Brass vs. aluminum case ammo

[Sugar Land]

Pro's and Con's?

 

[TX69]

After 38 years of shooting I have tried steel once and aluminum once.

 

[Renegade]

Troll much?

 

[TX69]

Troll much?

huh?

 

[BRevell]

As I understand it, Aluminum and Steel casings are not reloadable. They are cheaper to manufacture but because they don't have any value after having been shot, they are more expensive to shoot if you're a reloader. Some bloc manufacturers also coat their steel cased cartridges with lacquer or polymer to help protect from corrosion and aid in chambering. The lacquer/polymer vaporizes upon firing and deposits on the inside of the bore and chamber and quickly causes fouling and subsequent malfunctions. For wide tolerance guns like the AK its no problem, but it will cause stoppages in guns like the AR where the pieces fit together much more tightly. A lot of pistol ranges will insist you police your casings if you shoot aluminum like CCI Blazer. Some won't allow it at all.

 

[Acera]

Pros:
Cheaper.

Cons:
Some ranges will not let you shoot them.
Not Reloadable.
May use cheaper and dirtier powder.



Other than that, I know others have had problems with them but I have not. No instances of lacquer build up or ruptured cases.




(now I guess it's time to start the AK vs. AR and is a lot of 9mms better than a few .45s discussion.)

 

[TxBigfoot]

I've never had a problem with steel or aluminum. Some manufacturers will void your warranty if they find out your using it.

 

[Dawico]

No problems with either steel or aluminum. I reload so I avoid them both generally. They tend to burn dirtier so allow for that but they are cheaper than brass also. Buy brass and sell the empties.

 

[PoisonPancakes]

About all I shoot out of my ARs is steel case. I haven't had any problems with it. I've even gone over 1000 rounds with nothing more than a little lube on the BCG and no cleaning.

 

[Sugar Land]

Troll much?

You talking to me?



I understand the steel issues. I just have not tried the aluminum. The cost seems to be quite a bit cheaper and if reload issues are the only ones that comes with it then that is ok by me.

 

[Kyle]

I have only had issues with Tula, not with the casings themselves, but blown out primer pockets. I run steel or aluminum through my mini 14 but they don't have enough power to cycle my xcr or my ar15. I try run them through all of my pistols too. No issues to date. Don't expect brass performance from them. They are a plinker's delight though.

 

[TdDude]

Since most of my shooting the past few years has been indoors, I've not shot steel or aluminum in quite some time. However, when I first started pistol shooting, I was exclusively outdoors and I was purchasing Brown Bear by the case. It was $3.50 or so a box and I was shootin the heck out of it!!

I never had a single issue out of thousands of rounds through my Berettas. I would probably still be using it if indoor ranges allowed it.

 

[Sugar Land]

I see alot of aluminum cases on the ground where I shoot so I am assuming that it is ok.

 

[TdDude]

If it's indoors, they probably just haven't caught you yet. Ranges make a lot of money from the brass. Many forbid shooters from picking any up. With .223 brass going for .25 each, I damn sure pick mine up when I shoot.

 

[BRevell]

There's a company out there that is now even making polymer cartridges... Seems like there's no real limits. Just figure if it works in your gun its probably okay. If its not going to work or work well, you'll probably figure that out pretty quick.

 

[Charlie]

As far a picking up brass, a brass catcher works wonderfully. Not real convenient when hunting but at a range or at the ranch, it beats searching around in the tall grass.

 

[Sugar Land]

I am going to run a box of .45 this week just to make sure it is ok before I buy a couple of K of them.

 

[TheDan]

Just figure if it works in your gun its probably okay. If its not going to work or work well, you'll probably figure that out pretty quick.

What he said...

The only con to aluminum is that it's not safe to reload and steel is too difficult to reload. You also might have to clean your gun every 700 rounds instead of every 1500 because they are dirtier than brass. The cost savings more than make up for the cons in my opinion.

 

[Sugar Land]

I agree Dan thanks

 

[Whisky]

.
had a box of .380 tulammo that didn't allow the slide to completely close - turned out that the bullets weren't seated in the "brass" correctly - the entire box - tossed it..

maybe imagination but I think the ammo is dirty and stinks..

I won't use it