Wolf ammo 'bad' for M1 carbine?

jonnyc

New member
The US used plenty of steel cases in WWII, and the mild steel used for the cases is much softer than that used in the carbine. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
 

Hardcase

New member
It depends on who you ask. There are guys who claim that they've shot an army's worth of steel-cased ammo through their rifle and probably just as many who say that a box of Wolf ammo ruined the extractor on their carbine.

I'm not a metallurgist and the only steel-cased ammo I shoot is out of an SKS, so don't take my word as anything remotely like the gospel, but one opinion that I've heard several times is that if the extractor groove on the case isn't cut deep enough, the steel cases are really hard on an M1 carbine's extractor.

That's about the sum-total of my experience, though.
 

astorbilt

New member
I used to reload a lot of .30 Carbine. I have never fired steel cased ammo from any of my M1 Carbines. The carbine extractor is abusive to the case rims as it rides over. A good test would be to shoot 10 new brass cases and inspect the rims. Shoot 10 steel cases and inspect. IF the steel cases are soft and show some damage, the extractor must be harder?? IF the steel cases are NOT damaged would, it be safe to say that the extractor will suffer in the long term?

Would love to hear/see results of a comparison.
 
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Chris_B

New member
Well, what I can say is that the Prvi and the odd no-name brass cased ammo I shot was OK. The no-name stuff was sealed in a factory box. The carbine ran like a top with both. Previously I had fired it from a USGI stock I purchased for it, and accuracy (for what it is) was better than just OK. This time I had it in it's M1A1 stock

I was hitting the black on an 8" bull at 100 yards. But then I fired a 15 round mag of factory Winchester .30 carbine and my groups were noticeably better, maybe 6" groups, I didn't actually measure them. I can't say if it was due to the ammo or due to the fact that it was the last 15 I fired and I was simply shooting better
 

doc540

New member
updated info on Wolf/M1 Carbine

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/14...Not_Accurate_At_100_Yards___Lots_of_Pics.html

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I think the gun makes a significant difference in Wolf accuracy and how it runs.
 

tahunua001

New member
the M1 carbine was built to higher standards than a lot of guns you see today. some AR15s with poorly made budget parts may snap extractors on steel cases and cheap magazines with plastic followers may have the follower shaved down by steel cases but the 30 carbine does not have any of those problems. wolf is cheap, dirty, nasty stuff and many guns don't like it for accuracy but my AR15 is actually most accurate with wolf as far as plinking ammo goes and it has yet to skip a beat. my XDMs and MLE45 have had a pretty steady diet of steel cased ammo and had no ill effects.
 

Death from Afar

New member
I have not used wolf, but I run a lot of steel cased - Barnaul, can you get that brand in the USA?- without a hitch. The M2's seem to love it. :D
 

salvadore

Moderator
I shoot tula and herters (I believe is also tula) is there a difference from the wolf brand?

When I get jams in my 4/44 inland it manifests itself with a round picked up but won't push it up the feed ramp completely, however if I remember to take a spray lube, things move along much better.
 

Dalek

New member
Having worked behind a gun shop counter... My 2 Cents...

Wolf is cheap. That can be a good thing.

My main concern was always, if Wolf (or Chinese ammo for that matter), blows up your gun, who do you growl at? Will they even care?

Having seen a few very nice firearms beaten up by bad ammo, I always put it this way to my customers.

"If you have a nice, new Ferrari...do you put 85 octane in the tank?":rolleyes:;)
 

chiefr

New member
I find the Russian ammo in general accurate and reliable. Great plinking stuff at bargain prices.
Most problem I know of with Russian ammo has to do with extraction systems that do not like steel cases.
I have fired some of the Wolf steel cased 308 ammo thru a Rem 700 heavy barred match rifle despite sceptics telling me I would be lucky to keep the rounds in the black and would damage the rifle. The group was sub-MOA at 200yds and the rifle did not blow up.
I for one am greatful importers are supplying Russian ammo to us here in the USA.
 

444

New member
salvadore

Not to hijack the thread, but have you done any shooting for accuracy with that Herters ammo in .30 Carbine ?

I recently bought a couple boxes of it and fired some of it through a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in .30 Carbine. The accuracy was horrible. I haven't tried it yet in my M1 Carbine. But, out of the revolver, the accuracy was so bad, that I quit shooting after 12 rounds: I was wasting my time.

With this recent ammo shortage, this Herters stuff was almost the only thing on the shelf. So, I thought, what the heck I would give it a try.
 

salvadore

Moderator
444, I've shot it casually and can say it is a tin can terror. I was planning on going to the range tomorrow if the wind doesn't blow (eastern idaho, good luck) and will take the carbine and some herters stuff. My eyesight has so far south, you will have to be satisfied with 50yd groups.
 
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