Remington, can you make steel case ammo please?

[umc180gr]

Gents,

Have you seen the price of bulk brass lately? When will the increases stop?? But to my question, do you ever think we'll see a USA ammo maker start making steel case ammo and selling it to us at a more affordable cost. The technology has got to be there. Seems like technology is making a jump in removing lead from bullets, how about a better case solution. I know that steel wont benefit reloaders but I am sure I could afford to shoot a lot more. Second, does steel case work in larger calibers such as .30/06?

 

[bullseye308]

Steel cased ammo was used a long time ago and worked well. Some even reloaded it a bit with good results. Don't expect to see it again though. They have no plan to make it more affordable for us to shoot.

 

[Remo-99]

It's not the cost of raw metals that's driving up the price of ammo, but more so the demand of it.
Metals prices are at 10 year or more low now, don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

 

[mkl]

Second, does steel case work in larger calibers such as .30/06?

Yes.

I've got a "tuna can" of Russian 7.62 x 54 made from steel. That cartridge is the Russian equivalent of our 30-06.

 

[rcmodel]

Hornady started making steel-case .223 TAP for cheaper law enforcement practice ammo at least a couple of years ago.

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/detail.php?id=72&sID=94

rc

 

[Owen]

there are a number of military programs working on this issue.

 

[bullseye308]

See, I need to get out more. This is why you always get at least 2 opinions when you ask a ?. Maybe I should have said I wouldn't expect to see it again, instead of saying you wouldn't see it again.:banghead:

 

[umc180gr]

Good to know they (military) are thinking about it. Maybe the ammo makers will share with us eventually. The raw materials cost between a brass case and a steel case has got to be significant. thanks for the input

 

[Seafarer12]

Buy once fired brass. I don't like steel cased ammo.

 

[cochise9424221]

I have some US made steel case ammo from WW2, it is 45 acp. Nothing new

 

[Drail]

I'm sure all of the reloading die makers would love the idea of steel casings.

 

[snuffy]

I'm sure all of the reloading die makers would love the idea of steel casings.

WHY? If what you're saying is the steel cases would wear/wreck the dies, you may have a point IF 1. the steel cases were harder than the dies,(they're not), or 2. if you didn't lubricate them.

Reloading steel cases is a bad idea. Dies are dimensioned to properly size brass cases. You'd need special dies for steel cases, they spring back much more than brass.

Some have been able to reload steel casings. They don't last as long, and special care must be taken to keep them dry.

 

[cochise9424221]

reloading steel cases is like reloading Berdan primed cases, you can but why go to the trouble when good brass is available.

 

[shinz]

We get a fair bit of steel cased .308 ammo out here, marked as RG L1A1 which would normally mean it to be British made but I'm told it is infact Chinese. There is not a huge jump size wise from that to 30-06 so I would guess it to be possible but whether or not the costs in tooling up for it in a non military caliber are viable is doubtful. I have reloaded some of this & steel cased 7.62x39 ammo, just cause I could, before someone jumps in & chastises me. , berdan primed too
It wasn't especially hard to do, plenty of lube, they seemed to take a bit more to size down than brass, & no neck expander or there wasn't enough neck tension to hold bullets properly. A Lee FCD seemed to work on both OK though. Haven't fired them & reloaded them enough to know how many they're good for. Mild steel shouldn't work harden like brass does though. I liked the copper washed cases better than laquered, but both reloaded OK
Steve

 

[moooose102]

eventually, you wont even need cases. they have been working on caseless ammo and guns for the millitary for a while now. personally, i dont see why some sort of plastic case wouldnt work. with all the high tech plastics we have now days. or, they could sell us aluminum cases, if they were cheap enough, who would care if they were one time cases. there is always an altenative. it is just a matter of money. as a species, we really are quite brilliant, but we are also very greedy.

 

[ranger335v]

The lower cost of steel would be swallowed up in the cost of manufactoring. That's why they don't make it, nothing more.

 

[cochise9424221]

I believe in WW2 the issue was brass was at a premium in the war effort, they had more steel available so they tried to use it.

 

[RustyFN]

if they were cheap enough, who would care if they were one time cases. there is always an altenative.

I would care. I load for four calibers and have never had to buy brass including 223. Besides I don't think you would see much of a price difference, look at Blazer Aluminum.
Rusty

 

[bullseye308]

Some have been able to reload steel casings.

Guilty.

reloading steel cases is like reloading Berdan primed cases, you can but why go to the trouble when good brass is available.

It aint available free everywhere and some of us have a low or no budget. Steel works but not for as long as brass. Remember that not all of us that reload are making the bills monthly for whatever reasons. We tend to squeeze a nickle to get 6 pennies.

The lower cost of steel would be swallowed up in the cost of manufactoring. That's why they don't make it, nothing more.

contracts is more.... Who else would use that much brass?

It's a neat idea and worked before. Maybe again sometime......