Ammo question

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Tacbandit

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Hey, ya'll...New guy here...Thanks for such a great site, great people...I'm
married, retired Army, and a stay at home dad. I love shooting and hunting, and have a decent collection of armament, of various styles. It's nice to read about other peoples interests, and share info...Maybe someone out there could enlighten me on an ammo question...(Not sure how to start a new thread...)
I recently purchased a new S&W M&P "optics ready" flat-top AR 15...I'm shopping for bulk ammo for it, and I've been told to stay away from Wolf ammo...I know that at least some of their ammo has a polymer coating on it..what other reasons are there, and has anyone had good/bad or damaging results from using the stuff...Both a gun store employee(very knowlegable guy) and a S&W employee told me this...If this is inapropriate for this thread, I apologize, and someone let me know how to properly introduce the subject....Thanks
Tacbandit Out...
_
 
The coating may or may not be a problem in an AR. Go ahead and try a little if you want.

The bigger problem is that it's steel-cased, which may cause quicker wear on the extractor.
 
My opinion is that its only good quality is the price. Welcome to THR !

I've shot a little of it and found it to have hard primers, but they did function for the most part. Something about a steel case running in and out of the guns chamber is still unnerving to me. I know its coated, and have no data that says its a big issue, but still feel much more comfortable with brass case ammo.

If anyone can point out a good quality for this stuff other than price, I am all ears.
 
Wolf started using a polymer coating in place of lacquer to prevent the cases from sticking in the chamber.

As stated by Deus Machina the steel case might cause problems.

One thing for sure: it is very dirty. I don’t know what they are using for powder but prepare to clean your weapon thoroughly.
 
I've put about 800 rounds through my DoubleStar AR.... The only complaint that I have with it is that it's dirty as all hell.

If you clean your guns after every range trip I wouldn't really be concerned.
 
Some like Wolf, others don't. I don't care for it myself as I've heard too much horror stories about stuck cartridges and that it is dirty. I'll stick with WWB and American Eagle for my AR-15. If worst came to worst, I'm sure my AR-15 will be able to eat Wolf but not if I can help it.
 
Wolf is overpriced for what it is. Back when it was $2 a box it was worth it, but at $5-$6, you're better off buying something else. For nasty steel cased, filthy powder, hard primer junk, I want a substantial discount.

Might I suggest Sellier & Bellot (my very favorite ammunition, for the quality and the price) or Prvi Partisan. You can find these from $7 - $8 a box if you look hard enough.

I have heard that chrome lined chambers/bores handle the steel much better than unlined. Of course you never know, there's so many B.S. rumors that go around amongst the AR guys (and the Glock guys, and the 1911 guys...)

Consider too that the AK and SKS guys shoot almost nothing but steel case, and it doesn't stick in their chambers (and not all of them are chrome lined.)
 
I don't think Wolf will hurt your AR at all...even extractors.

Bushmaster includes a yellow "Ammunition Advisory" card with their rifles listing ammo that has been known to work and ammo that has been known to cause problems in their guns. Wolf is on their approved/works fine list.

I have 9k rounds of Wolf .223 in my stash. It's eventually going to be shot through various AR rifles including 3 Colts, 1 Bushmaster, 1 Sabre and a Mini-14.

If an extractor breaks, I'll replace it. When the gun gets dirty, I'll clean it. Same as I would with any other ammo.
 
Soviet Weapons...

The bigger problem is that it's steel-cased, which may cause quicker wear on the extractor.
Click to expand...
...were designed around steel-cased ammo, American ones were not. It's your rifle and your choice but I don't see how trying a few boxes of steel-cased Wolf ammo will tell you if its continued use is putting the extractor in your rifle at risk of premature failure. If it's just a range gun, you can always buy an extra extractor and spring and put them aside for "just in case." If it's a gun on which your life and your family's lives may depend in an emergency, you may factor the equation a bit differently.
 
Thanks,everybody...obviously no clear-cut answer...like everyone else, I'll have to try some to see for myself. I'll probably go with a higher quality ammo for now...I'm gonna try to load up on some bulk stuff...Finding it in stock seems to be the problem. Thanks for all of the responses/info/opinions...
Much appreciated...I'll let you know how she runs as I experiment with some different rounds. Thanks again,
Tacbandit Out...:)

By the way,...Thanks Spwenger, for the observation/insight about
family, emergency situations...It's definitely not "just a range gun"
nor are any of my firearms...I keep them all in "ready condition" for just that reason.
 
I've had no problems with wolf in either of my ARs. if you find a good deal on it, I wouldn't hesitate. Wolf Military- that I found to be too underpowered to cycle all of my firearms. The black box though never gave me issues.
 
Thanks Spwenger, for the observation/insight about
family, emergency situations...It's definitely not "just a range gun"
nor are any of my firearms...I keep them all in "ready condition" for just that reason.
Click to expand...

I have a bunch of old mil-surp rifles, and I shoot old mil-surp ammo in them - they are merely for fun. NONE of them are "go-to" firearms.

My ammo supply does not include any "questionable" ammunition for ANY firearm that I envision using in a social situation. I may be overly cautious, but I neither use steel-cased ammunition nor cheap surplus ammunition in those firearms that may be used for personal defense. To each his own, YMMV, etc.............
 
Its dirty (blackbox Wolf). But thats my only complaint. I have not shot the Wolf Gold but I have heard it is not as dirty. Don't believe these old wives tales about it fouling an action or messing an extractor. Its a bunch of gun table story telling.

Its just not primier ammo and should be treated as such is all.

:)
 
It's VERY dirty, and it stinks(literally). The new coating doesn't build up or stick in chambers. But the extractor will see increased wear.

I still have a bunch of it. Why? For use in AK's. My ARs are fed brass case only.

Between the ton of extra filth and the faster wear, IMO it isn't worth it in a gun that costs 800.00 or more.
 
It is dirty, but the steel used in the cases is softer than most brass used in American cases. It won't your AR.

My only complaint is that it is not as accurate as it could be, but then very little that you buy off the shelf is very accurate.

I use it exclusively in my AKs. Never had a problem with any of them. OTOH, they are AKs. They always fire, they just don't hit the target that reliably.
 
It may be a "soft" steel relatively. But it's still much harder than brass. Don't believe me?

Load a magazine for your AK with alternating rounds of wolf and any brass cased ammo. Shoot it. You'll notice a shinly small dent in the steel cases, while the walls of the brass cased ammo are caved all most a third of the way in.

Anyway, that's what all my AKs do to it.
 
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