22 Aug 01

On steel-case ammunition from a friend and fellow trainer:

"During a range training session last week, we tested Wolf, steel-case ammunition, manufactured in Russia. It worked fine in all pistols present. However, at the end of our session I discovered that the bottom corner of the extractor claw on my SIG 226 was chipped off.

Things like that happen of course, but that same afternoon two of the other pistols used in the exercise suffered similar breakages. I don't know how much the steel case of the ammunition contributed, but I personally am no longer using Wolf or any other steel-case ammunition in any of my guns."

Good plan! Modern firearms are designed to be used with brass-cased ammunition. Hard cases are a distinct invitation to parts breakage.

/John

22 Aug 01

Follow-up on "clean" ammunition from a friend and trainer in Africa:

"At least your police are still issued effective pistol ammunition for duty use. Our guys are only allowed to use 9mm hardball, and wimpy hardball at that. It barely functions our CZs. Management, quoting the ammunition manufacturer's own promotional material, calls this scrap ‘highly effective,' but, of course, none of them even carry guns.

A short time ago in Capetown, a knife-wielding offender was shot four times by a local security guard and another seven times by a police officer, all within a minute or two. He still managed to walk away, after stabbing both officers. Their wounds were nearly fatal. He then stabbed several people before finally being physically subdued by other officers. The offender survived, is out of the hospital, and is doing fine! Smart officers now go directly for their 223 R5 rifles when they are available."

Lesson: The only one who cares about you is you. Be always prepared. When it's least expected, you're elected!

/John

22 Aug 01

Follow-up on steel-case ammunition from a friend who is also the president of a large firearms manufacturing company:

"Steel-cased ammunition has been used by the (former) Soviets for two reasons:

(1) Brass is harder to come by there and is thus expensive

(2) Steel cases are stronger, and thus less likely to rupture, than are those made of brass. Head space is therefore less critical than with brass cases.

A lacquer coating is usually added to insure reliable extraction and also to camouflage the case once it is ejected and on the ground.

Steel-cased ammunition should only be used in (mostly Russian made) arms designed for it. The steel case, being harder and less pliable than brass, can easily damage extractors, bolts, and feed ramps on Western-made guns, as you noted. You may save three cents per round, but you run a significant chance of serious parts breakage. If you use enough of it, parts breakage is a virtual certainty.

The moral of the story: Use steel-cased ammunition only in the guns it was made for. If any ammunition is damaged, rusted, has the bullet set back, etc, don't use it at all."

Sage advice!

/John

22 Aug 01

We conducted an Urban Rifle/Shotgun Course last weekend in Michigan. One student used an AR-15 equipped with an EO Optics sighting device. It looks like a miniature TV screen mounted on the top of the receiver. My student had the "militarized" model which was, in all fairness, very rugged.

The shooter looks through the screen as the weapon is mounted. He sees a lighted, red circle and concentric dot superimposed on the downrange image. There is no magnification and thus no light-gathering ability. The unit does require batteries.

My student had used the device before and was very good with it, achieving good hits on a regular basis. All went well until it started raining! As we were all out in a heavy rain continuing to shoot, he started to complain that he couldn't see the targets (steel rifle targets at forty-five meters distance against a green grass background, manufactured by Tactical Specialties of Addison, IL). When I looked through it, accumulated water droplets and fogging on both sides of the screen made it nearly impossible to make out anything downrange, although the red circle was still visible. When it got dark, the utility of the device continued to deteriorate. The red circle, even on its lowest setting, was too bright.

We all, including the shooter, concluded that rain and/or low light renders this device unusable. He is now back to iron sights!

/John