Metal casing ammo?
Hi everyone, i just bought a Sig m400, been looking to buy ammo for, it I cheked on line and there is alot of talk, that metal casing ammo is bad, for the gun , and some people said that it nothing wrong with it. Like to know what the experts think. thank you[:D]
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I have some speer plastic cases but they only use plastic bullets. I load most all my own ammo so it's brass cases. Sometimes steel cases are hard on extractors, you should have a spare on hand. 0 -
Ok, I'll bite. Other than the occasional experiment with plastic or other non-metallic cases, what other option is there? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by jonk
Ok, I'll bite. Other than the occasional experiment with plastic or other non-metallic cases, what other option is there?
caseless0 -
I think what the OP is asking about is steel cases vs brass. Am I right Cheo? 0 -
Yes you r right , i just want to know if it will mess up my rifel? 0 -
cheo
I don't shoot any steel cased ammo so my opinion is worth only what I charge for it. Nothing. But, there are millions of steel cased rounds fired in thousands of rifles and handguns all around the world each year. They can't be too bad. The only bad things I've heard about them is that they sometimes will break extractors in some weapons (what charlie said) and that they are a PITA to reload if you've a mind to do that.
A bigger concern would be if it's corrosive primed. That would depend on the brand name and where it was made. But, that applies to brass cased ammunition too.
Ray0 -
ive shot and still shoot many thousands of rds of steel cased ammo in my machineguns rifles and pistols. not ever a single problem with the guns or ammo. never broke an extractor. worse case senario, it wont run good in your gun. in that case, dont use it. 0 -
In a nutshell, the only real issue with steel case ammo is that it can be more "sticky" than brass cased, making extraction of spent cases a bit more difficult for your gun. That in turn, can decrease reliability in guns not designed to run steel case ammo, and in some cases with some guns, premature extractor failure.
Here are my thoughts on this from prior posts:
quote:http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=570914
This topic comes up again and again and again (just do a search).
The steel cases themselves are made of inexpensive soft steel. They don't wear out gun chambers, which are made of high grade hardened steel.
The problem is that steel isn't as elastic as brass. When you fire a brass case, the case heats up and the brass expands. . .sealing the cartridge neck. . .and then afterwards contracts, allowing easy extraction.
With steel cases, the round expands less than the brass so you don't get as good a seal, allowing chamber dirt to sneak in around the case neck. Then the round doesn't contract as much, making extraction more difficult. Brass is more "slippery" than steel, again, easing extraction.
Put more simply, for a variety of reasons steel cased ammo is a lot more "sticky" than brass, and this can lead to difficulty in extraction in AR pattern guns, or semi-auto handguns that run straight-wall design cartridges.
If you look at the Russian/Commie bloc cartridges DESIGNED to be made out of steel, like the AK-47 7.62x39 or the Mosin Nagant 7.62x54R, both those rounds use cone-shaped cases specifically designed to make extraction easy.
It can be particularly problematic firing ordinary brass cartridges AFTER steel ones, because of the chamber dirt issues. People used to attribute this to lacquer buildup in the chamber from coatings on the steel cases, but I think that's only a small part of the picture.
Bottom line is, no, steel cases won't "ruin" your gun, but increased effort to pull out spent cases can cause extractors to fail prematurely, and they can cause increased numbers of jams (including difficult to quickly correct ones with cartridges lodged tight in chambers).
I'd say these are OK for practice *IF* you're willing to scrub your chambers and/or replace extractors more frequently. If you shoot a lot, and can't reload to save costs, that may be a viable option.
To the extent possible, I'd avoid the steel stuff for any "serious" application, with the exception of the Commie Bloc guns designed to run this type of ammo.
Personally, unless I have no choice, I will not run steel case ammo through any of my handguns or non-Commie bloc pattern rifles. For me, the few cents a round savings in ammo cost isn't worth the worry or possible hassle.
quote:http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=354008
VERY good article on this issue here:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu18.htm
Apparently its NOT the steel from the cases that breaks the extractors.
The cases are made from a mild steel that is still softer than the extractors.
What happens is that the steel cases don't make as good a seal with the chamber, and you get more dirt in the chambers. With steel being less "springy" than brass, the steel cases may not return to size quite as well as the brass ones after firing. The lacquer probably isn't a big factor, but it doesn't help either.
All these things mean that the steel cases tend to stick more in the chambers, causing the extractor to work harder in removing the cases.
More work = more wear and tear = more broken extractors.
As already mentioned, though, extractors are relatively cheap, so its a tradeoff that way. If you shoot a lot, you're still going to spend less having to swap out extractors every once in a while. I wouldn't take the chance on a gun I was relying my life on (eg a combat gun), but for a plinker/trainer I don't see this as a big deal.
Also, if you clean the chamber well every time you shoot, that should help reduce the problem.0 -
This is one of the numerous "Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge" or ".270 vs .280 vs .30-06" debates that you'll see on firearm related internet websites. A million opinions = a million answers. Here is mine:
Personlly, I've shot thousands of brass and thousands of steel cased ammo through AR and Mini style guns. My primary beef with Russian-made steel cased ammo is hard primers making Mini-14/Mini-30 guns less than 100% reliable because their steel-hard primers make for light primer strikes. Wolff high-power hammer springs have made this less of an issue for me now.
My Colt Match Target (AR) upper HATES all steel cased ammo, no matter who makes it. It just will not work in that tight chamber. I always upgrade my extractor springs with a new spring and "donut", so I have not had issues with extraction of steel or brass (except for the mentioned Colt).
If the cost of factory ammo is a major issue, steel is usually a good deal cheaper than brass ammo. If you reload, DO NOT reload steel cased ammo. Brass is the way to go.
I have yet to find foreign steel-cased ammo that is as accurate (in my guns) as good US made brass stuff. I would also not use the cheap stuff for hunting anything either. If these items are a major concern; stick with good quality brass stuff. For banging about, el cheapo steel is just fine.
All I can say is try whatever type ammo (Seel cased or brass) tickles your fancy in your gun(s), and see what it (they) like(s).0
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