Aluminium Ammo?

[Karruda22]

Hey guys, quick question! I was at the range the other day with my mp9 shield and was firing Federal Aluminum 115 grain. The range officer told me that aluminum rounds will chip away at my barrel and cause ejecting issues. Is this true or is he just too lazy to seperate the aluminum cases from brass? Thanks in advance!
- Kyle

 

[k2ue]

And he knows that because his bother-in-laws friend, who shoots **** handloads all the time, tried one box of aluminum and then noticed a problem with his barrel. . . Must be true.

 

[PHolster]

Hey guys, quick question! I was at the range the other day with my mp9 shield and was firing Federal Aluminum 115 grain. The range officer told me that aluminum rounds will chip away at my barrel and cause ejecting issues. Is this true or is he just too lazy to seperate the aluminum cases from brass? Thanks in advance!
- Kyle

It won't chip away your barrel. Some say the case expands more, making them harder to eject, causing problems with the ejector, but I haven't had ay problems with my Shield. I ran about 100 of the Federal aluminum through mine yesterday. My Shield has over 7,000 rounds through it and it cycles the aluminum Federal just fine. Interestingly, my Kimber Solo cycled them fine as well, and it generally only likes premium defensive ammo, 124 gr and up. It jams with UMC, but I had no FTE with it yesterday.

I got 200 rounds of the Federal aluminum for $35, so for cheap range ammo, it is great. I shot it outside though, not in an indoor range. I do understand them not liking them there, since they do sweep up the brass for reloading. If that is their issue, they should simply bad aluminum cased ammo, some places do for that very reason.

 

[Karruda22]

Lol! This is my first hand gun so I'm just trying to make sure that I'm not screwing anything up. It didn't make much sense to me but he has seen more shooting time than me.

 

[Karruda22]

And thank you guys for the responses! I bought the aluminum exactly for that reason, 200 rounds for $35! They don't have a ban on aluminum ammunition so I will keep shooting it until otherwise. The other range officers never complained so I figured he was just being whiney.

 

[Cheapskait]

CCI's been making aluminium cased range ammo for about 30 years, so if there was a problem, it would be well known by now.

I've got an old 469 that used to have around 1% FTF with AL cased Blazer, I assume due to a radically different center of gravity compared to brass cartridges, but it was practice ammo so so what.

 

[s&wchad]

There are reports of damaged chambers caused when aluminum cases burned through upon firing. Search the web and you'll find plenty of reading material.

I have shot aluminum cased ammo and have never experienced a problem.

 

[roughneck6]

I ran the same Federal aluminum case ammo in both my Sig P320 and Shield a couple years ago at a IDPA Match. The ammo blew up in both guns. The extractor blew out of my Sig P320. It took a couple months to go through the process of getting Federal to refund the money I spent on the ammo and both S&W and Sig to repair and eventually replace one of my guns. I run Blaser Brass 115 grain now in practice and competition. I have not had any issues since making the switch. I buy online in bulk and it comes out cheaper.

 

[Karruda22]

I've heard that aluminum rounds burn up and melt in automatics but for the most part I've heard good things about aluminum. It does seem like aluminum rounds have a higher chance of failing than brass but I haven't shot nearly enough of either to back that up. Maybe 200 brass and 150 aluminum through my shield 9

 

[Walkingwolf]

Aluminum is a fairly soft metal, and should not chip any steel, let alone forged. Here is the rub I found, it runs perfect in my Glock, but gets stuck in the cylinder of my Charter Arms Pitbull after fired. It would seem that brass is slicker than aluminum because it after a tap on the ejector falls free. After breaking a star pin, and sending the CA back for repairs I no longer use aluminum case ammo in the Pitbull. It still is used in the Glock.

 

[nicky4968]

One caution about aluminum-cased ammunition. Do not shoot it in a firearm that locks at the rear, like a Winchester 94. When you go to extract the case, the head will come off leaving the rest of the case in the chamber.

 

[Beauetienne]

I've shot hundreds of Blazer 9mm rounds through a Star Model 30 as well as a couple of hundred 38's through a 686. Never had a problem.
Granted, that Star would digest anything.