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HankB wrote:Untold millions of rounds of steel-cased .45 ACP ammo were used by American GIs during WWII with no issues, so the problem isn't with the steel case per se; the problem is that Russian steel-case ammo isn't the highest quality. I've fired a couple of boxes of Wolf (sooty stuff, by the way) with no problem, but a friend found the ejector on his Les Baer TRS broke about halfway through his second case of the ammo. He also found that the lacquer on the case tended to build up in the chamber and after a couple of hundred rounds he'd have to clean it or the rounds wouldn't chamber. (He was swabbing the lacquer out with - wait for it - lacquer thinner. )

I'd have no problem with using steel cased ammo in a 7.62x39 AK-pattern rifle, but I'd be inclined to avoid it in a .223 AR.

Current production Wolf ammo uses a polymer coating instead of lacquer. I have not seen any trace of buildup from it.

03Lightningrocks wrote:

MinhWin wrote:Is it ok to shoot steel casing ammunition? It's cheaper by 3-4 dollars a box. What do you guys think?

I have used it in sigs, glocks, Colts, rugers and now a Kimber. I have never had a problem with steel cased ammo because of the case. Now I have had wolf 45 ammo not cycle my Thompson A1, but it was because the loads are real light not because of the steel case.

I have also used it in rifle calibers... 223/5.56, 7.62x39 with never a problem.

My experience is similar. I have fired an estimated 12,000 rounds of Wolf .45 in Glocks, Kimbers, and Kahrs, and .223 in AR's. The only issues I have seen were some very slight peening of the ejector in a Kimber Ultra Carry (this was easily touched up with a very fine file) and an occasional smokestack or failure to feed which I think may be due to some variations in the powder charge, which seems a bit lighter than some other brands. Since I use it for practice ammo only and it doesn't happen often enough to be annoying, an occasional situation like this presents opportunities for unanticipated malfunction clearance drills. It is "dirty" ammo that puts a lot of powder residue in the gun, so thorough cleaning afterwards is important to maintain weapon reliability. For a savings of $3 - $4 per box, I can handle that.

I can see no reason for additional wear on the extractor as reported in one post because the rim rides up behind the extractor claw if the first round is chambered properly and the ejection cycle is identical to what happens with brass cases. Extractor replacement at 3000 rounds is awfully early. I would question if in that instance the first round was being chambered improperly by dropping it into the chamber and allowing the slide to close on it. This practice is very hard on the extractor and will eventually cause extractor issues regardless of the case material.