Tulammo steel-case handgun ammo

[ljk]

Some discussion of steel vs brass in carbines:

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/

Steel generally accelerates wear.

there's a big difference steel core copper jacket in those carbine tests compare to lead core copper jacketed handgun ammo.

 

[wesnellans]

Didn't see that at first - thought it was just the casings that were steel. You're saying the jackets of the bullets themselves were a mix of copper and steel? No wonder the barrels were shot out!

there's a big difference steel core copper jacket in those carbine tests compare to lead core copper jacketed handgun ammo.

 

[hochwald]

The Walmart .45 ACP steel-case Tulammo stuck to a magnet, both on the cartridge and the bullet itself. I tested it myself. Steel all around.

 

[TheRude1]

Get it while you can

 

[STEEL CORE]

Urban Myth, shoot 50 rds Tula handgun ammo through your (insert name here), look at the firearm. Clean it and shoot 50 rds of (brand X ammo) through same firearm. Notice no measurable difference in so called dirtyness? Tula works as well as any other brand.

 

[kalboy]

The Walmart .45 ACP steel-case Tulammo stuck to a magnet, both on the cartridge and the bullet itself. I tested it myself. Steel all around.

A magnet is a useful tool is it not? Both for checking ammo and guns, as it won't stick to Zamac either.
Seeing the Tula brass case ammo at the WMs around here, wonder if it has the same steel core bullets?

 

[hochwald]

A magnet is a useful tool is it not? Both for checking ammo and guns, as it won't stick to Zamac either.
Seeing the Tula brass case ammo at the WMs around here, wonder if it has the same steel core bullets?

I checked Tula Brass Maxx .223 sold at Walmart, magnet did not stick to either cartridge or bullet.

 

[hochwald]

Urban Myth, shoot 50 rds Tula handgun ammo through your (insert name here), look at the firearm. Clean it and shoot 50 rds of (brand X ammo) through same firearm. Notice no measurable difference in so called dirtyness? Tula works as well as any other brand.

You would likely not see any difference in wear in 50 rounds, perhaps not be able to measure a difference either. But with enough rounds you would likely be able to measure a difference in barrel wear, even if you couldn't see it.

 

[ljk]

The Walmart .45 ACP steel-case Tulammo stuck to a magnet, both on the cartridge and the bullet itself. I tested it myself. Steel all around.

I was wrong about it, you are right. steel indeed. checked my stock pile and they are steel with copper( plated?)

did a little research on it, at least these are soft steel and the velocity isn't that high in handguns compare to rifle rounds.

 

[hochwald]

I was wrong about it, you are right. steel indeed. checked my stock pile and they are steel with copper( plated?)

did a little research on it, at least these are soft steel and the velocity isn't that high in handguns compare to rifle rounds.

If the gun is a beater and already worn, no prob. Not sure it's a good idea to use the stuff on a prize piece tho.

 

[Bushwookie]

there's a big difference steel core copper jacket in those carbine tests compare to lead core copper jacketed handgun ammo.

A small amount of rounds are not going to hurt your firearm, in the test they fired thousands of rounds rapid fire over a couple of days. I'll be lucky to go thru 500 a year at this rate.

 

[Erich]

Thought some of you might be interested in the crazy performance exhibited by rounds from a box of Tulammo .380 this weekend.

In the course of shooting a number of different rounds through a new-to-me Browning/Beretta/FN BDA this past weekend, I shot some some Tulammo 91-gr FMJ. I expected blah performance. Similar ammos had been running from 950 to 1050 fps from this gun on this trip; I anticipated the Tula would be on the lower edge of that range. The range was 90°F and at 5950'>sea level, about 10% humidity. The chrono had been working perfectly with a half dozen previous types of ammo.

My first shot with the Tula read 1422 fps.

This struck me as crazy; certainly an error. No way that happened, right?

So, I erased the shot and took another.

1229 fps. Then 1186.

Then 1412.

Here are a couple of the cases - blurry, alas

I took the ammo out of the mag, and proceeded to a WWB load, which chrono'd perfectly reasonably. Just for kicks, I ran some known-performance .22s thru the SR22 - the chrono was working fine.

Soooooo . . . I sealed up the Tulammo and may try it later in my locked-breech LCP.

Gun was none the worse for the wear - I fired another 50 or so rounds through it after that, with fine results. I don't know whether the Tulammo just didn't like the heat or whether it's insanely overpressure. The velocity spread of those four rounds was pretty amazing, all things considering, but then so were the velocities.

I've not heard of this before, and most Tulammo I've used has been pretty crappy. Maybe this was just a bad lot. Heck, maybe I ought to measure the bullets to makes sure they didn't slip in some .363" Mak bullets - I don't know if those would cram into a chamber (I doubt it), but I'd imagine that would raise pressures a bit.

I had tried another box (and probably another lot) through the LCP on an earlier excursion (c. 58 degrees F, same range, 20% humidity), and got totally expected wimpy results:

Tula 91-gr ball/steel case: M 883.3/ES 120.0/SD 47.56

Anyway . . . just thought you might be interested in hearing this tale.

 

[Ryno300]

I've mostly used it in my Bersa 380 with no issues. Can't beat the price

 

[MordecuS]

I've put about 300 rounds of the stuff (.380) through my PPK without issue. I prefer better ammunition but this is inexpensive and allows me to continue to shoot. If it's available, I would never avoid it.

 

[led4thehed2]

Tula has been the only 9mm ammo I've been able to find in supermarkets or sporting good stores lately, so I bought some and shot steel for the first time!

Nothing happened. It was just as accurate, and I was glad to be able to shoot. $21 for two fifty-round boxes wasn't bad either. I was most pleased. Cleaned the gun when I got home and can't see that I have any reason to worry about anything.

 

[vwfred69]

I loaded up a couple mags for my wife in our firestorm. She loves the gun, but within three shots she was done. I finished off the box but it was actually painful to shoot!

 

[hochwald]

Tula has been the only 9mm ammo I've been able to find in supermarkets or sporting good stores lately, so I bought some and shot steel for the first time!

Nothing happened. It was just as accurate, and I was glad to be able to shoot. $21 for two fifty-round boxes wasn't bad either. I was most pleased. Cleaned the gun when I got home and can't see that I have any reason to worry about anything.

Steel accelerates wear. Worry? That's a personal decision.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

1st box I ever tried of Tulammo was in a clean M&P 45. Casing cracked.

 

[Spike_351]

if you own a firearm that steel cased ammo will destroy, then I suggest selling it and buying a quality firearm.