Grumpy AR..

[Bubbajms]

In my range contest entry post, I mentioned that my AR was a little grumpy..

I got a pretty good deal on some Wolf steel .223 ammo. I wasn't going to do a whole lot of AR shooting that day so I just loaded a pmag and brought it along. I made it about 4 rounds into the day when I started having FTE problems - the round never left, but of course the next round would works its way up, leaving me with double-feeds.

I took it down and pulled the BCG out and everything looked okay. I was able to hit the range briefly to check things out and found that the pmag worked just fine with 5.56 brass cased ammo. I loaded a USGI mag from PSA full of steel ammo and it ran flawlessly.

I've not yet had a chance to run .223 brass through the pmag (nor 5.56 steel, since I don't have any for either magazine) but I just found this interesting. Anybody have ideas or thoughts or anything? Something to be concerned about?

 

[Mosinowner]

My PMAGS work fine with steel cased. Could it be your AR?

 

[churchmouse]

Some AR's just do not like steel casings. The coating on the case melts in the hot chamber and the spent round sticks in there. My DPMS did this and it is full of good parts. I had to use a steel rod to beat the spent case out of the chamber. Some AR's are OK with this but none of mine are. I will never run steel in any of my AR's again. Cheap ammo is exactly that, cheap. Get what you pay for.

 

[kawtech87]

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: 223 Rem :: 223 REM 55 GR HP STEEL MATCH™

Try some of this and see how it works. Ive run it with no problems where the Wolf or Brown Bear seem to stick like ChurchMouse said.

 

[stacy]

I have a DPMS AP4 I've had one FTE. Used a chamber brush on it and no problems yet(knock on wood). I've put about 4 to 500 rounds of wolf through the rifle so far.

 

[churchmouse]

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Rifle :: Choose by Caliber :: 223 Rem :: 223 REM 55 GR HP STEEL MATCH™

Try some of this and see how it works. Ive run it with no problems where the Wolf or Brown Bear seem to stick like ChurchMouse said.

I have some of this but use it in My Ruger M77 bolt gun. It is nice, accurate ammo but it ain't cheap. A bolt gun does not build up the heat like an AR does.

 

[mvician]

The coating on the case melts in the hot chamber and the spent round sticks in there. My DPMS did this and it is full of good parts.

The coating DOES NOT melt. The steel case does not expand as well as brass and CARBON will build up in the chamber. AR barrels with TIGHT chambers will have problems with this.

 

[sloughfoot]

I have been thinking about this for a long time. You might think I am nuts or weird.

But......

The Russkies do not field any military rifle in .223.

Why have they graciously built production lines to produce steel cased ammo in .223 for foreign export? To supply cheap .223 ammo that doesn't work in US made Ar-15 rifles? At least for very long....

Since they are commies, the profit motive does not exist. Seems like, if you supplied your enemy with crap ammo, the victory is already won....

Why are they flooding our market with cheap crap ammo? Why do you continue to buy it?

Just a thought.

 

[Tuffenough22]

I've found that ar's area lot like women. I have 3 of them, and each one does not like cheap, imitation ammunition. Just like a woman, they don't like cheap, fake things. I have shot a lot of wolf through my rifles, and they do not like the steel casings. I get a lot of double feeds, and FTE's.

 

[Hazwhopper]

I think that one reason for the problem of steel vs brass is the bolt carrier group. Dpms use semi auto bolts and bushy - RRA and mine have full auto bolts. I think the extra weight of full auto bolts do not function as well. Try a semi auto bolt in one that didnt work and see. I did and it ran fine after that.

 

[mvician]

An AR15 with a properly sized chamber and correct extractor will run steel cased ammo all day long.
Some of these comments in this thread are just plain ignorant.

 

[karl77]

ftf is a mag issue, try leaving it loaded for a few weeks and try using it again.
fte is a gun issue, cleaning should help.

cheap ammo is cheap for a reason.

 

[LEaSH]

.

 

[LEaSH]

An AR15 with a properly sized chamber and correct extractor will run steel cased ammo all day long.
Some of these comments in this thread are just plain ignorant.

yep

I liked the comment aabout commies not motivated by any profit. It's surely a ploy to overthrow the US.

 

[Fixer]

Won't the commies get a suprize when they land. My AR and a friend of mine run steel cased ammo just fine. Ran 11 mags through my friends AR in about 20 minute span all Silver Bear ammo. I like the fact that you can get HP ammo in it as well as FMJ.

 

[churchmouse]

The coating DOES NOT melt. The steel case does not expand as well as brass and CARBON will build up in the chamber. AR barrels with TIGHT chambers will have problems with this.

Must have been some other foreign glue like shellac looking crap I cleaned out of the chamber. It appeared to be the glazing from the ammo that was being used. Just what I saw and removed. son in law Got the ammo in bulk in a bag so I have no idea of the what or where of the origin. I do not run steel so maybe I am ignorant. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[garyindiane]

An AR15 with a properly sized chamber and correct extractor will run steel cased ammo all day long.
Some of these comments in this thread are just plain ignorant.

AMEN.

I would Rep you again if I could...

-Gary

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Must have been some other foreign glue like shellac looking crap I cleaned out of the chamber. It appeared to be the glazing from the ammo that was being used. Just what I saw and removed. son in law Got the ammo in bulk in a bag so I have no idea of the what or where of the origin. I do not run steel so maybe I am ignorant. Thanks for reminding me.

Older steel used some kind of lacquer, which would deposit in the chamber, but the new stuff has a polymer coat that won't. If you don't know how old it is, that may be the problem. The steel does indeed expand less in the chamber, allowing carbon deposits. If you let that build up, subsequent brass may have ejection issues.

 

[churchmouse]

Older steel used some kind of lacquer, which would deposit in the chamber, but the new stuff has a polymer coat that won't. If you don't know how old it is, that may be the problem. The steel does indeed expand less in the chamber, allowing carbon deposits. If you let that build up, subsequent brass may have ejection issues.

Thanks. I have been researching this a bit since being told I was ignorant. Indirectly but still told none the less. I find out since my ignorant post that this was older steel with the coating you mention. It has been traded with a warning.
We do not run steel in our guns for this very reason. It is a personal choice.

If I post something that is not correct please just say so and I/we will all learn something which is one of the positive reasons for this forum. I am anything but ignorant. Silly, at times. Ignorant, no.

Again, thanks. This is how we learn.

 

[mammynun]

I avoided steel ammo for my AR's for years... until all ammo became difficult to find around late 2009/early 2010. I keep a supply of nato brass, but shoot steel almost excusively and all my AR's love it.