Economic Ammo

[Plisk]

I have some questions about the quality of the economically priced ammo.

Wolf: I've shot it before. New Wolf works just fine; I avoid the old lacquer coated stuff. I prefer the military classic over normal Wolf but I'm bummed the MC doesn't come in 62gr.

Brown Bear: Lacquer coated. Ewww. For those of you willing to brave the lacquer coated stuff, how is it?

Silver Bear: Zinc-plated case giving it the quality of nickel coated casings supposedly. It's not lacquer coated at least, how is it?

Golden Bear: Brass plated steel case. Seems to be the best of the 3 Bear brands. Vendors claim it's superior to Wolf ammo. How is it?

[jb7706]

I bought and shot a case of the Silver Bear. No jams, accuracy was eh, but still able to take head shots at 100m all day with iron sites. Fine for blaster/plinker ammo. Would buy again if price was right.

Dunno about the rest.

[THT]

Haven't had any issues with Silver or Golden Bear in any of my guns and it runs a touch cleaner than Wolf.

[ar15barrels]

I would generally avoid steel cased ammo in AR's if that's what you are talking about.
The plating on the steel really does not matter as the steel case behaves the same regardless of the plating.
Steel cases work better in 7.62x39 or 7.62x54 where there is more case body taper to aid in extraction.

[jb7706]

Can you break it down for the metalugically challenged? Obviously steel is harder than brass, and has different expansion properties. How do those properties play in extraction? There are obviously differences in the way the two metals act.

If you have any pointers to articles that would be fine too. Most of the stuff I have been able to find seems to be filled with a lot of blow hards and hot air. It's hard to say who is accurate and who the crack pots are.

[ar15barrels]

Can you break it down for the metalugically challenged? Obviously steel is harder than brass, and has different expansion properties. How do those properties play in extraction? There are obviously differences in the way the two metals act.

Read my little write-up on AR operation.
Pay particular attention to the stuff about case obturation.

https://www.ar15barrels.com/prod/operation.shtml

Steel cases obturate in the chamber too, but do not shrink back as much when pressure subsides.

[mif_slim]

jb, I think its about trust or experiance by yourself to know the answer your looking for. Even articles, the author can be bias. Dont believe everything you read.

[bohoki]

the steel cases are barely if any harder than the brass

just do a test pinch the mouth closed on a steel case then a brass case and see how much harder it was

steel is a riddle harder is stronger but has a curse of brittle

[ar15barrels]

the steel cases are barely if any harder than the brass

It's not the actual hardness that matters so much as the elasticity and ability to recover from expanding and contract when pressure subsides.

[818gtiguy]

It's not the actual hardness that matters so much as the elasticity and ability to recover from expanding and contract when pressure subsides.

Exactly......Stay away from steel case ammo for AR`s.....Dont be a cheapo when it come to your guns,If you care about them....It is the same as putting Arco 87 octane in your Porsche turbo...You just dont do it...unless it is your only option......

[mif_slim]

just wondering if there are any cases where an ar expolded with wolf ammo. then in the other end of the argument, has any ar blown up with brass ammo? i bet there are both cases of ar blowing up with either ammo.

[tango5]

I have some questions about the quality of the economically priced ammo.

Wolf: I've shot it before. New Wolf works just fine; I avoid the old lacquer coated stuff. I prefer the military classic over normal Wolf but I'm bummed the MC doesn't come in 62gr.

Brown Bear: Lacquer coated. Ewww. For those of you willing to brave the lacquer coated stuff, how is it?

Silver Bear: Zinc-plated case giving it the quality of nickel coated casings supposedly. It's not lacquer coated at least, how is it?

Golden Bear: Brass plated steel case. Seems to be the best of the 3 Bear brands. Vendors claim it's superior to Wolf ammo. How is it?

My AR shoots all of that you listed without a hitch, lacquer, brass, steel, what ever, it eats it up like a fat kid on a Twinkie. I know a lot of people talk trash about their AR's jamming up or getting FTE/FTF's with Wolf and the different Bear ammo, but i think its just their rifle, i have a few buddies who also built their AR's and we can shoot 800-1000rds of the cheap stuff all day and not have any more problems than shooting the expesive brass cased ammo.

[Plisk]

just wondering if there are any cases where an ar expolded with wolf ammo. then in the other end of the argument, has any ar blown up with brass ammo? i bet there are both cases of ar blowing up with either ammo.

I talked with the OCPD Armorer, and he was telling me that Wolf ammo is a death sentence for ARs, cuz its meant for full auto European guns and has a high pressure meant for full-auto fire. And that my AR will will eventually explode if I continue to shoot it. I was confused when he told me this, I just thought it was FUD.

[mif_slim]

it seems to me that my wolf ammo is under pressure. i get short strokes with them. when i reload the steel case, i load it a bit hotter but safe and the same rifle eats them up with no hitch.

[ar15barrels]

i bet there are both cases of ar blowing up with either ammo.

Yep, therefore you can ignore both.
The issue is extraction and that's where brass cased ammo is better.