Sarge Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) After the "stepped" brass debacle they decided to quit using that brass in their ammo. BUT now, even though it's news to me, they have unveiled their AMERICAN STEEL ammo which uses a brass plated steel case! UGH.... just another headstamp to look for to throw away. It's almost as if they don't want anybody to reload their cases.... https://www.freedommunitions.com/9mm-luger-115-gr-rn-steel-new.html Edited August 2, 2016 by Sarge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Help me out. Which brands use stepped brass? And I agree, I'm not excited about plated steel! My first question is why? Why plate the steel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accu9 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Ammoland, IMT, FM are the stepped headstamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Just watched their video. I just hope it's still magnetic. Just get a magnet and give the "brass" pile a once over and get rid of it that way! Hopefully....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Ammoland, IMT, FM are the stepped headstamps. Thanks. I've went back to sorting my brass. Pretty much any foreign junk gets sorted. Gonna send it to Freedom for thier credit program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPGMD Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Just watched their video. I just hope it's still magnetic. Just get a magnet and give the "brass" pile a once over and get rid of it that way! Hopefully....... Yes it is magnetic. It was confusing at first because the magnet was picking up cases that looked like brass. But after some internet research I found out that FM was brass plating their steel cased line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaldor Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I sweep my brass before and during sorting with a magnet, so all the steel ends up in the trash. As far as the stepped brass goes, it shoots just fine with mild loads that would be considered 9mm minor. I dont load major, but I think I would avoid it due to loss of case capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave33 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I have shot tons of the stepped case brass at minor PF and have never had as much as a split neck. The only problems it has ever given me was loading some 150gr SWC that seat very deep in the case, the stepped stuff bulges too much to be usable. I definitely agree about not using it for major PF ammo, have seen enough pics of ruptured cases to know better than to try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timido Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I just throw FM and S&B into a bucket I guess in case I run out of other range brass. They seem to be the most popular oddball brass that I get as range brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) Please consider reading this. http://ammoguru.com/pats-notes-from-the-field-whats-the-deal-with-steel-ammo/ The condensed version. These cases hold the same amount of water. (powder volume is equal to all other brass cases) These cases do not harm your guns. (extraction forces are not greater) These cases will load and shoot just like brass. (this is NOT officially ok with FM) I don't blindly say crap. I test in as scientific manner as I can to bring facts to the fore. You are welcome to hate on these cases. I just ask that you do knowing the facts. Edited August 2, 2016 by P.E. Kelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEH Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 It's all about Money,and I bet that steel is way cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 It's all about Money,and I bet that steel is way cheaper I bet you are right. Couple that with the fact that better than 50% of ammo consumers do not reload. Lower cost sales to those who don't reload...just like CCI Blazer Aluminum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 If I pick some brass up off a range for free, I don't complain if it winds up needing some QA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaldor Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Please consider reading this. http://ammoguru.com/pats-notes-from-the-field-whats-the-deal-with-steel-ammo/ The condensed version. These cases hold the same amount of water. (powder volume is equal to all other brass cases) These cases do not harm your guns. (extraction forces are not greater) These cases will load and shoot just like brass. (this is NOT officially ok with FM) I don't blindly say crap. I test in as scientific manner as I can to bring facts to the fore. You are welcome to hate on these cases. I just ask that you do knowing the facts. Interesting info. I havent seen any of the steel FM brass here locally. I have 10k+ pieces of brass 9mm on hand so I think Im set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Which headstamps do we need to look out for with this brass plated steel? Just FM? And what happens if you try to reload them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v1911 Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 S&B is another brass washed steel offender. Not all of them, but enough to make you want to run a magnet over them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Please consider reading this. http://ammoguru.com/pats-notes-from-the-field-whats-the-deal-with-steel-ammo/ The condensed version. These cases hold the same amount of water. (powder volume is equal to all other brass cases) These cases do not harm your guns. (extraction forces are not greater) These cases will load and shoot just like brass. (this is NOT officially ok with FM) I don't blindly say crap. I test in as scientific manner as I can to bring facts to the fore. You are welcome to hate on these cases. I just ask that you do knowing the facts. ". And third, the inter-webs are a great place to share knowledge and first hand experience, but all too often we read posts where the author has of neither of the two." Pretty good article until you ended it with the above. I find that established "experts" tend to downplay the amount of knowledge and experience us minions often possess! I know for a fact that FM has a terrible track record in 5.56, I know I once won a box if FM 9mm that did not have the bell removed, I know the stepped brass that FM ceased using can and will separate right at the ledge when loaded to 9MAJOR. Before I got wise to the old S&B trick of brass washing steel cases I loaded some to 9MAJOR and a good portion of them split so I would never load another steel case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPGMD Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Maybe it can be reloaded, but honestly with how much brass I have I am better off tossing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngeyes Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 "You are welcome to hate on these cases. I just ask that you do knowing the facts." Facts? We don't need no steenking facts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) Not sure what you are driving at Sarge, but I have been told on numerous occasions to lower the "flesch kincaid" reading level a notch or two. Downplay knowledge? Hard to know where the reader is at, so I need to cover some background to get those less informed up to the level of our average forum member. I don't know who reads my stuff (I assume not very many) but I work to offer info the best I can. I am a power plant operator not a full time shooter nor journalist. Experience? Like many guys on this forum and have been reloading and shooting for better than 40 years and competing since 1987. Perhaps not enough experience or knowledge to make it worth while for some, but again, I try to give those who take the time to read my best effort. Edited August 2, 2016 by P.E. Kelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 I don't know who reads my stuff (I assume not very many) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCTaylor Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 No self deprecation Pat, not allowed here. I read your stuff, hell I had to look up Flesch Kincaid but I was educated in Oklahoma! The well read, educated, articulate, gun nuts are not a common breed. But folks that push edumacational and vocabulariztion boundaries will change that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 No self deprecation Pat, not allowed here. I read your stuff, hell I had to look up Flesch Kincaid but I was educated in Oklahoma! The well read, educated, articulate, gun nuts are not a common breed. But folks that push edumacational and vocabulariztion boundaries will change that! Hell, I can't spell gradiate, now I are one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddKS Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I started loading the stepped cases because no one wanted them. I have not had any issues (I am loading minor not major). Not even a split case. I have been rotating through a batch of several thousand and am on my third or fourth pass. Before I started the big batch I had a test sample of 25 or so that I ran 10 loadings on with zero failures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Out of curiosity, have you chrono'd the stepped brass vs. "normal" brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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