BartExp
Ultimate Member
What is the deal with steel casings. I was in Walmart last night and they had a rollback on 9mm steel casing rounds. I know my local range doesn't permit steel casings. Is there any downside?
Steel Casings
- Thread starter BartExp
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Dowtom
Active Member
Dirtier, can't be reloaded, bimetal jacket usually can cause damage to steel Target, spark ingiting powder residue, or damage backstops
MAY CAUSE PREMATURE BARREL WEAR
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MAY CAUSE PREMATURE BARREL WEAR
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wowmattsays
Member
- Oct 4, 2016
- 86
I love steel case ammo! It is cheap, it fires reliably, and it lets me enjoy my range-time with less of a $$ commitment. You can't reload it, so many guys here will condemn it. I don't reload, so I don't have that issue. THE ONLY ISSUE I have ever had is this: Most of the time, steel cased ammo is coated in a polymer (I believe this ensures smoother operation when the round is fired, but others here will have a better answer for you than this). Because of this coating, I have an issue when cease-fires are called on the range. If I am in the middle of a magazine on my AR15, upon cease-fire, the procedure is to drop the mag and clear the live round from the chamber. Since the polymer coating relies on the heat from the fired round to melt and properly eject the spent casing, when I go to clear the live round, it gets stuck in the chamber and it becomes next to IMPOSSIBLE to clear the round with the charging handle. I either have to VERY forcefully hit the butt of the rifle off the table while pulling the charging handle as hard as I can, or I have to ask the RSO to allow me to fire one last round so I can clear the chamber. I have literally never once had the same issue with ANY brass that I have shot, not once ever, and my rifle has NEVER had a single misfire or FTF, FTE, etc (after approx 1500 rounds through). The issue I mentioned will not stop me from using steel case when I just want to have fun on the range, but I certainly must know when the cease fire is coming so that I am not stuck with a live round in my chamber.
PS: the only steel case ammo I am referring to here is Tula .223 that I have purchased at Walmart. Tula through my SW Shield 9mm has never had the same issue, not once. I also have heard that primers on steel cased ammo can be somewhat harder than that used on brass, so I check my firing pin about once every 500 rounds for degradation, but this is probably overkill.
Bottom line, I like it!
PS: the only steel case ammo I am referring to here is Tula .223 that I have purchased at Walmart. Tula through my SW Shield 9mm has never had the same issue, not once. I also have heard that primers on steel cased ammo can be somewhat harder than that used on brass, so I check my firing pin about once every 500 rounds for degradation, but this is probably overkill.
Bottom line, I like it!
- Apr 25, 2017
- 1,645
How could the casing have any effect on the barrel ?
The only reason I know of why ranges don't allow steel case is because they're worried about steel core bullets which damage backstops. So to be safe (lazy imo) they just ban anything (bullet wise) that's magnetic. Sounds like yours took it even a step further though, banning ANYTHING magnetic.
And never heard of them damaging steel targets. Logic would suggest if that were the case then outdoor ranges with steel targets would ban them too, which, as far as I know, none do. It's all about concern for the rubber? backstops indoor ranges use.
Dowtom
Active Member
The case won't. It's the make up of the bullet found in many steel cases the bi metal bullet make up can, not saying it will. Most damage to steel Target is via rifle ammuniton being bi metal. Lead mushroom and framents. Bimetal does not always do that
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GoGoGadget
Deplorable Member
Comblock guns tend to shoot steel cased ammo very well. CZ pistols love the cheap Tula and Wolf 9mm stuff.
Tulamo/Wolf/Brownbear/Silver bear to the best of my knowledge DO NOT HAVE STEEL CORE. Ranges very often refer to them as having steel core though.
One of those guys does make brass cased ammo (can't recall Tulamo maybe EDIT: Tulamo Brassmax).
Anyway, what is common is steel cases coupled with bi-metalic construction of the bullet.
In other words, instead of copper coating the lead, they have a lead core, then soft steel, then some other type of non corrosive coating. Often a thin copper over the steel but sometimes the stuff is some sort of silver colored metal.
Those bimetalic soft steel shell bullets spark when you hit an indoor range backstop. Plus they leave metal shards mixed in with the lead. The indoor range likes the soft lead much better than the steel. I"ve shot steel tulamo onto metal objects on private property once and YUP, it hits harder than just jacketed lead.
Some FMJ bullets are just copper and some are a steel which attracts a magnet.
For indoor ranges, the magnet test is often applied to ammo in question. Contact your indoor range to see if bimetalic ammo is banned. It probably is.
BTW, Greek 30-06 surplus from CMP has a hard FMJ on it.
One of those guys does make brass cased ammo (can't recall Tulamo maybe EDIT: Tulamo Brassmax).
Anyway, what is common is steel cases coupled with bi-metalic construction of the bullet.
In other words, instead of copper coating the lead, they have a lead core, then soft steel, then some other type of non corrosive coating. Often a thin copper over the steel but sometimes the stuff is some sort of silver colored metal.
Those bimetalic soft steel shell bullets spark when you hit an indoor range backstop. Plus they leave metal shards mixed in with the lead. The indoor range likes the soft lead much better than the steel. I"ve shot steel tulamo onto metal objects on private property once and YUP, it hits harder than just jacketed lead.
Some FMJ bullets are just copper and some are a steel which attracts a magnet.
For indoor ranges, the magnet test is often applied to ammo in question. Contact your indoor range to see if bimetalic ammo is banned. It probably is.
BTW, Greek 30-06 surplus from CMP has a hard FMJ on it.
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- Apr 25, 2017
- 1,645
Machine Gun Nest is the one indoor range I know of that allows steel case ammo.
Yes, they know the difference between steel CASE and steel BULLETS
Yes, they know the difference between steel CASE and steel BULLETS
j_h_smith
Ultimate Member
- Jul 28, 2007
- 28,516
I bought 2000 rounds of steel cased 5.56 ammo years ago. It has sat for all these years. Once the Arsenal SLR106 comes in, that ammo will have found a home.
For the record, I don't use steel cased ammo in my handguns.
For the record, I don't use steel cased ammo in my handguns.
davsco
Ultimate Member
yes, steel case is a different animal from steel core bullets. though some ammo may have both. but think like hornady steel match, which is steel case but 'normal' fmj/lead bullets. personally i don't put anything inside my guns that is as hard as or harder than the gun's components.
Shhhhh, the confiscation police are watching!
PapiBarcelona
Ultimate Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 7,360
I always figured these places didn't feel like separating the steel and aluminum cases from the brass ones
Dowtom
Active Member
A simple magnet would do that. So I doubr it has to do with the difficulty... Could be laziness though
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- Apr 25, 2017
- 1,645
Never heard of that.
I use aluminum case 9mm and never been an issue.
Steel/aluminum/brass/zinc coated/shot shells, usually it all just gets dumped into one bin and sold to scrap dealer.
j_h_smith
Ultimate Member
- Jul 28, 2007
- 28,516
I'd have problem letting them have it........
ken792
Ultimate Member
They can't resell the steel cases for nearly as much as the brass ones.
NRA allows bimetal jacketed ammo, just no steel core ammo to include M855.
Machine Gun Nest is the one indoor range I know of that allows steel case ammo.
Yes, they know the difference between steel CASE and steel BULLETS
NRA allows bimetal jacketed ammo, just no steel core ammo to include M855.
- Apr 25, 2017
- 1,645
What the hell does anyone "NEED" 2000 rounds of ammunition for ???
I too am concerned for your safety j_h_. PM me your address and I'll stop by asap to pick up that ammo and dispose of it properly
Magnumite
Ultimate Member
Winchester doesn't use bimetal jackets in their ammo.
Only issues I have had with nonbrass cased ammo is difficult feeding top rounds when the mag lips haven't been stoned and smoothed.
American steel and aluminum cased ammo shoots no dirtier than identical brass case ammo in my experience.
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jimbobborg
Oddball caliber fan
I've run about 600 rounds of Winchester steel cased ammunition through a couple of my firearms. It's noisy, dirty, and doesn't burn 100% of the powder in all rounds. I've found unburnt powder in the action of my pistol after shooting this ammunition. It works, but I don't enjoy shooting it.
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