Steel Shell Casings?

[ou1954]

Just noticed that the Bass Pro 2016 catalog shows Winchester 9mm Lugar cartridges, box of 150 for $30.99.

"Steel Casings, Made in USA".

"Brass Jacketed, FMJ" (FMJ is a misnomer, we all know)

I don't remember what I last paid for a Winchester white box at Walmart but I believe this a lower cost per round.

I believe there have some postings on this forum which complained about steel cartridges in the SD series. I have an SD9VE and my vague recollection is that the problems were with an SD40.

Has anyone had success or failure with 9mm steel cartridges, as far as shooting is concerned?

Range rules are another issue, however.

One range, just 4 miles from here says [We do not allow steel cased ammo or steel core ammo on the range. If a magnet sticks to your ammo it will not be allowed].

 

[SamMeow]

Well, you are looking at $10 for 50 rds.
Not a great deal on steel cases ammo.
Seen aluminum case for $9.88 at Walley world.

I have run a few hundred rds of TulAmmo through my SD9VE with no issues. Not my ammo of choice but had some to burn.

 

[hoc9sw]

That is a new line of Winchester. Steel case, brown box. Price is not as good as the Perfecta. It has been out a few days at Academy and WalMart.

 

[ou1954]

9MM Luger

That is a new line of Winchester. Steel case, brown box. Price is not as good as the Perfecta. It has been out a few days at Academy and WalMart.

I'm going to stick with brass. At least not with steel because some ranges do not allow steel. Must make it harder for them to scavenge, although there may be a reason I don't know.

I see Walmart showing Winchester white box Luger qty 100, 115 gr, for $25 plus tax. I have a couple of boxes on the shelf here, not yet even opened. Must have picked them up a while back.

There are postings about "bulge" problems with some metals but I think they all .40 models. I would try aluminum if someone recommends it.

A new round dropped into my barrel (outside the slide) looks like the cartridge is fully supported right up to the start of the notch taper. When you do that it really shows the taper in 9mm cartridges.

 

[ou1954]

I just found that at least some Tulammo not only has a steel case but there is steel in the bullet. Makes sense that ranges are most likely baring steel bullets, not necessarily steel casings. That could well be hard on backstop systems and much more likely to ricochet dangerously while lead bullets expend a lot of energy when r]they hit anything substantial.

Is all Tulammo steel and steel?

Is that what the ranges refer to as "No Steel"?

I don't know whether any steel cartridge ammo doesn't have steel in the bullet itseld.

 

[hoc9sw]

Is that what the ranges refer to as "No Steel"?

Maybe.
There are multiple reasons ranges prohibit steel cases or steel core bullets.
- They recycle brass, and their recycling company refuses to buy if there is steel mixed in the casings.
- Their insurance says no steel because of the risk of sparks when the cases hit concrete, and possibly ignite low hanging powder residue
- Their backstop is not strong enough to stop a steady diet of steel core bullets

 

[EBK]

I just found that at least some Tulammo not only has a steel case but there is steel in the bullet. Makes sense that ranges are most likely baring steel bullets, not necessarily steel casings. That could well be hard on backstop systems and much more likely to ricochet dangerously while lead bullets expend a lot of energy when r]they hit anything substantial.

Is all Tulammo steel and steel?

Is that what the ranges refer to as "No Steel"?

I don't know whether any steel cartridge ammo doesn't have steel in the bullet itseld.

The only steel in the projectile of tulammo and wolf is in the bi metal jacket covering the lead core. The core is still just lead. Any bi metal jacketed bullet will stick to a magnet which is what most ranges use to test for steel core ammo tula wolf and some of the bear brand ammo is bi metal.

As for the original question. I shoot tula almost exclusively through my SD 40VE no issues at all

 

[martybee]

Why buy steel cased/bi-metal bullet ammo when you can get New, brass, copper plated ball ammo for about $9.50 a 50 rd. box 9mm. from Freedom Munitions, no tax and quite often free shipping?

mb

 

[Arik]

The price sucks for steel case.

Ranges have many different reasons for not allowing those bullets.

Winchester DOES NOT use a bimetal bullet. Only a steel case.

Tula ammo is not steel it's a bimetal jacket. Inside is still lead.

My range ammo is at least 75% Tula or Wolf. I've been shooting in since I was old enough to buy my own guns (1998). I've only ever had a few problems with it and not all of had to do with function. Currently my Sig P220 mags don't load more than 4 rounds into a 8 round mag. The case must be just wide enough to seize at that spot in the mag. No big deal since I can just shoot other manufacturer's ammo and leave the steel case 45 for my HK, Glock and 1911. That's one problem, the other one is that the primers are harder and every so often I need a second strike when shooting it in a striker fired gun. Happens maybe once every few hundred rounds.

 

[Arik]

Why buy steel cased/bi-metal bullet ammo when you can get New, brass, copper plated ball ammo for about $9.50 a 50 rd. box 9mm. from Freedom Munitions, no tax and quite often free shipping?

mb

Winchester isn't bimetal it's copper. Just has a steel case. But yes the $10 price isn't worth it

 

[EBK]

Why buy steel cased/bi-metal bullet ammo when you can get New, brass, copper plated ball ammo for about $9.50 a 50 rd. box 9mm. from Freedom Munitions, no tax and quite often free shipping?

mb

In my neck of the woods Tula is the cheapest available ammo $12.99 for a 50 round box of .40 next cheapest is $14.99 for perfecta brand. When I find brass cheaper I will buy it instead.

 

[Texastaz75]

In my neck of the woods Tula is the cheapest available ammo $12.99 for a 50 round box of .40 next cheapest is $14.99 for perfecta brand. When I find brass cheaper I will buy it instead.

Around here Walmart has the perfecta for $9.78/box. Tula is $12.98. Funny thing is perfecta is made by Tula.

 

[GRU_ 7_ mech]

Why buy steel cased/bi-metal bullet ammo when you can get New, brass, copper plated ball ammo for about $9.50 a 50 rd. box 9mm. from Freedom Munitions, no tax and quite often free shipping?

mb

This is where and how ( during free shipping sales) I buy my ammo. Only drawback is it takes a few weeks sometimes to receive the order.

 

[Arik]

In my neck of the woods Tula is the cheapest available ammo $12.99 for a 50 round box of .40 next cheapest is $14.99 for perfecta brand. When I find brass cheaper I will buy it instead.

Order online. Even with shipping it will be cheaper unless you live at the end of the world

 

[martybee]

This is where and how ( during free shipping sales) I buy my ammo. Only drawback is it takes a few weeks sometimes to receive the order.

Yes, you are right! I counter this by ordering an extra 250 rds. of the various calibers I shoot. This way, I can stockpile a little extra ammo to use during the next waiting period!

mb

 

[BlackTalonJHP]

I'm happy to report that my SD9VE's love the Winchester USA Forged ammo. As does my roofing nail magnet for cleanup. Zero failures with the steel case as well as CCI Blazer, Federal Champion Aluminum and Independence Aluminum.

 

[ou1954]

Winchester USA forged ammo

I'm happy to report that my SD9VE's love the Winchester USA Forged ammo. As does my roofing nail magnet for cleanup. Zero failures with the steel case as well as CCI Blazer, Federal Champion Aluminum and Independence Aluminum.

I've lost track here.

Where did you buy it and how much did it cost?

 

[EBK]

Around here Walmart has the perfecta for $9.78/box. Tula is $12.98. Funny thing is perfecta is made by Tula.

Those sound like 9mm prices not .40 cal prices.

 

[EBK]

Order online. Even with shipping it will be cheaper unless you live at the end of the world

I have not found a place online yet that is worth it for shipping. I usually don't buy 500+ rounds at a time. So shipping on 3-4 50 round boxes makes it cheaper to just buy from the store.

 

[EBK]

This is where and how ( during free shipping sales) I buy my ammo. Only drawback is it takes a few weeks sometimes to receive the order.

Last time I tried that was through Palmetto State Armory. 6 month later I still had not recieved the ammo. Took one hell of a fight to cancel the order and get money returned too.