Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Wolf steel case 55 grain 5.56?

I know it's not top shelf ammo. But how bad (or good?) is it? I'm seeing some prices for it that are hard to ignore.

It shoots fine and has decent accuracy. Make sure it has the powder coating on the cases. Some of the old steel cases were lawyer coated. That chit was hard to get out of the chamber.

I wouldn’t shoot it in a gun that meant a lot to me or was expensive, and I’d keep a spare extractor or two around. That ain’t a bad idea anyway.

I don't shoot a lot of it, but it's always run fine, if a bit dirty, in my ARs. My AR pistol seems to like it better than brass ammo.

Expect 2-1/2" - 3-1/2" at 100 yards.
The old lacquer coated cases could gum up the action if it gets real hot (mag dumps).
The newer poly coated cases are said to not have that issue. The bullets are steel jacketed (magnetic) with a copper wash (to fool the unknowing into thinking they are copper jacketed?).

Never had an issue shooting it in multiple guns..............but not good to use it in high quality SS match barrels/chambers.

I ALWAYS lube the top round in a magazine when using it to keep the chamber wet to aid extraction as it doesn't spring back like brass cases do.

Empties sticking & having rims torn off is the major complaint as well a magnetic projectiles....................

MM

hmmm,...I didn't know that.

I’ve got no use for any case I can’t reload. I’ve heard of peyreloading it but I wouldn’t. That stuff rusts.

Probably good enough to squirrel away for the zombie apocalypse.
As MM stated, I wouldn't use it in a match barrel or on steel targets I didn't want fugged up.

I've had a bad experience shooting Wolf steel cased 7.62 ammo in a FAL. It didn't like it at all.

I pulled the entire gas system off the rifle, changed out parts, chased my tail for a while before I tried some brass cased ammo. The brass ammo ran perfectly in the rifle.

I still don't really understand what the issue was. FALs typically aren't finicky about ammo. But that one particular rifle didn't function good at all with steel cased Wolf ammo.

I shot a lot of it years back in a Bushmaster Patrolman AR-15. I had no issues with it other than those mentioned above. I've read of some ARs having problems as the steel case stuff didn't always produce enough gas at the port to function but my gun didn't have that issue. I suppose an adjustable gas block could fix the problem.

The early lacquer case coating would stick to the chamber when the chamber became hot which would affect extraction and was a pain to get out. The later polymer coated cases are a lot better. The powder was also quite stinky which may or not be a problem depending on wind direction.

A shooting buddy had a SCAR that refused to operate with steel cased ammo. It ran fine on 5.56 spec ammo and had a bobble OT two on commercial 223 ammo. My buddy blamed the gun for the problems and dumped it after only a few hundred rounds. I wish I would have had a chance at the gun before he sold it. At a substantial loss.

I use some in the winter when I can’t retrieve brass. It’s dirty and not very accurate, it will gum up and stick in the chamber if it gets hot - ie full auto mag dumps.

These two suppliers are the cheapest brass cased 5.56 on Ammoseek.

SM Supply 5.56

1st Round Ammo 5.56

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/

Good read.

Thanks

Steel in an AK... brass in an AR

IMHO

Functions fine in my bushmaster, won't cycle the Christensen.

I keep a few thousand rounds for just in case the SHTF. If it gets to that point I ain’t collecting the cases anyway. I use the better brass cased stuff for general purpose. I did go with an extended firing pin and a power spring for the SHTF scenario. I like the AR platform and I like the general accuracy they’re capable of so I decided to marry the enemy’s cartridge to the white-man’s weapon and I’m happy with the results.

I did have a rare factory Norinco SKS that was supposedly 1 of 400 made to accept AK mags. The thumb hole stock was reasonably comfortable but that damn rifle was close to a 1” capable shooter without any work.

Buy all you can.

With your credit card ..

Hahaha Hahaha

Reminds me of some 7.62x54R a guy was shooting through a Dragunov. Whatever was loaded into those steel cases must have contained a significant percentage of some kind of crap.