Favored Steel-Cased Ammo?

[mattg]

As far as factory steel-cased AK ammo goes, I'm curious what brand people are buying/shooting [or hoarding] these days.

If you mostly go for the surplus brass-cased corrosive stuff, that's cool too.

[Justin]

I'm curious about what other people are storing for a SHTF situation, as well.

[Krupski]

As far as factory steel-cased AK ammo goes, I'm curious what brand people are buying/shooting [or hoarding] these days.

If you mostly go for the surplus brass-cased corrosive stuff, that's cool too.

I see you're new... welcome to Gunsnet! :welcome:

For AK ammo, I have had the absolute best luck with Golden Tiger. I go out of my way to find it.

For brass cased ammo in a Kalashnikov, be sure you get BERDAN primed cases, not BOXER. The reason is that Berdan primers have two flash holes and a post or "anvil" in the center which limits the firing pin movement and prevents punctured primers. A (properly functioning) AK firing pin has no overtravel limit and it depends on the Berdan anvil to stop it.

This overtravel is designed to provide reliable ignition even if the bolt isn't seated properly due to dirt or contamination.

A Boxer primer has one flash hole in the center and nothing stops the firing pin travel, so you are likely to get punctured primers.

I would recommend against using any corrosive ammo, but if you do be sure to clean the weapon as soon as possible after shooting, or at least run a cleaning patch sloppy wet with oil down the barrel and oil up the dirt so it won't corrode anything.

Here's an old sketch I made showing the difference in primers:

http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/%7Ekrupski/images/primer1.jpg
Colors: Gold=Primer body, Red=Primer material, Black=Boxer "anvil".


Lastly, as far as pistols go, I would NEVER use steel cased ammo in them. I tried steel case .45ACP in my old M1911 and almost ruined it.

Don't use it in an AR-15 either... it will wear out your extractor. Or... buy a chrome plated extractor so the steel doesn't wear it out.

[FunkyPertwee]

I like brown/silver bear, but I've got a suplus of Wolf because thats all that was available during the Obama scare, which is unfortunately when I had money to spend on SHTF stuff. At least I got a good deal on a PSL and surplus 7.62x54 back then.

[AK-J]

When I buy steel cased commercial ammunition, I prefer either Brown Bear or Golden Tiger. I stay as far away from Wolf (or anything from the Tula plant) due to its inconsistency.

What I've been buying lately has been either Russian surplus 5.45x39mm or the Yugoslav surplus 7.62x39mm. I've found nothing available commercially that matches the consistency, reliability and accuracy in 5.45x39mm than that of the surplus 7n6. The same goes for the Yugoslav 7.62x39mm. At first I was leery of using corrosive ammo, but I've found that it really isn't a big deal. Yes you do need to clean it afterwords to prevent rusting, but it's not much of a hassle. I've waited till the next day before cleaning, and there was no rust to be found. So the warnings are a little exaggerated. Just rinse off the bolt carrier and bolt with water or window cleaner, flush the gas tube/gas block/barrel with the same, dry them off, and then clean them normally. Check periodically for any rust afterwords. Never had a problem myself.

[binky59]

I've been buying the Ulanovsk ammo at CheaperThanDirt for about $127 a can, berdan primed, steel cased, 640 rnds per sealed spam can and they give
you a free can opener. I buy that brand for storage, I also buy Wolf Military Classic fmj & HP 1000 rnd case $215 at Ables ammo. I buy steelcore when I
can get it cheap enough on GunBroker

[mattg]

Really interesting. Thanks a lot for the primer explanation and diagram. So far, I'm looking at a few cases of Golden Tiger FMJ [for SHTF]. Then I have some Brown Bear soft-point as well as some SST Hornady.

[WB!]

I've got a lot of Tula HP from the 1990's left, that shoots good. Some East German, Laupa, Chinesse, Remington, Federal, Winchester, and a handfull of others. I've never had any problem shooting any of these in my gun. The East German and the Laupa seem to be the most acurate, but the Winchester is no slouch.

[circuits]

Brown and silver bear for 5.56 and 9x19.
Surplus russian 7n6 in 5.45.
Golden tiger in 7.62x39.

[Broondog]

as far as x39 goes, i also prefer to shoot the Golden Tiger due to consistency. so if i can find i'll buy it.

as far as hoarding goes? well........Wolf black box, Wolf MC, GT, Brown Bear, HotShot are all on hand in quantity along with some odds and ends from here and there.

if i get into other calibers that would take a heap of 'splainin.