Wolf (Steel Cases Ammo) in my DPMS

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peck1234

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My ar should be arriving very soon, and I dont plan to reload or anything, just target shooting, mabe some small game hunting.

DPMS doesent reccomend Steel Cases Ammo, does any 1 have a DPMS and use wolf?

The only part of the gun the ammo could damage is the extractor? rite?

So why not save a 100bucks every time I buy 1000 rounds? Even if the extractor does break a new one is only 20 bucks.
 
Steel cased rounds may or may not feed reliably in your AR. If they do, they're fine to use - the steel cases are a little harder than brass ones, but not so much that it should significantly wear your extractor.
 
I've shot steel cased ammo almost exclusively through my RRA AR and have never had a problem. I will probably buy a parts kit just in case, but I agree with you on the price considerations.
 
I shoot it quite a bit with no problems (or guilt). Probably been through 8k in three or four ARs. :cool:
 
tried Wolf twice in my DPMS AR- both times casings haad to be dislodged from chamber with brass rod. Works fine in my Fulton Armory AR
 
Dunno about DPMS, but my Bushmaster would FTE everyother round, and FTF the other half! It shoots all other 5.56 just fine.

My Mini-14 eats Wolf no problem, so that's all it gets.
 
tried Wolf twice in my DPMS AR- both times casings haad to be dislodged from chamber with brass rod. Works fine in my Fulton Armory AR
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Was that on every round or was it after a bunch of rounds? That lacquer will take my AR-15 out of service after a few hundred rounds and I have to pop out the spent case with a cleaning rod after beating the gun until the bolt pops loose. After cleaning it gets another couple of hundred rounds then it happens again.
 
well, wolf rounds dont contain laquer any more... so i guess i should be fine...
 
Not always but most of the time if you have a chrome chamber Wolf will work.

I would not own an AR without a chrome chamber other than my high power competition rifle.
 
i would not use it in my white oak armament spr match barrel. if it were a chrome lined barrel and chamber gun... and it was a plinking gun, then shoot away. i personaly do not like it, but thats just me...
 
Stuck cases with Wolf happen with both the polymer and lacquer coatings.

For what it is worth, I have seen a notoriously reliable AR choke on Hornady's steel cased practice ammo as well. No stuck cases; but short-stroking with two completely different lots (several years apart in production). Same Hornady ammo ran flawlessly through two Bushmasters and a frankengun.

I have always been very happy with Hornady ammo and I am tempted to say that if Hornady can't make steel cased ammo work in ARs, there is just an inherent problem with the idea.
 
I've never had a problem with Wolf in any of my ARs. They eat it up like candy.
 
I was told that steel casings will scar the chamber and beget extraction problems for brass casings when they expand to the chamber walls. If true, this isn't a problem if you don't plan on using brass.
 
I was told that steel casings will scar the chamber and beget extraction problems for brass casings when they expand to the chamber walls. If true, this isn't a problem if you don't plan on using brass.
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I doubt that steel casings can scar the chamber given how soft the steel is; however, one hypothesis that I do think may hold water is that steel doesn't expand and contract the same way brass does and you may get a thicker layer of carbon build up in the chamber (because the casing isn't expanding to seal a lot of the carbon out). When you switch back to brass ammo, the slightly smaller chamber size (built-up carbon) and greater expansion of brass may cause stuck cases.

One thing I can say is that every time I see Wolf stuck in someone's rifle, the eventually extracted case is accompanied by big chunks of carbon fouling.
 
I agree with Mr. Roberts observation.
I have removed a number of Wolf steel cases from the chambers of .223 rifles and this includes other brands and actions than the AR15.
In every case so far noted there was a heavy incidence of fouling noted.

In most cases I am convinced that the malfunction was caused by overize, maximum dimension cartridge cases and a lack of general maintenance on the part of the operator.

Wolf is one of those cartridges one has to shoot themselves and decide if the ammunition is of sufficient quality to meet their individual shooting needs.
 
Ok more more thing, found this rite on wikipedia? Is this true?

[edit] Steel-jacketed bullets
Not only the cases of Wolf rifle ammo are steel. Most of Wolf's rifle cartridges use steel jacketed bullets, though they look like copper jacketed. The copper exterior of the bullet is only about .005 inch thick, (about twice the thickness of a sheet of paper) with a steel jacket underneath about 1/32 inch thick. Only the cartridges in the yellow and black boxes, which have become almost unavailable as of 2/08, have real copper jackets. The core of the steel jacketeted bullets, sometimes marked "bimetal", are lead. Some rifle ranges have started magnet testing shooter's ammunition to determine if bullets are steel jacketed. The steel is said to be more likely to ricochet, and also to cause sparks on impact, which can be a problem when shooting in dry grassland, or forest areas.
 
Ok more more thing, found this rite on wikipedia? Is this true?
Click to expand...
There's an easy way to check - does a magnet stick to the bullet? If you don't have any, I'll check when I get home - I received 500 rounds of the .223 "Military Classic" last week.
 
I've used polymer coated Wolf in my Armalite M15, 16" mid length gas system, chrome lined barrel and chamber. No problems, but you can tell it's a weaker powder charge and the action cycles somewhat slow.

I would expect more problems using it in a non-chrome chamber, and would expect more barrel wear from steel jacketed bullets in a non-chrome-lined barrel. My understanding is that steel jacketed bullets are really only meant for military rifles with chrome-lined barrels.

I wouldn't consider using the old lacquer coated Wolf. The polymer seems fine.

Strongly agree with B. Roberts' comments also.
 
Here's a simple way to determine if Wolf is good for your new DPMS AR - will it void your warranty? Yes, as will shooting reloads.

On the plus side, my Mini eats Wolf for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and shoots tighter groups than my AR on more expensive ammo!
 
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