Smyth Busters: Will Steel Cased Ammo Damage My Gun?
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- "If you run steel through your gun, it'll ruin the chamber." "If it doesn't run steel, it doesn't deserve brass." The debate over steel-cased ammunition seems never-ending. Or is it? Brownells Gun Techs Steve and Caleb are here to explain why steel-cased ammo WILL NOT ruin your gun! Steel cases are used mostly in inexpensive ammo imported from Russia and former Soviet Bloc countries, which may be the source of the "Steel is Bad" myth. Early imported steel-cased ammo had corrosive primers, which DID result in chamber damage for folks who didn't clean their guns properly.
Sub-Myth #1: the slick polymer coating on steel-cased ammo will melt off in the chamber and gum up your rifle. No, says Caleb - and he explains why. (A rough chamber will scrape off some of the polycoating and create something akin to shotgun wad fouling. The solution, again, is cleaning.) Sub-Myth #2: the steel case will wear the chamber.... but it won't because the steel of the shell is MUCH softer than the steel of a rifle chamber.
Two things are true: Steel-cased ammo will run dirtier because the case doesn't expand and seal out the fouling as well as a brass case. You just have to clean your gun more often. And steel cases DO wear the extractor more because they aren't as malleable brass cases. But with what you save on the cost of ammo by shooting steel, you can afford to replace the extractor a couple extra times. Today's score: Another myth BUSTED.
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The casual rocket launcher behind them in the safe just chillin
I believe that's an AT-4
Looks like a Gustav recoiless rifle.
@@chinchilla641 AT-4 is lightened American version of Carl Gustav 84.
I also believe it to be AT-4
It's a slice of pizza
It's anti-steel propaganda by brass hounds at the range.
You can't reload steel cases, so it's myths for fudds to collect brass 👀
Hey it works!😎
Truthfully the bimetal ammo can cause sparking on metal targets etc and is often banned for that reason... but also the brass goblins cant get their fix
@@ryanpeck3377 See that first part makes sense, especially in indoor ranges
The reason that ranges hate steel is that it is unreloadable because many ranges recycle spent brass they get more money for brass that is uncontaminated by steel and it is difficult to separate the two, therefore many ranges ban the use of steel cased ammo!
It is really nice to hear competent people talk without any hyping or shouting, just facts. It is a great content.
these people are not competent.
Seems to me cheap Russian 223 will absorb moisture over time and can become extremely dangerous to shoot... so there's that...
😆@@gunslinger3090
“If it doesn’t run steel then it doesn’t deserve brass” Heck yeah he said the thing!
Why do people keep saying "the thing" lol.. is it a Joe Biden thing?
@@brutalbag225 Nah, Brandon Herrera (the AK Guy) said it in a video awhile back
@@brutalbag225 Yeah man, you know---The Thing! :)
One of my favorite sayings.
@@brutalbag225 That is Joe Biden's "thing."
Polymer blend cases are being developed now, one day we will look back and remember debating brass vs steel. Then again the direction this country is going people may look back and say Remember when we had a right to own a firearm.
Hey well if they willingly turned them into the government, yet still cry about it online and think they can "vote them out" despite voting demographics being against them they deserve to lose that right.
More like "Remember when we had a functioning goverment that actually protected those who didn't own guns"
How true, but I pray never in Texas
They wont change the 2nd amendment.
@@doyoumakeittotheclouddistr4132 They don't have to. All new weapons are serialized and registered, so as soon as the old stuff stops working, the right to bear arms is one 'executive order due to extreme circumstances' away from being gone.
If it goes bang in my firearm, I will take it.
My man 💪🏾💪🏾
spiked 7.62
... buys .50 BMG slap rounds from shady dealer
@@Oberkommando
Oof.
And you will only buy Glock and no aftermarket triggers because you only need the most reliable firearm. But yeah 20 cent steel is fine
These videos remind me of "this old house" but with guns
Haha. You're right.
So true but this is better! No hate, I love this old house
you nailed it haha...the wood table, blue button ups, and coffee cups
True
Definitely, just less dumb jokes
I NEED to know: what’s with the rocket launcher in the safe in the background? 😂
Expended AT4. You can search online and find them for sale here and there. Once fired, it's just a tube and can't be reloaded.
Home defense.
haha, yessss! Now I want a dummy one.
👀😂😂💀💀☠☠
America
I’ve been using Tulammo bear and wolf steel case for years in my 556 308 and 45. A little dirty but like they said you have to clean your tool after each use. Never misses a beat.
Brian Presgrive, where are you finding Bear ammunition? Is it Brown Bear or Silver Bear?
Same
Me 2
@@TheGuy030770 I'm sorry for the late response. I shoot silver. Have not shot any brown. I did a quick search before I replied and there is still plenty of both out there for sale. Prices have gone up on it of course but just have to shop around.
I always clean my tool after each use
I personally recommend people not to buy any. Therefore I think it would be best for me to buy as much as I can to verify what they’re saying is true with my own independent studies!!
You sly dog you lol
Something tells me it will be awhile for you to complete those studies.
@@ch4osaeternum74 Ha Ha Ha :)
Can we just take a second and appreciate the AT-4 sitting behind them lmao, I love these guys.
You might already know, but I’ll say it anyway , AT4’s are a one shot deal. I’m sure that thing is spent and empty. It also might be a trainer that shoots a tracer 45 round.
@@davidooch Went to the AT4 range on Ft. Hood. Had a lot of fun. But yeah, it's a one and done option.
@@JasonON Yes I remember the same thing from the Marine Corps. That’s probably why they have it, we can all probably pick one up in an Army and Navy store.
…I’m so glad to know this. During this shortage i’ve had to purchase steel for the first time…then I heard it’s bad…then I freaked out…then I got disappointed…then I found these sensible gun experts…now I’m relieved…i should stay off the Internet…
It happens to us all. Too much information!
My grandson has been using steel case in my AR-15 for months. That was the only .223 he could find in the area. He said no malfunctions at all.
Cool grandson, and you for that matter
Not yet at least. Wait until he has put about 7-9 k of it down range when all of a sudden the gun jams because the case didn’t extract.
@@johnwalczak935 after 15,000 rounds of steel cased ammo through my AR-15 I have not had one single jam misfire or any other malfunction whatsoever and I only clean it every thousand rounds so go tell somebody else that bullshit. Oh and I'm running the cheapest AR-15 I could possibly put together.
@@bobbyhempel1513 you’ll be sorry one day
@@johnwalczak935 Feels like you live for “I told you so” moments. I’ve been shooting steel case ammo for years through pistol, revolver, AR15 and AK47 and no functional damage yet based on that ammo. When shooting suppressed steel case, occasionally it may not cycle due to lower pressure. Also higher occurrence of light primer strike depending on the firearm hammer, striker, firing pin spring condition. Steel case in general is good to go.
Bottom line....shoot it, clean it. 😀
And replace your parts more offend because of the additional wear....
I remember when you could get a case of sks for $600. Ah I wish I would have bought one.
Now its $.50 per round the cheapest
@@betafishjeremy7454 if you look around you can still find ammo for under 50¢/rnd. I've been able to score 1000 9mm for $28 of 100rnd box and 223/556 for 1000rnd for $450. I've been getting mine mostly from Bass pro shop and other local fun stores by me.
@@Voltis-5 I was specifically talking about the 7.62x39. When I got some the cheapest I could find at the time was around $.50/rnd
Bought one, I hope you meant one more :/.
I remember getting a case of 762x39 for $80 that was in the 90s I sure miss them days
Thank you for addressing this myth. My rifle runs both types and the only difference is the ejection pattern and location where they land.
make sure your wife doesn't have a low cut blouse on, they don't like hot cases going down the V of their bra for some reason.
Only thing I see running steel in my AR 300 Blackout is the deflector gets marks/dings in it.
I've been shooting Barnaul.
AK is like Soviet people: always hungry, will eat anything
@@BanBootlicking All those potatoes. Which includes vodka.
@@BanBootlicking Caribou eaten raw with potatoes, comrade.
@@cbsbass4142
It's not like the Soviet Union made enough electricity to export it to other Eastern Bloc countries (sarcasm).
Stop being such a brainwashed moron. A country cannot be the second world power pioneering space travel and have nuclear energy, while being an underdeveloped backwards country, where people can't cook their food, at the same time. Choose one, you can't have both.
Have you looked at America recently? More and more breadlines. Considering how rich the US is, this is beyond pathetic.
@@BanBootlicking you made my day!
@@BanBootlicking Take your bullsh!t commy propaganda and cram it where the sun doesn't shine. You seem to think communism meant everybody got the same levels of food and essential goods. Nothing could be further from the truth and you damn well know it. The "haves" got the lion's share and the populace got what was left or what they could scrounge. You're the one that's brainwashed comrade.
If anybody has steel cased rounds they do not want, I’ll take it. (7.62x39)
I don’t think nobody giving any up unless u tryna pay 2arms & 2legs especially now😥
@@youngc1mission So glad I saw the writing on the wall 6 years ago and started buying bulk from SGammo back when it was 150 bucks for 1k rounds of 7.62
I have enough ammo that if I were to sell everything at todays prices, I'd have enough for a hefty down payment on a nice house in the burbs.
@@that1electrician but then you be stuck in the burbs without any ammo 😉
"If it can't shoot the steel, it doesn't deserve the brass."
My Brownells BRN-16A1 as it fails to even chamber steel cased: ....
Lmaooooo
Well, you heard the man... Time to chuck it... 😂
My BRN too, but after i used dry lube or graphite powder on the magazines, it works flawlessly with steel case
@@dontquestionmyname5490 thats a trick I havent heard before. I'll keep that in mind to try in case my 1911 or my keltec pf9 either one decide they don't like that Tulla ammo, but so far, they each have better than 500 rounds of it through them without a single ftf...
@@supramaniac502 The gray 20 rounds mag that comes with the BRN16A1 didnt work well for me with tula ammo (always misfeed, jam, or double feed), I used graphite powder and small amount of dry lube. After that, for the first time, I was able to dump all 20 rounds of steel ammo without malfunction.
They ran steel cases ammo through m16s at the civil war in El Salvador back in the 80s and now days ppl are so afraid use steel case ammo.
Incorrect, Those were actually AR's that were open bolt firing SR-15 bullpups 🤣 And if you bump the rifle the bolt will close and fire around right into yo head
@@CoryHobbs2178 wtf are you spewing?
Door Spook
Black militia leader, I think, put out a video explaining that an AR-15, I kid you not, was a bullpup. And that simply dropping the rifle on the ground would case the bolt to slam shut and fire off a round.
Angry Cops on youtube explains it real well.
@@manupontheprecipice6254 he pissed me completely off by that video. He knew knowing of guns
I’m from El Salvador 🇸🇻, Brave Humble people 🇺🇸🇸🇻
This is such a wonderful service you provide. Your knowledge is very helpful to us beginners.
The extractor issue is the only issue I’ve ever heard/gave credence to. Sounds like it is a true statement.
i for one appreciate the straight forward answer at the beginning of the video
I like your videos guys ; they're generally a good length and you get to the point plus you never talk over each other.
Thanks again !
Thanks guys! I’m an old AK guy that brought the use of steel with me to all my guns. Even my MPX. And it runs great on steel and aluminum.
I can't honestly say how many rounds of steel cased ammo I've used through the years but I did encounter my very 1st problem a couple of weeks ago. I do not blame it on the steel case ammo though. Turned out to be the buffer on my new PSA lower was not heavy enough which caused the BCG to slam violently onto the round. The extractor survived but did take a chunk out of the spent casing. A simple poke with a cleaning rod removed the damaged round with no other issues.
Side note: the build is a 200.00 PSA lower with a 16" S&W sport II upper.
Update 08/15/20 .. Ran another 200 rounds of steel cased ammo with no issues at all using the same rifle that had the issue last time out. I never got around to trying the different buffer weights with it either. It ran fine even with double taps.
That’s apparently a generally common issue with new PSA lowers. I’ve heard of the buffer pin popping out during use and getting mangled into the lower mechanisms. Seems like you already knew that and solved the problem yourself though☺️. Just wanted to second the fact that the issue had no correlation with the ammo/cartridge type👍🏻
@@TheBrandonFrank Inexpensive lowers will have issues for sure. I did order an H2 and H3 buffer which should solve the slamming issue. It ran fine for the 1st 30 rnds then the 2nd mag with double taps is when I experienced the broken case. The extractor was not damaged at all but it did take a nice chunk out of the spent round.
PSA+steel cased=bad range day
@Mr. Morningstar Good points thank you .. The s&w sport ii upper was used and broken in from what the person I bought it from told me, approximately 400 rounds. Although the lands and grooves looked almost new, which is why I bought it for the build. The 1st 20 rounds went without a hickup sighting it in, had very good grouping. So the 2nd mag I went into rapid fire double taps, the 9th of 20 rounds is when I encountered the stuck case. The bottom of the case had a chunk taken out of it where the extractor punched it. I actually felt it when it happened. While doing rapid fire double taps the bcg seemed to rock my stance more so than the steady fire. If I'd thought about it and used my knife or had my cleaning rod I could have cleared it at the range. Once back home the spent case popped right out.
As for going with an H1 buffer, I'm almost positive that will solve the bcg slamming issue. To be honest I just now thought about checking the original buffer to see if it even has weights in it. I had bought 2 of the 200.00 psa lowers, the other one worked fine, no issues at all with it. I will try to remember to post an update after my next range visit and test of the H1 and H2 buffers. Thank you for the insight to other possible causes though, I will keep them in mind.
For well over a decade now and even during the pandemic with these long lines of individuals waiting to get ammo at Academy, I would walk right in the store grab all the steel case ammo I could grab and walk out with everyone uttered the words “but that’s going to damage your gun” or while they walked away emptyless of ammo simply because they did not find brass. People in the public do what they do because they don’t know any better regardless of what it is. I specifically remember buying 31,000 rounds of 7.62 x 39 gold tiger ammo in about 2002 or so for $.04 cents around. It had to be loaded on a pallet and sat in the back of my truck. All of our A.R. 15‘s are 7.62 platform out here on our land as well as having a case. I bought this ammo because it’s the messy scarce and is what’s least popular and with over 212,000 rounds (last I counted) I’m not the one complaining about not having any ammo. Moral of the story, quit being picky.l and making up excuses. No different with all my steel case 9 mm.
Damn you for this video! Now everyone is going to buy off the steel case ammo. Awesome video by the!😁🇺🇸👍
Hell it's all been gone for awhile now already! I can't remember the last time I saw wolf 223 in stock anywhere. It's funny too because that most likely means that the ammo snobs must have ran out and bought a bunch when things started looking ugly. I guess they're too good for it until they might need it to save their lives.
@@cfltitan yup! Well said.👍🇺🇸
if lucky gunner steel case test didnt make them do it before
I googled it yesterday to check on status. Steel cased .223 bulk target stuff (where available) was around 60 cents a piece and you still had to pay shipping!
I payed .65 per round for a case of PMC XTAC in 2013 and I thought that was bad!
Steel isn't cheaper anymore from what I can see. It's all about what you're willing to pay and what you can find in 2020
@Maine Jackal lol, Ah yes its "junk" but it still is accurate enough in 50+ year old guns to hit mansized target free hand at 300yards. I guess one persons "Junk" is another persons treasure
I run brass because it's not as hard on my extractors, and it tends to run cleaner. If you choose to run steel, that's fine too. To each his own.
Broke my extracter
If I shoot steel, the cost savings on one box allows me to buy two new extractors.
@@Clipz4Reelz always hearing but never experiencing lol. if an extractor breaks its because of shitty pot metal castings they use like century arms AKs. buy real guns and you wont have an issue
It sucks because steel is literally the only thing I can find for my 6.5 grendel AR
@@Clipz4Reelz I'm not sure I entirely buy into the idea of the extractor wear/damage. Unless the case is requiring more energy to removed from the chamber, what is the difference? With the 7.62x39 round with it's fully tapered cartridge, I don't see there being any issue, which is probably why AK's and SKS eat the steel ammo with no problems. 5.56/45 - 223 in comparison has a straight walled case, so perhaps with more fouling from the ammo, the extraction does become more difficult over time, so that's where the issue arises. With the AR action if you are using a dirty type of ammo in the first place, you soon end up with a dirty gun period, which could also add to problems of wear over time. I only run steel in 7.62x39, more by accident, than design because the AR ammo was always cheap and available in brass cases, obviously of late that has changed some, so if I see a great deal on some steel cased I would give it a try.
I have 1000rds of green tip. 250rds ballistic tips, and like 5000rds of monarch steel case. I absolutely love Steel case and almost exclusively run it
Was that a synchronized drinking of coffee at the end?
Not even planned.
I think the copper mug guy is drinking Moscow Mule
@DannyBoyDDD no American how dare u... You don't paly modern Warfare do you...
Two guys on the same wavelength with coffees finish speaking after 7 minutes and drink in unison .
Seems about right to me .
Drink up before it's cold !
DannyBoyDDD en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT4
From my experience with coated steel rounds it seemed like it would run fine until you got it hot and let it cool with a round in the chamber. It didn't seem to happen all the time but it certainly did happen for me.
This has happened to me also. Took me awhile to figure out what happened but that coating melting then being allowed to cool sitting in the chamber was like hot gluing the case in the chamber.
@@nunyabussiness4054 yup. I had one hell of a time trying to get one stuck case out. A friend of mine said that he puts his steel case ammo in an ammo can and seals it up with a shot of starting fluid. Supposedly it does something to the coating
A lot of ammo also have bimetallic jackets. A blend of steel and copper. Lucky gunner did a very in depth test on this and showed more throat erosion and barrel wear. For the vast majority of shooters, there will be no difference whatsoever.
It blows my mind when AR-15 owners don't clean their rifle right away after coming home from the range.
It's so dang easy to clean; you don't have to do a deep clean every time, and field stripping an AR-15 is kindergarten-simple.
Run a bore snake through with solvent and oil, and wipe down your BCG. A little carbon never hurt anything, and you can do a deep clean every 5 or 10 trips to the range to play it safe. Takes like 3 minutes, 5 minutes tops to do a basic cleaning. Maybe half an hour or so for a deep clean.
I'm pretty sure my pistol target ammo is corrosive, but I have no corrosion despite the pistol being all steel and was made in 1992. Just clean your damn weapon, man.
I wish it only took 30 minutes for a deep cleaning. Stupid Marine Corps making me super detail oriented.
Clean after every trip to range?
*laughs in Kalashnikov*
@@holovoid_ Keep your AK clean and properly sighted, and suddenly your accuracy won't be so shameful. Dirty guns don't perform as well as well maintained guns. Just a fact; can't defy material science or physics, no matter how much Vodka and lore you throw at the AK. :)
@@Gottaculat I'm just joshing. I have a PCC AK and clean it pretty regularly. Its pretty much a tack driver for what I need it for.
@@Gottaculat
Vodka (especially the cheap stuff) does an excellent job at cleaning out the barrel as well as cleaning off the bolt - and makes the AK smell more Kalashnikovy!
USPSA magazine did an article on steel case ammo. It wasn’t the case as much as the bi-metal bullet. There isn’t enough copper on the bullet and it was causing premature wear in barrels. Swat magazine did another article around the same time about it. An author did a 4K high round count class at Tactical Response. The gun started at 2MOA and opened up to a 4MOA gun after the class.
That’s why it’s best not to use steel cased ammo in nice/valueable guns. Over the long term it’s not good for them
@@prancer1803you missed the point of the entire comment.
As someone that had to send his AR15 upper to a gunsmith to remove a "neck" ripped from a steel case, I'd beg to differ on some of this. My situation had me with a fairly warm barrel, and a several minute pause with a round in battery. The "lacquer" coating built up in the chamber, and bonded to the un-fired round. Upon resuming activity, I sent the round, and it ripped the body of the case from the neck, and tried to feed the next round inside the first neck. The "neck" had to be extracted with a tool inserted from the snout, pressing the neck out.
I’ve seen the same thing happen with brass cases ammo
The only issue I ever had running steel was increased friction on the steel magazine feeders with Lancer mags, which resulted in jamming. No issue with PMAG. I prefer the Lancer mags, so I stick with brass. No issues.
Lancer mags are overrated
There's one one big reason why I don't shoot steel at all: I'm a reloader.
You can reload steel cases.
@@incontinentiabuttocks5271 not all of them. Most of the steel I’ve come across, has two small holes for the primer rather than one regular sized hole. This makes popping the primers out nearly impossible
@@MrAdeuhtyr there's ways to pop the two hole cases, it's a pain but it can be done.
@@morrius0757 obviously there’s ways to make it happen. It’s gonna take either a custom tool, a fair amount of time, and/or a lot more effort than standard brass would take. But if you like to reload inefficiently, it’s probably just right for you
I had more jams in my old AR with steel casing than anything.
Good topic guys. I have to admit that I was among those who had concerns about the poly coat on the ammo more than anything else. I'd also heard about the problems with it running dirty and being corrosive. As I've never really run that ammo, I didn't realize that it didn't seal quite as well as brass, but you're right, other than being dirty, it's not really an issue as long as you clean them well. Great vid guys, keep up the great work.
Best episode yet. Caleb just dropped some serious truths for consumers especially the bit about saving a bunch of money on ammo. You are the real MVP, Caleb!
AK guys already knew this secret, but companies are catching on it seems. I run steel in all my firearms without issue from my vector to my rifles.
Except it's completely wrong
@Marino Correct
Reminds me of the Forgotten Weapons video about the WWII MG42 and that its bolt is so hard on the cartridges that they exclusively shot steel cased ammo, so it must be stronger than brass and thus safer. To make the MG42 safer you can switch the bolt out. :) I think it also depends on manufacturing quality ofc.
What I have seen happen multiple times are steel cases getting stuck in a rifle chamber.
The bolt will move rearward and the extractor will rip the recessed rim, right off the casing, and eject the rim but the strap case will be stuck in the rifle chamber. And then you need to epoxy a lag bolt in the stuck casing in order to be extracted from the chamber.
People say that this happens due to steel being less flexible than brass and not being able to expand and contract as well or as fast. That being said, I’m no expert. But definitely seen steel get stuck over and over again (perhaps I should mention that in every case, it was Tulammo)
If it's Soviet, it'll use steel cases. They're designed to run on steel-cased ammunition.
Only surplus ammo is corrosive, any ammo made today including steel-cased with berdan primers will make sure to declare it loudly on the box as NON-CORROSIVE. Corrosive doesn't mean it will dissolve your gun as you shoot it, it means you need to clean your gun within a few hours of shooting it, especially if you're in a humid or coastal environment with lots of salt in the air.
Noooo now everyone is going to buy up all the steel ammo now too 😂
dave c I think it was meant to be a *too
Noooooooo
dave c yup I meant too, sorry forgot this was UA-cam and people have to check spelling and grammar for every single fucking thing 🤦🏻♂️
Incorrect...there won’t be any steel cased ammo left soon
I got 1000 rounds of Wolf .223, I am good for a while
A friend of mine who was involved in the Bosnia war, as a prisoner and worker, loaded a unbelievable amount of AK mags a never saw a single round of steel cased ammo. We, in the 🇺🇸, take fore granted that all AK platforms are steel case firearms, but it's not really the case. Great info in this video!
As a gunsmith of 18 years, i appreciate this info going out to gullible people, Ive fixed many broken extractors lately since the rise in cost of ammo... everyone buying steel cased ammo is breaking extractors and ive been making more money off it. Excellent work brownells *thumbs up*
Sounds more on manufacture issue than ammo lol. And if they keep coming back to you, maybe your the problem lol.
OMG!!! In the last 35 years, I've fired over 7,000 of the cheapest, crummiest, smelliest steel cased rounds through my 1954 SKS, and the only degradation I see is the eyesight of the shooter. I'll start blaming my poor accuracy on that now. Thanks for the tip. Keep up the good content.
Thank you for an excellent video. Steel cased in a revolver can be very hard to extract.
SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT! Shoot brass, pick up brass, RELOAD brass! :-)
See? I'm an environmentalist!
Hell yeah!!
It doesn't matter steel lead or copper or brass all metal comes from the environment
@@timothysackett8599 r/wooosh
@@martinhamill7958 wrong. he got the joke.
@@danielsteger8456 oh... fuck
I find it amazing that on a gun news site. That people are friendly and cooperative. Answering people's questions and not politicly involved
Very refreshing thanks
I shoot steel in my AR and Sig P226 without issues. Qualified on the FBI (new) short range pistol course this year with the Winchester steel, no issues.
Steel not made in Russia... disgusting.
Tyrone Koumoundouros so the work they do for sex trafficking, and kiddy diddlers are unconstitutional? I think you mean the ATF buddy.
@Tyrone Koumoundouros Tyrone posted this 3 days ago. You still with us Tyrone?
Tyrone Koumoundouros you know that shits popping , you jamming to it yourself
Tyrone Koumoundouros yea that works, come on through
"If it can't shoot the steel, it doesn't deserve the brass."
He said the think! A fellow follower of AK Jesus!
Jesusnikov
Remember, clean firearm first shoot second. Thanks for the video Brownell.
THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION LOVE THE SMITH BUSTERS SERIES
I'm so happy to be a subscriber to Brownells channel. You have no idea how much i've learnt about my AR and hang guns from your channel. Great job as always and you guys are the most professional gun channel on YT according to me.
I've been preaching this for years. Thank you!
I now feel inadequate because I do not have an extra extractor just laying around. 🙁
I was in the same boat. I finally ordered 3 field replacement kits, I think I got them from Classic. Had the extractor in the kits, plus spring.
Thank you for this! Got 10 boxes of steel cased 9mm today. Good to know it won’t hurt my Walther 😄
Only issue with steel is the lack of tapper in some rounds and that weird coating on some that can possibly gunk up a gun.
In the end learn to service, maintain, and fix your weapons.
Haven’t run steel through my AR but my mini 14 loves it
Ah, just the comment I was looking for. I own a mini14 myself. It's the only 223 rifle I own. How's the gun holding up; any problems?
Love my mini14 rancher. Love it
My mini 14 eats thur the steel ammo and wants more. So i feed it as much as possible. With no problems. Got to love the mini 14
So good to hear.. Maybe I miss took the comment made from some one else as to "I hope your not shooting brass in your AK" and I agree good to hear no nonsense teachings. Thanks and be well, Tom
With my Mini-14, when I first got it, I found it almost needed to run steel because the extractor was so strong it nearly tore chunks out of the rims on brass.
That just means its over gassed but steel is great as long as you clean it after
This guy is the mr. roger of the gun community 😂😂😂
This is exactly what I was just talking to a friend of mine about who is going to buy steel for their A.R. 15. My objection was the only thing I could think of is that it would be hard on their ejector.
Thanks for the confirmation
The issue I’ve had with steel cased ammo was 9mm. Loading CZ and Springfield Armory mags with a Lula Mag loader it will bind up. Sometimes the mag will also bind up and not feed correctly.
Yep , I have had some feeding issues with my CZ and XDM with steel ammo .
Not to the extent that it off sets the cost savings of shooting thousands of rounds of steel cased ammo . 2019 we went thru 5000 plus rounds of steel cased in 9mm alone .
so far i haven't encountered any problems using steel case 9mm in my cz 75 sp-o1 running the factory mags. approximately a 500 round mixture of tula, brown bear and silver bear. i clean and lube the gun every 500 rounds.
Doesn't it also wear out the extractor hook quicker?
Using corrosive ammo you need to wash it with hot soapy water for the best results or cool water works too then dry then oil it
Makes sense.
New for me as former yugo soldier, we just clean Yugo AK (M 70) with the cloth and oil and the rifle was fine but then again we clean that thing almost every day. I never tought that AK is so resiliant to the dirt back in time. Nobody told as that just clean that rifle again and again
@@altergreenhorn Good point. The US Army shot corrosive ammo for 50-60 years and just used a solvent for bore cleaning and an oil to prevent rust. I've shot lots of corrosive in 8mm Mauser. Just squirt some soapy water down the bore at the range, then run oil through the bore when I get home.
I have run into problems with Romanian Mausers with rusted bores but most military rifles were cleaned good enough.
Rem oil seems to do the trick for me.
@@LuvBorderColliesHave no idea what guns have been imported into the US even yugo Ak could be rusted if imported after 1991 when war started in yugoslavia and you got a lot of militia guys or weekend hobby warriors with attitude I don't care if the rifle is clean.
My SAIGA runs the steel and my MAK-90 runs steel with no problems, and my Mossberg 500E runs .410;steel okay. I’m 76 y/o and my ole heart has trouble looking at all the price gouging for ammo is ridiculous. I know production costs have gone up, but, $18.00 for a box of .22 LR, box of .223 at $22.40, is ridiculous. Thank you for this vlog, looking forward to more. GOD bless the USA.
they just have a AT-4 chilling in the background! lol
Heck I have reloaded steel cases in .45 for my 1911. Just to see if I could and it worked. But that was a one time experiment.
I'm pretty sure you had problems
The case will only determine how soon you have to replace the extractor and how much more often you have to clean it, but bimetal bullets instead of copper jacketed will absolutely wear out your barrel faster. The largest case study ever conducted was done on this and the while the case material didn't have an effect on the barrel life, it had a dramatic life affect based on the bullet composition. Unfortunately most steel cased ammos also use bimetal rounds with very thin copper wash that still exposes the steel on the barrel rifling during travel. Also many ranges around me don't allow magnetic bullets, hence bitmetal are a no go.
It's all I run in my akm. Guerillas have been running it for years with good results, and with shot out barrels at that.
Well said. Haha
Ran some steel case 357 tula in my s&w revolver. Had the hardest time extracting them.
Same experience.
Runs fine in my lever gun though
@@coltonkay9000 my understanding is steel does not have the same expansion/contraction characteristics as brass. So it sticks in the cylinder mor easily.
@@davidgreen5099 Yes brass is about the perfect material selection for most casings. Brass obturates much better than steel to in a chamber.
I just found it extremely interesting that a perfect example was in a cartridge with zero taper to it (that's why the .357 stuck in the chamber where as in other cartridges it doesn't stick as bad)
Never run steel case in magnum revolvers.
Their .38 Special can get sticky in my revolvers too. I haven't tried it in my Winchester 1892...
My problem is my extractor tears off the brass rims in my DSA RPD in 7.662x39! I have adjusted the gas regulator! I use coated steel cases without problem. Had the chamber measured and is in spec! The barrel is not chrome lined! So I’m happy with the steel cases! Great Show!
I bought 10 cases of wolf steel when it was still cheap. I have 3 boxes left of it and have yet to have an issue with it, and it’s grouping better than the federal ammo can stuff
My UPS Driver looks at me funny when he lugs those 27 lb boxes of ammo that says 1000 rounds 9 mm Luger on it. I panicked when my local range told me the price of box of 50 9mm was $45.00 plus sales tax. He said "just wait until they start putting a service charge to buy it".
Thanks for the video. I must say some ARs still have issues when running a steel case ammo. For instance, my IWI Zion-15 had three malfunctions while shooting just one magazine when I was running Tula Ammo .223 Remington 55 grain. And same goes with my PSA AR-10 with Tula Ammo .308. While I personally have no reservations to run a steel case on basically any of my AR rifles, but I still think it's better to run brass on ARs for reliability purposes. Simply because the platform wasn't meant to run steel case ammunition. Meanwhile, my AKs (Zastava ZPAP M70, WASR-10, Galil ACE) never had a single malfunctions or even an issue of any sort when running a steel case ammo. In fact, I never ran anything else but a steel case with them. I personally never experienced any malfunction with my AK platforms, I honestly don't even know if they malfunction at all. I love my ARs, but when it comes to home defense or any personal defense type of situations I wouldn't want to count on my ARs. It'll either be one of my AKs or my 12ga Mossberg. Thanks for the video.
Check your feed ramps. Probably not machined up exactly or you could have a small burr.
My Ruger AR 556 has never had a single issue with steel casings the whole time I've had it. That surprised me quite a bit being that it's sold as a budget AR but it's run great the whole time I've had it
I have a Ruger MPR AR15 and I'm glad to hear you say that about steel ammo. I wondered if it would handle steel okay or not because I have heard stories about AR's not firing steel well.
only steel ammo ive seen cause problems was tula that would occasionally stick in the chamber in an AR and needed and cleaning rod to get it out cause the extractor would rip the case rim.
also some magazines dont like steel case.
I have a lowly Radical AR that eats every kind of steel I can find. Never a hiccup. Cheap AR and cheap steel case is about the only affordable way to shoot nowadays.
I shoot brass and steel, depends on what's available. One thing I noticed when I shoot both, the steel fails to extract when the gun is dirty. But the brass will continue to fire. This is in an AR platform. I'm also a metallurgist and blacksmith. What I know about steel and brass expansion under heat is that brass expands and contracts quickly. Steel expands and has a harder time contracting. So the brass will expand when fired, but quickly contract. Making extraction easier. The steel will expand and stay expanded during the extraction cycle. I've even had to use a long steel rod to punch steel casing out of the AR when they get stuck. But after that I can spend an hour shooting brass.
I always had that mentality either A) if it can’t handle steel then it doesn’t deserve brass and B) even if it does cause more wear and tear theoretically it will save money to buy new parts vs brass. So the way I see it is that it’s a win win.
I just feel it comes to to cleaning it. Me personally I always clean my guns after the range (maybe extreme but it’s what I do) and those times I don’t go to the range I’ll go back and add light lube and rack the slides to get it running and put it back where it rest to be ready when I need it.
Or maybe use steel from the start and avoid having to buy new parts?
I actually like the zinc plated steel cased ammo. Runs like smooth brass, though not as soft.
I would love to see a video examining the myths with remanufactured ammo. Thanks for all the great videos!
My favorite is steel ammo with copper jackets.
The Wolf black and yellow box is the sauce. Better powder, copper jackets, but steel casing. Saves money but doesn't do any extra wear.
Mine is hornady match steel. Same cases, lol.
223, 5.45, and 7.62x39 hornady is king.
@@TheDoorspook11c I'm still trying to find 5.45 upper or barrel
@@flame06171984 Got the barrel and everything else except the BCG, and Stripped upper. These back orders are driving me nuts!
@Aniquin eh it take soo much to wear a barrel out and when it finally happens I've saved enough money on ammo to absorb the $100-150 for a new barrel.
LONG LIVE TULA! AND MY SAVINGS!
Don't forget wolf!
its not the case you need to worry about, its the bimetal jacket
Tula 223 will not run at all in my AR. Why?
@@markdice6361 because steel case ammo is over spec for alot of .223 chambers. I've seen steel case .223 jam bolt action Guns not just ar15s. Still to good quality brass case copper jacked ammo.
@@chrisrogers4242 Wolf makes copper jacket for a dollar extra on a box of 20
Many years ago in the UK, I used the Czech 9mm SMG ammo - "2Z" in my Hi-Power without any problems. It was about £5/50 and was usually covered in thick verdigris that you removed by putting the round in the drill and wire-wooling the stuff off.
Chamber pressure was SMG fixed-firing-pin pressure , about 50% higher than the normal 9mm ammo - but it worked reliably in the Hi-Power.
The best aspect of steel case stuff is that you're not watching the $$$ brass flying off into the distance where the range won't allow you to retrieve it for reloading. If you have any H&K based rifles, you can totally forget reloading - hence the attraction to steel cased stuff.
I run steel case all the time... the continual argument is accuracy and from what I've experienced, I'm getting about 1 moa at 200yds on both 7.62, .308, .223... its fine people... just shoot
K I gotta ask, what ammo and what brand of barrel are you getting 1 MOA
Kuya Raphi It get it out of Wolfs military stuff.
Anthony Swiss I’m saying I shoot 1 moa at 100 yards.
Love Brownells. The best firearm advice on YT
I had used East Block surplus ammo for years in my Mosin-Nagant M44 and also ran some Wolf .45 ACP in my 1911 and never had a problem. During Covid I bought some Wolf steel cased ammo for my relatively new AR. After a few rounds I had one hang up in the chamber. On inspection I could see that the extractor had actually torn the lip off of the steel case. After removing the steel case, I've stuck with brass for my AR with no problems. Maybe it's my AR (PSA upper and lower) but I can attest to the fact that steel can stick in an AR chamber.
It causes more wear on your extractor but other than that, it's functional if not reloadable. Not a problem for a stepper.👁👁✌🖖🇺🇸
Short Answer: No
Long Answer: No
When it comes down to it , lead becomes spit , in a hot gun melted lead , and spitting luggies, spit testing
Right now steel cased ammo is super expensive. Glad I stocked up when it was 179$ for 1k. Right now it's cheaper to shoot my ak in 7.62x39 than any 9mm
The steel makes it easy to use my extendable magnet when cleaning up casings at the range.
I still can't find one of those new brass magnets.
@@001deathstar
I think we are all waiting for one of those, lol. The older we get, the more we wish they were available.
@@notsosilentmajority1 I was at the rifle ranger and there was a group of younger members shooting. I went through the used ammo containers and picked out all of the casings. I then went to the shooting stands and the perimeter of the range picking i casings with one of the wand magnets. One of the guys asked what I was doing and I replied I was picking up the place since not everybody police their spent ammo. The magnet picks up the steel casings which makes it easy to collect. I as a joke told them that I was looking for one of those new brass magnets. So the young men pulled out their "smart phones" and started to search for them on ebay and other websites. They found goose eggs, but said they would buy one if they found one and donate it to the club. They also said they would pick up their casings. I told them they were good guys and I was glad that the club got them as new members. I was telling the truth about that though, we need more younger members and shooters out there. Especially ones that take core of the club since it is their club.
@@001deathstar
Lol, that really is a great story. Well done. Yes, you're right, we need a lot of new, responsible gun owners and hunters. The support would be great. I hope you're not around when those guys find their "brass magnets". Best wishes. 👍🏼
@@001deathstar They are available. The ones I've found have been on the same shelf as the muffler bearings. Don't give up.
A Ruger engineer told me when brass is fired and the casing expands in the chamber, it springs back faster. Versus steel which kind of expands but doesn't spring back. So depending on how tight your chamber tolerances are, cases *can stick. I've had it happen to me. But I've also heard from different sources, many steel ammo has less of a powder load. Especially ammo from overseas. If you don't have an adjustable gas system, the gas *may not sufficient to cycle fully. I was told to open my gas system all the way on steel. Since the cases on steel is annealed, from a hardness perspective, many reputive sources I've heard say it won't cause damage. (*Your mileage may vary based on your firearm and ammo).
This is by far some of the best gun content thanks guys 👍🏿
Steel casings chew up extractors. Ive had to replace a few AR extractors over lip wear.
@@shaneshepherd4514 for a range gun no problem. For a working gun or a gun you might actually also be using to defend yourself, having to go to the gun store or waiting for the mail when it fails could mean you dont make it
fair enough, but shouldnt there be reinforced extractors designed to work with steel? ak extractors usually can, else steel wouldnt be surplus, so theres gotta be a way to make ar extractors like that.
@@rabbitdrink everything mechanical fails. They make quality extractors that will run the steel ammo. Its all knowing what youre running and recognizing you have to maintain a higher level of maintenance if you run steel ammo in your long guns. Not just thinking its gonna be fine. Ive trained dudes overseas and even AKs wear with enough usage and they last much longer when you run brass vs steel as well. If you plan on just running cheap ammo, just keep an extra bolt in your grip so you have one on hand.
@@raymondramirez2065 thats another good way to do it
I can't shoot steel cased ammo in my AR's without clogging and feeding issues. Like my AR pistol chambered in 7.62x39. I took it out, brand new and clean, and ran about 20 rounds of steel cased ammo and started having issues! But my AK's can shoot that steel cased stuff all day with no fails whatsoever. The guy at the local gun shop told me that steel cased ammo is dirtier and will flake off, requiring very frequent cleaning of the chamber and bore in an AR. I ran some brass through that AR and it was just fine. Same way with my 223. I had to take it in to have the empty steel case removed from the barrel!
So that is my belief, based solely on my experience and what I was told shortly afterward. Steel cased ammo is not so great in an AR. But in an AK, heck yeah.
I’ve shot a lot of steel cased 9mm glock 17 gen 5 and I’ve never ever had any problems
The AKM platform was designed to Run steel case that's all they used in the Soviet Union
Steel doesn't expand as well so it makes the chamber dirtier. The problem I have found with steel ammo is that it doesn't always want to extract. Sometimes the rim of the casing will break right where the extractor grabs it and it gets stuck in the chamber.
These guys:
“you won’t put your gun through that.”
Me:
*Dumps 600 rounds rapid fire specifically to torture test my AR*
*Turns inside of receiver grey*
😂
I had a JLD PTR91. When I bought it all the gun shop had available was steel cased wolf ammo. It almost immediately chipped the extractor causing failure to extract for every round shot. That was the start and finish of me buying steel case ammo. Now I reload too so it’s brass or bust!