way I could do it and keep it in the realm of affordable without getting into reloading which I had no time for.

    The only real negative that I have come across with steel cased ammo is harder primers which isn't typically an issue with com block weapons but can be with AR's chambered in x39 and non service pistols like Khar or Keltech. Never had an consistent issue meaning more then a click no bang with Glock's or M&P's other then one round here or there. Out of the 225 I shot last week one round of brown bear did not fire the 1st time. Reloaded and it went bang the 2nd time.

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