Rules are there for a reason

Most ranges I know don't allow steel core ammo simply because it really batters the impact plates in addition to the spark issues.
Click to expand...
It's not just steel core. Much of the Tula, Herter's, and RWS ammunition on the market has a lead bullet with a steel jacket and copper coating. It's often referred to as "bi-metal."

That stuff actually generates worse sparks from what I've seen. The problem for buyers is that it doesn't say that anywhere on the box, and many of the shops selling it don't mention it.

So, customers buy it because it's the only ammo around at a reasonable price. They take it to a range, and they're told they can't shoot it. It's not a fun conversation.

As Doc Intrepid mentioned, a magnet is the best test.
 
Yes, the mild steel jacketed stuff will do crazy sparks. It's also very hard on the backer plates.


"the range uses shredded rubber (most likely, tires) as backstop material."

Yikes. No wonder it was a bad fire.
 
Yup, burning tires are difficult to put out.

My unit was firing M60 Qualification at a range in Korea around '83 and one of our KATUSAs (Korean Augmentation to the United States Army), ignored or did not correctly understand the instruction to not fire up into the hillside behind the range. He started firing off sustained bursts and very quickly we were yelling cease fire and running up that hill with anything we could find to put out all the little fires he had started. We used shovels, etools, canteens, vehicle fire extinguishers, the bottoms of our boots. We just barely got control of those fires.

The KATUSA 1SG had a lively discipline session with that boy afterwards :eek:
 
Quote:
Most ranges I know don't allow steel core ammo simply because it really batters the impact plates in addition to the spark issues.

It's not just steel core. Much of the Tula, Herter's, and RWS ammunition on the market has a lead bullet with a steel jacket and copper coating. It's often referred to as "bi-metal."

That stuff actually generates worse sparks from what I've seen. The problem for buyers is that it doesn't say that anywhere on the box, and many of the shops selling it don't mention it.

So, customers buy it because it's the only ammo around at a reasonable price. They take it to a range, and they're told they can't shoot it. It's not a fun conversation.

As Doc Intrepid mentioned, a magnet is the best test.
Click to expand...

Glad I asked. I thought it was some sort of special rounds, not the cheaper junk that (used to be) out there. Now nothing is out there...
 
The only ammo that is seriously short here in Sierra Vista, AZ. is .223/5.56mm and .22LR. I need some .22LR to run through my new Shopkeeper and can't find any anywhere.

Most everything else can be found and .380ACP is fat on the shelves and cheap. I should stock up since it will eventually sell down and the price is decent.
 
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