I own a 195 series Mini 14, and was wondering about that ultra cheap russian (Tulammo) that is in the steel casings and how well the Mini 14's like it. When I first got my Mini a big deciding factor was that it's based on the proven Garand action, pretty much bullet proof (no pun intended). I was wondering if this also translated to being able to eat ammo that an AR may not like. I've got 120 rounds on the way to test out, and figure I'll get an accurate picture if the stuff will work or no after that, but it seems like the tracking # that UPS sends you makes you more and more impatient!
Russian Steel Casings + Mini 14
- Thread starter Speedgoat
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Jeff F
Member
I won't shoot any of the steel cased berdin primmed .223 in my Mini. I have heard its hard on the firing pin. My Mini eats up the Herter's and Wolf boxer primmed steel cased. I have to clean the chamber a little more often, it gets carbon fouled faster because the steel cased doesn't seal the chamber as good as brass.
brnmuenchow
Member
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My cousin runs the steel cased stuff through his, but he does seem to have some issues with his firing pin, but he believes it to be some flaw in his earlier designed Mini-14 (it is several years old, I don't know what year model.) and not necessarily due to the steel cased ammo.
Minis are well know for light firing pin strikes. I have the 14 and the 30 and both have trouble setting off some steel cased mil type ammo...never a problem with brass civilian ammo.
They have also been known to break firing pins occasionally, the really bad part of that is Ruger will not sell you a replacement firing pin, they claim the rifle has to be returned for "fitting" of the firing pin.
Maybe the new "more with it" Ruger will change this policy.
They have also been known to break firing pins occasionally, the really bad part of that is Ruger will not sell you a replacement firing pin, they claim the rifle has to be returned for "fitting" of the firing pin.
Maybe the new "more with it" Ruger will change this policy.
Bill_Rights
Member
Jeff F, Why not --> "I won't shoot any of the steel cased berdin primmed .223 in my Mini."? What's wrong with Berdan primers? (other than can't reload the casing with std stuff) (which you're not going to do with steel casings anyway....)
I use Berdan primed 30 year old German 7.62x51 mm (.308) brass cases in an FNAR and have zero problems with FTFs. Just a point of reference.
Husker: "My Colt short strokes on all the cheap Russian ammo" Why do you think that is? Jeff suggested pressure leakage around casing --> "I have to clean the chamber a little more often, it gets carbon fouled faster because the steel cased doesn't seal the chamber as good as brass."
I use Berdan primed 30 year old German 7.62x51 mm (.308) brass cases in an FNAR and have zero problems with FTFs. Just a point of reference.
Husker: "My Colt short strokes on all the cheap Russian ammo" Why do you think that is? Jeff suggested pressure leakage around casing --> "I have to clean the chamber a little more often, it gets carbon fouled faster because the steel cased doesn't seal the chamber as good as brass."
Bill_Rights
Member
All,
Usually steel casing ammo is polymer coated on the case. What all kinds of coatings are used? Are some better than others? Even seen any steel case ammo that has something other than plastic coating? Or no coating?
I am a little worried about the coating melting and gumming up inside of chamber. Or just rubbing off and leaving gunk. Any special cleaning or solvent to get it out of chamber?
Usually steel casing ammo is polymer coated on the case. What all kinds of coatings are used? Are some better than others? Even seen any steel case ammo that has something other than plastic coating? Or no coating?
I am a little worried about the coating melting and gumming up inside of chamber. Or just rubbing off and leaving gunk. Any special cleaning or solvent to get it out of chamber?
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Most 5.56mm-chambered AR's will run fine on Tula steel-case, and I'd expect most 5.56mm-chambered mini-14's would do the same. It's *possible* that a .223-chambered Match model might be a little more finicky, but if you have a Match model then you are probably shooting match loads anyway.
BillOfRights, I'm pretty sure the polymer used is one that won't melt at any temperatures encountered in a firearm. I haven't tried it, but I suspect the polymer would char and carbonize before it would melt; I may take a torch to a fired case just to see. Anyway, I've had zero issues with Tula and Wolf in my AR, shooting USPSA-style carbine matches; those aren't carbine-class round counts, but it definitely gets the gun hotter than slowfire plinking would, with no issues and no residue other than carbon.
I generally clean mine about every other match (mostly because I like to, not because it really needs it), and have never had a failure of any kind. Wolf/Tula does leave a little more carbon than PMC brass-case or domestic ammo, but still not all that much.
One thing about Tula/Wolf is that it is loaded a little milder than most brass-case .223/5.56mm, but mini's tend to err on the side of overgassing anyway, so they tend to work fine even with underpowered ammo.
BillOfRights, I'm pretty sure the polymer used is one that won't melt at any temperatures encountered in a firearm. I haven't tried it, but I suspect the polymer would char and carbonize before it would melt; I may take a torch to a fired case just to see. Anyway, I've had zero issues with Tula and Wolf in my AR, shooting USPSA-style carbine matches; those aren't carbine-class round counts, but it definitely gets the gun hotter than slowfire plinking would, with no issues and no residue other than carbon.
I generally clean mine about every other match (mostly because I like to, not because it really needs it), and have never had a failure of any kind. Wolf/Tula does leave a little more carbon than PMC brass-case or domestic ammo, but still not all that much.
One thing about Tula/Wolf is that it is loaded a little milder than most brass-case .223/5.56mm, but mini's tend to err on the side of overgassing anyway, so they tend to work fine even with underpowered ammo.
BobTheTomato
Member
Just remember if you do wear out parts (I am not sayint this will happen) you will save more than enough money in your first 1000 rounds to buy a new firing pin or extractor.
Jeff F
Member
Mini's were never designed to shoot berdin primmed ammo. A few of the Mini 30's have broke firing pins shooting berdin primmed 7.62x39. All the steel cased I shoot out of my Mini 14 is boxer primmed. Break a firing pin and your Mini is going to be down for at least four weeks while Ruger replaces the pin.
Berdin primmed ammo is harder on firing pins then boxer primmed ammo is.
marine 97-03
Member
I also heard the mini 30 had the pin issues ...
People have lots of opinions about weather they shoot steel case or not, and they have lots of reasons for doing or not doing so.
The idea that "US weapons are not made for steel casings" is just jibberish. There is nothing tangibly different about steel case ammunition, and certainly there is nothing about a firearm made in the US which makes it inappropriate for shooting steel case ammo.
There is legitimate discussion around the fact that the 7.62x39 case has a lot more taper than the 5.56x45 case, and is thus less susceptible to differences in case-vs-chamber friction, changes in case sizes after firing, etc.
That discussion has nothing inherently to do with "US" and "Russian" firearm designs, however.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
One I had functioned fine with Wolf, until one day a case stuck in the chamber. The extractor did its job; it tore the rim right off the case. 
I poured penetrating oil down the barrel with the muzzle up, then poked it out with a cleaning rod, after which I used a chamber brush to clean it thoroughly. This was in 2004, and I don't recall if the ammo was lacquer-coated or not.
I poured penetrating oil down the barrel with the muzzle up, then poked it out with a cleaning rod, after which I used a chamber brush to clean it thoroughly. This was in 2004, and I don't recall if the ammo was lacquer-coated or not.marine 97-03
Member
I've had that happen too
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