TulAmmo and the Local Range

[Rorge Retson]

Went to the local range yesterday and brought some TulAmmo with some Blazer Brass. About halfway through my session, the range guy says I can't shoot the steel-cased stuff there. I told him that I thought it was only steel-bullet stuff that was off limits, but he said no, it was steel-cased as well.

This is where it gets interesting.

When I asked him why, he told me "It's because that stuff will destroy your gun." Huh? "Come again?" I asked. "Yeah, that stuff wasn't made for your gun, and if you keep shooting it, it will clog/screw up/eat your barrel/destroy your gun...because it wasn't made for it."

First of all, I cannot believe that any range actually gives a rat's a$$ what anything does to my gun, so I'm not buying that one. However, I am curious as to what the reasons are for their policy...anyone?

 

[ny32182]

They don't want to have to sort the steel cases out from the brass cases most likely. It probably has to do with their contracts with whoever they are selling the brass to.

 

[CoRoMo]

Their policies/rules should be in writing somewhere.

 

[holdencm9]

My local range doesn't care about steel case because they can just take a magnet and sort it out super quick. Either your range is too lazy to do that, or don't know about the magic of magnets.

My range forbids Blazer Aluminum case for that reason of not having an easy way to sort it out.

Steel case won't hurt your gun.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Get a Hi-Point and dare him to say that. That was a joke.. it's none of his business. If he needs to sort it, he should get a big old $4 magnet from Harbor Freight.

Petty tyrants bother me.

 

[mgmorden]

Its could be that they don't want to sort it out, but that's a hard one to believe. I get a lot of scrap brass donated to me and its easy to sort out steel cases with a simple magnet.

What it more likely is that someone told him that they didn't allow "steel ammo" (really talking about steel jackets, which might damage the backstop). He probably didn't quite understand the reason for that nor the distinction, and was just making something up to justify the rule when you asked him about it.

Suffice to say - no, steel cased ammo won't really hurt your gun. I've found the primers are harder than many and so in a gun with some tuning (ie, lightened striker spring or the like) I avoid it, but other than that its fine for blasting ammo.

 

[dfsixstring]

I was told that I could no longer shoot TullAmmo at my local indoor range too. The reason was the steel jacket was potentially damaging to the range.

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
It's been a long while since I've shot any steel case ammo. Check to see if the slug jacket is steel/sintered iron with a magnet.

 

[CZ-75BD]

At range I'm usually going steel cases forbidden, and answer was-
it will blow in your gun.....Well, what can I say…

 

[fireman 9731]

That is a load of baloney. The metal used for bullet jackets is soft like copper, its just cheaper. I wont hurt a thing. It wont hurt your gun either. The steel cases are made of a metal alloy with similar characteristics of brass.

If it was me I would tell them they have no idea what they are talking about and take my business elsewhere. I cant handle idiots.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

My bet: they want to sell you ammo. How do they feel about aluminum Blazer?

My .02 on steel cased ammo, just my opinion, I use it in my Eastern Bloc weapons but skip it in things like my Mini and my M-1's. I haven't used steel cased pistol ammo at all. Then again I don't shoot so much anymore so a few more bucks doesn't matter so much I guess.

 

[Ramone]

I'd almost bet that what started as "no Steel Core" (which will wreck hangers, over penetrate backstops, etc.,) or " no Steel Jacket" (which will strike sparks, I am told- more so than copper), morphed into 'No Steel Ammo" which he takes to mean, "No Steel Cased Ammo".

But I wouldn't argue it with him- people have a habit of digging their heels in. I'd wait for a chance to ask someone else "why no Steel Case?". I'd bet they'd answer that steel cased is ok, but Steel Jacket/core is no-go.

 

[keithbayne]

i dont why as far as the steel,how ever,the cheap made tula ammo is made in Russia.
it is cheap for a reason. it contains a very corrosive type powder.the guy at the range could have explained better would have helped.but he does have a point. but it is your gun and your business,yeah,i dont know why they would care if you corrode your barrell,it yours LOL

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
It's not corrosive.

 

[Giterboosted]

Tulammo isn't corrosive at all

 

[Tcruse]

Mostly the issue is just lack of facts and education on the ranges part. They probably get some income from brass sales and therefore want keep that part of the business up. I have see fires started on the backstop but expect that ammo type is not really the issue. Steel core, especially in rifles can harm backstops not designed for such. Bimetal jacket is not steel core.

 

[dogtown tom]

keithbayne .....it is cheap for a reason. it contains a very corrosive type powder.

Close.
I think you mean corrosive PRIMERS.....gunpowder isn't corrosive in the same sense as corrosive primers.

Tula and Wolf as currently imported to the USA are NOT corrosive.

 

[gym]

Tell him since it's your gun, you're willing to chance it. Or to show you some emperipal evidence that showed what he said is true.

 

[Striker]

The current two indoor ranges that I frequent, and a third that I worked at as a RSO all prohibited "steel case ammo", primarily because most, if not all ammo of this type, also have bimetallic projectiles that spark on the concrete floors and steel backstops.

The concern was that they would ignite unburned powder collected on the range and cause a flash fire (this happen at a competitor range, and is the reason that a periodic sweepdown of the range is a necessity) Additionally, those ranges that use a chunk rubber backstop have a concern about such a flash fire igniting said rubber....not good.

 

[EddieNFL]

Our range has no restrictions or ammo other than tracer. We shoot into traps filled with shredded tire rubber. No fires, yet.

I rarely see Tula/Wolf, but the AD guys shoot a metric ton of M855 on the 200 yard range.

 

[mgmorden]

The concern was that they would ignite unburned powder collected on the range and cause a flash fire (this happen at a competitor range, and is the reason that a periodic sweepdown of the range is a necessity) Additionally, those ranges that use a chunk rubber backstop have a concern about such a flash fire igniting said rubber....not good.

That actually happened at the local indoor range last time I was there. Apparently after constantly sweeping up at the end of the day a generous amount of unburnt powder had collected in the cracks in the floor. Not sure if it was a spark from a bullet or what but something ignited it. Wasn't really dangerous or anything - more just cool to watch, but it was just a slow moving fire fizzing up from the crack in the concrete floor. It burned for a few minutes before they got in there and put it out.

It never got more than a few inches high - didn't even need to sound the alarm. I just found it neat that that much powder had accumulated .

 

[Certaindeaf]

"Destroying your gun" is different than setting the world on fire.

 

[CoRoMo]

Again, find the written rules. It will put to rest the difference between 'steel cased' and 'steel cored' ammo.

If it only forbids steel in the projectile, always refer to that text when confronted about the steel shells you're ejecting.

If is says that steel cased ammo is prohibited, then don't bring any back to that range.

 

[Fishslayer]

The range I go to prohibits any ammo that will attract a magnet to either the bullet or case. And prohibits Wolf by name.

And yes, the rules are posted.

 

[Hacker15E]

Completely idiotic. They want your brass and are too ashamed to say it.

I like shooting Tula reloads with M193 pulled projectiles because it pisses some people off, heh heh.