Steel cased and-or jacketed ammo

[555JM 10]

Been thinking about picking up some steel cased Wolf ammo for my two Mini-14s and my 9mm and 45ACP handguns. I understand that Wolf ammo is steel cased and some of the bullets are steel jacketed. This doesn't bother me for the Saiga as its barrel has a chrome-plated bore and chrome is harder than steel...the AK family was designed to shoot steel ammo. But what about American rifles and handguns designed to shoot brass cased ammo? These have plain steel or stainless steel bores & chambers that may not be much harder than the steel used in the ammo.

 

Will there be unusual wear of chamber or bore in unchromed barrels? I've heard that most stainless steels are a bit softer than the chrome-moly used in blued steel barrels. Should steel ammo be kept away from stainless barrels?

 

Wolf makes a point of saying their cartridges are coated with some kind of polymer. Is this done to protect steel chambers? What about the bullets? Is the steel plated with a softer metal to protect the bore?

 

Can anyone with extensive experience shooting steel ammo in unplated bores report on what they've seen? Are there any particular sources of steel ammo that should definitely be avoided in guns designed for brass cased ammo?

 

Thanks.

Bob

Edited April 26, 2009 by 555JM

[nalioth 405]

I"m not sure why this myth won't go away.

 

The steel alloys used in communist cartridge components is about the same softness as the metals they replace.

 

None of them will harm any quality firearm.

 

 

 

Of course, if you buy cheap parts for your guns (mostly AR15s), those parts will wear, no matter if you use traditional or steel based ammo.

 

 

The polymer/lacquer coating is to prevent rust on the cartridge.

Edited April 26, 2009 by nalioth

[saigafan12345 21]

Here's a question I'm dying for an answer to...why does my local range not allow steel cased ammo like wolf, etc.?

 

Are they picking up all the brass off the floor and selling it to reloaders but don't feel like sorting out the wolf cases?

[nalioth 405]

Here's a question I'm dying for an answer to...why does my local range not allow steel cased ammo like wolf, etc.?

 

Are they picking up all the brass off the floor and selling it to reloaders but don't feel like sorting out the wolf cases?

 

Two reasons:

 

1) As you say, Mammon is telling them "NO, don't let them do it."

 

2) Sparks are a concern on some ranges.

[saigafan12345 21]

Here's a question I'm dying for an answer to...why does my local range not allow steel cased ammo like wolf, etc.?

 

Are they picking up all the brass off the floor and selling it to reloaders but don't feel like sorting out the wolf cases?

 

Two reasons:

 

1) As you say, Mammon is telling them "NO, don't let them do it."

 

2) Sparks are a concern on some ranges.

 

Thank you.

 

Here's a good laugh too, they have a sign "NO MAIL ORDER AMMO" Every time I walk in they ask if I have ammo, I say no thanks I got some, where did you buy it? umm....Dick's Sporting Goods! yeah!

 

Try and prove my shit's mail order, you greedy fuckers.

[nalioth 405]

Here's a question I'm dying for an answer to...why does my local range not allow steel cased ammo like wolf, etc.?

 

Are they picking up all the brass off the floor and selling it to reloaders but don't feel like sorting out the wolf cases?

 

Two reasons:

 

1) As you say, Mammon is telling them "NO, don't let them do it."

 

2) Sparks are a concern on some ranges.

 

Thank you.

 

Here's a good laugh too, they have a sign "NO MAIL ORDER AMMO" Every time I walk in they ask if I have ammo, I say no thanks I got some, where did you buy it? umm....Dick's Sporting Goods! yeah!

 

Try and prove my shit's mail order, you greedy fuckers.

Anyway, those are valid reasons.

 

Some of the invalid ones are "HOLY COW - THAT STEEL AMMO WILL ZIP THROUGH OUR BACKSTOP LIKE A HOT KNIFE THROUGH BUTTER!!!!!!!" and "It's hard to separate out the brass from the steel cases at the end of the day." which is total BS, but then again, I guess some of 'em never heard of a magnet.

[saigafan12345 21]

LOL yeah

 

One time I almost got thrown out for looking at my father and, referring to my new gun, "this is fuckin sweet!"

[KySoldier 2]

Here's a question I'm dying for an answer to...why does my local range not allow steel cased ammo like wolf, etc.?

 

My outdoor range now has a sign that reads "NO ARMOR PIERCING AMMO." Its an outdoor range! They'd prefer we shoot lead into the hillside instead of steal? I haven't figured that one out yet.

[WardenWolf 6]

Technically, steel isn't AP ammo. If they don't define what AP ammo is or specifically say "no steel core", and they don't demand to check your ammo with a magnet, go ahead and shoot it. It's not armor piercing and you're not violating any posted rule unless they specifically say "no steel core". AP ammo does more than its fair share of damage to berms. They have valid reasons for not wanting it. They really don't want to have to close the range and get a bulldozer out there sooner.

 

I know there's some ranges that actually go so far as to ban entire CALIBERS of weapons. And we're not talking .50 BMG here. We're talking 7.62x54R and all the other Soviet calibers. Totally ignoring the fact that you can get commercial lead ammo for it, they ban the entire caliber with no justification. It's absolutely retarded. Although I do think it has to do with politics. Some crowds don't like Commie guns, black rifles, etc.

Edited April 27, 2009 by Mike the Wolf

[bobotech 3]

Thank you.

 

Here's a good laugh too, they have a sign "NO MAIL ORDER AMMO" Every time I walk in they ask if I have ammo, I say no thanks I got some, where did you buy it? umm....Dick's Sporting Goods! yeah!

 

Try and prove my shit's mail order, you greedy fuckers.

WTF?

 

NO mail order ammo? What in the wide world of fucking sports is that all about?