Steel cased in M1 carbine?

echo6mike · May 14, 2020

Okay, opinion time - steel ammo for my carbine, should I or shouldn't I?

I've only shot brass through it so far, but prices - yeah. So, are there any differences if I get, say, Tula vs Aquila or old surplus stuff? Accuracy, reliability, cleaning, etc.

Discussion begin!

SKIP · May 14, 2020

I have heard steel is hard on extractors.
I reload GI and Aquila brass but I have had a failure using brass but then again I shoot my .30 M1 way too much.

Dan44 · May 14, 2020

Got a can coming Fri. $20 shipping $395 a can
https://www.dansammo.com/images/inv/AS30001.htm

Jimbob2.0 · May 14, 2020

I occasionally run steel case, it takes a lot to wear an extractor if its even measurable at all. Wouldnt run it though my most expensive, rare Carbine but wouldnt worry about the shooter grade stuff.

JTH20 · May 14, 2020

Dan44 said:
Got a can coming Fri. $20 shipping $395 a can
https://www.dansammo.com/images/inv/AS30001.htm

Good stuff and good seller. Got my can in 2 days from him.

IJM · May 15, 2020

SKIP said:
I have heard steel is hard on extractors.
I reload GI and Aquila brass but I have had a failure using brass but then again I shoot my .30 M1 way too much.

It also tends to shoot dirty since the case doesn't expand much to seal the chamber.

lazarus · May 17, 2020

I don’t shoot it a ton, but I got about 400 rnds with my carbine. Down to maybe 150. I got another 100 rounds on an order because it was still dirt cheap the other day.

Anyway, I get more failures with it. With new mags, failures with brass cases ammo are rare. I think I’ve had 2 in 400-500 rounds. With steel, it tends to be about 1 in 40 or so. Generally failure to feed. I suspect it’s from a bit more friction on the case feeding out of the magazine combined with a lighter charge. POI is about 3” lower at 100yds than with PPU, IMI and Korean surplus (all which seem to shoot to the same POI give or take an inch).

Topher · May 17, 2020

Stick with quality ammo and save yourself the headaches of the dirt, poor accuracy, and wear and tear on the gun.

Stock pile brass ammo when it is cheap or learn to reload.

echo6mike · May 17, 2020

Good feedback, confirms that I’ll just stick with brass. A bit more expensive, but worth it. Some day I’ll start reloading, so I can save up my cases.

Echo6mike, going mobile...

PowPow · May 17, 2020

^ Wisdom

Jimbob2.0 · May 17, 2020

JTH20 said:
Good stuff and good seller. Got my can in 2 days from him.

Thats actually a pretty good deal.

Doctor_M · May 17, 2020

I have some steel ammo but don't shoot it much... mostly keep in the just in case stockpile.

Doco Overboard · May 17, 2020

Was shooting steel cased 30 C in a pistol a couple weeks ago with a guy at the club. Had to knock the cases out of the cylinder manually to reload probably because of spring back. It was just worth burning it up to see what it would it do.
It was armi sport or accurate brand, AMI or something or another black and yellow/white box. Fun to shoot at a distant gong till it was gone but not worth it for wear I think.

JTH20 · May 17, 2020

Jimbob2.0 said:
Thats actually a pretty good deal.

Trying to convince myself not to buy another case.

Doctor_M · May 18, 2020

JTH20 said:
Good stuff and good seller. Got my can in 2 days from him.

Sigh... enablers. I just put an order in too. :lol2:

Drmsparks · May 18, 2020

I am not a gunsmith, just well read on the firearms I shoot alot. This is what I have run across from the M1 carbine guys at the cmp forum....

Steel Ammo has a lacquered case.

The lacquer builds up in the chamber.

M1 Carbine headspaces on the case mouth.

Too much steel case, gun fires out of battery and goes kaboom.

There are many threads on the CMP forum showing the results.

Stick to brass ammo.

calicojack · May 18, 2020

Drmsparks said:
I am not a gunsmith, just well read on the firearms I shoot alot. This is what I have run across from the M1 carbine guys at the cmp forum....

Steel Ammo has a lacquered case.

The lacquer builds up in the chamber.

M1 Carbine headspaces on the case mouth.

Too much steel case, gun fires out of battery and goes kaboom.

There are many threads on the CMP forum showing the results.

Stick to brass ammo.

Thanks for that!

lazarus · May 19, 2020

Drmsparks said:
I am not a gunsmith, just well read on the firearms I shoot alot. This is what I have run across from the M1 carbine guys at the cmp forum....

Steel Ammo has a lacquered case.

The lacquer builds up in the chamber.

M1 Carbine headspaces on the case mouth.

Too much steel case, gun fires out of battery and goes kaboom.

There are many threads on the CMP forum showing the results.

Stick to brass ammo.

Or use a chamber brush occasionally.

BayouBengal · May 19, 2020

I heard the stories about the lacquer from the steel cases causing issues in the carbines some years back and have been shooting brass cased only since.
My carbine is an import from Israel that was a re-arsenaled Inland post WWII so it's definitely got "personality". Even though it's not a looker, it's by far my favorite C&R so I tend to baby it a little.

echo6mike · May 21, 2020

In case anyone is debating buying from Dansammo, just do it.

I put in an order that didn't seem to work, nothing charged my card, looked weird. Waited a couple days to make sure it wasn't just lost in the email or something before I went to re-order. Emailed Dan to make sure I wouldn't double up and spend that much $$ and had a reply within 30 minutes saying "yeah, we see your order, looks like it timed out but would you like me to process it manually?"

He did, shipped it that day, and I just got a nice big can of carbine food today.

Excellent customer service, two thumbs up.

Steel cased in M1 carbine?

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