[k-dog]

What does everyone do with steel cases from the range? A buddy and I was shooting our AK-47's this weekend using Wolf ammo. I just pitched the cases in the basic recycle bin for trash. Is there anything else to do with these? I keep all the brass for my other firearms to sell at a later date.

 

[agalindo]

I just toss them.

 

[Reno82]

YOu can reload them... saw a youtube video on it. Here is the link YouTube - Reloading Steel Case ammo

 

[fsmith2610]

YOu can reload them... saw a youtube video on it. Here is the link YouTube - Reloading Steel Case ammo

Well, if you saw it on youtube, it must be true. All things on youtube are known to be factual and reliable.

 

[T.J.]

ive never used Wolf but ive picked up quite a bit (i sweep my lane and pitch it all inside my bag) once i get it home i normally just pitch it. i guess im not very environment friendly as i don't do the recycling thing well except with my brass that is.

i also pick up anything esle i can get my hands on for the puroses of selling or trading later on.

 

[atmiller]

If it's boxer primed you can reload it. If berdan primed, you need a special berdan de-priming tool. It's not the steel that makes it not reloadable, its the primer.

Do not reload aluminum, however, because the cases are weakened too much after firing once.

 

[whit]

All things on youtube are known to be factual and reliable.

You might want to see if you can run it by FactCheck first, though - they're factual and reliable, too.

'xcuse me. I have to go throw up.

Whit

 

[k-dog]

I don't reload at all but hated to throw them away if someone else could have used them. Looks like I'll just keep throwing them in recycle bin.

 

[atmiller]

The info I posted was from a study one of the gun mag writers did. He was able to reload the steel cases several times. I believe they were straight wall pistol cartridges though.

 

[Joeywhat]

I've heard of more then a few people reloading steel cases (rifle, too). From my understanding it can safely be done at least once, however you won't get nearly as much out of them as brass. I wouldn't even try aluminum, although I hear that's been done as well. I only buy brass ammo if I'm going to reload it, I just toss steel cased...not worth it IMO.

Remember that steel is more brittle then brass, which is why it's not a terribly good idea.

You might be able to pick up a few bucks for it as scrap, too.

 

[Reno82]

Fsmith2610.... Just more information to learn by. Yeah if you believe that youtube is the bible then good for you. I take it as a grain of salt. Its only as good as you want it to be. I'm going to give it a shot... got a lee classic press. I'll try making 10 or so.. let you know what happens.

 

[agalindo]

Why bother shortening the life of or damaging your dies by sizing steel cases?

They can be sized, I've done a few, by accident. They are harder to size and a bit sticky when sizing.

 

[Reno82]

I'm using a Lee Classic Reloader, $20 bucks from Midway... One case at a time. Should be fun. Just popped 5 primers from the case. Wolf ammo steel cases were fine... keep you up dated.

 

[xdmikey]

atmiller:
what is this tool you speak of and where can I buy one? I called Midway and they didn't know of one.

for everyone else:
there are several guys on arfcom who reload steel, many times.
I have been saving my wolf cases(hopefully they're boxer) but just came upon a pile of 308 cases in brass w/berdan primers and would really like to be able to reload those!

 

[atmiller]

A quick internet search shows that RCBS makes one.

 

[agalindo]

atmiller:
what is this tool you speak of and where can I buy one? I called Midway and they didn't know of one.

for everyone else:
there are several guys on arfcom who reload steel, many times.
I have been saving my wolf cases(hopefully they're boxer) but just came upon a pile of 308 cases in brass w/berdan primers and would really like to be able to reload those!

You're going to have to find large rifle berdan primers to go in them.

 

[xdmikey]

I can't use regular large rifle primers?

 

[highscore]

By the amount of steel cases I see at my outdoor ranges, I'd say that a lot of people just leave them where they ejected to, no one is picking them up. That said, I wouldn't run one through my dies, even if I knew I could. I don't want to think about how tough it would be to get a stuck steel case out of my sizing die, OUCH! Wearing out the sizing die and scoring it would be another major concern.

 

[Jack the Toad]

I can't use regular large rifle primers?

No. Berdan primed cases have 2 flash holes , between them is a post which serves as the anvil for the berdan primer. A boxer primer has an anvil built in . Pressing it into a berdan case would almost certainly set it off. I suppose you could de prime then grind off the post , but that seems like a lot of trouble for a cheap steel case that will wear out your sizing die prematurely anyway.