Steel-cased Foreign Ammo in a Ruger Mini 14 Ranch Rifle

[OrangePwrx9]

.223 Wolf is now Boxer primed. You can lube the fired steel cases up and easily resize them in a standard resizing die. Fired primers pop out OK and new ones can be reseated without any trouble. I've only shot a few, so far, but they appear to be reloadable. They'd certainly do in a pinch if our brass got cut off. There's a thread about reloading steel over at Saiga-12.com in the reloading forum.

Don't leave those empties lying around! We may need 'em.
Bob

 

[tju1973]

That must be what my dad and cousin were reloading. I posted some time back about him reloading steel cased ammo, but wasn't sure on the brand. He says they shoot ok, but mainly only reloads them once and I think he is currently stashing/cache-ing them....I will see if I can getone and post picts...

 

[W.E.G.]

Pictures are great. But more details would be awesome too.

.223 I assume? What rifle?

Both of those lots of ammo produced the same result in two different AR-15 type rifles.
One was a 20" chrome-moly Armalite, the other was a 10.5" chrome lined barrel from J&T Distributing.

The Mini, I believe has a larger extractor (as does the AK) so this rim-ripping is probably less likely with the Mini. That same crappy ammo functions OK in my WASR-3.

However, it is my mission to de-bunk any claim that the "new" polymer coating makes that ammo any less likely to stick in the chamber. Guns either tolerate steel cases, or they don't. The flavor of coating makes no proven difference as it pertains to sticking.

It is my belief that the polymer makes the ammo LESS LIKELY TO RUST IN STORAGE. There is your reason for why "they" switched. A good reason too I might add.

 

[Rshooter]

Deer Hunter, I am mistaken, the cases will expand just not contract making them harder to extract. I was thinking about 1903's tonight. I still stand by the wear. I personally have no examples this evening in that I refuse to shoot steel cased ammo. And yes heaver extractors make the commie guns special, that is why people will tell you commie ammo for commie guns and US ammo for US Guns.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Shhh... Don't tell my American guns that they arn't "commie". It'd break their heart.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

With the cost of my handload's, 22 cents/round, I've got no reason to use Wolf junk in a nice rifle, my Mini-14. My handload's are printing 2.5" groups at 100 yards very consistently, with the occasional 2" group. One more thing, H-4895 rocks with 55 grain bullets in .223. As soon as I find an 8lb keg of this stuff, I'm buying it.