# Ruger and steel case ammo



## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Does Ruger have any recommendations concerning using steel cased ammo? I have a P95, SR9C and a LCP. I've probably shot 300 rounds of steel cased through the P95 and never had a problem, but wondered if there was any general recommendation by Ruger. Didn't want to use it in the SR9C if it is a "no no". All my shooting is range shooting, and I can find steel cased a lot cheaper than brass, so if it isn't a problem, I'd rather use the cheaper stuff for target work. I plan on using the SR9C for carry which is why I don't want to run steel through it if it's not ok.


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## chieninhouston (Aug 12, 2011)

I don't see any reason not to. There are some gun gurus on Youtub channel compared the steel and brass casing. The steel is not really harder than brass in the ammo. Hence, not real caused more wear in a long run. I would use steel casing any time on all my Rugers as long as they are factory made meeting the SAAMI standard that Ruger calls for. Especially a time like this, you'll be luck if you could find the right caliber ammo on the shelf Steel or not. Good luck.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Although a lot of manuals I've read don't say anything but "use high quality, factory loaded ammunition" they are silent about case type. Should have done this first but spent some time last night reading the SR9C manual in detail. It does state "The SR Series pistols are compatible with all factory ammunition of the correct caliber loaded to US industry Standards, including high velocity and hollow point loads, loaded in brass, aluminum or steel cartridge cases."


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## Glock Doctor (Mar 14, 2011)

Personally, I wouldn't use steel cases in my Ruger. Neither steel nor aluminum cases expand and contract upon firing in the same efficient way that brass cases do. Consequently there is more leakage of combustion gases into and immediately in front of the firing chamber. Primer pocket seals aren't as tight either; so you, also, get a certain amount of combustion gas impacting against the breechface, too.

Here! More than you ever wanted to know: http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/

(As for what the gun manufacturers have to say? They're in business to sell guns - Right!)


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

I'll have to read your link tonight. It's blocked on the network I'm on at the moment.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

That's a very interesting read. There appear to be a few issues pro and con. Apparently the steel cases do wear out an extractor sooner however the lab suggests that we should be replacing them and springs at 2500 rounds anyway as a normal wear item. Barrel wear is also an apparent problem with the bimetal clad bullets vs copper clad. Another supposedly maintenance item also, as eventually the wear will make any gun effectively a smoothbore. 

from the article: "Average OEM extractor springs should be replaced beginning at 2,500 rounds and no later than 5,000"

They recommended changing extractors also. So if extractors and springs should be changed between 2500 and 5000 rounds anyway, for me since I tend to shoot probably 150 rounds per range trip, and I tend to go to the range about twice a week, I should be changing extractors and springs between 2 and 4 months anyhow. (minimal cost there, $25-30 for extractor and spring from Ruger online). 

Barrel wear is another factor. The bullet cladding seems to be the issue there. The bimetal clad bullets typically used in the Russian steel ammo do shoot out a barrel faster. Shooting exclusively bimetal clad ammo wore out the barrels at 6000 rounds, and the copper clad was still good at 10,000 rounds. So a barrel needs to be replaced between 6 and 10k rounds depending on what you shoot. Even shooting exclusively bimetal clad bullets, it would take me 20 weeks at two trips a week to shoot out a barrel with bimetal clad bullets. So it appears that if I shot nothing but steel cased bimetal clad ammo, I should be changing extractors and springs every 4 or 5 months, and barrels about every 4-5 months depending on whether or not I actually average two trips per week to the range. I guess I could expect to see some possible extractor related problems every few months shooting nothing but the steel cased bimetal ammo. (do not know the cost of a new barrel, which could represent a major decision point about whether or not it's worth the savings in cost vs the cost of a new barrel every 6 months if you shoot regularly).

Definitely an interesting read.


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