Any Negatives with Shooting Aluminum Cased Ammo?

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ZeeOSix

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Was at Wally World today, and picked up 100 rounds of 9mm Federal with the aluminum case for $20 to be used for target practice at the range. I typically buy brass cased ammo, but don't re-load so thought I'd save a bit and get some aluminum cased ammo. Any negatives shooting aluminum cased ammo?
 
Some guns the manufacturers say you will experience more malfunctions with it. I have seen it in manuals for pistol caliber carbines especially. Most pistols wont have issues with it though.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Was at Wally World today, and picked up 100 rounds of 9mm Federal with the aluminum case for $20 to be used for target practice at the range. I typically buy brass cased ammo, but don't re-load so thought I'd save a bit and get some aluminum cased ammo. Any negatives shooting aluminum cased ammo?


In what gun? The cases swell more than brass in a chamber that is not fully supported. My Glocks still eat the CCI Blazer like candy.
 
^^^ Older S&W 669, and maybe in the S&W Shield when I find a good price on one and purchase it.

What defines a chamber that is not fully supported?
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
^^^ Older S&W 669, and maybe in the S&W Shield when I find a good price on one and purchase it.

What defines a chamber that is not fully supported?


Hopefully this helps: Unsupported Chamber

The bulge in the case occurs because it is not fully contained by the chamber.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim_Truett
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
^^^ Older S&W 669, and maybe in the S&W Shield when I find a good price on one and purchase it.

What defines a chamber that is not fully supported?


Hopefully this helps: Unsupported Chamber

The bulge in the case occurs because it is not fully contained by the chamber.


Thanks for that info. Wow, those Glocks were even blowing up brass cased ammo.

I just looked at my S&W 669 chamber, and it looks to support the bullet case all the way around the case up to where the groove starts between the case body and base end. No gaps at the base of the chamber where the feed ramp and chamber meet like shown in your link above. I'm assuming this would qualify as a fully supported chamber (?).
 
I wonder about heat. Aluminum probably transfers heat better. That means less heat leaves the gun with the cartridge as opposed to brass. I worry about really hot barrels if you fire rapidly.
 
I took a closer look at the area where the feed ramp meets up with the bottom opening of the chamber on the S&W 669. With a round in the barrel, there might be a very small sliver of case that is not supported forward of the groove around the base of the bullet. I'd say it's only a 1/2 mm (0.020") wide area on the case that's not supported/surrounded by the chamber across the feed ramp area.

I think cases are a bit thicker near the groove, as that is about in the area of the inside base of the case. Guess there's only one way to find out if there's gonna be an issues ... test fire.
grin.gif
As long as it doesn't stick in the chamber and ejects correctly, then I'll be Ok with it.
 
A couple of boxes of aluminium cases did fine in my .357 Sig. Only way to know is to try some. I would have zero worries about trying some in a 9mm.
 
I use it all the time in my G19. Even with the supposed unsupported death trap chamber, I don't have problems.
 
Originally Posted By: whip
I use it all the time in my G19. Even with the supposed unsupported death trap chamber, I don't have problems.


I'm sorry, the what??
 
I'm wondering if the ammo manufacturers who use aluminum cases beef up the wall thickness near the base (as compared to brass cases) to help prevent any possible case blow-outs with the unsupported area of the chamber near the feed ramp?
 
Only thing I can contribute would be to check to be sure that your range allows it; mine specifically doesn't.
 
Originally Posted By: 2cool
Only thing I can contribute would be to check to be sure that your range allows it; mine specifically doesn't.


Why wouldn't they want people shooting aluminum cases? They afraid a round is going to blow-out the case or blow-up a gun?
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Originally Posted By: 2cool
Only thing I can contribute would be to check to be sure that your range allows it; mine specifically doesn't.


Why wouldn't they want people shooting aluminum cases? They afraid a round is going to blow-out the case or blow-up a gun?
Aluminum cases on ground = trash. Brass cases on ground = $$$$.
 
^^^ Kind of what I figured. Range is still making good cash on the lane charge, so they shouldn't be so greedy.
 
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