.223 gel test: TulAmmo 75 gr HP (SBR)

[AndrewWiggin]

https://youtu.be/4ESC46wTlhw


TulAmmo 75 gr HP fired from 11.5" AR into calibrated 10% gelatin.

BB: 592.3 fps, 3.1"

Impact velocity:2,315 fps
Neck: 5"
TSC: 7" X 2.5"
Penetration: 14" of gelatin plus 6" of water

[Stengun]

Howdy,

Thanks for posting!

I have not seen this load before but it looks like cheaperthandirt has it for $5.37/box.

My only issue with the load is it that it travelled 5" before it started to expand/fragment and the average male is only about 7"-8" thick. Sideways shoots would be an issue but front to back or vice versa might be an issue.

When using a SBR, extend the range to 100yds and it might just ice pick through the body.

Paul

[AndrewWiggin]

That's a good point. Also consider that steel ammo tends to produce more stuck cases and Tula is usually lower pressure and less reliable in SBRs. On the other hand, the neck is probably shorter from a 16" rifle. I'll test that soon. I just didn't have one with me when I shot this test.

[Ernst]

I've used steel case in my Daniel Defense, but ... I can only get about 200 rounds through it before it starts choking on the stuff. I have to break it down and relube, etc. etc. to get it to cycle again. It just doesn't seem to have enough "oomph" to overcome the fouling it causes after a couple hundred down the pipe. No way I'm ever going to use with my BCM SBR suppressed.

Is it just me, or has anyone else had this experience with steel case?

[AndrewWiggin]

You might actually have better results with the can. The short barrel doesn't help, but the can does. Old style Wolf wouldn't cycle my SBR without my silencer attached but it would work perfectly when it was mounted.

I still wouldn't count on it for defense.

[t15]

ive got somewhere between 2 and 3k of nothing but wolf wpa (barnaul plant) through a DD mk18 factory upper using an h3 buffer and 762 mini. 0 failures so far and nothing but some lube before firing. the steel isnt as soft as brass. when fired, a brass case will fully expand to seal the chamber while a steel case will not. this allows gas to escape past the case and creates carbon build up in the chamber/bore around the case. usually it is not a problem if you shoot nothing but steel, eventually you will have to clean the barrel. i had a s&w mp15 sport with about 5k down the pipe before cases started getting stuck.

however, if you use steel case and then switch back to brass, the brass will often get stuck!

[AndrewWiggin]

I've seen this. Rifles with weak extractor springs and/or less gas pressure will be more sensitive. The explanation that I heard was that, while both brass and steel fully expand to the chamber, the steel is more springy and contracts earlier in the cycle, while there is still some gas pressure present. Either way, Russian ammo uses dirtier propellants and the cases allow more carbon buildup in the chamber, which can cause extraction issues. The problem can be worse when switching back to brass. The fix is an extra power extractor spring and a chamber brush.

I still prefer to avoid steel case for defense.

[Stengun]

Howdy,

My old '92ish shorty with a tight .223 chamber is only good for a mag to mag and a half before it starts to gum up from the laquare. A shot of gun scrubber and a hit with a chamber brush and its gtg for another mag or two.

A couple with looser chamber don't care.

Paul

[AndrewWiggin]

It's been proven multiple times that lacquer doesn't come off in the chamber. That's carbon build up causing your problems. As evidenced by the fact that it comes off with gun scrubber.

[Stengun]

Howdy,

Interesting.

Since it only happens with lacquered steel cases I always blamed it on the lacquer. It's not an issue with Silver Bear or Brown Bear but it's an issue with Monarch steel cased ammo from Academy Sports.

Paul