IWAC
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Is there any detriment to using steel-cased ammunition in today's guns...ARs, Mini 14, etc? It seems that steel, being harder than brass, might cause more wear. Am I over-thinking the problem, or is there one?
Thanx!
Thanx!
While firing test results indicate that a cold-worked steel case can be manufactured to acceptable quality levels, much additional development and product improvement must be performed before the case will perform at a level comparable to the performance level of the present 7. 62MM brass case. The areas requiring improvement are inspection, surface finish, processing equipment, and cost reduction. Recent advances in steel making and coating technology should aid in the development of an entirely satisfactory cold-worked steel case.
They are still kicking around the idea.As I suggested, if the rifle you have was made by a country that produces rifles designed to fire steel ammo then you wont have a problem. Most ex-Soviet bloc countries produce weapons that are designed to fire steel cased ammo so Kalashnikovs, Tokarevs, Mosin Nagants, etc. are going to shoot steel cased ammo without a hitch. The Soviets used steel cases during WWII because it was cheap and easy for them to get, they had very little brass available so they were forced to design their weapons to use steel cases. Even today's price of steel is around 15 cents per pound while cartridge brass is around $1.82 per pound. The U.S. military explored the idea of using steel but it decided that since the we had a good source of brass it wasn't worth the effort required to redesign our weaponry. A 1971 Frankford Arsenal report concluded"
DEVELOPMENT OF A 7.62MM COLD-WORKED STEEL CARTRIDGE CASE
BY PHILIP B. TAYLOR
April 1971
Can you please elaborate?Dont use steel cased ammo in an Enfield rifle.... I learned that the hard way...:banghead: KABOOM
Great link, conclusion: steel cased ammo wears guns much faster but the cheaper price of ammo will pay for replacement gun parts should you want to go down that road.The definitive test: http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/
10k rounds per ammo type. Accuracy, velocity, barrel condition.
Google is your friend!
The definitive test: http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/
10k rounds per ammo type. Accuracy, velocity, barrel condition.
Google is your friend!