what's wrong with wolf/russian ammo?

Midget

Midget

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Jun 1, 2002
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quick question. i dunno a lot about handguns, but i'm slowly getting into it.

the local range doesn't allow "wolf" brand and/or russian ammo. would anyone know why? do they use lead cast jackets?

it sucks cause i can't find .45ACP cheaper anywhere else. cabelas (dundee, mi) has wolf brand ammo for like .15/round. their other "bulk" brand is like .22/rnd.


thanks!
 
Hey Midget..

Just dump them into some 50 Cal ammo boxes and bring it in like that...

ttyle

Eric...
 
I believe it is because the bullets are copper-washed steel jacketed.

Many ranges now run a magnet over all ammo going in to stop damage to their facilites.
 
Normark said:
Hey Midget..

Just dump them into some 50 Cal ammo boxes and bring it in like that...

ttyle

Eric...
Click to expand...


well... i'd like to respect the rules and regs of someone else's range. i just want to know what's wrong with russian ammo? i've never actually fired any wolf (or really any handgun ammo) before so i can't compare.


i did, however, rent a S&W full size 1911 w/ 100 rounds last friday and i'm in love.
 
Wolf ammo doesn't measure the powder as accurately as other brands which has caused damage to some weapons, some of the glocks and sigs that have had extensive damage to them in the last couple years have been doccumented as "Wolf" brand ammo being the cause. Also with out accurate powder measure some of the rounds end up being +P which a lot of ranges won't allow due to the range's insurance and the extremely low possibility of the round going through the bullet traps.
 
The local range here doesn't allow ammo with certain types of cases -- aluminum for example. Brass and nickel-silver okay. I don't remember the reason, I think it screws up their case sorter machine or something. Most of the really cheap ammo does not use brass, that could be it. Bet they'd tell you why if you asked.
 
I don't know about the Wolf brand in particular, but two other problems sometimes seen in cheap ammo are:

1) Lead in the primers. Lead in the bullet stays pretty much in large pieces. But lead in the primer ends up in the smoke and is an inhalation hazard. Lead used to be (and sometimes still is) put into primers to slow down the reaction which makes it more likely to ignite the powder. The same effect can be achieved with other chemicals, but they are a touch more expensive.

2) Lead in the powder. Again, this get into the smoke and can be inhaled. Lead gets into gun powder as a contaminate. But, an ammo plant has a lead-forming opeartion on-site, so the lead is there. Most plants actually make their own gun powder on-site too. So, with both operations going on side-by-side, there is a chance of contamination. (I also wonder if maybe an unscrupulous operator might deliberately sneak a bit of the cheap lead into the powder just to stretch it a little.)

I hate cheap people who use cheap ammo. The cheap brands always seem to make a lot smoke and it really smells bad. Burned gun powder in general isn't the most pleasant smell, but the cheap brands always seem really, really bad. You can always tell the guy using cheap stuff because a) he's having a lot of feeding problem and misfires, b) he's swearing a lot, c) the cloud of smoke and the horrible smell.
 
I know of some people who will not use wolf ammo in alot of guns because supposedly the copper jacket greatly reduces the life of your barrel. I use it in AK's because...well their AK's :D but wouldnt ever us it in anything else or you better be ready to see some chrome flakes come out of your barrel after every shot :) .
 
A guy I work with warned me to stay away from Wolf ammo. He said it was the dirtiest he has ever used. Fouled his rifle up something fierce.
 
(snip)
Gollnick said:
I hate cheap people who use cheap ammo. (snip) he's swearing a lot, c) the cloud of smoke and the horrible smell.
Click to expand...

Well, hate just doesn't sound like you Chuck.
 
It's filthy, filthy stuff. Shoot some "good" ammo & then some Wolf- the difference is obvious.
 
Wolf ammo.......... Is junk ! I have several thousand rounds in 7.62 and 9mm , Wolf is the reason my AK blew up on me and my 9mm jammed.
Your better off throwing a rock and using harsh languge than Wolf ammo.
 
I'm not a fan of Wolf but it is allowed at my local range and I have shot it before. The 'dirty' comment has more to do with the laquer casings then anything else in my opinion; it does make a mess & that mess does start to smoke if you are putting allot of rounds down range.

The only other documented problems I've heard of from Wolf were with mixing up ammo - I'm talking in the package from the factory; mixing in the odd 40cal with your 9mm (:eek: ) - but nothing inherently wrong with the ammo.

I have heard rumors about the American made 7.62x39mm rounds being off by a 10th of a mm or so in diameter though - for some guns you are better off with cheap ammo. I've never had a problem with the zinc coated 'Silver Bear' ammo in the 7.62x39 - I just won't be buying any of it in 45cal for the Glock...
 
The steel cases tend to be a little bit harder on ejectors too (mostly on domestically produced guns).
 
I have heard that recent lots of Wolf ammo have done away with the laquering. I don't have any personal experience with it though.
 
None of my friends will use the wolf ammo, though for them it's all about poor quality control.

Although I've heard some of them talking about certain calibers being manufactured in Austria and/or Eastern Europe, and that the stuff made there is of acceptable quality.

Dave
 
I have shot a lot of wolf ammunition and haven't noticed any smoke or anything come from it. The stuff I shot was there .22lr target ammunition. It shot well and we got a awesome price on it for our team. It didn't shoot as well as eley, but it was better than federal. I have shot probably 3000+ rounds of the 7.62x39 and haven't noticed any smoke or anything of that nature, it shoots ok, but then again it is coming out of a worn out yugo that doesn't even shoot factory ammo any better. What kinds of ranges are you shooting at that they restrict ammo? Indoors I'm assuming? The only restrictions I've ever had on ammo is frangible at certain indoor ranges that don't have proper ventilation for regular ammo. That being said the cheapest stuff I shoot out of my nicer firearms is UMC (Usually Makes Contact).
 
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