Tula Steel Case Indoor Range Friendly 7.62x39 Ammo

[Speedo66]

Just picked up 10 boxes of this new to me ammo. It's typical Russian polymer coated steel cased, but with a copper jacketed lead core bullet rather than the normal bi-metal steel.

They have priced it a few cents more than the steel bullets, but at $4.19 a box it's a good alternative for indoor ranges that prohibit steel bullets. A magnet will not stick to the bullet, which is a test at some ranges. Still about $2 a box less than the least expensive brass cased ammo.

Haven't tried them yet, but I assume there will be no difference in functionality. I got mine from AIM Surplus.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks for the heads up. I wondered if they'd ever start making something like this. I have to shoot Yugo in my Vepr for 3 guns as they don't allow magnetic projectiles. Is there a particular SKU or product title to identify this type?

 

[1KPerDay]

Never mind I found it

 

[gotboostvr]

Problem is a few of the ranges I frequent have a blanket ban on steel cases. If anything in the box draws a magnet, it's not going on the range.

They've got their fair share of stupid rules though. Including one range which bans all plain lead ammo except 22lr and 45LC. I could never get an explanation how they settled on that.

 

[1KPerDay]

If ranges are stupid like that I just don't patronize them. Match director is a reasonable person and will be satisfied if the bullet itself doesn't pull a magnet.

 

[boom boom]

If ranges are stupid like that I just don't patronize them. Match director is a reasonable person and will be satisfied if the bullet itself doesn't pull a magnet.

I suspect that at least part of that reason for some ranges is economic as brass cases bring a lot more money from salvagers/reloaders than do steel cases and sometimes a copperwashed case is hard to distinguish/separate from brass. At the ranges I have been to, most people leave their cases so I suspect that ranges makes some money on the side from such things.

On non economic grounds, some clubs ban it because people take the brass but leave the steel for others to clean up.

One local range goes so far as to require you to pay to pick up your own brass. Needless to say, I don't shoot there.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I don't have much if any problem with brass that hits the ground belonging to the range, but one facility I patronized (once) claimed ownership of ALL brass from ammo shot on the firing line, including revolvers. My response to the RO's accosting diatribe as I was re-filling my ammo boxes with my selection of .38 S&W, .44 WCF, and .45 Colt fired cases was not family friendly.

 

[1KPerDay]

I don't have much if any problem with brass that hits the ground belonging to the range, but one facility I patronized (once) claimed ownership of ALL brass from ammo shot on the firing line, including revolvers. My response to the RO's accosting diatribe as I was re-filling my ammo boxes with my selection of .38 S&W, .44 WCF, and .45 Colt fired cases was not family friendly.

I can see them doing that if you bought the ammo at the range (still a lame rule but I can see how they could justify that). But trying to steal your legal property is beyond the pale. Especially rare cartridges. Unbelievable.

 

[Speedo66]

For anyone looking for this ammo, here’s what the box looks like.

 

[Riccochet]

Most indoor ranges aren't going to care. Honestly, it's not worth their time to care. Much easier to blanket ban all steel cased ammo. Take your steel cased ammo to outdoor ranges.

 

[Speedo66]

The range I use, a nice, modern, well ventilated, well lit space, uses the magnet test. So I'm happy with this concept, I'm sure my SKS will be happy with it, too.

 

[wally]

Our club initially had a bit of controversy over steel cased ammo initially when it first became commonly available, since obviously almost nobody picked it up. But after I pointed out that when walked on into the muck it worked at least as well for ground cover as the ground-up tire mulch niblets they had been buying. And unlike brass the ones lost in the weeds rust away to about nothing in a few years.

 

[kBob]

I rather liked the light weight plastic cored 7.62 x39 and 7.62 x54R but you just can not find it these days. not sure what the jackets were of though. Hmm maybe there is some in the dribbles and drabs box out in the shop.

-kBob

 

[someguy2800]

I suspect that at least part of that reason for some ranges is economic as brass cases bring a lot more money from salvagers/reloaders than do steel cases and sometimes a copperwashed case is hard to distinguish/separate from brass. At the ranges I have been to, most people leave their cases so I suspect that ranges makes some money on the side from such things.

On non economic grounds, some clubs ban it because people take the brass but leave the steel for others to clean up.

One local range goes so far as to require you to pay to pick up your own brass. Needless to say, I don't shoot there.

Now that's just bad marketing. If they just raised the price for everybody by $3 and then said you get a $3 discount for leaving your brass on the floor nobody would have anything to say about it.

I don't have much if any problem with brass that hits the ground belonging to the range, but one facility I patronized (once) claimed ownership of ALL brass from ammo shot on the firing line, including revolvers. My response to the RO's accosting diatribe as I was re-filling my ammo boxes with my selection of .38 S&W, .44 WCF, and .45 Colt fired cases was not family friendly.

That reminds me of the guy who tried to tell me I couldn't sweep my $1 a case 45-70 brass back with a broom because it was a foot in front of the piece of tape on the floor.

 

[boom boom]

Now that's just bad marketing. If they just raised the price for everybody by $3 and then said you get a $3 discount for leaving your brass on the floor nobody would have anything to say about it.



That reminds me of the guy who tried to tell me I couldn't sweep my $1 a case 45-70 brass back with a broom because it was a foot in front of the piece of tape on the floor.

I always ask before I shoot at a place what the rules are. Unfortunately, most are indoors and only 25 yards in length. Bad rules or unsafe firing line due to other shooters, I don't go there.

Like you, I shoot some oddball calibers that are expensive and sometimes made of unobtanium and I use the fired brass for measuring with a comparator when function testing a new to me military surplus rifle. A range taking that brass would obviously screw that up.