Shooting steel case precautions?

[timelinex]

So I have been debating whether to reload for cheap 'close range' ammo or just buy some cheap rounds. Since surplus components are still pretty pricey at this time, I decided to try some russian steal case. Its basically the same cost as reloading using the cheapest components I can find.

I was pleasantly surprised today. My worked up load gives me .6moa with a scope. However I use irons or a red dot with this rifle.. So out of my 'good' load I get around 1moa with the eotech. To my surprise, the cheap Tulammo that I bought would group 90% of the shots to around 1moa and the rest inside of 2moa. Which is great! I've seen wolf sell for around 20 cents a piece when on sale.

My question is, <span style="font-weight: bold">is there anything different I should do if I use the commi ammo</span>, like for example my cleaning regime. currently I never clean the bore, until ~400 rounds, and I might wipe off and oil the BCG and inside area between range trips.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

Might want to keep the chamber clean. You're lucky. My guns have problems keeping any Russian steel case on paper at 100 yards.

 

[Mil.Dot]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

The answer you get will depend on who you ask.

Plenty of very well respected people shoot steel cased A lot (chrome lined barrels) and don't report any problems other than the rounds often being under powered and dirtier than some brass cased ammo. I don't know of any well-respected source that says it will wear out barrels quicker . . .

If you think it will ruin a barrel, think about it this way, if you save $100 per 1,000 rounds ($200 vs. $300 per 1,000 rounds), after you shoot 4,000 rounds, you have saved $400. With that savings, you could replace your barrel every 3-4000 rounds.

Having said that, I primarily shoot brass cased . . . but this makes me think I should consider shooting more steel cased for higher volume training, like inside 100 yards.

If you're looking for more than 2 MOA "precision" shooting, I think you will need to stick to Hornady steel-cased match or brass options.

 

[Rob01]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

Nothing I do special and I shoot alot of the Hornady Steel Match in my AR and pistols. You can just keep the chamber clean which is good advice with any AR but other than that shoot away.

 

[MicLR]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

My 2 cents... Any weapon that I cycle foreign made ammo through gets a thorough cleaning immediately after shooting or as soon as I can get to it. Though advertised as "non-corrosive", I don't rely on these overseas ammo manufacturers to exercise strict quality control over additives in the primers and powders which could react with the metals in the gas system and bore. As others have said, cleaning the chamber is required maintenance as the coatings (prefer polymer over lacquer IMHO) can still lead to deposits; it is a lot easier to clean it while fresh.

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I have shot LOTS of Tula and Wolf and I don't do anything different. I however to stay away from any laquer coated steel cased ammo.

 

[MBC223]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I shoot the cheap crap through my sbr and don't do anything different. Patch the bore, clean bcg, wipe down internals.

 

[rck]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I keep the bolt carrier group really wet with oil and clean the chamber well and have zero problems. Mil spec chamber and chrome lined barrel AR.

 

[*greenhorn*]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

BUY THIS FOR CHEEP AMMO. lube up your BCG with it. it will help alot

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-ch...-prod24410.aspx

 

[Takashi]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

Another +1 for lots of steel cased shooting. if my accuracy requirements are in the order of 3-4 moa I am fine using steel case.

The 223 remington wolf and tula though is a little underpowered compared to some of the heavier 5.56 rounds.

 

[mobius38]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I agree with what alot of you are saying. I shoot alot of Silver Bear and have found it to do what I expect of it and it has not been overly dirty. I get about 1 MOA from it and have been happy. I recently started shotting the Hornady Steel match and that has been great. I have shot a few groups with it and get right around 3/4 MOA with it and it is much cleaner than the Silver Bear. I just make sure the BCG is nice and lubed as I have not had any issues.

 

[timelinex]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I ran through another 100 rounds or so and it worked great. The rifle really wasn't even dirty... I know alot of you guys run through 500+ rounds at a time though, so I assume thats what your referring to. I have been using mobile 1 oil as the lubricant, and everything works without a hiccup.

How often do you guys recommend taking apart the bolt and cleaning it.. I have yet to do this and everything seems to work smoothly.

The one thing that I would liek to correct in my first posting is the accuracy i see from it. I still stand by the claim of MOSt rounds being under 2 moa, but out of the 100 or so that I shot, I noticed I got 2 or 3 rounds that were WAAAAAAY out there. I'm talking like a foot or more out of the POA. I'm positive its not me shooting that out there, so just something to keep in mind. Overall I've been very happy with the performance per $$. Bought 500 more rounds at walmart.

 

[stan462]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

The gun shop that I go to say that steel has a tendency to break the extractor, for that reason I only shoot brass. If someone else heard anything different I would like to hear about it too.

 

[Rob01]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I haven't "heard" anything else but I have experienced that never happening in tens of thousands of steel cased ammo being shot through my rifles.

AR extractors cost about $12-15. Not a big deal even if you did break one.

 

[CUSTOM1911FAN]

Re: Shooting steel case precautions?

I've shot a crap-ton of Wolf in all of my guns, except my stainless Noveskes, and the only thing I have noticed, is that if I have been using steel cased ammo and follow it with brass cased ammo, I get malfunctions. I found this out at a match where I was shooting cheap 55gr Wolf during short "hoser" stages, and I switched to 69Gr Black Hills for the far away steel targets. I experimented with this again later, and found it to be true, again. I theorize that maybe because the steel case isn't as soft as a brass case, it doesn't seal the chamber as well and allows more carbon to blow by and build up in the chamber. Follow that with a softer, expanding brass case and then there's more friction and binding and the gun malfunctions. So, I learned to carry my Otis kit in my Camelbak and give the chamber/bore a quick scrub before switching between steel to brass. YMMV

Oh, I almost forgot, since I have been brought up to fear my M4's extractor failing, I ordered a few of these bolt rebuild kits by BCM. I guess you could replace these parts every couple of years and not worry about it. I don't really know at what interval you should do it. I usually do it in the winter when the weather is crappy and I'd rather work on guns and drink spiked-eggnog. Yes, I'll gunsmith and drink, but not reload and drink!!

Here's the kit, as detailed by BCM's website:


Extractor made to USGI specs (shot peened)
Extractor pin
BCM Extractor Spring (chrome silicon, heat treated & stress relieved, shot peened)
3 USGI Gas Rings
Crane Ind O-Ring (Mil-Spec)
Black Extractor Insert