Self-contained metal cartridges were developed in the mid-19^th century completely changing the firearms industry landscape and greatly increasing a shooters rate of fire. By 1870 almost all militaries were using brass cased ammo. Steel cases came upon the scene in WWI when brass was in short supply or in some cases not available at all. Germany who was the first country to use steel continued to use steel through WWII. After WWII the Russian and Warsaw pact nations continued using steel while the US and NATO stuck with brass.

Today if you want to start a debate among firearms owners share your opinion on steel cased ammo vs brass. Each side of the camp is 100% convinced they know best. Let’s take a look at a few of the pros and cons of each type of ammo and let you decide.

Brass Pro’s

• Brass is very malleable and does not break and split.
• Since brass is malleable it is also easily reloaded.
• Brass has a high surface lubricity which means it feeds smoothly.
• Brass is corrosion resistant. (Not corrosion proof)
• The wear and tear on your extractor will be minimal since brass is soft.

Brass Con’s

• Brass is almost always more expensive than steel
• There can be extraction issues with short-stroke piston designed rifles like the SKS and AK-47.

Steel Pro’s

• Price is without a doubt the biggest pro. Usually 20-25% less than brass.
• It is commonly believed that steel will extract better from Soviet Era firearms like the SKS.

Steel Con’s

• Steel is not malleable which results in carbon fouling and gasses being deposited in the chamber which adds wear and tear to your rifle.
• Since steel is not malleable steel ammo is not easily reloaded if at all.
• Since steel casings lack surface lubricity a lacquer or polymer coating is added which can cause a buildup in the chamber.
• Most ranges will not allow steel cased ammo due to the steel core bullets some ammo contains.
• Steel case ammo can cause barrel and extractor wear issues in light extraction rifles like the AR-15 if shot in large volume.

Which should I shoot?

Only you can decide which will serve you best. There is no wrong answer. There is no doubt that steel cased ammo is priced considerably less than brass. If you decide to go with steel in your AR-15 you will most likely want to plan on replacing your barrel, springs, and extractor after 5,000 rounds. If reloading seems appealing to you than obviously brass will be your choice.