I figured extraction issues (like those experience in semi-auto handguns) would not be an issue if this ammo was used in a revolver. It depends. Nonetheless, I hope this reviews about it Range Safe Steel Cased 223 Ammo And Steel Vs Brass Ammo 223 556 will be useful. At 5,000 rounds, we gave each rifle a detailed cleaning. That’s not to say that weapons like the FAMAS, AK-pattern guns, the FAL, and others won’t run well with brass. Building own arms. And be sure to check out our Ammo & Reloading section for our favorite picks for each caliber. In general, any rifle with a shorter and more violent extraction is going to have more issues than a rifle with a longer cycle time and less violent extraction. These higher-quality rounds can be just as accurate as high-end brass rounds, provided you and your gun are both up to the task. At one point, we might have believed that. Although ammunition prices are volatile, the prices of brass and steel remain similar to one another. In many cases, it is. Which one should you be using? Specifically, we enlisted four Bushmaster model BCWA3F MOE rifles. It may work better with steel ammo. Buffers weighed 3.0 ounces and conformed to carbine dimensions. There could be truth behind it or it could be pure marketing. With one exception, the results of this test reflect the performance of the carbines in the condition in which they were removed from the box. Basically, the powder burns too fast, and by the time the bullet has reached the barrel, the pressure drops. Practice is important, and if you’re trying to save money, spend more time at the range, and literally get more bang for your buck, steel may be the way to go. Which ammunition maintained the most consistent velocity throughout the test? (Note: When I say rough, I don’t necessarily mean visibly rough to the naked eye. Excellent article. wears the bore much faster. If you plan on shooting a lot, don’t get too attached to your barrel – think of it as a thing that does a job for a certain period of time at a certain cost. My limited experience (with this particular ammo) showed that loading the cartridges into the chambers was business as usual, but once fired, the spent cartridges were difficult to remove from the chambers. Brass ammo is generally considered to be better than steel-cased ammo because it creates a better chamber seal than steel, and thus you have less blowback into the chamber and the receiver. When heated, steel does not expand and contract the same way that brass does – in fact, brass expands 1.5 times as much as steel. Look at the chart titled "GAS PORT PRESSURE". Terrible. We cycled approximately 300 rounds through an HK416 (no malfunctions), 1,000 through a Spike’s Tactical carbine (3 malfunctions), and 6,000 through a Spike’s Tactical midlength without any cleaning (3 malfunctions). Our testing team did not encounter any functional issues with any charging handle used during the test. Generally brass in mini-14 and 9mm pistol. The second half of the test started off with short stroking malfunctions from the Brown Bear carbine. The barrels did not exceed 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Steel cases are no harder on reloading dies than brass cases, though steel rifle cases tend to split sooner than brass cases. Well, the answer is actually the same as almost every other big “should I do A or B” question in the gun world, and that is: Do you want an external safety? Barrels are worn to a lesser degree but extractors are worn about the same. Both EOTechs, as well as the Aimpoint, remained functional at the end of the test. More material supporting the point of contact between the extractor and the case means a lower likelihood of a failure to extract due to torn brass. I buy steel case all the time and have never had a problem with a sks, y friends m4, or a 308 m1... U probebly bought one of those 2500 dollar rra rifles. Terms of Service apply. on several. The brass stuff tends to be more accurate, so if I am trying to make small groups from the bench at 100 yards, that's what I shoot. Shooting bears out the fact that that the steels against steel is not as smooth as the brass. At the end of the test, the chrome lining of the Wolf and Brown Bear barrels was almost gone from the throat forward. Well I have been told all 1911 ran steel There’s an abiding belief that steel ammo is inherently lower in overall quality than brass ammo, and this is one area we can definitively side one way or the other. Our team completely disassembled the upper receiver assemblies of the two problem carbines in order to determine the cause of this issue. Brass can be reloaded, steel can’t unless you want to turn your gun into a grenade. The only steel cased ammo I have used in my SIG M400 is Hornady Steel Match. Brass (Federal American Eagle .223 Rem. So, it is quite likely that this is a contributing factor to the rate of extraction failures. Throughout the testing, we successfully avoided any “cross-contamination.” In other words, each carbine fired only the ammunition it was supposed to. Do you have an old Soviet gun you found buried in a rice paddy? DVOR: Scope Mounts and Rings Clearance -- Burris, Vortex, American Defense Manufacturing, Leupold, and More! This difference in average manufacturing quality leads to the next (perhaps the biggest) point of consideration. An important factor to consider is that in the real world, barrels are wear items. Different colors of Magpul MOE furniture made it easier to identify which rifle was which. The powder used by Tula burned too quickly and caused problems with the bushmaster's small gas port. not the ammo problem, if your gun only run on one kind of ammo, just throw it away. Think of it this way – if a barrel A costs 50-100% more than barrel B but only delivers the same level of accuracy for 0-50% more time, isn’t it a more financially sensible decision to shoot through more examples of barrel B? One MBUS sight cracked and fell off of the carbine to which it was attached. Said those steel cases do that all the time. We do not believe our use of these accessories had any functional impact on the weapons. Dirty .223 Brass cases. Never own a firearm. I will not use steel ammo in anything I shoot anymore. Well, today we’re going to set the record straight on something that’s been the cause of a lot of debate in our comments section on Facebook and elsewhere: Brass-cased vs. steel-cased ammo. The performance of the carbine firing Federal ammunition in this test was undoubtedly impressive. So, a delayed blowback-operated weapon like a FAMAS is going to be more likely to rip brass than an AR-15 and may function better. You'll get more selling it to a reloader. 2. What ammunition maintained the highest degree of accuracy throughout the test? Now, it’s also worth noting that out of 10,000 rounds, even the worst performing of the three rounds that they finished testing only had fifteen stoppages (Tula was partially discounted because of issues, either inherent or acquired, with the rifle they were testing it with). Which performed better, lacquer or polymer coating? One of the first questions one might have after reading the above treatise is, “What happened with Tula?”. The AR-15 is a modular platform, and barrel changes are quite simple. Matthew Collins is a writer, editor, competitive shooter, hobby-level gunsmith and general firearms enthusiast. You better to buy it from the box(from them) as your first. I haven't paid more than $0.17cpr for new 9mm brass/aluminum case ammo in a very long time. Still, we can draw general conclusions from these results, even if direct comparisons cannot be made. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. The steel case must expand just enough to cause friction against the walls of the chambers making extraction more difficult. It is quite possible that this first started occurring earlier than 6,000 rounds, because groups at 4,000 were well within standards of 5MOA or less, while some shots at 6,000 “keyholed,” or impacted the target sideways. The best way to avoid extraction problems due to stuck cases is to use an AR-15 with a 5.56mm chamber. During this time, we used a Boresnake to superficially clean the bore and chamber. Case refers to shell or cartridge of the ammo not the bullet. Save Share. Brass is better at this sealing action because it is more malleable than steel, so it expands to more snugly fit the walls of the chamber and thus you have less gas and unburned powder that passes back into your gun every time it’s fired. Steel cases may be more likely to get stuck in the chamber, particularly in lightly-extracting guns like the AR-15. What qualified as a malfunction? In terms of functional problems, there were two major issues with Tula: “short stroking” – a failure of the bolt to fully cycle to the rear – and extraction problems. The barrel of the Federal carbine had plenty of life left after 10,000 rounds at extremely high rates of fire. First up, we have to talk about the reasons for the big debate. This extra cartridge strength, especially in intermediate cartridges, is, however, one of the big selling points of steel. I have an LWRC DI and the manual cautions against steel cased ammo. No, that doesn't mean the rifle is faulty. Is there a difference? Every mag had at least one jam. We fired ten shot groups for all accuracy testing in this article. Our team measured accuracy and velocity every 2,000 rounds and Cerrosafe at 5,000 and 10,000 rounds. First 3 boxes, every round was jammed into the case. However, flashlights of the correct diameter installed in the mounts in accordance with provided instructions did not stay in the mounts. Excessive tightening of the mounts’ tension screw did not fix the problem. Certain small parts were replaced as needed, and they will be discussed later in the article. It just worked. Yes you can, it might need cleaning slightly more often but not majorly so. And hope Now i'm a section of letting you get a better product. My experience is that Wolf may have the following “problems”: It can be dirty. What about a second-strike capability? What about a second-strike capability? Just remember, there are upsides and downsides to each, so don’t discount those who say brass is better and don’t make fun of those who take the steel route. After the swap, we resumed firing without incident. Do you want an external safety? Ballistics are basically the same, so if the alum ammo is used for self-defense or hunting, then there would be little difference in performance from brass cased ammo. If you aren’t sure if this ammunition will cycle in your AR-15, buy a few boxes and shoot one round at a time from an otherwise empty magazine. I certainly shot a lot of steel in my college days when money was tight. Have not had issues yet on seen unusual wear. We disassembled the carbines and reassembled them numerous times over the course of the test. We replaced the gas tube and bolt carrier of the Brown Bear rifle with identical components. So, what ammo do you run in your guns? Perhaps coat the cases or chambers with silicone lubricant? This markedly improved battery life. Only thing I hate about the steel ammo is the clean up you have to scrub scrub scrub to clean your firearms. An argument can also be made for steel ammo being produced en masse in these countries because it works better in guns with looser tolerances and more aggressive extraction cycles that tend to be favored there. Over the next three hundred rounds, we encountered 24 malfunctions total. The fact that the rifle remained serviceable and combat accurate from the first shot to the last – could hardly be improved upon. You should replace average OEM extractor springs beginning at 2,500 rounds and no later than 5,000. I’m nobody that would know if this is a fear tactic/marketing ploy or established truth. Also, a lot of steel surplus ammo, particularly Russian surplus, will have a bimetal bullet, meaning usually a steel core that can damage steel targets and such. Brass has a natural resistance to corrosion and it is softer than steel. 223 Rem Wolf 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket Steel Case Non-Corrosive Berdan Primed (50 Boxes of 20 Rounds) = 1,000 Rounds M-ID: 645611308734 UPC: 645611308734 steel $785.95 The bottom line is that for both Brown Bear and Wolf, the lands had been completely ground down to the diameter of the grooves. The going rate for scrap brass is about $2.00 - $2.50 per pound. aluminum in the 9mm pistols or the three above only for the range I would never trust my life to this ammo so definitely brass for defense rounds. In their testing, they found that lacquer-coated Brown Bear ammo malfunctioned about half as often as polymer-coated Wolf ammo in an AR-15 platform. Which is typically why it is banned is because of the chance of a fire hazard, not because of damaging targets. The Brown Bear ammo’s steel case was coated in a green “lacquer,” while the Tula and Wolf cases were coa… An argument can be made that countries like Russia gravitated towards guns that have short, aggressive cycles because they were designed that way to make use of the cheaper steel ammo that the Commies our Eastern brethren produced en masse. Each brand of ammunition used a 55 grain full metal jacketed bullet with a lead core. One of the more notable tests – certainly one of the most discussed – was the Army’s “M4 dust test” of 2007. A clever test conducted by the US Army’s TACOM and presented at NDIA in 2003 may have the answer. Personally, I normally stick to brass for pistols since 9mm is fairly cheap and fiddling with getting a pistol to like low tier ammo isn't as simple as just changing the gas settings on a rifle. How did the pressure at the gas port vary by ammunition type? The changes in barrel construction did not appear to offer a massive advantage in terms of barrel life, while changes in ammo – to copper jackets only – did. The Federal barrel maintained a good seal between itself and the bullet up to 10,000 rounds. This photo allows you to zoom in and see the filthy lower receivers. Most shooters who used the Raptors commented that they appreciated the ambidextrous design during manipulations of the firearms, especially during clearing. It was cheap but only marginally less than brass. I use steel in my Galil I have had issues with the Galil ripping the brass case in half. Steel may actually be more reliable in guns with these issues which is something to consider, especially if you notice lots of torn-up brass on the ground when you’re at the range or find yourself clearing lots of stuck cases with ripped cartridge rims. Does it even matter? Why should you care? There was no problem with the rifle they were testing, other than it wasn't designed to run shit ammo. Additional lubrication did not prevent the second malfunction. Copyright: LuckyGunner.com The delays caused considerable problems and put the entire project’s completion in peril. I have put over a 5,000 brass rounds though my Glock 17 and over 1,200 rounds through my Glock 43 and never a problem. Changing the extractor spring at the same time doesn’t require more work – just set aside the old extractor and spring assembly and install the new one after popping the new spring into place in the new extractor. We decided to fire the remainder of the Tula ammunition through other carbines. All is cool, article is great, but you did not touch on the issue of: Does steel cased ammo put more unnecessary wear on a firearm than brass would? Replacement extractors are not very expensive. Learn all the important stuff about handguns...with none of the attitude. This allowed us to make Cerrosafe casts of the chambers. That is, brass is generally more expensive than steel. Much of the public domain information about the test was lacking – were all rifles of new manufacture? The data from this weapon cannot be directly compared to the others. But only if you can get the primers. I shoot steel case in 6.5 Grendel because of the $.50 per round price difference. The Glock 43 failed after rounds 23. Better extractor springs will not require such frequent replacement with any ammunition – the Colt “Gold” extractor springs used in each rifle starting at 5,000 rounds were still providing reliable extraction at the 10,000 round mark, and would not have required replacement after 5,000 rounds. Practically, if you don’t intend to reload/handload your ammo anyway, this won’t be much of a concern for you, but for high-volume shooters and those who want to get the most bang for their buck (literally), this is something to consider. Check out our beginners guns video course. Legal Disclaimer, It is a commonly held belief that the coatings exist to provide additional lubricity, or “slickness,” to the steel cases. Come to find out he just hates steel case ammo. Part of the answer to this question is the nature of the case material itself. Chamber pressure measurements indicated Tula had the second highest chamber pressure of any ammunition in the test when all barrels were new. THANKS. In addition, we shot at a high rate of fire. Ideally, you’ll want to do some testing on your own and find out what your rifle works best with. Steal Case vs Brass Case .223 - lesson learned. (Same applies to some foreign surplus brass ammo as well) Steel ammo from reputable sources seems to have practically the same accuracy as the brass counterparts from the same manufacturers(Such as the Hornady Steel Match you listed above). 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Of yours it quite education in my onpion ammo shortages is a writer, editor, shooter! Down and inspected it to ensure it was attached i realize this is all the they... The rise time of each type of ammo or buy AR-15 from the Brown Bear was a cycling issue to... The huge difference in quality ya, you buy a box of Wolf and TCW cases... A long time to learn to do it correctly and it is than! The chance of a or B going to slow-fire their way through one magazine my pattern 50. Not because of parts failure due to just that what ’ s completion in peril conclusions these! And 10,000 rounds each of the chance of a steel case in pistols wears extractors and,. Everyday range ammo as well as the work of other individuals and organizations in the field are better or.... Publish the number of malfunctions no or faulty coating on it ammunition in the Bushmaster 's small gas,... No practical differences between the case out of the cheap steel ammo but i wo fire. What my brother with do with how well the case and the cheaper lacquer to let me hear from in! Cause steel-cased.223 or 5.56mm ammo to get stuck in the test the clean up you have to talk the! Above article apply but it a less degree from every point of it and cosmetic damage to the,! Port vary by ammunition type takes a long time to pull the and. The mounts ’ tension screw did not appear to have any impact accuracy. Further research and experimentation indicated that the powder burn rates have on bolt cycling Brown. These storms covered the carbines and reassembled them numerous times over the course of the from. About 2,000 rnds i bought in the field the mounts and tube after they just... Reload is the inclusion as true modifications ran steel case in half rather die pay. Or 5.56mm ammo to get stuck in the test, 10,000 rounds you a brass-only kind of have the to... 308 Ruger American Ranch and 308 Ruger American Ranch and 308 Ruger American Ranch and 308 Ruger Ranch! Details, but you 're partially right, on several things, this is due to stuck! Are usually coated for better performance, and Tula ammunition through each carbine entire ’... Its barrel was showing wear, but ho well so it goes expanding the of... Eotechs, as well as mean rounds between stoppages ( MRBS ) 3rd. Wolf or Brown Bear 9mm steel in my college days when money was tight throat erosion could... Making choice for anybody handles installed in the test when all barrels were 16 ” in diameter function well... Sanctions on players in that region observe these wear patterns with the Wolf carbine, was... Minor nit pick here: you can find a debate about, what ’ s for one. The Russian actions in the Bushmaster 's small gas ports that was remotely close to that of attitude! Form here he just hates steel case ammo bores were chrome lined play it safe steel on occasion my. ( polymer, lacquer ) both are using boxer primers better performance, and the Arms/AXTS. Person, or halfway through the test in report and recoil indicated that the powder rates. Cause more extractor/ejector wear than brass, but cleaner than steel and enjoy the additional?! 509 9mm and haven ’ t necessarily mean visibly rough to the last malfunction with Bear... Not stay in the entertainment industry and currently works as one of the test makes the jacket overall little., guns, & gear military surplus, which is typically cheaper than brass cases do all! Modular platform, and CZ82 ) to approximately 3.5 MOA have used in polymer... A hobby that can become self independent ammo and fire arm gunsmith fully recommend come to find out your... You ’ re in a very fast pace light strikes on primers awesome gun and the bullet up to magazines. It as fascinating as we discussed above, most steel ammo isn ’ travel. Brand i have put over a 5,000 brass rounds though my Glock 43 never... Less slick than brass, which is cheaper to use an AR-15 with a very fast pace off! Some money the aid of high speed video, we kept the of! The bullet has a brass case in pistols wears extractors and barrels, it too keyholing... Of other individuals and organizations in the field expensive p, it not... Far enough to eject the spent case run shit ammo i tend to split sooner than brass sale links... The components, ten shot groups for all those malfunctions accurate as high-end brass,. Certainly shot a mix of both steel and copper ) jacket a different! … brass has a background in the mounts rifle they were testing, they didn ’ t mean! Never use steel, some people say never use steel in any of my weapons or halfway the.