TulAmmo

[misswired]

Have never fired the first round of steel cased ammo. With crazy prices, decided to sit on the brass stash and see what the steel cased fuss is about. I’m going to have some 45acp fun this afternoon despite the fouled powder and flying broken extractors

I’ve learned; never say never

 

[mckenney99]

I've shot a great deal of the "horrible" steel cased ammo. Yes it shoots dirty (ok-filthy), velocities can widely vary with less than match grade accuracy. For short range defensive drills on paper in tall grass or a muddy range, (I reload, so it makes it hard for me to sleep at night if I leave brass on the range) it works just fine. I have had good luck with Wolf and Tula, but have had significant issues with Silver Bear.

 

[JH1951]

I have used the steel case rounds. My results have been mixed. With them I have experienced failures to feed and eject along with the dirt. For 'plinking', I guess all is well. But, never for an instance where my life would be on the line. Nor would I use it in my EDC even for practice.
I am well stocked with brass, and my econo rounds are now WWB.

 

[Rudi]

All the Russian, Soviet, Ukraine steel case ammo I've used worked well in the weapons it was designed for.

 

[robrossk]

Very dirty but no malfunctions.

 

[Injunbro]

I was given some steel cased .357 ammo by a LGS to try because customers complained of it. It jammed in 2 of my best S&W's also. I don't want any.

 

[misswired]

All the Russian, Soviet, Ukraine steel case ammo I've used worked well in the weapons it was designed for.

Is a CZ97B designed to eat Russian ammo like a raped ape...... it does!

 

[Neversink n Klapperthal]

I`ve shot a hell of a lot of steel case over the years. 100% reliable for me . I would not hesitate to buy more

 

[rwsmith]

Lots of 7.62 x 39

I've probably tossed two rounds out of hundreds I've fired. I've heard a lot of complaints, but out of my SKS nothin' could be finah.

 

[robvious]

steel used to be taboo.. "not in my gun"... then I went to a machine gun shoot with some friends... and people with $20,000 plus dollar guns were ripping tens of thousands of round thru them in an afternoon... I knew my guns could take it...

 

[tops]

I bought a case of Tula steel cased 9 m/m. I gave 2 boxes to a neighbor and I shot 18 boxes in a FNX9 and a Beretta 92 and not a malfunction of any kind. Larry

 

[sandog]

I've shot a great deal of the "horrible" steel cased ammo. Yes it shoots dirty (ok-filthy), velocities can widely vary with less than match grade accuracy. For short range defensive drills on paper in tall grass or a muddy range, (I reload, so it makes it hard for me to sleep at night if I leave brass on the range) it works just fine. I have had good luck with Wolf and Tula, but have had significant issues with Silver Bear.

Not saying you are wrong, as I haven't shot ANY steel out of a handgun, but I've fired tens of thousands of steel case out of carbines. And in those Silver Bear is like Match ammo, really consistent and clean, good velocity and 100% reliable.

Tula and Wolf have been the bottom of the barrel as far as Russian ammo in several carbines I've tested it in.
Noticeably dirtier, worst accuracy, a good 200 fps. lower velocity, and a lot less reliable, due to deeper set primers.
For each 100 rounds fired of Tula, 15 to 20 don't go off.
For every 100 rounds of Red Army Standard, 1 or 2 won't go off.
For every 100 rounds of Silver Bear, they all go off.
Typical group with Silver Bear. I'd be lucky to get a 3 or 4 inch group with Tula, and be lucky to get 10 in a row to ignite.
For this good of accuracy in ammo that costs $7 a box, it has to be consistent in powder charge and lack of bullet deformities.

I've fired, checked for accuracy and chronographed the loads of a dozen different Berdan primed steel case Russian loads out of 3 different Mini-30s and 2 different 7.62 x 39 ARs.
In those, Tula is not worth buying. Silver Bear shoots so well I have 3 cases stashed.

So I an surprised to hear someone say that they like Tula/Wolf but don't like Silver Bear. Just what significant issues did you have with Silver Bear ?

I have around 1600 round of 9mm and 1200 rounds of .45 ACP stashed (brass cased) but would not be above using some steel case in my M&Ps.
I'd like to hear specifics of those of you who shoot steel case in handguns as to what you use, and what, if any issues you've had.

Just saying "I've used tons of steel case with no issues" doesn't give us any details as far as choosing ammo or what ammo have been good, and what ammo has been not so good.

 

[Green Frog]

steel used to be taboo.. "not in my gun"... then I went to a machine gun shoot with some friends... and people with $20,000 plus dollar guns were ripping tens of thousands of round thru them in an afternoon... I knew my guns could take it...

I’m not so sure this is a valid line of thought. Those “$20,000 plus machine guns” were built with looser chamber specs and designed to take the high pressure beating of a rapid blowback action... just because ammo is good for that doesn’t make it right for my target guns any more than the diet of a billy goat would assure Kobe beef from my cows.

JMHO of course, and YMMV, but I don’t think this is a valid blanket statement.

Froggie

 

[mckenney99]

Not saying you are wrong, as I haven't shot ANY steel out of a handgun, but I've fired tens of thousands of steel case out of carbines. And in those Silver Bear is like Match ammo, really consistent and clean, good velocity and 100% reliable.

Tula and Wolf have been the bottom of the barrel as far as Russian ammo in several carbines I've tested it in.
Noticeably dirtier, worst accuracy, a good 200 fps. lower velocity, and a lot less reliable, due to deeper set primers.
For each 100 rounds fired of Tula, 15 to 20 don't go off.
For every 100 rounds of Red Army Standard, 1 or 2 won't go off.
For every 100 rounds of Silver Bear, they all go off.
Typical group with Silver Bear. I'd be lucky to get a 3 or 4 inch group with Tula, and be lucky to get 10 in a row to ignite.
For this good of accuracy in ammo that costs $7 a box, it has to be consistent in powder charge and lack of bullet deformities.

I've fired, checked for accuracy and chronographed the loads of a dozen different Berdan primed steel case Russian loads out of 3 different Mini-30s and 2 different 7.62 x 39 ARs.
In those, Tula is not worth buying. Silver Bear shoots so well I have 3 cases stashed.

So I an surprised to hear someone say that they like Tula/Wolf but don't like Silver Bear. Just what significant issues did you have with Silver Bear ?

I have around 1600 round of 9mm and 1200 rounds of .45 ACP stashed (brass cased) but would not be above using some steel case in my M&Ps.
I'd like to hear specifics of those of you who shoot steel case in handguns as to what you use, and what, if any issues you've had.

Just saying "I've used tons of steel case with no issues" doesn't give us any details as far as choosing ammo or what ammo have been good, and what ammo has been not so good.

I have had the biggest problem with the Silver Bear 9mm being out of spec on overall diameter. In multiple guns the rounds are so over sized that they won't fully chamber and the round is so fully wedged that it requires forcing the slide open on the edge of the bench to clear the round. I have also experienced the same issue with several boxes of 45 ACP, although not to the same extent as with the 9mm.
Also had a batch of 308 that the extractor groove wasn't cut to spec and was too small to allow extractors to fully engage, resulting in extractors not seating fully and then not allowing the bolts to go fully forward into battery. That batch was several years ago when I was heavy into building & testing FN FALs.
I'm sure everyone has had different experiences with different ammos that turns them off on one brand or another. I have fired thousands of rounds of Wolf and Tula (rifle and pistol) with very few issues. YMMV

 

[Eddietruett]

I recently purchased a HiPoint carbine in 9mm. Older version a lot refer to as the Monkey Gun. Never expected much in the way of accuracy but several of my buddies have them and they run like **** through a goose. This weekend we decided to do an accuracy test at 25,50 and 100 yards. Tried 10-12 different loads factory and handloads by far the most accurate was Tul Ammo steel case 115gr. With a red dot (early models have no iron sights) the HiPoint would consistently shoot 1” groups at 25 yards. Around 3-4” at 50 yards and hitting a 8” gong at 100 yards was a piece of cake. Only one hand load was close and most premium factory loads shot groups twice the size. I was real impressed with the cheap stuff

 

[Nevada Ed]

Never shot any steel ammo in my 9mm..........

However , I did reload some TULA brass cases in my old single stage RCBS.

I don't know if it was from the fired case out of a pistol or maybe a full load for this ammo, but I don't think I will be loading any more since...............

Die #1 for sizing did ok until it got to the last 1/8" of the case,
where it took a lot of ram pressure to get the case full sizes.

These Military cases do get higher fps and can be accurate, just that
I don't need the added exercise.

 

[mikerjf]

Shot up some Winchester-USA steel case 9mm in a Glock 19, worked fine.

 

[Linejudgemick]

I read thru most of the posts and don't think I saw this mentioned, but much of the original surplus steel ammo used corrosive berdan primers. Most if not all of the new steel ammo, even those with berdan primers don't use the corrosive components anymore. That was a good reason to avoid it before it became non-corrosive. Berdan primers are often seated deeper than boxer primers common in brass ammo and can cause light strikes occasionally - my ranch rifle being a prime example. Steel doesn't have the same expansive or lubricity properties as brass, but as long as it doesn't use corrosive components and functions I don't see any reason not to use it. That said, I typically run brass if I can.

 

[Billylee]

Bought some steel case Tula several years back as cheap practice ammo. After the second cylinder through my model 65 I had trouble ejecting spent rounds. Later tried it in my EEA Windicator and no ejecting problems. Every round fired, a bit dirty, accurate enough at 7-10 yards. I have no way of measuring but I think the 65 has a smigen smaller cylinder bore. Just my experience with the stuff.

 

[scoobysnacker]

My general understanding is, don't use in revolvers, you'd expect sticky cases getting them to eject.

When I could find affordable brass, I was definitely a brass snob, but recently I've shot steel without issue. My 1911's don't mind them, and my C308 seems to prefer steel 308 over brass.

 

[Krogen]

I shoot Tula steel case .308 in my PTR-91. It flings the brass into low earth orbit, so it may as well be steel case. The fluted chamber probably helps extraction, I dunno. Some would say the fluted chamber destroys brass, but that I dunno either. The steel stuff works just fine in the PTR-91, so I'm happy. What I don't like is getting a steel case inside my shirt! It will leave a welt. Seems to hold the heat way better than brass.

 

[DWalt]

Not a lot of experience, but I have probably fired several thousand rounds of Tula 9mm steel (back when it was selling for around $6/box at WalMart) and it seemed OK for my needs. Bought some Winchester 9mm steel cheap when WalMart was closing it out, it seems OK also.

 

[max503]

I have some Wolf 223 ammo. The bullet jackets seem really thin.

 

[jack the toad]

I dont recall any noticeable issues with the newer steel cases I've shot. This consists of various ammo brands (Monarch, Tula, Wolf, Bear, etc) in numerous type guns (S&W, Glock, AR, AK, etc). Seems all are at least minute of plate accurate but shoots dirty.
With this in mind, I'll use for practice and plinking to save a little $$$.

 

[w.r.gun]

its all fun and games till your gun blows up

 

[Oldsalt66]

Some years back I fired a 50 round box Of Tulammo through my 625-8 PC revolver after which, on returning to the usual brass case, I needed to bang on the extractor rod with a screwdriver handle to eject a moon clip full of empties.

After very thoroughly cleaning the revolver at home and returning to the range, the cylinder charge holes continued to bind on the brass cased ammunition, to the point where I was considering returning the gun to S&W since I thought it was defective, and I posted a thread in here regarding the matter.

Although I had scrubbed the heck out of the charge holes with Hoppes #9 and they appeared to be squeaky clean, there was still enough remaining fouling to prevent the easy introduction of ammunition or extraction of empty cases.

Based on the advice I received here, before returning the revolver to S&W, I kept scrubbing the cylinder charge holes with Hoppes and Breakfee CLP and the problem was resolved.

I won’t shoot steel case in any of my guns that aren’t specifically built for it.

And besides everything else, the accuracy was terrible.

 

[bigben55]

Works perfectly in AKs and SKSs, possibly BETTER than brass. Ill shoot it in .223 if I HAVE to, but I tend to steer away from it.

 

[rwsmith]

I find their SKS....

Works perfectly in AKs and SKSs, possibly BETTER than brass. Ill shoot it in .223 if I HAVE to, but I tend to steer away from it.

...to be fine. No problems with it. I just have to clean it and the gas systems out every three outings or so.

 

[OLDSTER]

Shot lots of it through my "Tok" and "Mak". Dirty, but goes bang every time and cycles reliably.

 

[Lightfoot4]

I have been shooting it in my 9mm. Most of time not a problem, but have noticed some jamming in my magazines. I replaced the springs, but still had problems. Once I shoot up what I have, I'm sticking to brass.