[MP9NewMexico]

Saw some cheap "Tul-ammo" at an LGS today. Price was very attractive. The guy at the counter said "You know that's a steel case, right?".
I did not know that. I asked him and he told me to stay away from it, that steel casings should be avoided.

Can anyone explain this to me? Please fill in a noob!

Thanks,
MP9NM

 

[Arborigine]

The Tulammo .380 slugs i recovered showed that the rifling did not penetrate the copper plating down to the steel. That said, the high ratio of non-fires per box, in an LCP, will prevent me from buying anything from them under any of the other names used by that maker.

 

[Stubborn]

I do not know this for fact...but it's my understanding that steel case ammo is extremely hard on extractors. I stay away from it.
Maybe someone with more knowledge than me, can shed more light on this. :dunno:

 

[yz9890]

opinions about it vary and sometimes depend in whether it's shot from a semi auto firearm or bolt. probably a dozen threads about it if you want to search. careful though, the only opinion less reliable than "a guy at my lgs" is that of an "expert" in an Internet forum.

my advice is to contact your manufacturer. and if you decide to use it, understand that many indoor ranges don't allow you to use it on their line. it sucks to find that out after get there because buying ammo at a shooting range is like buying food at an airport. (expensive)

 

[BlueNinjaGo]

I believe the "Steel casings being rough on extractors" is a myth. The steel used for the casings is softer than the metal of your extractors. It takes a metal of equal or greater hardness to damage another metal.

If that isn't the case, and it really is bad for your extractor, then just used part of the savings to buy a new extractor...

 

[barstoolguru]

NO; it don't hurt anything; it is just cheaper for the MFG and is non reloadable plus it doesn't handle long term storage in wet climates

 

[accessbob]

The only steel case ammo I fire is the 7.62x54R for my Mosin/Nagant.

 

[rammerjammer]

I believe the "Steel casings being rough on extractors" is a myth. The steel used for the casings is softer than the metal of your extractors. It takes a metal of equal or greater hardness to damage another metal.

If that isn't the case, and it really is bad for your extractor, then just used part of the savings to buy a new extractor...

I am no expert on ammo by any means but I would agree with the quote above. I have fired thousands of steel cased ammo through my Ruger P90, SR9c and LC9 and Hi Point carbine. The only issues I have ever had with it were a few hard primers and worst was one squib in my P90.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the steel casings and damaging your extractor. I would be more concerned about cheaper ammo having poorer quality control which can lead to undercharged or overcharged cartridges.

 

[denver]

Agree with BlueNinjaGo on that being a myth. Shot about 1000rds from my .40 Sigma and 500rds. from my G17. No problems other than seperating the steel from brass to reload. Magnet works great. Just wish they made a brass magnet. Oh forgot 2000+ 7.69x39 from a MAK 90.

 

[MLittle]

The range where I shoot has a big sign as you enter saying "Shooting of Steel Cased Ammunition is Prohibited at this Facility"...... You can shoot aluminum and brass only..

 

[MotorCityGun]

Bought one box of Tula .40 S&W from WW and tried it in my M&P. I will NEVER do that again. In fact, I've got 30 more rounds if anyone would be willing to pay for the shipping cost, it's yours...I'm serious. PM me if you're interested.

 

[mcp1810]

Frequently steel cased ammo will be coated with lacquer to keep it from rusting. The only problem I am aware of is that the lacquer will coat the wall of your chamber. If you don't give it a good cleaning, when you switch to brass cased ammo the lacquer will stick to the brass and may cause extraction issues.
Also older surplus steel case stuff may have corrosive primers.
Just give it a good cleaning when you are done and all should be fine.

 

[BlueNinjaGo]

Frequently steel cased ammo will be coated with lacquer to keep it from rusting. The only problem I am aware of is that the lacquer will coat the wall of your chamber. If you don't give it a good cleaning, when you switch to brass cased ammo the lacquer will stick to the brass and may cause extraction issues.
Also older surplus steel case stuff may have corrosive primers.
Just give it a good cleaning when you are done and all should be fine.

Wolf stopped using lacquer for a while now. They use a polymer based coat or something along those lines.

 

[DoctorBob]

Caleb Giddings, who writes the 'gun nuts blog' is testing it out and has run hundreds of wrounds thru his Glock with no problems so far. Check out his blog at Steel Cased Ammo Test: Another off week update | Gun Nuts Media

Looks OK so far.

 

[Mattmann]

I don't think so but that's my opinion

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[JaySkiBum]

Watch this video:

The Truth About Wolf Ammo - YouTube


That said steel is the only thing I shoot with my AK, for obvious reasons...but I have shot Tula out of my AR with no issues. It's dirty stuff, but it's cheap for some (inaccurate) plinking.

 

[Mattmann]

Watch this video:

The Truth About Wolf Ammo - YouTube


That said steel is the only thing I shoot with my AK, for obvious reasons...but I have shot Tula out of my AR with no issues. It's dirty stuff, but it's cheap for some (inaccurate) plinking.

Man I use wolf a lot in my ar and it runs fine? By fine I mean no jams and accurate. Now granted it is filthy but I haven't noticed a huge difference at +/- 100yds

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[gasmitty]

I've not experienced any problems with steel-cased ammo in my handguns. Relatively low pressures compared to rifle ammo is probably why.

My SKS eats the commie-bloc steel-cased ammo like a kid eats M&Ms... no problem. And while I personally don't run steel-cased ammo through my AR's, I've been in training classes and shot next to people at the range (as recently as a couple of months ago) who have had problems with ARs running steel-cased stuff. The only problems I've witnessed are stuck cases - hardly damaging to the gun, but inconvenient and annoying as all get-out. Even more so if your instructor is one Mr. Pat Rogers and you tie up the class for even a minute with problems due to steel-cased ammo (potentially earning you an "MC" or a "That Guy" award).

 

[Foo909]

You know, never really had any problems with steel cased ammo.

Most recently shot a box of 50 Tul Ammo 124gr. 9mm, through my Kahr CM9 with zero problems.

 

[Arborigine]

i forgot to add that i had also bought one box of Tulammo .45 when i got the .380. The Colt series 70 1911 has fired thousands of rounds, and did break the extractor off firing the first magazine of Tulammo. Coincidence or not, thats when it broke and I threw out the rest of the box.