Polymer shell casings for .308

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  • rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,538
    Columbia
    Lower weight makes them viable for military use

    But they need to be lower cost to be viable for commercial use

    If I take 100 rounds to the range it doesn't matter if I can shave 1 pound off the total weight of my bag. But shaving $10 off the cost of the rounds would get my attention

    In the field I don't care if they cost MORE. Just make them lighter.

    Cheaper AND lighter? They will replace brass entirely within 5 years



    Even if it’s cheaper and lighter it would never fully replace brass. Polymer isn’t reloadable, brass is. Reloaders can make ammo much more accurate than what is commercially available and it’s tailored to their gun.


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    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,180
    Sun City West, AZ
    Turns out I only have one example of polymer case ammunition. Here's pics of it and the head stamp.
    IMG-3652.jpg


    IMG-4871.jpg
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Even if it’s cheaper and lighter it would never fully replace brass. Polymer isn’t reloadable, brass is. Reloaders can make ammo much more accurate than what is commercially available and it’s tailored to their gun.


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    On your last, possibly. That said, Sierra is claiming they are getting sub 10fps spread on velocity with the poly cased ammo. That’s less of a spread than you are probably ever going to get no matter how careful you reload.

    Beyond that, very few people reload. I doubt companies like star line are going to just close shop. However, commercial brass cased ammo might become uncommon some day. Or not.
     

    DaemonAssassin

    Why should we Free BSD?
    Jun 14, 2012
    23,970
    Political refugee in WV
    I don't think reloading is nearly as popular as factory ammo.

    Go to any Bass Pro Shop. There are 3 aisles of various factory ammunition and a small corner of one aisle for reloading supplies.

    I know reloaders tend to ONLY reload as they get into it and the reloading itself becomes as big of a hobby as shooting. So I'm sure that to a reloader it seems like reloading is a huge thing. You hang out with other reloaders and talk about reloading so it seems like a huge thing but I think reloaders are a small percentage of the overall ammo market.

    If I am correct the market will side with cheap over reloadable. Factory ammo will drop in price and reloading costs will go up because brass won't be as mass produced. (Primers and bullets will still be mass produced, just not she'll casings)

    There will still be a market for brass because of reloaders because reloaders won't give up reloading and will be happy to spend the money. But the price will go up

    I have ZERO stats to back this up. So if you can provide some real data on the number of reloaders vs the number of "new in box" buyers I'dd be interested in seeing it. I am making this up on a hunch and my own observations as someone who doesn't reload

    Basing your statements on what you see at BassPro is like saying the gas burner is cold, because the flame is blue.

    If you actually take a look at places like Midway, Shyda's, Mid South, Natchez, etc... You would see that there is a lot more reloaders out there than you previously thought. BassPro doesn't care about reloading, and I have seen their reloading section dwindle down to a smaller and smaller selection of items, over the years. Meanwhile, Sportsman's Warehouse has a huge reloading section.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    For 223/5.56 here is a sample of weights
    Not including primer
    Bullet 55grains
    Powder 25 grains
    Case 95 grains

    So say half the case weight and you get about a 25% reduction



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    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    For 223/5.56 here is a sample of weights
    Not including primer
    Bullet 55grains
    Powder 25 grains
    Case 95 grains

    So say half the case weight and you get about a 25% reduction



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    From what I’ve seen, it is about 1/3rd the case weight for the polymers used vs brass.

    So closer to 33% overall cartridge weight reduction.
     

    photoracer

    Competition Shooter
    Oct 22, 2010
    3,318
    West Virginia
    Don't forget they are still working on variations of the same weapons firing caseless ammo. Caseless is the Holy Grail for the military. And caseless is green for the tree-huggers.
     

    Sleepy

    Active Member
    Jan 19, 2013
    139
    Just wait until some of the Bloomberg crew hear about this. They'll start crowing about undetectable plastic bullets that go in those ghost gun clips.
     

    Ilexopaca

    Member
    Mar 4, 2012
    69
    I like brass. Just say'n. And tree-hugger comments aside who wants spent plastic lying around forever? Brass is recyclable anyways.
     

    govwontletmebuycoolguns

    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 3, 2010
    3,879
    DPRM
    I bought a couple boxes of PCA Spectrum about 15 years ago. Had a tendency to separate at the case neck. Never fully came apart, but the pieces were dangling by a thread after ejection.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I bought a couple boxes of PCA Spectrum about 15 years ago. Had a tendency to separate at the case neck. Never fully came apart, but the pieces were dangling by a thread after ejection.

    What was then isn’t remotely like what is now.

    That’s like comparing a 15 year old car to one built now. Major changes in that time. Actually it’s probably more like comparing a 50 year old car to one made now in terms of material advances.

    I am down. Lighter, less powder needed for the same velocity, more consistent ignition, possibly cheaper in volume production. The only real downside is see is not reloadable. Well, I can still reload the brass I have if I want and buy new brass.

    From the various tests I’ve seen reports on with military trials of various standard case polymer loads as well as telescoping case loads, the polymer works well.
     

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