Feeding an M1A steel cased ammo

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Feeding an M1A steel cased ammo

Posted: 12/14/2014 4:59:42 PM EDT

I had a thread in GD about which .308 rifle will eat steel cased ammo with the least problems, and the consensus was the HK91. However, I can't shake the thought of wanting an M1A. Anyone here shoot mostly Silver Bear or other steel cased ammo through their M1A standard? Thoughts on reliability and cleanliness? Any premature wear on the rifle?

Posted: 12/14/2014 6:42:24 PM EDT

[#1]

Why would you run cheap, junk ,steel cased ammo through a expensive rifle??
SAI doesnt not recommend steel cased ammo in their M1A's

Posted: 12/14/2014 8:13:39 PM EDT

[#2]

ZQI 762 can be had for $10/20 at walmart and my M1A loves it. Why Bother with steel cased/cored ammo

Posted: 12/14/2014 8:39:16 PM EDT

[#3]

I expect my premium rifles to shoot anything. Including steel cased ammo.

Eastern European ammo is typically dirty. Only problem I see.

-- Chuck

Posted: 12/14/2014 8:50:07 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
I expect my premium rifles to shoot anything. Including steel cased ammo.

Eastern European ammo is typically dirty. Only problem I see.

-- Chuck

View Quote

So would you run low octane gas in a high performance engine? You can do it but why?

Posted: 12/14/2014 9:35:33 PM EDT

[#5]

I shoot steel through most of my rifles. AR/AK/Milsurp. I like to shoot a lot whenever I am able to get to a range and it allows me to do that as a college student.

It's looking more and more like an M1A plus mags and ammo is going to be out of my price range for some time still, was just posing the question for when I finally do get one to get some experienced opinions.

Posted: 12/15/2014 12:13:37 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Why would you run cheap, junk ,steel cased ammo through a expensive rifle??
SAI doesnt not recommend steel cased ammo in their M1A's

View Quote

No company recommends steel cased ammo, but that doesn't mean they won't shoot it just fine. Not everybody is made of money, and steel is a great way to save money and still get some trigger time in.

OP, I would go for it. Steel is cheap and readily available, so for plinking ammo it's fine. Not to mention the fact that brass 308/x51 is getting expensive. My LGS has some silver bear, and I recently bought a box to try out next time I bring my M1A with me. I'm in college too, FWIW.

Posted: 12/15/2014 10:04:04 AM EDT

[#7]

I try to shoot brass case ammo.

Only steel case ammo I shoot is for my AK.

Posted: 12/15/2014 10:30:10 AM EDT

[#8]

It will run fine.

Posted: 12/15/2014 12:54:31 PM EDT

[#9]

I have run steel case in M1a's for years along with my AR\AK\SCAR. It shoots fine and while not the most accurate works just as good as brass. No excessive extractor wear and no other issues.

I prefer the nickel plated steel case 308
This

Posted: 12/15/2014 4:37:35 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have run steel case in M1a's for years along with my AR\AK\SCAR. It shoots fine and while not the most accurate works just as good as brass. No excessive extractor wear and no other issues.

I prefer the nickel plated steel case 308
This

View Quote

Yeah that is what I would use when not shooting brass. Regular ol Wolf/Tula is fine for AKs and ARs, but not sure I'd run the bottom of the barrel stuff through it.

Quantico Tactical has some good deals on M1As right now if anyone else is looking.

Posted: 12/15/2014 5:32:12 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:

Yeah that is what I would use when not shooting brass. Regular ol Wolf/Tula is fine for AKs and ARs, but not sure I'd run the bottom of the barrel stuff through it.

Quantico Tactical has some good deals on M1As right now if anyone else is looking.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have run steel case in M1a's for years along with my AR\AK\SCAR. It shoots fine and while not the most accurate works just as good as brass. No excessive extractor wear and no other issues.

I prefer the nickel plated steel case 308
This

Yeah that is what I would use when not shooting brass. Regular ol Wolf/Tula is fine for AKs and ARs, but not sure I'd run the bottom of the barrel stuff through it.

Quantico Tactical has some good deals on M1As right now if anyone else is looking.

I have run the wolf it is just dirty is my only complaint. Make sure you clean your chamber after shooting.

Posted: 12/15/2014 7:44:02 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

I have run the wolf it is just dirty is my only complaint. Make sure you clean your chamber after shooting.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have run steel case in M1a's for years along with my AR\AK\SCAR. It shoots fine and while not the most accurate works just as good as brass. No excessive extractor wear and no other issues.

I prefer the nickel plated steel case 308
This

Yeah that is what I would use when not shooting brass. Regular ol Wolf/Tula is fine for AKs and ARs, but not sure I'd run the bottom of the barrel stuff through it.

Quantico Tactical has some good deals on M1As right now if anyone else is looking.

I have run the wolf it is just dirty is my only complaint. Make sure you clean your chamber after shooting.

Any issues with stuck cases? I know with Tula in my AR if I don't have a clean chamber I'll get a stuck case every few hundred rounds.

Posted: 12/15/2014 8:17:46 PM EDT

[#13]

I have an M1A Scout rifle that has seen well over 1000 rounds of Wolf steel case, probably close to 500 rounds of Silver Bear, and 500 rounds of Brown Bear, no issues at all with it.

I also had a Socom 16 that ate up about 200-300 rounds of Wolf before I traded it off, since I bought it and the Scout at the same time and decided I liked the Scout rifle better.

Edit: I do not, however, run the steel cased through my NM M1A I've owned since 1987 though.

Posted: 12/15/2014 8:31:26 PM EDT

[#14]

Back when the Chinese copper washed case ammo was available it ran fine both my M-1A and Chinese M-14S.

Posted: 12/15/2014 8:42:16 PM EDT

[#15]

So would you run low octane gas in a high performance engine? You can do it but why?

View Quote

I love this tired endlessly parroted analogy! (That's sarcasm, sorry.

)

Low octane gas doesn't meet spec for a high compression engines. Steel cased/jacketed 7.62mm NATO ammunition does meet spec. It's just cheaper and usually dirtier. If 93 octane is 5¢ cheaper across the street I'll pull in there.

-- Chuck

Posted: 12/15/2014 8:46:02 PM EDT

[#16]

Cheaper , dirty and you left out less accurate. I also doubt the part about being NATO spec. If you want to run that garbage in your M1A more power to you. Just makes absolutly no sense to me

Posted: 12/15/2014 10:36:33 PM EDT

[#17]

Most of the steel case I have put through my M1A hasn't been for the accuracy, as I have been using it in 3 gun matches for under 50 yard shots. When the course requires 50+ yard shooting, I normally switch out the steel cased for ammo of a higher quality.

Posted: 12/15/2014 11:26:40 PM EDT

[#18]

I haven't burned any - but - after reading this thread, I'm considering steel.

My Scout is not a " precision rifle " by any means, and with the input CA_TX-Cop posted here - I'm thinking why not?

If it's reliable, fairly accurate, and shoots hard - it should be GTG.

Posted: 12/16/2014 11:40:21 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

Any issues with stuck cases? I know with Tula in my AR if I don't have a clean chamber I'll get a stuck case every few hundred rounds.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have run steel case in M1a's for years along with my AR\AK\SCAR. It shoots fine and while not the most accurate works just as good as brass. No excessive extractor wear and no other issues.

I prefer the nickel plated steel case 308
This

Yeah that is what I would use when not shooting brass. Regular ol Wolf/Tula is fine for AKs and ARs, but not sure I'd run the bottom of the barrel stuff through it.

Quantico Tactical has some good deals on M1As right now if anyone else is looking.

I have run the wolf it is just dirty is my only complaint. Make sure you clean your chamber after shooting.

Any issues with stuck cases? I know with Tula in my AR if I don't have a clean chamber I'll get a stuck case every few hundred rounds.

I always clean after steel so none to report. I do know the steel russian is dirty though and way more dirty than WBWinchester or AE ammo.

Posted: 12/16/2014 11:43:12 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:

I haven't burned any - but - after reading this thread, I'm considering steel.

My Scout is not a " precision rifle " by any means, and with the input CA_TX-Cop posted here - I'm thinking why not?

If it's reliable, fairly accurate, and shoots hard - it should be GTG.

View Quote

I used to subscribe to do not shoot steel and I know shoot probably 75% steel case ammo. Just keep your chamber clean and you are good.

Posted: 12/16/2014 3:51:12 PM EDT

[#21]

My concern would be the possible sketchy quality control of the Wolf steel cased .308.

There have been reports in the past of KBs in FALs with the Wolf steel cased .308.

Not worth the risk of an expensive rifle.

Not to me anyway.

Posted: 12/16/2014 7:55:13 PM EDT

[#22]

I'm still shooting Radway Green (Brit) L2A2 and South African R1M1. I haven't had to resort to steel cased ammo.

-- Chuck

Posted: 12/16/2014 9:00:33 PM EDT

[#23]

Tested some Silver Bear through mine today, and it worked great. Hit an 8" plate at 150m using irons with ease, and it fed properly too. I wouldn't have any reservations towards using it again in the future.

Posted: 12/16/2014 9:01:13 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'm still shooting Radway Green (Brit) L2A2 and South African R1M1. I haven't had to resort to steel cased ammo.

-- Chuck

View Quote

I have some of that R1M1 stuff and it's awesome. Incredible accuracy for surplus, and it's surprisingly clean too.

Posted: 12/16/2014 11:49:09 PM EDT

[#25]

Too bad we can't find it for 28 bucks a bag anymore...

Posted: 12/17/2014 4:00:32 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
My concern would be the possible sketchy quality control of the Wolf steel cased .308.

There have been reports in the past of KBs in FALs with the Wolf steel cased .308.

Not worth the risk of an expensive rifle.

Not to me anyway.

View Quote

KB's are possible with brass also. Steel is a stronger case so case blow out is less likely not impossible. More likely that the ammo was either double charged which sounds counter intuitive for Wolf ammo since most is under powered or it was the rifles time to go.
I do know that steel tends to build up a lot more fouling in the chamber causing failures which I have experienced in my AR's. Scrub the chamber and it is back to shooting very quickly.

Posted: 12/17/2014 7:28:56 PM EDT

[#27]

Through a few of my $2k+ AR15s, I've shot Wolf and other ammo types from war-torn countries were I'd be afraid to drink the water.

I've not found anything in the M1A design to suggest that it would be any less safe.

My biggest reason for not shooting steel case in my M1As is that the ammo is expensive no matter what. Might as well make it a little more accurate and cleaner, and the M1A is one of those rifles that can really exploit the differences in accuracy.

Posted: 12/17/2014 11:11:59 PM EDT

[#28]

1. I thought they stopped importing Russian blammo.

2. Has anyone chronographed steel ammo?

3. Shooters that shoot steel ammo - what is your favorite?

Posted: 12/17/2014 11:26:47 PM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:

1. I thought they stopped importing Russian blammo.

2. Has anyone chronographed steel ammo?

3. Shooters that shoot steel ammo - what is your favorite?

https://4b1e874935ea5d25a97e-f099844d0e354c7ab50c55a966be6870.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/product/ABS308FMJ145X.jpg

View Quote

1. Nope. Just the Ukranian stuff that is made in the current combat zone can't come in because, well, the factory is in a combat zone now

2. I have not.

3. I like Golden Tiger or Red Army Standard for my 7.62x39 needs, but I just got in a bunch of Silver Bear .223. I have always heard good things about the "Bears" (Silver/Brown, there used to be Gold too I think). Have not been able to shoot any yet but it looks great and at least on the outside it is much cleaner than regular steel cased.

Posted: 12/20/2014 11:50:27 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

1. I thought they stopped importing Russian blammo.

2. Has anyone chronographed steel ammo?

3. Shooters that shoot steel ammo - what is your favorite?

https://4b1e874935ea5d25a97e-f099844d0e354c7ab50c55a966be6870.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/product/ABS308FMJ145X.jpg

View Quote

The stuff you have pictured is my favorite when it. Is in stock on Aim.

Also this is pretty good stuff
link

Posted: 12/23/2014 9:51:15 AM EDT

[#31]

Glad I found this thread. Not to hijack, but I'm deciding between a M1A Standard and PTR 91 A3R. My main concern was whether or not the M1A would feed steel reliably.

Posted: 12/23/2014 2:12:56 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
Glad I found this thread. Not to hijack, but I'm deciding between a M1A Standard and PTR 91 A3R. My main concern was whether or not the M1A would feed steel reliably.

View Quote

I was between the same.

Ended up getting an AK since I had ammo and mags left over from a previously owned rifle and nothing to use them in

I WILL have an M1A someday....

Posted: 12/28/2014 9:17:00 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Back when the Chinese copper washed case ammo was available it ran fine both my M-1A and Chinese M-14S.

View Quote

this...and I'm still shooting it out of the M14s...and it's consistent.

Posted: 12/29/2014 4:39:01 AM EDT

[#34]

i dont run steel through mine simply because i buy turkish mke from walmart for 9.95/20 and steel isnt cheaper then that

Posted: 12/29/2014 1:20:04 PM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:
Glad I found this thread. Not to hijack, but I'm deciding between a M1A Standard and PTR 91 A3R. My main concern was whether or not the M1A would feed steel reliably.

View Quote

I traded a PTR-91 for an all-USGI M1A Standard and never looked back. This guns eats EVERYTHING. Not to mention it's built for humans and shoot much better than the PTR did.

Posted: 1/28/2015 9:59:41 AM EDT

[#36]

There is good American made steel cased ammo available now that will shoot good in anything. One thing about "steel cased ammo"...it is REALLY a steel alloy and it is very soft compared to most steels deliberately made that way to work well in modern firearms.

Posted: 1/29/2015 11:15:49 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
Back when the Chinese copper washed case ammo was available it ran fine both my M-1A and Chinese M-14S.

View Quote

This !! I have tried a little Silver Bear and it ran just fine . My PTR-91 eats anything but my M1a is 100% with everything I feed it

Posted: 1/30/2015 3:57:44 AM EDT

[#38]

I got a lot of brown bear that wouldn't ignite in my SOCOM 16. I tried a heavier hammer spring, maybe a different firing pin would help.

Posted: 1/31/2015 11:59:43 AM EDT

[#39]

Anyone try Hornady Steel Match?

Posted: 1/31/2015 5:42:35 PM EDT

[#40]

I've seen steel case ammo destroy USGI extractors in both M14 and M1 carbine type rifles. The problem being that the case heads on steel cartridges are slightly harder then in brass cartridges. Brass cartridges are typically annealed after forming to take work hardening out of the casing and allow it to expand without blowing. Steel however even when annealed is typically harder than brass especially where it's thicker like at the case head. The GI extractors being hardened themselves to slow wear will usually fracture or shear the rim or have a shorter lifespan due to faster wear. HK 91s are designed as roller lock weapons like the MG42 which was design for and runs better with steel case ammo. M1 type rifles were not.

Posted: 1/31/2015 5:43:06 PM EDT

[#41]

Oops double tap!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Feeding an M1A steel cased ammo

Armory » M1 / M14 / M1 Carbine

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us