philpost
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Besides the $, can anyone clarify the difference?
Brown Bear vs. Silver Bear vs. Golden Bear?
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migkillertwo
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Silver Bear is zinc-coated steel cased, golden-bear is brass-coated steel cased ammo, and brown-bear is just laquer coated steel-cased ammo.
Some people say that the laquer sometimes melts and gums up your action. This is BS. even if you held the laquer-case under a blow-torch it wouldn't melt, so it won't melt under firing.
Also, Silver-bear is slightly hotter (more powerful) than brown-bear. This is good not necessarily because it is more lethal, but because it is much less likely to cause "short-stroking", where there isn't enough gas going into the gas key to move the bolt backwards and chamber another round.
I've never seen golden-bear .223 ammo, so get silver bear, or get PMC (its not really that expensive)
Some people say that the laquer sometimes melts and gums up your action. This is BS. even if you held the laquer-case under a blow-torch it wouldn't melt, so it won't melt under firing.
Also, Silver-bear is slightly hotter (more powerful) than brown-bear. This is good not necessarily because it is more lethal, but because it is much less likely to cause "short-stroking", where there isn't enough gas going into the gas key to move the bolt backwards and chamber another round.
I've never seen golden-bear .223 ammo, so get silver bear, or get PMC (its not really that expensive)
Silver Bear will corrode badly if it gets wet. That's all I know. Never shot any steel ammo for serious work. Just cheap blasting/plinking at the range in my AK. I have shot Brown Bear and Golden Bear and they work just fine. They will not corrode if they get wet.
Z-Michigan
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Post #2 is correct, and I don't know anything contrary to #3, I just haven't gotten bear ammo wet. A few things to add:
-lacquer cased ammo works fine to great in many firearms, including AKMs and HK91/G3/CETME types
-some or all recent Brown Bear production has the gray polymer coating that Wolf has been using for a few years, not lacquer
-in my experience Brown Bear is typically better than Wolf (black box, russian, steel-cased) in accuracy and consistency, though that isn't saying a whole lot
-lacquer cased ammo works fine to great in many firearms, including AKMs and HK91/G3/CETME types
-some or all recent Brown Bear production has the gray polymer coating that Wolf has been using for a few years, not lacquer
-in my experience Brown Bear is typically better than Wolf (black box, russian, steel-cased) in accuracy and consistency, though that isn't saying a whole lot
philpost
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Thanks for the feedback, I just wanted to stock up for an Appleseed - sounds like Brown Bear will do the trick.
philpost
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BTW, I'm shooting 7.62
Maverick223
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Stock up on a brick of Federal 550 bulk instead. From all accounts, you will be shooting fairly close range (emphasis on position shooting, sight picture, proper handling, et cetera) so a centerfire isn't really needed. Nothing wrong with one, but a good semi-automatic .22LR will save you a bit of loot.
If you are set on using the .223Rem. then the three little bears have done well for me. I like Golden Bear the best, but really have no complaints out of any Barnaul manufactured ammunition (just don't have tack-driving expectations for accuracy).
RockyMtnTactical
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All of it is better than Wolf IMO.
rangerruck
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I will say this; I shoot tons of all the above stuff, and I will say the silver bear is allways the most accurate.
RockyMtnTactical
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Should work fine in a bolt gun. I ran some Silver Bear through my Rem 700 and it worked just fine.
philpost
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I'm bringing one as well, but I hoped for one day of using the AK, just to really familiarize myself with it.Stock up on a brick of Federal 550 bulk instead. From all accounts, you will be shooting fairly close range (emphasis on position shooting, sight picture, proper handling, et cetera) so a centerfire isn't really needed. Nothing wrong with one, but a good semi-automatic .22LR will save you a bit of loot.
Deus Machina
Member
I choose Silver when I can get it, because it's cheaper than Gold and nicer than Brown. Nothing against any of them.
Especially in straight-sided rounds, the Brown Bear does 'feel' a little 'sticky', to me. Very much doubt it's the lacquer melting, think it's just more likely to hold onto dirt or fouling, or that the lacquer is softer than the other coatings and thus imparts more friction against chamber walls once the case has expanded. Or if it's true that Silver is loaded hotter, so just comes free more definitively.
No harm either way, and didn't seem to leave any crud that wasn't the usual burnt powder. They all function fine. Results on the business end are lacking, compared to domestic stuff.
Especially in straight-sided rounds, the Brown Bear does 'feel' a little 'sticky', to me. Very much doubt it's the lacquer melting, think it's just more likely to hold onto dirt or fouling, or that the lacquer is softer than the other coatings and thus imparts more friction against chamber walls once the case has expanded. Or if it's true that Silver is loaded hotter, so just comes free more definitively.
No harm either way, and didn't seem to leave any crud that wasn't the usual burnt powder. They all function fine. Results on the business end are lacking, compared to domestic stuff.
Maverick223
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Nothing wrong with that (of course there is nothing wrong with using it for your primary if you really wanted to). Be safe and have fun.
That's funny, my local shop sells the Golden and Silver at the same price (slightly more than Brown). It does make since now that I think of it though.
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