Reloading steel cased ammo

[Belt Fed]

I don't reload so know nothing about it, but i am curious why you can't reload steel cased ammo? Does the neck crack easy or why? Just curious about it.

 

[Old_Me]

i think it has to do with the primes, they are Berdan, and much tougher to obtain than boxer.

and i think the steel wears out the dies faster than brass cases.

but, i am new to reloading as of this past fall

 

[Annihilator]

I would advise against reloading steel cases. Easy way to tear up your dies plus the primer type.

 

[krunchnik]

Brass stretches so when you run it thru a die it forms the casing back to size-
Firing a round stretches the brass due to pressure-
Steel does not stretch easily and cracks due to hardness-

 

[HansGruber]

You can reload steel, but it tends not to take multiple reloading s well—cracks, etc.

A lot if the steel cased ammo sold now in the US is boxer primed, so that’s not an issue…Berdan can be reloaded, but it’s a PITA. Google the steps needed.

As for tearing up dies…get carbide dies, you’ll be fine.

But it can be done. I know folks who have reloaded aluminum cases with no issues, as well.

 

[HayesGreener]

I would not put that scrap in any of my guns

 

[Bassbob]

I would not put that scrap in any of my guns

Word. I wouldn't shoot factory steel ammo much less reload it. Why would anyone ? If you are too cheap to buy brass casings just go to any range, you'll find tons of it. I guarantee at any given time I could find at least 5 boxes worth of 9MM casings, probably a lot more.

 

[Old_Me]

I would not put that scrap in any of my guns

back during the ammo shortages and well before my venture into reloading, i did buy several boxes of 9mm and 45 acp steel ammo.

thankfully, it was only a few back then., as in short time, the prices of steel case ammo started to climb as well.

me too, if i sweep up some steel casings and take them home, they get tossed into a different pail for a trip to the scrap yard.

truth be told, any steel ammo, was used in my "least expensive guns", (aka) my Glocks...........

(right now, @Annihilator is having a kanipshin fit....... )

 

[Belt Fed]

I have shot lots of it in 223 and 7.62x39, It is dirty stuff but i always clen up after anyway. just takes longer.

 

[Old_Me]

I have shot lots of it in 223 and 7.62x39, It is dirty stuff but i always clen up after anyway. just takes longer.

yes true, much like Magtech ammo....

i also clean after every range visit, a habit i got into from day 1.

 

[Annihilator]

back during the ammo shortages and well before my venture into reloading, i did buy several boxes of 9mm and 45 acp steel ammo.

thankfully, it was only a few back then., as in short time, the prices of steel case ammo started to climb as well.

me too, if i sweep up some steel casings and take them home, they get tossed into a different pail for a trip to the scrap yard.

truth be told, any steel ammo, was used in my "least expensive guns", (aka) my Glocks...........

(right now, @Annihilator is having a kanipshin fit....... )