? on 308 Tulammo

[bubbas4570]

Is this stuff dirty, especially after putting a higher number of rounds through a 308AR?  I know it isn't up to good accuracy standard and such, but I am wondering if it would be good to go for plinking ammo on the cheap.....

And I know it isn't easily reloadable.

[jtallen83]

Read this study then decide if it is worth it for your rifle;

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

[Frankh252]

I like steel case ammo. It's cheap and I haven't had any problems with it (I use Tulammo), I can shoot lots of it and I will probably get a replacement barrel for just in case but more than likely the original will outlast all the ammo I could ever afford to buy.

[shepp]

JT that's an awesome article! Even before reading it I wouldn't have fired Tula. I do have some brown bear but it's more for just in case. 

[jtallen83]

I always run a box of everything I can find for cheap ammo just so I know what a new rifle will function with but that's all the steel I'll run. ZQ is very close in price for blasting ammo so I don't see the need to buy the russian stuff regularly.

[shepp]

53 minutes ago, jtallen83 said:

I always run a box of everything I can find for cheap ammo just so I know what a new rifle will function with but that's all the steel I'll run. ZQ is very close in price for blasting ammo so I don't see the need to buy the russian stuff regularly.

Bought a few boxes of Tula years back in 9mm I'd say half would fire, buddy of mine bought some .223 5 primers were in backward

[Robocop1051]

Tula is great blasting ammo. They are often considerably less expensive than the next round, especially if bought in bulk. I shoot the piss outta the 5.56 and 7.62x39 stuff.

If you weigh the cost savings and factor that into your gun maintenance, you will actually come out on top. After every 5k rounds of steel 5.56 I will have saved enough money to buy a new barrel and bolt.... with change left over.

[Frankh252]

In steel I've only shot the Tula 308/7.62x51 stuff, w/no malfunctions. For the 15 I'll only be using annealed brass 5.56x45 NATO or .223Rem. I like the 55g Independence 5.56 but want some heavier grain loads too. But dang, that stuff ain't cheap! Brass 223/556 is cheap enough that steel doesn't really seem to save a lot but maybe I just need to practice a lot more so the difference will be significant!

[bubbas4570]

5 hours ago, jtallen83 said:

Read this study then decide if it is worth it for your rifle;

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

That is one good reading resource. Shows that if one looks at the barrel as a replacement part, then steel ammo is just as good as brass for cost effectiveness.

And as I am just looking at this for range/blasting ammo, then it might just make sense to not have to worry about retrieving the brass,  spending time prepping itm and then reloading it.

[bubbas4570]

I have only shot 40 rounds of Tula 308 through my AR308, but there were no malfunctions, nor did it shoot noticeably different than any other manufacturers ammo that I put through it. 

I was NOT testing for accuracy,  but straight functionality. The ammo that I tried all shot to within acceptable points of impact for me, which is considered to be something that I can hit a face sized target with my open sights at 100 yards without adjustment, across all brands.

[survivalshop]

       How does one get into one of these testing shoots , although it probably got tedious after a couple thousand rounds . Good test , shows quite a bit of good laboratory type info , stuff you can put down as fact , not some kind of net ah do do.

       I like my Barrels & like keeping them in good shape . Every AR I have , has a Match Barrel on it . 

You'all keep blasting away with that Steel crap all you want .

[bubbas4570]

Every barrel on any gun (AR, bolt action, AK, lever action, whatever) wears as it is shot. The amount of wear depends upon the conditions of when it was being shot, how hot the ammo is (all ammunition erodes/flame cuts to some degree), and just how good of metal the barrel is made of.

If one has a rifle that is a (for speaking purposes only) safe queen, then the barrel life can probably be measured in a couple of human lifetimes. If one has a hard use rifle that sees multiple high round count excursions,  is practiced with alot, and is subjected to generally speaking hard use.....the life of all components are affected conversely. By this measurement, a barrel should be looked at as a "use" item, along the lines of magazines. Magazines are not considered to be lifelong items either on a hard use weapon, and I can guarantee that a barrel is subjected to much more stress than most other firearm parts that are looked at as usable items.

The best part of the AR platform is the relatively easy ability to make changes to necessary components as compared to other platforms: bolt actions, lever actions, pump action.....etcetera.

[jtallen83]

If I read the article right it is the cheap powder used in the russian stuff that seems to cause the issues with throat and port erosion. I'd be curios to see this same test on the new Hornady steel cased ammo.

[Frankh252]

When I showed one of my .308/7.62 Tulammo's to a buddy for his Army background analysis, he said it was just like the kind they used in Iraq. At first glance he thought it was a Wolf round, said they used lots of them over there

[survivalshop]

On April 10, 2016 at 4:33 PM, Frankh252 said:

When I showed one of my .308/7.62 Tulammo's to a buddy for his Army background analysis, he said it was just like the kind they used in Iraq. At first glance he thought it was a Wolf round, said they used lots of them over there

 Really ?

 

[Frankh252]

55 minutes ago, survivalshop said:

 Really ?

 

That's what the man said. He's a really truthful kinda fella too. I was surprised, thinking the military only used US mil-spec annealed brass ammo but he claims they used the grey steel-case ammo with the silver-colored bullets that look like my Tulammo.

[EngrBob]

Probably another hag deal. We sell the Russians our uranium and we buy their cheap steel ammo.  Probably laundered through the Foundation. 

[blue109]

I never saw anything but lake city. I'd think that might be a libility?

[unforgiven]

For me brass is the gas in all my AR's.Just my 2 mags.

[Frankh252]

On 4/9/2016 at 8:10 AM, jtallen83 said:

Read this study then decide if it is worth it for your rifle;

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

"The performance of the carbine firing Federal ammunition in this test was undoubtedly impressive. The firing of approximately 412 pounds of ammunition with very minimal maintenance in austere conditions without a single malfunction – not to mention remaining serviceable and combat accurate from the first shot to the last – could hardly be improved upon. To many who read this report, this is all the justification they need to purchase this type of ammo."

Ok, this all makes sense. I don't have a problem with the cost of replacing a barrel or extractor due to more wear (in fact I already have replacements in hand for that eventuality) but reliability is not something I am willing to sacrifice just to save a few bucks. I'll keep my remaining 500 rounds of Tula dry & rust free for that last ditch ain't got nuthin' else left day but will move to purchasing brass case ammo only from here on out. I've only got a couple hundred rounds of the stuff through a new 7.62 chambered barrel (with zero malfunctions mind you) but hopefully that hasn't caused excessive wear on it yet.

[82HALO]

I'm set for brass ammo, picked up a case of m118 and have a case of PMC! 

But always looking for another good deal!