# Steel casing ammo, what's your thoughts?



## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

At 3.99/box of 20, in .233 seems like a deal. However, I've heard that these are not reloadable. 
I've also been there is alot of FTE using them. Is this also true? 
What is your experience with them? 
I wouldn't mind loading up on the steel .223, but rather not if there will be a lot of headaches associated with using them.


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

What are you shooting? Assuming an AR, Ive only had two ARs but mostly shot steel cased with no ammo related issues. Now it isnt reloadable and it is really dirty due to the laquor the Russians use. It also isnt the most acccurate as it isnt the most consistent but for plinking and practical shooting its just fine.


----------



## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Steel ??*

223(5.56X45) steel cased ammo ---> I do not know of a battle rifle that was designed to shoot the 223 steel. With the 7.62X39 guns they are designed for steel. My thought is that the AR's,Mini's,bolt guns,single shots,chambered in 223 are all designed to shoot brass cased ammo. 

So the question is....what does that steel rim do to your extractor and ejector plunger ?? Also,if grit gets between the case and the chamber wall with a brass case it will leave tiny "dents" in the brass. What if the case is steel ?? Will it harm your chamber ?? What is the laquor doing to your gass ports ?? Something to ponder fer shur. 

Personally,I never use steel 223 in any of my guns. --- SAWMAN
P.S. I have some 5.56 ammo that is BRASS cased that I will sell you for $4.25 per box of 20.


----------



## PompNewbie (Oct 1, 2007)

Head on over to AR15 forum and read the ammo faq.. should answer all your questions.. and then some
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_16/503947_AR15_Ammo_Forum_FAQ.html


----------



## scubapro (Nov 27, 2010)

Very simple for me -- commie (steel case) ammo for commie guns, all others use brass.


----------



## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

JD7.62 said:


> What are you shooting? Assuming an AR, Ive only had two ARs but mostly shot steel cased with no ammo related issues. Now it isnt reloadable and it is really dirty due to the laquor the Russians use. It also isnt the most acccurate as it isnt the most consistent but for plinking and practical shooting its just fine.


*Is the wolf syuff or grey case the " Steel " you guys are tlaking about cause I heard you can't reload them thats why the were so cheap. I shot them for a while but like the other guy said they are dirty with all the coating on them. They are cheap though so I gues it depends on your budget. I only use brass now even in 7.62x39 because of the cleaning issue.*


----------



## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*For Those.....*

......not wanting to shoot steel,some of that Golden Bear stuff(7.62X39) is brass OVER steel. I shoot it in my Mini30 but would not use it in a better bolt gun.

Any of that stuff that is not brass colored is steel. The green cases and the gray both. All the steel that I know of is Berdan primed not(normally) reloadable.--- SAWMAN


----------



## HisName (Nov 29, 2009)

the steel 9mm gouged the feed ramp on a handgun I have. I will not buy it.

It is very hard on the extractor .


----------



## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

SAWMAN said:


> So the question is....what does that steel rim do to your extractor and ejector plunger ?? Also,if grit gets between the case and the chamber wall with a brass case it will leave tiny "dents" in the brass. What if the case is steel ?? Will it harm your chamber ?? What is the laquor doing to your gass ports ??


 
Yes, these kinda questions. Yes, JD7.62, I was refering for use in the AR15. 
I've not used them or have used them. Just wanted to make sure what I was being told the truth, or getting smoke blown....... 

Okay, then, I will not be buying these for sure.:no:


----------



## earnhardt3rulz (Apr 25, 2011)

I was at the range one day and a newb had a brand new AR with steel ammo. I gave him my advice not to use it but he did anyway. After about 4 rounds he comes over to me and asks why his AR wont cycle. There in the breech end of the barrel is a broken shell, stuck like you wouldn't believe...the rim had been ripped off by the extractor. No more steel ammo for him!


----------



## Cola Boy (Mar 26, 2011)

They are not reload-able because the metal they are made of is too brittle to be shot, flared, and crimped more than once without creating weak points in the case, not as forgiving as brass. I have put over 1000 rds of steel case thru my Romanian K, and have never experienced any FTE's, FTF's, squibs, nothing. Accuracy...meh? If you are really that worried about the accuracy of your bullet you should be shooting a bolt action. For us "commie" shooters it is nice cheap and reliable, but for you more fosisticated AR shooters, the weaker steel case and lacquered finish may cause some problems mechanically and cosmetically for your platform. 

When you shoot lacquered bullets, if your barrel gets hot the shells start leaving a goo in the chamber, which when cool doesn't allow for proper shell insertion, due to the extremely tight tolerances on the AR platform, no prob on commie guns. Olympic Arms has a strict NO STEEL OR LACQUERED AMMO warning on all of their AR platforms if that tells you anything.


----------



## Gravity3694 (May 10, 2011)

I have no qualms about shooting steel ammo. My only complain about them is that they are all for the most part underpowered. Tula ammo is by far the most notorious. They will barely cycle a carbine length gas system with a carbine buffer and a generous gas port.

My AR-15s mostly eat M193 since mine have tight ports and longer length gas systems. Even some brass ammo is too weak for my AR-15s.

By the way I haven't seen lacquered coated steel ammo in several years. I believe Wolf stopped making them after all of the complaints and went to a polymer coat. I'm not sure, but Brown Bear may still use lacquer. Either way I have no problem with lacquer. It's only a problem when you shoot lacquer then switch to brass without cleaning out the lacquer. Your brass case will become glued in the chamber.


----------



## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

Wow, that bad, eh!! That's enough for me not to buy/use any. Thanks


----------



## barebones1 (Nov 24, 2009)

I shot some out of my mini14 target, the first 10 rounds were ok but the 11 th round stuck in the chamber, real lucky i have an ajustable gas block and had it tuned low so no extractor damage. after plunging it out with a cleaning rod and inspecting the barrel, the coating had come off the rounds and acted like glue fouling the chamber. Never again !


----------



## ruger1 (Jan 2, 2011)

I have been reading up on this all over the web and it seems split down the middle some have no problem others do, does any one have a Smith&Wesson M&P ar 15 that has had this problem, with either lacquer coat or the other polymer?


----------



## Gravity3694 (May 10, 2011)

ruger1 said:


> I have been reading up on this all over the web and it seems split down the middle some have no problem others do, does any one have a Smith&Wesson M&P ar 15 that has had this problem, with either lacquer coat or the other polymer?


I have an M&P 15 and initially Wolf polymer would not feed since the gas port was too tight. Now it will feed them since my port has eroded a bit though all the rounds I put though it. Lacquer coat had the same experience.


----------



## ruger1 (Jan 2, 2011)

So after a good break in you dont have any problems at all with polymer or lacquer? or just switching from the lacquer to brass?


----------



## FowlHunter13 (Jan 11, 2011)

I have been shooting steel cased ammo in my AR for a long while now with no issues whatsoever. I did have a Mini-14 that would not hit the primer hard enough to set the steel stuff off but could put it in my AR and went "Bang" every time. Watch out for the laquered stuff as JD7.62 mentioned though. It will dirty the action up a little more than normal, but still good stuff to plink with.


----------



## ruger1 (Jan 2, 2011)

Thanks for the info i dont want to buy any ammo that wont work,but do want to get some of the cheap stuff to play with. And steel is as cheap as you can get.


----------



## FowlHunter13 (Jan 11, 2011)

Academy sells a brand called Monarch that comes in both steel and brass that I have actually had good luck with so far for messing around with. It is not the most accurate stuff in the world, but good for burning rounds. Also, I just got an email this morning from Cheaper Than Dirt and they have American Eagle .223 ammo on sale for $6.19 per 20 rounds. Item number AMM-2031. You will have to pay shipping on top of that, but still not a bad price.


----------



## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

barebones1 said:


> I shot some out of my mini14 target, the first 10 rounds were ok but the 11 th round stuck in the chamber, real lucky i have an ajustable gas block and had it tuned low so no extractor damage. after plunging it out with a cleaning rod and inspecting the barrel, the coating had come off the rounds and acted like glue fouling the chamber. Never again !


I shoot Silver bear and Golden bear out of my Mini-30 with no problems .

I don't shoot any coated rounds out of my Mini .


----------



## Gravity3694 (May 10, 2011)

ruger1 said:


> So after a good break in you dont have any problems at all with polymer or lacquer? or just switching from the lacquer to brass?


I mean I don't have any short stroking issues. A lot of steel cased ammo is underpowered because they try to make it as cheap as possible.


----------



## skullworks (Oct 2, 2007)

Bushmaster at one time would void the warranty on their rifles if you shot Wolf LACQUER coated ammo. The warranty is still good if you shoot Wolf POLYMER coated. I have shot a lot of the lacquer coated through my AR without a problem. Generally all ComBloc ammo is dirtier than USA made.


----------



## Suprman (Jul 11, 2011)

SAWMAN said:


> 223(5.56X45) steel cased ammo ---> I do not know of a battle rifle that was designed to shoot the 223 steel. With the 7.62X39 guns they are designed for steel. My thought is that the AR's,Mini's,bolt guns,single shots,chambered in 223 are all designed to shoot brass cased ammo.
> 
> So the question is....what does that steel rim do to your extractor and ejector plunger ?? Also,if grit gets between the case and the chamber wall with a brass case it will leave tiny "dents" in the brass. What if the case is steel ?? Will it harm your chamber ?? What is the laquor doing to your gass ports ?? Something to ponder fer shur.
> 
> ...



I agree, never used steel cased ammo. 

btw PM about the $4.25 brass 5.56 if you want to get rid of some!


----------

