TCW, Russian made steel case 9 MM ammo

[buddyd157]

anyone heard of them?

if so, any good, bad, or indifferent opinions?

115 gr.

 

[FL-NC]

A google search indicates that it is in the same category of wolf, tula, or red army standard. So I imagine that it may not function in some picky guns, is not the most consistent ammo, and is probably very dirty. That said, I shoot the heck out of these rusky steel cased rounds (as well as Winchester forged) from my Glock 17 range gun, and it eats them like candy. If you are looking at trying them, just buy 1 box and make sure your gun likes them before you make the plunge into a case of 1,000 and find out you have trash that won't function in what you plan to use them in.

 

[buddyd157]

A google search indicates that it is in the same category of wolf, tula, or red army standard. So I imagine that it may not function in some picky guns, is not the most consistent ammo, and is probably very dirty. That said, I shoot the heck out of these rusky steel cased rounds (as well as Winchester forged) from my Glock 17 range gun, and it eats them like candy. If you are looking at trying them, just buy 1 box and make sure your gun likes them before you make the plunge into a case of 1,000 and find out you have trash that won't function in what you plan to use them in.

ok great, thanks. i did do some searching and some have said that they are a bit dirty, but i wanted some opinions/thoughts from you guys as well.

 

[jonnyc]

Everyone has heard of them, been around a long time. I shoot tons of it. Enjoy.

 

[MAKster]

TCW is Tula. All their branding is just Tula so at first I didn't know what TCW was referring to. In short, Tula is considered by most to be the lowest quality of the cheap steel case ammo. Dirty, underpowered and inconsistent loadings. Fine for blasting away with an AK-47 but I will never use it again in my ARs. I once had a spent case stuck in the chamber so bad that I had to use a metal rod to hammer it out. It was clearly an out of spec case.

 

[jonnyc]

I won't use it in 5.56, but for 9mm, 38, 45, 762x39/51/54R, Makarov, 380, etc, great plinking/training ammo. Just clean well.

 

[Waveski]

9mm ammunition is not all that expensive , even today. I like my guns too much to feed them low grade steel.

Of course , to each his own.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Tula
Cartridge
Works

aka Tulammo.

great for range fodder. Not much else.

 

[jonnyc]

If nothing else......my cases of it will be eminently tradable for food and TP.

 

[buddyd157]

update:

well since this first posting back in in April, inquiring about the Wolf ammo, i had finally decided to drop the hammer, and buy a case of 1,000 rnds, 115 gr. with shipping, UNDER $200.

it took just over a week to get delivered, which that's the way it is with things these days.

went to the range this past Tuesday, took my Glock 17 only. shot off 100 rnds, and the Glock ate it up, asking for more.

then yesterday (Thursday) i went back and took my CZ 75 B and my Canik TP 9 SF

shot off 100 rnds and the CZ wanted more

shot off 100 rnds in the Canik, and it cried, "Stop Master, PLEASE STOP"......

the Canik simply did not like being fed the Wolf.

at another site i checked, other Canik owners claimed, that thiers ate up the Wolf with no problems.

so maybe mine is just a "finicky eater"?

anyways, i am VERY satisfied with the Wolf brand, and i'll be buying more, since it's only for plinking.

and yeah, it is a "bit" dirtier than my S&B's, Blazer, but i clean my guns each week after a run to the range.

next week, i take my (new to me brand) Winchesters for the Canik.

 

[barnetmill]

9mm ammunition is not all that expensive , even today. I like my guns too much to feed them low grade steel.

Of course , to each his own.

Out of curiosity for a service gun like my G19 what damage can I expect from prolonged use. The steel used in the cases and jackets is fairly soft. I figure maybe the extractor might suffer some stress. I would not use them in most pocket size 9's and the same for most .380s.
Such would not be my first choice for self defense, but if it was necessary probably would function about as reliable as some brass economy fmj. Biggie can be the primers being too hard or for some other reason not going off with the first strike.

 

[buddyd157]

Out of curiosity for a service gun like my G19 what damage can I expect from prolonged use. The steel used in the cases and jackets is fairly soft. I figure maybe the extractor might suffer some stress. I would not use them in most pocket size 9's and the same for most .380s.
Such would not be my first choice for self defense, but if it was necessary probably would function about as reliable as some brass economy fmj. Biggie can be the primers being too hard or for some other reason not going off with the first strike.

looks like an ordinary brass primer to me.

 

[barnetmill]

looks like an ordinary brass primer to me.

Brass primers can either hard, 'normal'. or soft. The primers used on 9mm intended for fixed firing pin open bolt submachine guns are often harder than other pistol primers.
My last failure to fire was with S&B 9mm.

 

[buddyd157]

Brass primers can either hard, 'normal'. or soft. The primers used on 9mm intended for fixed firing pin open bolt submachine guns are often harder than other pistol primers.
My last failure to fire was with S&B 9mm.

ok, still being new to this sport, i was not aware of that. however, going by that you say about the hardness of the brass primers, these are for pistols, not sub machine guns.which (to me) would mean weaker springs and firing pins over (saying) a more heavier duty sub machine gun?

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

Although what barnetmill says is true, I think the thing you are describing is too easy to overthink. I believe some manufacturers are known for making primers generally a bit harder than others. Federal comes to mind. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to be picky or more selective about what you shoot. Quite the contrary-just go shooting, find ammo your canik likes and stick with that.

i have had one or two failures to fire due to hard primers in a box of Sig Sauer 9mm range ammo. A second strike took care of that. Means there is a general variance involved in “hardness” that isn’t easily categorized or enumerated.

I would not worry very much about it, if I were you.

 

[barnetmill]

Although what barnetmill says is true, I think the thing you are describing is too easy to overthink. I believe some manufacturers are known for making primers generally a bit harder than others. Federal comes to mind. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to be picky or more selective about what you shoot. Quite the contrary-just go shooting, find ammo your canik likes and stick with that.

i have had one or two failures to fire due to hard primers in a box of Sig Sauer 9mm range ammo. A second strike took care of that. Means there is a general variance involved in “hardness” that isn’t easily categorized or enumerated.

I would not worry very much about it, if I were you.

That is why my carry ammo costs me more money then my range ammo and I expect the primers to be made to correct pistol specs in the more expensive ammo.
The hard primers for Federal I think are for rifle primers. I have not heard of any mainline american manufacturer making hard pistol primers in recent years.

 

[barnetmill]

ok, still being new to this sport, i was not aware of that. however, going by that you say about the hardness of the brass primers, these are for pistols, not sub machine guns.which (to me) would mean weaker springs and firing pins over (saying) a more heavier duty sub machine gun?

Ammunition made over seas, particularly the russian steel case ammo might also used by the russians in their submachine guns. Right now i am working on what is for me a fair of amount of overseas, and also some american, range ammo and a lot of it is russian. I did put a slightly lighter striker spring in my G19 and with time I will more than likely find out how it does with such ammo.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

This sort of thing was especially prevalent with 7.62x25, because they had handguns and a subgun both chambered for it.

 

[lsudave]

Out of curiosity for a service gun like my G19 what damage can I expect from prolonged use. The steel used in the cases and jackets is fairly soft

I've looked into this a little, and honestly I think it's a non-issue. Brass looks prettier.

Now, if you were talking revolvers, I've heard a few legit horror stories, cases stuck in the cylinders. On the other end of the spectrum, you get the G3/Cetme type rifles with the fluted chambers, I've heard that steel's basically preferred.

 

[jonnyc]

Out of curiosity for a service gun like my G19 what damage can I expect from prolonged use. The steel used in the cases and jackets is fairly soft. I figure maybe the extractor might suffer some stress. I would not use them in most pocket size 9's and the same for most .380s.
Such would not be my first choice for self defense, but if it was necessary probably would function about as reliable as some brass economy fmj. Biggie can be the primers being too hard or for some other reason not going off with the first strike.

Hardened tool steel extractor vs. mild steel case............I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[barnetmill]

I've looked into this a little, and honestly I think it's a non-issue. Brass looks prettier.

Now, if you were talking revolvers, I've heard a few legit horror stories, cases stuck in the cylinders. On the other end of the spectrum, you get the G3/Cetme type rifles with the fluted chambers, I've heard that steel's basically preferred.

Interesting about the fluted G3 type chambers doing really well with steel. I recently fire some tula .308 in a ptr91 and all was good. Thanks for that information.

 

[barnetmill]

Hardened tool steel extractor vs. mild steel case............I wouldn't worry about it.

Related, but separate issue is that glock uses a lot MIM parts and some think that hardened tool is the way to go for many glock parts. I am not sure of what the OEM glock extractor is made of.

 

[lsudave]

Interesting about the fluted G3 type chambers doing really well with steel. I recently fire some tula .308 in a ptr91 and all was good. Thanks for that information.

I'd read up on that, and it makes sense. Some issues with the brass cases deforming and getting beat up, whereas the flutes perform well with floating out the steel cases.

 

[buddyd157]

they use Berdan primers.

https://ammo.com/primer-type/berdan

 

[Waveski]

Waveski said: ↑
9mm ammunition is not all that expensive , even today. I like my guns too much to feed them low grade steel.

Out of curiosity for a service gun like my G19 what damage can I expect from prolonged use. The steel used in the cases and jackets is fairly soft. I figure maybe the extractor might suffer some stress. I would not use them in most pocket size 9's and the same for most .380s.
Such would not be my first choice for self defense, but if it was necessary probably would function about as reliable as some brass economy fmj. Biggie can be the primers being too hard or for some other reason not going off with the first strike.

To tell you the truth , if I had a Glock I would not be very inhibited from feeding it steel casings. Not to bash , but what gun is more utilitarian than a Glock?
Ok , that was a subjective statement.