Is steel case ammo bad for guns?

[KyJim]

I don't shoot steel cased ammo much. I have read reports that at least some brands of steel cased ammo may have caused increased erosion of the breech face in some guns due to primer flow. Ed Brown has reportedly said as much in warning against steel-cased ammo in his pistols.

[locnload]

I took a three day class with John Farnam last summer, and most of the 556 ammo I took for my AR was steel cased. I did make it through 600 - 700 rounds with my low dollar M&P Sport AR15 without a hiccup, but John said that for some reason steel case cartridges have a tendency to break extractors in ARs. Not wanting to push my luck, I will buy brass cased ammo next time, and take along a spare extractor as well.

[dajowi]

When a gun company like Springfield Armory tells me that I shouldn't shoot steel cased ammo in the firearm I've purchased from them...I listen. I don't reload steel cases so I shoot brass. Now revolvers are a different story. I'd shoot steel cased ammo all day without concern.

[dogtown tom]

dajowi When a gun company like Springfield Armory tells me that I shouldn't shoot steel cased ammo in the firearm I've purchased from them...I listen....

Where did you read that?
None of the Springfield Armory Owners Manuals say anything of the sort.


http://www.springfield-armory.com/customer-service/faq/

What ammunition should I use in my Springfield firearm?
Never use reloaded, remanufactured, or handloaded ammunition. Ammunition that does not meet SAAMI, CIP or NATO standards could cause death, serious personal injury, or property damage. Only use high quality commercially manufactured ammunition in the same caliber as your pistol. (Note: Use of reloaded, remanufactured, or handloaded ammunition may void the warranty.)

[dajowi]

You are absolutely correct, I see nothing in my manual that states anything about steel cased ammo. I made a verbal inquiry regarding steel cased ammo to a person I talked to at the Springfield Custom Shop. He said that I shouldn't shoot steel cased ammo in my new gun. I have no problem with this.

[Damon555]

I'm not sure.....have never shot one single round of steel cased ammo.....that should tell you something.....besides, the price difference is negligible anyway, especially if you want to reload the cases....which I do.

[5whiskey]

The Soviets and Communist Bloc have used steel cased ammo for decades WITH NO PROBLEM. Are Commie gun designers better? After all their guns run with any ammo.

The taper of the round usually found in com-bloc calibers aid in the reliable extraction of steel cased ammo quite a bit. An AK extractor is also a good bit beafier than an AR one. So it's not just the rifle... it's also the ammo design. A 7.62x39 AR will likely extract about as reliably as an AK.


At any rate, as many have said the steel jacket isn't really the issue. It's the bi-metal jacket. Even then, you will have saved enough money to pay for a rebarrel job by the time you wear out the barrel. FWIW, I choose not to shoot steel. I can reload much better ammo for much less money.

[dogtown tom]

Damon555 I'm not sure.....have never shot one single round of steel cased ammo.....that should tell you something.....

It only tells me you have zero experience with steel cased ammunition.

5whiskey......At any rate, as many have said the steel jacket isn't really the issue. It's the bi-metal jacket.

No, the steel case (not a jacket) DOES cause more carbon buildup in the chamber than does a brass case. This is well known issue. If you know how to clean your guns its not really that big of a deal.

[Targa]

I will keep running the steel stuff through my Saiga, thats why I bought it. I only shoot a couple hundred rounds through it a year, I don't think I will wear it out....
Wow, just looked at my round count and I have only thrown 280 rounds through it since I bought it NIB two years ago...thats just sad....

[Texas45]

Originally Posted by 5whiskey

The taper of the round usually found in com-bloc calibers aid in the reliable extraction of steel cased ammo quite a bit. An AK extractor is also a good bit beafier than an AR one. So it's not just the rifle... it's also the ammo design. A 7.62x39 AR will likely extract about as reliably as an AK.

My 7.62x39 Windham has not failed to extract a single casing so far.
Have about 500 rds through it so far.
ALL STEEL CASE BTW.

Shoots quarter size groups at 100yds with ease as well





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[5whiskey]

No, the steel case (not a jacket) DOES cause more carbon buildup in the chamber than does a brass case. This is well known issue. If you know how to clean your guns its not really that big of a deal

I understand this and I agree with you, but this doesn't shorten the life of the rifle. At worst it could lead to reliability failures as the chamber gets dirty. As you said, proper cleaning makes it no big deal. Hence why I don't consider it a major "issue."

[kilimanjaro]

I'll run steel and lacquer cases through an SKS or Mosin, they're cheap enough that I won't be too bothered with chamber wear, if it occurs.

My main problem with steel case ammo is it's a one-shot deal. I prefer to reload brass cases and get some use out of the most expensive part of the cartridge.

Making and shipping 100 brass cases uses a lot less energy than making and shipping 1000 steel-case rounds, makes sense to me.

[GCbroker]

I'm no fan of steel cased rounds either. I'll stick with the few extra bucks and keep my sanity. I'm way to fussy to be using that stuff. I'm also a re loader.
I can produce a great 5.56 round for about .20 cents each at least 5 times.

[4V50 Gary]

Try not to buy steel. Remember some are laquered coated and this builds up in your chamber. Joy, joy, joy.

[dogtown tom]

4V50 Gary Try not to buy steel. Remember some are laquered coated and this builds up in your chamber. Joy, joy, joy.

Absolute nonsense.
Did you not read the entire thread?

[Targa]

I am by no means a steel cased ammo expert, well I guess we all are in some ways with the Internet at our finger tips, but I have yet to see any proof that the lacquer finish burns off causing any kinds of problems.

[mr bolo]

I only shoot steel cased ammo out of my sks, Tokarev pistol, Makarov pistol, and my Mosin NaGant M44

the bi-metal bullet is my main concern, but most combloc guns have a chrome lined bore, except the Mosin Nagant rifle.

I just hope the bi metal jackets dont wear my barrels prematurely.

[FrankenMauser]

Is steel-cased ammo bad?
That's up for debate (as is going on here), but I really don't think it's "bad".


In my own firearms, though...
I haven't fired a round of steel-cased ammunition in about nine years.
I don't like it. It causes more malfunctions and has more case failures than brass-cased ammo (in my experience). And it isn't reloadable.

Why waste my time, if I don't like it?



There's an old saying, something like:
"He who buys steel is cheap and likes to deal. But he who buys brass is not one to smell his own ..."

I may have made that last part up.

[cc-hangfire]

Three sure-fire subjects to get gun folks excited:
1. 9mm vs. .45acp
2. keeping a firearm in a vehicle
3. brass vs. steel case

It's always entertaining to read! Opinions are like elbows - everybody has a couple.

IMHO: Some firearms are expensive, rare, or both. Treat them with care & shoot high quality brass cased ammo.

The rest of them are tools, either for serious use (defense, etc) or recreation (hunting, competition, etc). Use them, wear parts out, repair & replace those parts & move on. Shoot whatever is safe, and whatever is appropriate for your purpose and your budget.

There is no one right answer that fits all situations.

[Double Naught Spy]

Back in the olden days around 2002 when I was shooting 1000-1500 rounds a month with a group of guys during weekly shooting sessions, this issue came up - the horrors of using steel cased ammo in pistols.

So one guy said he would test the steel cased ammo in his gun. He used nasty, stinky lacquered Wolf ammo. It stank. He got some red lacquer build-up around the extractor that would sometimes cause him a problem if he didn't clean his gun after 2 or 3 range sessions.

Did it ruin his gun? Well, no. In fact, after about nine months, he bought a brand new gun with the savings. So he then had a range gun to continue "abusing" with steel cased ammo and a brand new version to serve has his carry gun. He did give up on the Wolf a few months later and went into reloading.

While I could not deal with the smell of Wolf myself, but I switched over to Blazer (aluminum) after that and also saved at LOT over brassed ammo. I wore out the rifling on two barrels with Blazer, not the chambers, but the rifling from high round counts.

[Aspect]

I've found steel case ammo useful in the HK91. Not only does it throw cases into the next county, when you do find them the cases are absolutely trashed.