Steel Case Ammo Question

Because steel jacketed and steel core bullets tear up backstops. Ranges use magnets to detect steel bullets and to avoid any grey areas, ban any ammo that has any steel, even if it's just the case

 

In addition to MistWolf's explanation, there is another... the main issue out west here is the drought, and the fire danger from shooting steel core ammunition: sparks in dry tinder. Core = bullet composition. Some eastern-bloc bullets have a steel-core under a copper wash or jacket.

Perhaps the reason your range didn't allow steel-*cased* ammo is that they'd have to sort it from the brass cartridge cases when recycling.

 

Total non-sense. None of the handgun rounds are "armor piercing". I shoot tons of this stuff at steel plates and it doesn't do anything but remove the paint. Armor piercing rifle ammo is a different issue, but its not been importable for a long time and can't be sold to civilians in handgun calibers -- Obama tried to rule M855/SS109 "armor piercing" and ban it because of the existence of AR pistols.

You didn't realize it because it doesn't have a steel core. The case and jacket are a very soft steel. Personally I've saved more than enough money by shooting it to replace more than a few barrels which I've not had to do.

 

At handgun velocities I have a hard time believing it tears up targets.

I DO believe they want your brass

 

"...they don't allow steal cased ammunition..."

So am I missing something here? The OP said steel CASED ammo, not steel core bullets, the case isn't a bullet. If the cartridges had steel cases then your relative was either mistaken or the people that run the range are screwed up because nobody worries about steel cases.

 

I know the actual reason, and its two parts. One, the range almost certainly recycles its brass in huge lots, and the recycler reduces what he pays if there steel cases in the drum, and two, steel cased ammo usually has steel jacketed bullets- yes pistol calibers too, its not considered armor peircing, as a jacket- and are afraid of backstop damage. The bullets are not steel core, but steel jacketed lead copper washed. Wolf BULLETS attract a magnet. Again, its not the core but the jacket.
Im not saying the steel with damage anything, just what they think, and its a convenient way to stop people from shooting steel, and if they do, they are more likely to throw away cases than leave them on the floor for the recylcer

 

There used to be a firearm range I had some friends worked at, owned by a woman near me, and she started a weird business and personal relationship with some guy. The guy knew very little about gun ranges, but convinced the owner that steel jacketed bullets, would tear up target hangers, and rifle rounds would tear up backstops. Now that's obviously correct, in the long term, but 22 short will also do the same. The point im making is that anyone screaming THATS BS! STEEL WONT HURT ANYTING! is not aware that people making the rules are listening to consultants, and successful business are rarely ran by people who like the business. It's also much easier to tell your employees to ban steel ammo of any kind, than set up rules and tests, and make them hold up things to check it out. Brass ammo is about .50$/50 9mm more in my area, so its hard to argue with them.

 

It should be prohibited from all indoor gun ranges. The smoke and odor it creates is probably at least as harmful as second-hand cigarette smoke.

 

Powders of all kinds are made of compounds that are in some way hazardous if you use your reasoning. But them again hundreds of other chemicals and compounds we use daily and even eat are toxic also.

 

To me this is probably a case of the range reselling brass that they collect and don't want to sort through the steel cases.

If they had sense a heavy magnet would make short work of that issue...

I have only shot in an indoor range once in the past 12 or so years that I have been shooting. But if they took my brass like I've heard some people mention I think I would find somewhere else to shoot.

 

I said nothing about armor piercing rounds and I said nothing about steel plates. When I asked why the ban of ammo with steel components, I've been told at several ranges, that steel jacketed and steel cored bullets are hard on the backstops and cost the ranges more in maintenance, repairs and replacement.

Some range cannot afford to not check the ammo being shot there. One range in western Washington was shut down for several months because someone shot tracers into the backstop and set it on fire. The damage was extensive and just cleaning up the mess was costly and time consuming

 

Shooting indoors? Just once a year, G Lic requal. Ran my own training School in Ontario, Canada. All indoor.

Good dose of lead poisoning! Moved to Florida in 2003. A couple of months, cleared up, blue tinge to finger nails, had to lean against wall to put pants on, no balance. All long gone. My outdoor range has no problem with steel ammo, and I have some, but tend not to use it much.

No concealed carry in Canada! Love Florida.

 

Its because they want you to shoot brass so they can collect it afterwards. No other reason.
I've even heard of ranges prohibiting you from collecting your own brass after you're done shooting.

 

Sorting through a mountain of brass cases to separate the steel shouldn't take more than a few seconds.....it's called a big magnet. Since this is so obvious, I wonder if there must be a reason, perhaps, why it doesn't work. Are there components in the primer that are ferrous?

 

Even steel cases use brass primer cups and anvils.....

 

If you ask different range operators, you get slightly different answers. Some allege that steel cased ammo can cause sparks that cause the unburnt powder on the floor to catch fire which was a previous thread recently. Others claim backstop damage or less income from scrap. Often the steel cased ammo is dirty and smokey (and some stink pretty bad) which tends to run off other shooters on older ranges that have less ventilation. Still others probably prefer that you buy range ammo because it helps keep them in business. On outdoor ranges, range fires have been cited. One last issue is that there is still some old AP type ammo floating around out there which DOES damage backstops--the magnet test gets most of that as well. BTW, there are different backstops made from different materials out there and some are more susceptible to damage than others.

For myself, it is not an issue to do what the range owners want or go elsewhere as I live in an urban metroplex with multiple ranges near to me. For those who consume a lot of ammo and don't reload, I can see where it would be an issue. Nevertheless, their range, their rules.

 

Personally I won't shoot steel cased ammo UNLESS the gun was designed for it.
I don't feel like replacing any extractors.

 

Ive never seen a range that dosent allow you to keep your brass, though I hear they are out there. Most people just dont. Every range Ive been to has a problem with you picking up brass from other parties after they left.

 

As many people don't rake or take the casings, and as brass is MUCH more valuable, not having to sort through steel or forcing people to provide the more valuable brass may be financially favorable and/or preserve labor. If they also don't allow aluminum casings, my guess is they want the brass. If they do allow aluminum casings, then it is possible they have a misconception regarding steel casing. I've been told various things at different ranges regarding steel cased ammo and over time I learned a lot of it wasn't exactly accurate.

 

Does anyone really think some ranges won't allow steel cases as part of a conspiracy to keep you from collecting your brass?