7.62 AR upper steel case ammo question

[JBrady555]

hey guys I was talking to a fellow range member the other day about using steel case .223 ammo in my ar15. He said that I shouldn't run that stuff because it damages the extractor. I was just wondering if 7.62 AR uppers also have problems shooting steel case ammo, since the only reason to shoot 7.62 is for steel case ammo, lol. thanks for any info.

 

[Kyle M.]

I ran over 10,000 rds. of steel cased silver bear .223 through my dpms ar-15 before I started reloading
and I never had a single malfunction. I've heard of people having the lacquer on the steel cases heat up and build up on the chamber walls during rapid fire, I personally do not believe it because I've read several torture tests where there were no issues encountered using steel cased ammo. Some manufacturers including dpms will void your warranty if you use steel cased ammo, personally I think it's just a sales gimmick to get you to buy more expensive made in the us ammo. I have noticed that the steel cased stuff is dirtier and less accurate, and do to tolerances I wouldn't fire it in a match grade gun. But for plinking in your average ar I'd say it's fine.

 

[fatcat4620]

Steel case ammo will not harm your gun. Enjoy all the steel case you want.

 

[wally]

Ain't much of a gun if steel cased ammo breaks it!

If you never broken a gun, you just ain't been shooting enough!

Stuff breaks, fix it and move on, don't extrapolate wildly.

 

[JustinJ]

Even if it is harder on the extractor you can replace quite a few and still be way ahead on ammo costs.

 

[GCBurner]

I had one extractor break shooting surplus steel 7.62x39 in my Olympic AR upper. I replaced the original extractor with a genuine Colt extractor, and it's still going strong after a couple of years. I've also gotten more picky about keeping the chamber clean, which may have some effect.

 

[mr.scott]

Shooting steel then brass is where most issues come up.
Also an extractor is what $5? At half price for steel ammo if I have to replace an extractor even every thousand rounds my savings is still significant.

 

[Hacker15E]

There is still yet to be ANY documented, peer-reviewed evidence that steel case ammunition is responsible for any noticeable increased wear or damage over brass, nickel, aluminum, or any other type of cartridge case material.

 

[fatcat4620]

There is still yet to be ANY documented, peer-reviewed evidence that steel case ammunition is responsible for any noticeable increased wear or damage over brass, nickel, aluminum, or any other type of cartridge case material.

This

 

[Domino]

No it won't hurt your gun and I have AR's in both calibers that I shoot steel case in both of them.

Even IF it were a problem it STILL wouldn't make sense to by brass over steel for this reason. 1,000 rounds of steel .223 FMJ costs $225 while the average cost of brass FMJ is $400 per 1,000. Yolku could buy like 30 extractors.

It is a NON ISSUE.

 

[Girodin]

He said that I shouldn't run that stuff because it damages the extractor.

Even if you accept his premise, which is questionable. I think he has horrible reasoning. Its what others have already said By the time one shoots enough steel case to "prematurely wear" the extractor, one will have saved so much money over shooting brass cased ammo that the cost of a new extractor is negligible.

I've shot cases of steel case through my Noveske. It seems no worse for it.

 

[Reloadron]

There is still yet to be ANY documented, peer-reviewed evidence that steel case ammunition is responsible for any noticeable increased wear or damage over brass, nickel, aluminum, or any other type of cartridge case material.

Absolutely! Extractors can and do break on occasion. I shoot very little steel cased ammunition and have had an extractor break. They have broken with brass so what should I attribute that to? Anyway, when you shoot thousands of rounds I would think some parts like extractors would be in your spare parts bag.

Ron

 

[MachIVshooter]

He said that I shouldn't run that stuff because it damages the extractor

Steel cartridge cases are made of very soft steel. They won't damage anything a brass cased cartridge won't.

The biggest issue is laquer or polymer cases in very hot chambers; The finish can sublime and cause extraction problems. However, I've yet to experience this, and I've done plenty of sequential mag dumps with various coated steel cases.

Even if it were harder on extractors, extractors are $10. Steel cased ammo is usually ~$100 less than brass per 1,000 rounds. You do the math.

I keep quality brass cased ammo for SHTF, but shoot a lot of steel recreationally due to cost. I can barely reload for less, and that's not counting my time (of which I have not enough to reload plinking ammo for a paltry savings).

 

[D94R]

And there is yet to be any 100% hard evidence that the lacquer or polymer coatings are the cause either. The steel cases might be a softer steel, but they are much harder than a brass case. I believe the cases don't swell fast enough and carbon blow back is the problem.

I have a RRA upper that can't eat steel cases. It will jam within 3-5 rounds of steel ammo EVERY time. That is not enough to build enough heat to melt the lacquer or polymer coatings. The black I see on the shell is not the melted coatings, its carbon.

 

[M1key]

My Colt 7.62x39 carbine upper will run great with anything, brass or steel. I haven't put enough ammo through it yet to see any wear, but I would not be too worried since it was designed for that round.

M

 

[justice06rr]

In my experience, it depends on the AR. Most will cycle it just fine, some won't.

I have had issues in one of my Rguns uppers with ejection and getting stuck cases in the chamber. The problem with steel cases is that it does not always expand as reliably as brass. With the same upper I never experience these malfunctions with brass ammo.

If you're AR runs it fine without any problems, then go for it. If it starts to have issues, then don't use it.