Steel Case Stockpile

[Alex1992]

Be honest no bullshit and no complaining, what are your thoughts on stockpiling steel case ammo.

[JohnyMac]

IMO, buy what is cheapest now. If you are worried about wear, buy another barrel to swap out around the 10,000 round mark.

 

[thatGuy]

AR or AK? Glock or Kimber?

[Reaver]

IMO, buy what is cheapest now. If you are worried about wear, buy another barrel to swap out around the 10,000 round mark.

One cool thing about steel case, it's easier to find in spam cans ( even pre-panic )

Stock what you can then as you get better things start filtering it out.

Example.
All I could find for my AKs in the day was steel case. So I kept getting it. Then I found a good deal on some Yugo brass. So when I dropped the brass case stuff into the pile I pulled out a case of steel and started shooting it up.

[crudos]

Steel case is much better than no ammo at all. If you can swing it, might make great barter/trade-bait too.

[Alex1992]

Yeah Crudos I heard that from somewhere, as for extra barrels good idea. Kimbers I hear they don't like steel case at all.

[JohnyMac]

I don't know about Steel & Kimbers but it wouldn't surprise me. Kimbers have stricter tolerances than lets say a basic Colt 1911. I have read that Wilson and Les Baers are very temperamental with what is fed them. Not good or bad just a fact.

[thatGuy]

All of the top dollar 1911s are picky eaters, in a very misguided attempt to improve accuracy they tightened the tolerances. It was a bad call.

 

[sledge]

All of the top dollar 1911s are picky eaters, in a very misguided attempt to improve accuracy they tightened the tolerances. It was a bad call.

I haven't had any trouble with the Kimber using it's own slide with target sights.  I have had issues with a custom slide with night sights attached.  But a light coat of white grease seems to have cured that.  I've also had feed problems with the 22lr conversion slide.

[thatGuy]

I am continually amazed at what a little dab of lube will do for yah

[Jeremy Knauff]

IMO, buy what is cheapest now. If you are worried about wear, buy another barrel to swap out around the 10,000 round mark.

Perhaps a dumb question, but why replace the barrel? I'm assuming greater wear in the chamber area?

[Alex1992]

To Jeremy steel case ammo wears out chambers quicker than brass 

[JohnyMac]

Good question Jeremy!

ThatGuy posted a study done where 10,000 rounds of American made, brass cased ammo were fired through one AR and 10,000 steel cased Wolf and other eastern ammo manufactured was fired through another AR. http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/

The final conclusion from the article/study was that while the breech of both types of ammo was looking good the barrel of the Wolf type ammo saw some serious wear.

It's a long but good read. 
 

[EJR914]

Good advice on the extra new barrel, maybe an extra new extractor as well.   

Also, steel case, even if berdan primed CAN BE RELOADED.  Its just a hint. 

[Alex1992]

Good advice on the extra new barrel, maybe an extra new extractor as well.   

Also, steel case, even if berdan primed CAN BE RELOADED.  Its just a hint.

I bet the components are expensive as heck, I thought steel case wasn't reloadable till now thanks EJR.

[EJR914]

Good advice on the extra new barrel, maybe an extra new extractor as well.   

Also, steel case, even if berdan primed CAN BE RELOADED.  Its just a hint.

I bet the components are expensive as heck, I thought steel case wasn't reloadable till now thanks EJR.

Nah, I don't think its bad at all.  Ask GAP (GAPatriot) about it.  He does it all the time.  Sure anytime.

[Grudgie]

I didn't think steel was reloadable either. I just assumed it would damage your sizing dies and trimmer. Is this not the 'case'?

[Jeremy Knauff]

I didn't think steel was reloadable either. I just assumed it would damage your sizing dies and trimmer. Is this not the 'case'?

Correct. Everything I have read states that steel is not re-loadable.

[v0dka]

Steel is reloadable its just not worth the time or the money. You have to reshape the primer pocket, Not to mention the wear the steel cases puts on your dies.
If your gonna do anything with steel cases your better off melting them down and making a knife out of them.

[Reaver]

Steel is reloadable its just not worth the time or the money. You have to reshape the primer pocket, Not to mention the wear the steel cases puts on your dies.
If your gonna do anything with steel cases your better off melting them down and making a knife out of them.

If your shooting an AK they also work rather well as an extended charging handle.    ( wild turkey )

They also work rather well as..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Shrapnel

[1000meterstare]

Glock or Kimber!  Should be Sig or Smith and Wesson?

[Ghost]

With regards to the 1911, if I did get one, first I'd get one of the cheap Chinese Norinco ones. But if I liked the platform enough I'd save up for a Nighthawk Custom


But, with regards to steel case ammo, it's better than NO ammo

[Alex1992]

True Frosty 

[Reaver]

http://www.elmfg.com/store/brasscatcher.html#Anchor-51540

Was reading same shit on the AK files. Apparently these things ( link above ) work rather well. I would advise doing better research.