In reality, its not the steel cartridge case thats the problem. There are two reasons ranges sometimes ban steel-cased ammo: They do not wish to deal with these WebWhat Steel Cased Ammo Does To Guns! You can reload them. Also you will notice a lot of lacquer coating all the parts and this over time can cause a malfunction. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel. 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. Aluminum is a softer metal than lead, so it will not produce as accurate a bullet as lead. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Is aluminum cased ammo bad? Reloading would lose the benefit of this coating, as it wears off. That way you wont get stuck with a bunch of ammo that you cant use if it doesnt work in your particular gun. The vast majority of concealed carry holders, experienced or not, make the, Read More Top 5 Common Concealed Carry Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)Continue, Address I have a Glock 17 that has yet to see brass cased ammunition. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Required fields are marked *. This shape is very efficient in the wind and is why the VLD became so popular. Generally speaking, its not gonna hurt it. 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 issue with steel cased ammo is that it does not occlude the chamber as well as brass. Google DoubleClick IDE cookies are used to store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads and according to the user profile. If I had a junk yard it would be worth it. 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. Cases made of steel cannot be reloaded, so they must be thrown away. Vortex to take over customer service and support for the app. Americans first got a taste for steel-cased rounds when China began exporting its arms and ammo to the US in the 1980s. Penetrator rifle rounds similar to M855 are available as well, and they do have steel core. This causes carbon build up between the case and the chamber wall. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. 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. They have a nice feature that tells you what range the shipping is(low,medium,high). While I dont generally recommend steel cased ammo, its not going to hurt your rifle in limited amounts. That using such ammunition is dangerous and will also void the manufacturers warranty. So, not only is it a sustainable material, but it also has a minimal impact on the environment. A guy at work got some 45 ACP Russian loads and was quick firing when one didn't sound right and he managed to stop pulling the trigger before the next round went off,when he looked down the barrel the bullet was about an inch from the muzzle! 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 ? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It does not store any personal data. Stand a cartridge of each design beside each other vertically and compare the sidewalls. 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. Undoubtedly, the floor can be covered with dozens, if not hundreds, of used ammo cases after a busy day. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Modern production steel-cased ammo is not corrosive, even when Berdan primed and it will not destroy your extractor. 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. With the current supply and demand issues when it comes to ammo, steel-cased rounds can be found for less than half the price of certain brass-cased cartridges. Steel retains less energy and may not kill birds cleanly at the same ranges. Yeah, I also have shot Tulammo from Russia with the steel casings. They either cant afford the rounds or cant find the rounds at all and whenever they can, the majority of the rounds are steel-cased. 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. No reason for outdoor firing ranges, especially if youre going to police your own brass. Steel cased ammo is definitely not known for its accuracy. Big Daddy Unlimited usually has some steel-cased ammo in stock. But for people who reload, shooting steel cased ammo may actually be more expensive. Pre-Covid, steel cased .223 ammo could be found 10-50 cents less per round than brass cased ammo. If youre worried about it, though, you may want to stick with brass-cased rounds. Theres nothing wrong with Russian steel-cased ammo, other than it smells like somebody has thrown a cat on a trash fire. Each one has its pros and cons and many shooters are firmly entrenched in one camp over the other. Is there a difference between steel cased and brass cased ammo? Use of steel or aluminum cased cartridges is not recommended and could adversely affect safe and reliable functioning. In general, any type of ammunition can be harmful to your gun if it is not properly cleaned and maintained. With a price tag well below the average cost of American-made brass-cased ammo, many American shooters on a budget gobbled up the ammo in droves. For example, some ranges may state steel casing, but in fact, mean steel jacketed or steel core. The other problem with steel cased ammo is that the Price. This anonymous data helps us to better understand users' needs and customize the website accordingly. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. I reload, so Ive no interest in shell casings I cant reload. There is the grip, trigger, barrel, and even others. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Most if not all of this ammo uses a copper coated steel jacketed bi-metal bullet which increases wear on the barrel. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. WebDoes steel cased ammo hurt your gun? Also, make sure to keep your chamber clean. I f the chamber is on the larger side of the spec it isnt usually an issue. 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. Why is it imperative that different gauge shotshells not be mixed together? It should be noted that the rule about the use of steel core ammo can also be applied to outdoor ranges. My Blog does steel cased ammo hurt your gun When hes not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country. People with disabilities are still capable of shooting a gun, contrary to popular belief. Small amounts of propellant gasses are able to get between the case and chamber and foul the chamber walls. Steel is naturally less slick than brass, which can also contribute to the stuck case issue. 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. The firearm can be functional and perfect, but it can also be damaged, faulty, or even outright broken, or non-functional. It was never engineered to be reloaded, while it isRead more . However, some shooters believe that the softer metal can cause more wear and tear on your guns barrel and chamber. Finally, aluminum ammo is typically more expensive than lead ammo. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. WebSteel cased ammo is safe to use in modern firearms because the steel used in the case is very soft. Well, there are a couple of good reasons. An example would be in comparing 7.62x39 mm and 5.56 NATO. Where would we be, without the miracles of marketing? EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The depriming punch in the resizing die would be damaged in such a case. Alexa analytics service - keep track on user informations. In today's episode of "I Carry," we have a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal pistol with a Holosun EPS Red2 red-dot sight carried in a KSG Armory Lexington IWB holster. Steel cases have different expansion and contraction characteristics from brass or aluminum. It is common for indoor ranges to have the same rules, but I dont always assume that is the case. On the other hand, the 9 mm, especially in military loads, is twice the pressure of the .45 ACP. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? The same considerations can be utilized with pistol ammunition, especially when used in semi- and full-auto firearms. Also, I have found it easier to find steel cased ammo as opposed to brass-cased ammo on store shelves. Yet, the tapered 9 mm case enhances extraction once the chamber seal is broken. Registered. Steel cases are usually coated for better performance, and the differences between coatings are relatively minor. It is much softer than the steel used to make gun barrels and actions. This is an Alexa Analytics cookie that is used to track user behavior.