Why is the case on Monarch 7.62x39 ammo, a green sorta color? Is this not brass? And why do they put the red water proof gunk on it? I know there are better ammo out there, but for the price $5.50 per 20, you can shoot a lot more, I also don't think it worth it to reload this caliber. Am I wrong?
Newby question
- Thread starter Grassman
- Start date
- Status
rfwobbly
Member
I'm not familiar with Monarch, but most of the green tint cases are steel, not brass, and the green is a rust inhibitor. Almost all military grade ammo has to be kept waterproof for long-term storage and use in wet conditions. The red stuff is a sealer.
Steel cases are generally considered NOT re-loadable.
Steel cases are generally considered NOT re-loadable.
rfwobbly
Member
3rd grade science
Get that magnet out you had in 3rd grade and place it on some of the Monarch cases. Clearly, that will settle that part of this discussion.
Get that magnet out you had in 3rd grade and place it on some of the Monarch cases. Clearly, that will settle that part of this discussion.
Monarch, Wolf, Barnaul. It's all steel cased with a coating, mostly laquers. Silver Bear is zinc plated and looks nickle, but just get it wet and see what happens. Barnaul Golden Bear is "brass plated" and looks like brass.
rfwobbly
Member
Absolutely no ill-will taken or intended, my friend.
The first time I encountered this stuff years ago, my son told me and I couldn't believe it either... until I did a test.
Being 58, I had long since lost my 3rd grade magnet. Had to borrow one off the frig without the wife seeing me. It had a nice big ceramic pink flower blossom on it. I'm sure I looked every bit of the he-man image for my sons as I went through all their Russian ammo.
The first time I encountered this stuff years ago, my son told me and I couldn't believe it either... until I did a test.
Being 58, I had long since lost my 3rd grade magnet. Had to borrow one off the frig without the wife seeing me. It had a nice big ceramic pink flower blossom on it. I'm sure I looked every bit of the he-man image for my sons as I went through all their Russian ammo.
rfwobbly
Member
There are no 'stupid' questions here
You're among friends. There are no 'stupid' questions here.
1) Most of the Russian ammo is Berdan primed.
2) I think your dies would last about 3 minutes
3) Brass is rather supple. You might not be able to develop enough force with the std 14" throw arm on your press to cold work steel.
You're among friends. There are no 'stupid' questions here.
1) Most of the Russian ammo is Berdan primed.
2) I think your dies would last about 3 minutes
3) Brass is rather supple. You might not be able to develop enough force with the std 14" throw arm on your press to cold work steel.
Smokey Joe
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 2,617
Loading steel...
RFWobbly, and Grassman--Members have reported that you CAN load steel, and with ordinary reloading equipment.
However (There is always that darn "however!") with brass cases available, and brass better suited to both reloading and firing than steel, and steel requiring so much more force to resize, and being therefore harder on both you and your equipment, the question is WHY anyone would bother trying to do so. Some people, I guess, feel compelled to try anything that is reported to be more difficult than necessary. (Shrug.) Well, good luck to 'em.
I reload--Brass--for my SKS, and yes, there is no rifle that flings empties with more abandon, and dings them up worse. I find about 90% of my empties and call it good. Unless the case is severely dinged in the shoulder area, or the mouth is crushed, I just go ahead and resize and reload.
BTW, Remington 7.62x39 uses small rifle primers. So does some imported brass-cased 7.62x39. Everybody else uses large rifle primers for the stuff, so you have to check the cases before priming.
To each his own.
RFWobbly, and Grassman--Members have reported that you CAN load steel, and with ordinary reloading equipment.
However (There is always that darn "however!") with brass cases available, and brass better suited to both reloading and firing than steel, and steel requiring so much more force to resize, and being therefore harder on both you and your equipment, the question is WHY anyone would bother trying to do so. Some people, I guess, feel compelled to try anything that is reported to be more difficult than necessary. (Shrug.) Well, good luck to 'em.
I reload--Brass--for my SKS, and yes, there is no rifle that flings empties with more abandon, and dings them up worse. I find about 90% of my empties and call it good. Unless the case is severely dinged in the shoulder area, or the mouth is crushed, I just go ahead and resize and reload.
BTW, Remington 7.62x39 uses small rifle primers. So does some imported brass-cased 7.62x39. Everybody else uses large rifle primers for the stuff, so you have to check the cases before priming.
To each his own.
I don't see me trying to reload 7.62, the commercial ammo is just too cheap right now. And I'm not really going for any tight groups out of my SKS, I have other rifles that I go out for that with. I already load 22-250 and .308 so I'll stick with those.
bullseye308
Member
It is green due to the lacquer or polymer coating on it to keep the steel from rusting and aid in cycling. It is not brass, it is steel. The waterproof gunk is done to most military ammo for storage or hard use conditions(more or less).
You can. It needs to be boxer primed then you treat it like any other casing.
Your dies will last just as long as with brass. It takes no more force than with brass. The problem is that the dies are made to the dimensions that will allow the correct amount of "springback" to get it to the desired size. Steel does not "springback" the same as brass.
Too early to think about physics.
It's definitely metallurgy though. Brass is better suited, no doubt for reloadability. Again, steel requires no more force to resize, and is not harder on you or your stuff. It is a mild steel and will not harm your dies.
I have not tried loading steel 7.62x39, not even sure if it is boxer or berdan, but I have loaded a lot of 223 steel mixed in with brass in a Loadmaster and also a single stage with no noticed difference in feel. Dies still work, press still works, operator may have issues, but it's all good. You will not get as many loadings out of steel cases, but 2 or 3 then chunk them and you'll be fine. I am not advocating anyone load steel casings, just police them up and pm me for an address for disposal.
- Status
