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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Winchester Steel Cased Ammo


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I wonder if steel will become the norm in future handgun ammo?? Hornady started a few years ago and it now appears Winchester has followed. I assume the Winchester with boxer primers can be hand loaded.

 

 

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2016/05/02/steel-case-ammo-made-usa-winchesters-usa-forged/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=2016-05-07&utm_campaign=Weekly+Newsletter

 

In the early 70's I shot and loaded US GI WW2 dated 45 ACP loaded in steel cases. The life of the case was short. Best I recall none were reloadable after the third time. The steel also wore off the shiny, mirror type interior of my resizing die. Later I had numerous problems with brass cases getting stuck in the sizing die. The steel cases also caused problems with my expanding die. Pulling the expander plug off the threaded rod. C-H replaced the threaded rod and recommended I use Motor Mica or powdered graphite to lube the inside of the case rim. The experience was long before carbide sizing dies were affordable. I can only guess the modern carbide dies will handle the steel cases but I expect the life of the steel cartridges will be short.

 

In the early 70's 762X39 ammo was scarce and expensive. Here in Phoenix a commercial operation was set up that de-capped and resized the steel rifle cases. After the operation went belly up when 762X39 ammo was being sold dirt cheap. I ran into the operator at a gun show. He claimed the life of the commercial carbide sizing dies was short, 5 -10,000 rds. He told me the price of the carbide dies but I just can't recall other than being very expensive. The commercial carbide rifle dies don't have the simple carbide ring. The entire interior surface of the die had a carbide insert.

 

If the future of ammo is going to be steel, hopefully rifle ammo will remain brass.

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You'll find that the Winchester steel cases are a product of Russia, usually with PPU headstamp. I personally refuse to use any steel cases because there are still good brass cases available to chose from. Sure seems that they would create wear on chambers. Add the fact that steel range pickups often are berdan primed, should be a red flag to all reloaders. I'm just not that desperate.

 

 

Spiris

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I read somewhere recently that European police are switching to steel cases/berdan primed stuff because they want to prevent reloading. Apparently, the "bad guys" were picking up the brass at the scene of police shootouts and reloading them.

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I read somewhere recently that European police are switching to steel cases/berdan primed stuff because they want to prevent reloading. Apparently, the "bad guys" were picking up the brass at the scene of police shootouts and reloading them.

I've heard similar stories from Viet Nam. One friend in particular was really po'd after his first fire fight when his Lieutenant shouted "police the brass". The Viet Cong were not only reloading the brass but also using it for shrapnel in home made bombs and booby traps.
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It's merely speculation on my part, but.... I see this as yet another threat to the shooting sports as we've known them. First it was "the ammo shortage" with it's corresponding doubling or tripling of prices. Then the scarcity of reloading components as demand outstripped supply. Now we see this short-cut to "affordable" ammo by suppliers. Sure, steel cased ammo has been around forever but always in cases where the spent cases were never expected to be re-used. Military, LE, etc. CCI has been selling Blazer handgun ammo for decades now. We began seeing more and more steel cased stuff when suppliers looked to eastern Europe to fill orders in the last few years.

 

There is a whole new generation of shooters out there. Many are weekend warriors who have no interest (or time) for reloading and banging away for an hour or so with the cheapest fodder they can find is all that matters. That's fine but as "cheap ammo" becomes more accepted, especially steel and aluminum cased stuff, I predict brass ammo will become even more expensive, if only because it will be in greater demand by re-loaders and experienced shooters. I sure hope I'm wrong. :unsure:

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