Steel/brass?

Steel or brass?

  • Steel isnt that bad and it saves $

    Votes: 72 63.7%

  • Its awedul id never use it no matter the cost

    Votes: 41 36.3%
  • Total voters
    113
  • Poll closed .
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C

conhntr

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
585
Im considering switching to steel ammo
Best current brass pricing is what 35c a round?
Steel is 25c...


So i start with a brand new 1000$ 1911

Shoot 10,000 rounds

Brass=3500$
Steel=2500$

So even if steel completely destroys my 1911 in 10,000 rounds i can have a brand new one and be even with shooting brass. Am i missing something
 
Best reason not to use steel is for reloading. If you don't reload, I have no problem with steel. All my guns eat it up all day long.
 
Im considering switching to steal ammo
Click to expand...
Well if you can steal ammo and not get caught?
I guess it would be O.K., if not exactly THR.

Seriouslay though, Steel Commie Ammo is for Commie designed guns.

It's great in SKS & AK-47 and such.
Because the Russian case & firearms designs, with a lot of case taper and bumper jack strong extractors, make it work just fine.

American guns & most American cartridges were not designed for it.
They were designed for brass cases.

But you gotta do what you gotta do to save a few cents I guess.

Myself?
I ain't run into that hard a times yet, as long as I can still reload.

rc
 
I chose steel only because I see nothing wrong with using it, however I avoid it like the plague because I reload.

Before I did I shot a lot of steel with no issues
 
I don't think Hornady would be selling steel cased ammo if it will damage your gun. It seems Hornady is buying steel cases and loading them up for competition shooters who shoot a lot but don't reload. I see no problem with it if Hornady doesn't. Here is a link to their Steel Match Ammo.
 
The idea that "US guns aren't made for steel" is at least somewhat erroneous. I own two US-made firearms that the manufacturer SPECIFICALLY has stated steel is just fine. My Ruger SR9C and my Doublestar AR are both OK'd for steel case use by the manufacturer.
 
Eh i found some aguila 45 for 30c per round. But if the steel is 10c or more cheaper i will start using it
 
I will use it on a - pardon the pun - case by case basis. It first must function. Not all of it exhibits good quality control, although this has nothing to do with the metal per se. Stoppages that are the fault of the ammo will, no matter how much one tries to rationalize it, decrease your confidence in the handgun.
 
I also use it depending on the firearm. SKS, AK's Mosins all get fed nothing but steel unless someone happens to give me some brass for them. All other rifles are brass only. Handguns shoot a mix, again depending on what it is. My Sigs hate steel ammo and give me fits at least 2 or 3 times a mag.
 
The case being steel, brass or Aluminium is not really an issue for shooting. The selection is more on other things. Like if you reload you want shells that use boxer primers. Also, if the coating on the steel is something that gives issues.

The best and the worst ammo that I have used in 9mm has been steel cased. The best was some zinc platted steel for 8.50 a box and no longer around. The worst was some of the early Tula before they changed to polymer coatings. Tula also seems to have more failure to fire round than other brands.
 
I haven't used any steel to date, I just don't like the idea of a steel cartridge going into a steel chamber. With brass or aluminum I know most of any wear will be on the cartridge. Possibly it's also be cause I reload. Military weapons have one big difference from private weapons even if they are the same make and model and that's military guns don't have to last very long. Most governments have money for replacements as needed. I don't.
 
Tcruse check out silver bear. It uses a zinc coated steel case. The 147 gr load mimics the feel of my SD load and is fairly accurate out of my glocks.
 
exavid said:
I haven't used any steel to date, I just don't like the idea of a steel cartridge going into a steel chamber.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way, but wouldn't cases be made of a softer steel than what gun chambers are made of? (I'm obviously not a metallurgist.)
 
Hard to tell about the steel or hardness of the cases relate to that of the pistol. It only seems to me that any of the moving parts of the gun would be rubbing against the steel cases. It's entirely possible that there's no added wear at all but I just don't know and don't like the idea of steel against steel without plenty of lubrication. I'd rather pay a little bit more for my ammo and have brass or aluminum shells. I only use aluminum like Blazer when I shoot somewhere that I can't recover the shells for reloading.
 
If you do not reload and your gun functions well with the steel caswed ammo then by all means use it. Several years ago a local gunshop was elling Wolf 9mm steel cases ammo for $99 per 5000 and a fellow shooter used it. I tried it in several of my guns and experienced function failures - in addition te Wolf ammo was VERY DIRTY.
Given the price increase for copper in the future it would not surprise me if more manufacturers were not converting to steel cased ammo.
 
All the more reason to hoard all those good brass cases for future use. At the current price of ammo and most likely even more run up in price in the near future, reloading makes more and more sense.
 
exavid said:
I haven't used any steel to date, I just don't like the idea of a steel cartridge going into a steel chamber. With brass or aluminum I know most of any wear will be on the cartridge. Possibly it's also be cause I reload. Military weapons have one big difference from private weapons even if they are the same make and model and that's military guns don't have to last very long. Most governments have money for replacements as needed. I don't.
Click to expand...
The stell in every case is coated with some material. The current favorite is a polymer based coating. This coating is really the only thing that comes in contact with the barrel.
So, the hardness of the steel is not really much of an issue, however, just examine some of the spent shells and you can see for your self that they are softer than the brass.

Silver Bear in the local outlets is not especially low priced. There are usually several brass cased products at lower costs. I have tried Brown Bear and did not experience any negative results. I usually do not use Brown Bear or Tula but buy a box from time to time to verify operation in all of my guns.

In this area low priced 9 mm is getting hard to find. I prefer to purchase from local dealers rather than bulk purchase. Price per round is most of the time cheeper to look for sales rather than purchase on-line. To make out on-line purchases the break even point is about 1000-2000 rounds.
 
I am a handloader so I like brass cased ammo. The last time I shot steel cased ammo (Wolf polymer coated) it sounded like bang, bang, bang, BOOM, bang, BOOM, bang, BOOM, BOOM

No Thank You.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
I personally prefer steel as to spot all casings after i am done putting all my lead down range. But I do see a little more wear on extractors, but hey they only cost $20-90 depending on the gun.
 
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