blarby
Member
I also have 55 gallon drums of once fired Lake City brass in.45, 5.56 and 7.62 so why even think about it
The reverse of the OP's situation.
Ahh, necessity........... Somebodys mother, for certain.
I also have 55 gallon drums of once fired Lake City brass in.45, 5.56 and 7.62 so why even think about it
Hacker15e, Steel is harder than brass.
I see so little steel cased .223 at the range... it's a non-issue. And I'm not really interested in re-loading it, for the same reason I'm not interested in buying it new.... that being that it's widely known to cause extraction issues in AR pattern rifles.
Part of the answer to this question is the nature of the case material itself. When heated, steel does not expand and contract the same way that brass does – in fact, brass expands 1.5 times as much as steel. The shape of the .223/5.56 case was designed with brass as the case material; this plus the fact that steel doesn’t expand – and more importantly, contract – like brass means that extraction will be naturally more difficult.
Beyond these differences, though, is it possible that extraction of Tula – and possibly other ammo – could be made easier by adjusting the pressure curve? A clever test conducted by the US Army’s TACOM and presented at NDIA in 2003 may have the answer. Titled “Understanding Extractor Lift in the M16 Family of Weapons,” the test concluded that the extractor lifts off the rim of the case during initial rearward travel, but that residual chamber pressure holds the case against the bolt face until the extractor returns to the case rim.
In other words, if there are pressure curve issues, case extraction – made slightly more difficult by the steel case – becomes questionable, as the extractor may not return to place in time to pull the case out of the chamber. While a drop in Tula’s chamber pressure at the appropriate time is not observed, it is possible that the location of the gauge is not ideal for reading pressures against the bolt face.
We know from the rise time and gas port data that the powder does burn too fast for the system, so it is quite likely that this is a contributing factor to the rate of extraction failures.
Went scrounging today, and found about 40-50 pieces of brass .223, and about the same in steel.
It's all cookin in the tumbler right now- and do it begins.
Guess I have to find a steel case next time I am at a public range and see how hard it really is. Until then I can't help but "feel" from experience that steel cases are harder than brass.
Glad I never bought, shot or stockpiled any of the imported steel case ammo. Barrels ruined before 6,000 rounds but the gun shooting U.S. made brass case ammo barrel still fine at 10,000 rounds.
Not going to risk one of my rifle barrels to test it myself. I have one particular Colt AR I bought in 1983 that am sure has over 25,000 rounds and still in spec and still shoots well.
There are other characteristics besides Rockwell hardness that are important.
It may be safe as anything, but I will never know.
I do like breathing and I like my eyesight, so no steel rifle case reloading for me. It may be safe as anything, but I will never know.
Right, and it only takes one time to lose it all, which is what I believe you were referring to.
As I've stated before, I'm always willing to evaluate new evidence when it is presented and change my opinion.
none of the major manufactures have moved into steel cases, but what do they know?
On the flipside of that coin- elasticity and chamber forming/reforming are what wear brass cases out.
If the steel isn't forming to the chamber..... Its not flowing, is it ?
I'd like to know how the FL sizing works repeatedly on steel. If steel doesn't flow- and thats why the necks are breaking, I wonder how much they move from firing to firing.....
If it isn't stretching, its not getting thinner.
Exactly. I tried it with pistol because as a mechanic I'm used to risking fingers(lol) and I have extras. Only two eyeballs. Not gonna do it.Right, and it only takes one time to lose it all, which is what I believe you were referring to.
Sure it does. Its also a risk that you have to decide to take or not. Hell, it might not be a risk at all, but I'm not going to try and find out.Of course, "it only takes one time" with brass, too...and it does happen.
The general consensus is its not the thing to do. This is with the general group of reloaders. Experience seems to be on our side, at least none of the major manufactures have moved into steel cases, but what do they know?
You and a very few others have a differing consensus, fine, may you get along with it just fine and have nothing disastrous happen to you or those close to you.
We both are right tho in that it only takes one time, ask Dale E., he knows for sure.
Your turn!
I can find dozens of posts on a multitude of firearms forums that state something to the effect of, "I tried it once, it worked, but I wouldn't do it." This is exactly what you, yourself, have stated too. Far more posters say that they wouldn't do it, and have never done it themselves at all. The "experience" that is "on our side", as you say, consists of a large group of folks who simply say, "I would not do that" based on a feeling and not based on specific evidence or experiences. Not doing something is not "experience".