What is the problem with steel cased ammo?

[n4zov]

My only experience with steel cased ammo in revolvers was with some WW2 vintage U.S. .45 ammo that I fired in a M1917. It would stick unless the cases were lubricated - something I do not recommend but at 18 it seemed like a good idea. I don't know about current production steel case ammo and revolvers, but I don't use steel cases in anything I own.

 

[Douglas Haig]

I had a problem w/Wolf steel .45acp in my S&W ss 625. I tried them with a moon clip and had to pound the ejector rod with my fist to get them out.

 

[guntownuncle]

Originally posted by Racegunner:

Originally posted by feralmerril:
When I was a kid just about everyone dumped their used motor oil on their dirt driveway to hold the dust down. Havent you ever seen county trucks spraying down dirt roads with oil?
Gad! If its okay for the goverment to do it, just how bad is it really? I just dont happen to belive everything the greenies tell me. I have seen natural oil seep out of the ground around santa paula california area and never heard of trouble with their water. Chill. Kind of like the libs stopping lead shot. Where do they think it comes from?

Yes, I remember the trucks oiling the dirt road in front of my grandparents house in the '70s. The reason they stopped is because the oil was showing up in the wells and lake. I'm far from Green peace and it may be a different story in Texas or AZ, but dumping oil near fresh water is a bad idea no matter how old and stubborn one might be.

This is getting way off the original subject, but in the county I work in they still do put oil on the gravel roads. Someone complains their road is too dusty, and out goes the oil truck to correct that. We are rapidly replacing the dirt roads with asphalt, but guess what. We put a lot of oil down before the asphalt goes down. And you guys know what asphalt is made of, right?

.

 

[Steave]

Originally posted by silvercorvette:
It does not function well in full auto weapons

Depends on the gun. Many guns, German WWII, Russian, etc were designed to shoot steel case, until US companies started manufacturing 7.62X39, it was virtually all steel case. I'll run steel case through many of my guns, but stay away from shooting it in others; I know for a fact shooting some of the first steel case .223 that came in ten or so years damage a HK53 of mine.

 

[Bob R]

everyone dumped their used motor oil on their dirt driveway to hold the dust down

Whole citys used to do that if they couldn't afford paved roads, still some of those towns around.

Just take a look @ Times Beach Missouri, that is how they used to keep their dust down in the summer. Too bad the contractor use oil with PCB's in it.

bob

 

[silvercorvette]

Originally posted by Steave:

Originally posted by silvercorvette:
It does not function well in full auto weapons

Depends on the gun. Many guns, German WWII, Russian, etc were designed to shoot steel case, until US companies started manufacturing 7.62X39, it was virtually all steel case. I'll run steel case through many of my guns, but stay away from shooting it in others; I know for a fact shooting some of the first steel case .223 that came in ten or so years damage a HK53 of mine.

I guess I was wrong to make a general statement like that. From what I know about steel and brass, the brass is flexible and the steel is not. When the round is fired the brass expands for mili seconds and provides a temporary seal so that the expanding gas in the chamber are able to cycle the action more efficiently. In some cases the lack of expansion with steel makes a difference in the cycling and in other guns there is no noticeable benefit of brass over steel as far as cycling.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

The only real reason for steel's unpopularity around here is that the range owner's cannot resell the cleaned-up casings.

 

[Douglas Haig]

In this discussion lets remember that "steel" covers a wide range of hardness and other characteristics. Take, for example, a cheap chinese nail and try to scratch a good quality (i.e. older) US made file. Good luck. As an experiment next time at the range I'm going to take a soft iron Russian case and see if I can scratch an AK barrel in an inconspicuous place. I won't even try the chrome lined chamber.

 

[Alpo]

Originally posted by guntownuncle:

Originally posted by Racegunner:

Originally posted by feralmerril:
When I was a kid just about everyone dumped their used motor oil on their dirt driveway to hold the dust down. Havent you ever seen county trucks spraying down dirt roads with oil?
Gad! If its okay for the goverment to do it, just how bad is it really? I just dont happen to belive everything the greenies tell me. I have seen natural oil seep out of the ground around santa paula california area and never heard of trouble with their water. Chill. Kind of like the libs stopping lead shot. Where do they think it comes from?

Yes, I remember the trucks oiling the dirt road in front of my grandparents house in the '70s. The reason they stopped is because the oil was showing up in the wells and lake. I'm far from Green peace and it may be a different story in Texas or AZ, but dumping oil near fresh water is a bad idea no matter how old and stubborn one might be.

This is getting way off the original subject, but in the county I work in they still do put oil on the gravel roads. Someone complains their road is too dusty, and out goes the oil truck to correct that. We are rapidly replacing the dirt roads with asphalt, but guess what. We put a lot of oil down before the asphalt goes down. And you guys know what asphalt is made of, right?

.

Just to add some more to this.

When we changed the oil in the cars, growing up, we would pour the used oil in the fence-row. It killed the weeds. If there were fire ants in the yard, we'd pour oil down the hole.

My folks have a shallow well. Same yard (lived there since 1956). When they put some well water in the dogs' dishes, when it's fresh it's nice and cold, and the dogs will lap it up. But after a couple of hours of sitting in the bowl, there is an oily film on the top of the water, and the dogs won't drink it any more.

Coincidence, or connection?

 

[Andy Griffith]

The steel cased Berdan primed Russian .410 hulls are reloadable- if you have Berdan primers.

Because .410 is low pressure, the hulls don't have to be resized, and if they do, just throw them out.

Although, I have heard of people reloading steel cased .45ACP and 9mm cases, however I don't think I want to try it though.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Again, thanks to all who responded with valuable insights and advice. Not trying to sound like a snob, but being that my only 9mm at present is my H&K P7, and this was on top of my "grail gun list", I think I'll hold off and not shoot steel cased ammo out of it. I need to find a "budget 9mm" to shoot the Russkie steel cased ammo out of. I tried to look at a used Star 9mm at Cabela's yesterday, but the staff was too busy.

Thanks again,

Dave

 

[G-Mac]

Originally posted by silvercorvette:
It does not function well in full auto weapons

Don't worry silver...we already know you have a $20,000.00 Tommy gun...

Or maybe you just need a better one that works...