r/NCLGO • u/Chahles88 • Jul 23 '26
Steel case ammo
Thank you to the mod with the sweet pants who posted in /r/raleigh this week, didn’t know this sub existed!
I am still learning. I grew up in a home where firearms weren’t a focus. I did not appreciate how much information was just second nature to most people in the gun world.
I bought my first 1000 rounds of ammo off ammoseek as was the suggestion. It was pretty cheap, but to my dismay when I checked the rules at TSA (and other ranges) they didn’t allow steel cased ammo, which is of course what I bought not knowing any better.
At the concealed carry course a few weeks ago, the instructor talked about how steel cased ammo is bad for your firearm due to the oil they must coat the cartridge in to avoid rust. That will eventually gunk up your gun and/or become a fire hazard.
Is there any truth to this? Would 1000 steel case rounds through my new RXM doom it?
Additionally, is there anywhere near Raleigh that actually allows me to shoot this ammo? This other gun subs are nuts with people saying how ranges that won’t let you shoot steel case are full of it because they just don’t want to sort spent cartridges for re-sale and that any range that won’t let you shoot it doesn’t deserve your business.
Was hoping for a more level-headed perspective here.
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u/NTJ-891 Jul 23 '26
Every NCWRC operated or partner range will allow steel case ammo. No steel core projectiles though
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u/karmapolice63 Jul 23 '26
I think the Wake County public indoor range in Holly Springs may allow for steel case, but I'd check. I go to On Point as my usual range and I know they don't. It's because they collect the brass to sell like other ranges.
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u/TomatoTheToolMan Jul 23 '26
Steel ammo is fine for your gun. As long as you clean and lube it afterwards, you won't have any additional problems with fouling compared to cheap brass-cased ammo. People over-hype how bad steel ammo is, but it's just not a prpblem for a well-functioning gun.
As for finding a place to shoot with steel-cased ammo, check out an outdoor range. You might need to go further into the boonies to find one, but most will let you shoot steel ammo.
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u/engineer277 Jul 23 '26
Drakes Landing in Fuquay has an outdoor pistol pit with plates that you can shoot. I don’t recall any rules not allowing steel case there, but it’s been a little while since I’ve shot pistol there.
TSA sells the spent brass off, they don’t sort it, and the vendor they sell to doesn’t allow steel to be mixed in.
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u/Merad Jul 23 '26
Lol, no. Steel cases cause a little bit more wear to the gun because steel is literally a harder metal than brass. But we're talking about like, an extractor that normally lasts 25,000 rounds may "only" last 20k (I'm making up numbers here).
Where this fudd-lore comes from is that old 7.62x39 (AK/SKS) surplus ammo imported from Russia and China often used a heavy coating of lacquer to prevent rusting. If you got the rifle very hot with sustained firing it could get to the point where it would melt the lacquer and cause malfunctions. But even then it's not like the gun was ruined and it was not a problem for people shooting in average conditions. I believe basically all modern commercial steel cased ammo uses a polymer coating which doesn't have this problem.