Answers to all of your most commonly asked ammunition questions.

You may call it a “case,” “casing,” “shell,” or “shell casing,” but those are all different names for the same component: the hollow metal cylinder which contains propellant and seats a primer and bullet, and which is ejected from the firearm’s chamber following ignition of the cartridge.

If you’re looking for ammo for sale online, then you may have noticed that rifle ammo and handgun ammo do not all have the same types of cases. Some have brass cases. Some have nickel-plated brass cases. Some have steel cases. Some even have aluminum cases. 

So much variety may leave you to wonder what the differences between all the cases are. Well, fellow firearm enthusiast, prepare to become enlightened. After a short read you’ll know everything you should about cases!

What Are Brass Cases?

Brass is copper-zinc alloy, and a number of attributes make it the ideal metal for cases. It is relatively soft, and therefore gentle on a firearm’s extractor and chamber. It is incapable of rusting, thus safeguarding the cartridge in storage. (Brass can tarnish, but cosmetic corrosion can easily be polished off.) Best of all, brass is a supple metal. It expands to create a tight seal against the chamber, thus preventing propellant residue from accumulating within the action. Brass also returns to its original dimensions following ignition, which is why brass cases are reloadable.

Unfortunately, brass is also the most expensive metal used for cases. Brass is 90% copper, a metal so valuable that punks often break into houses to steal copper plumbing. This is why steel and aluminum cases are not uncommon. But before we get to those, let’s briefly go over the fancier version of the brass case.

What Are Nickel-Plated Brass Cases?

Nickel-plated brass cases are commonly used for premium self-defense pistol cartridges, as well as rifle cartridges which are marketed to outdoorsmen who anticipate hunting in damp weather. When it is coated in nickel, a brass case boasts enhanced resistance to corrosion. Nickel reduces metal-on-metal friction, which can help semi-automatic firearms to cycle more reliably. Nickel also makes a cartridge more reflective, thus facilitating a chamber check in low-light environments.

Nickel-plated brass cases have two very minor drawbacks. They are more expensive (although the performance advantages they provide to self-defense cartridges make them well worth the practically negligible investment). Nickel is also more brittle than brass. That does not impact performance, although a brass case with cracked nickel plating is not reloadable.

What Are Steel Cases?

Steel is about 97% iron. It is an inexpensive metal compared to brass, and that is the primary advantage offered by steel cases: They make ammunition appreciably more affordable. You may pay as little as half as much for steel-cased ammo!

Steel cases have several shortcomings. They are far more susceptible to corrosion (the reason why they are often coated with substances like lacquer, polymer or zinc). They are far more rigid than brass, and accordingly permit more propellant residue to enter the action. A steel case’s rigidity is also the primary reason why it is virtually impossible to reload. To be certain, it is possible to reload a steel case, but it is so maddeningly complicated that it is not worth the effort. You’re better off just ordering new ammunition, and maybe a nice pro-Second Amendment T-shirt while you’re at it.

A couple more things to bear in mind about steel cases. They are almost always loaded with Berdan primers. These are only corrosive when the ammo is very old (think Soviet military surplus), and they produce ignition in a fashion that is indistinguishable from the more common Boxer primer, but they make reloading steel cases even more difficult. Steel cases are also usually loaded with bi-metal jacketed bullets, which also contain steel. Many ranges forbid bullets that are capable of attracting a magnet because the steel they contain poses a higher risk of producing sparks and damaging range equipment.

What Are Aluminum Cases?

It wasn’t too long ago when aluminum was considered more valuable than gold. Today an aluminum soda can is worth ten cents at best. After WWII American ammunition manufacturer CCI figured out how to heat-treat small aluminum components so they could be used as cases, thus creating another viable alternative to comparably expensive brass. Aluminum cases are also significantly lighter than brass or steel cases (although you would have to lift several hundred cartridges at once to notice a difference), and unlike steel they cannot rust (although they can become corroded).

Aluminum’s melting point is lower than that of steel, and it is also a rigid metal. For these reasons aluminum cases are absolutely useless as reloading components. In fact, they are loaded with Berdan primers specifically to discourage handloaders from attempting to reuse them! Also note that aluminum-cased ammo is not allowed at certain ranges. This is because aluminum is not attracted to a magnet, and therefore very difficult to remove from the spent brass cases which ranges sell to scrappers.

Gun ammunition manufacturers such as Winchester ammunition and others all have one common goal. To deliver the highest quality compatible bullets for their guns. A huge selection of pistols, rifles, shotguns and automatic weapons use small arms cartridges. Cartridges are better known as bullets. However, it actually refers to the projectile. If you want to get technical the correct terminology should be bullet, primer, case and propellant. The manufacturers make these components separately before assembling into a cartridge. Although there are specifications for size, ignition type, ballistic performance and shape you will find one-of-a-kind cartridges as well.

Pre-19th Century Guns

Prior to the 19th century you loaded guns by pouring powder into a barrel. Then you placed a greasy cloth patch around lead bullets. Lastly, you had to ram the bullet down the barrel. After all this, a flintlock produced a spark which ignited the powder and fired the bullet. You can see for yourself that this was a tedious process often resulting in inaccurate shooting. In the 1800s two men, an American named Hiram Berdan and an Englishman called Colonel Boxer developed a metal case incorporating the primer into the base of cases. This concept is the basis of all modern arms ammunition design until today.

Modern Day Bullets

Bullet manufacturers create today’s bullets out of lead alloy, mostly containing antimony and tin as components as well. Some have thick copper jackets for improved performance. They create cases from aluminum, steel, or brass, with brass being the common type. Most manufacturers make shotgun shells from polypropylene. The propellants vary from modern smokeless powder to black gunpowder. Each are meticulously formulated to ignite and create expanding gas which accelerates bullets down the barrel.

Firearm manufacturers determine the case manufacturing and design, but most use brass alloy for cases. They form cases from annealed sheeting using multiple punch and die sets. Most manufacturers will heat treat and stress relieve. This improves the durability of the cases. The manufacturers will always stamp the cartridge with important information such as manufacturer, caliber, and year of manufacture and munitions codes.

Manufacturers shoot their own cartridges as part or quality control process and programs and record consistency, velocity, reliability, pressure and accuracy. These weapons used by manufacturers are specifically made for this purpose and equipped with data gathering electronics, highly accurate and particular cartridge productions are given lot codes. This enables the tracing and inventory of ammunition in the field as this information as also on the ammunition box as well as the bullet itself.

Buying ammunition can be complicated. Many people who require to buy ammunition are very precise on their needs. There are those who use it for shooting in sports and in gun hunting while most buyers will want it for self-defense. A smaller caliber of people will also want to buy ammunition for the sake of gun accessory collecting as a hobby. Whichever way you look at it, there are basic guidelines that most buyers should to follow to have the perfect value for their purchases.

Buying Ammunition

With so many brands out there in the market, top brands are fighting for recognition in the market, making the choosing process even harder. The perfect ammo will have to provide reliable self-defense or value at an affordable cost. It is not desirable to have overpriced bullets.

Clients must also look for reliable manufacturers to supply them with their accessories. Ammunition is something that takes the trust of a brand, so buyers must be very careful. PMC Ammo is a good supplier. Poongsan Corporation makes this ammo, they are a top producer from South Korea. The company is ISO certified and was founded in 1968. The corporation does all their products from scratch, thus allowing them a bigger control of what they are actually giving to clients.

New Items vs. Refurbished Items

It is also good to buy brand new items as opposed to refurbished items. Refurbished ones tend to break down faster posing danger to the end user on many occasions. The ammunition must also be light duty, anywhere in the range of 135 to 180 grain. This enables all kinds of action to be done purely on a single round.

Some more desirable features include ammunition with a brass casing as opposed to the exposed lead. Lead is naturally corrosive and if you use it repeatedly it may reduce the life of your short gun. This is especially in the case of those constantly firing multiple bullets such as those in sport and those in hunting.

Finally the bullets should be able to withstand a muzzle velocity over 1200 feet per second to ensure perfect safety of the users. Weak bullets that rip off at the firing stage could have fatal accidents especially when the barrel of the gun is hot.

At the end of the day, your choice of ammunition must reflect what you truly stand for. People who constantly need to be self-defensive must get small pistols for discreteness. Those on hunting should look for longer barrels to enhance the accuracy of shot. The game only calls for you to be yourself and fight well.

Starting a business is not as easy it seems. Becoming your own boss can be extremely exhilarating and frightening both at the same time. It takes a lot of forethought and effort–from financing to marketing. However, one of the biggest questions people may struggle with is where they should actually purchase their merchandise they plan to sell. This is no different when it comes to starting your own gun shop. A lot of new businesses have gone out of business due to overspending on their stock. It takes strategic planning and comparison shopping to understand where to get the best deals.

One of the biggest ways to avoid overspending is to buy your ammunition from a wholesale company. Wholesale companies offer excellent prices due to the fact that their clients buy in bulk. Not only the larger stores benefit from these companies but the smaller stores do as well. If you have every wondered how this can be so here are a few of the main benefits to be had when you buy wholesale Lets discuss a few of the benefits to taking advantage of wholesale ammunition.

Lower Costs

Any small business owner can attest that profit margins are one of the important elements of smaller stores. By obtaining your stock through wholesalers you as the owner will pay much less for your stock. One of the biggest and most common misconceptions is that in order to purchase your stock wholesale, you have to be apart of a large, chain store. This is far from the truth. The only rule that most wholesalers follow is that the stock has to be purchased in specific amounts; they usually don’t sell single products or significantly low numbers of certain items.

It Makes Things Easier

When you start to purchase your ammunition wholesale, you will realize how much time you save. This is essentially a one stop shop transaction. You no longer have to worry about all the hassle of sourcing your merchandise from various different places. Most of the large wholesale companies will offer multiple lines of a product and from several different manufacturers. You shopping becomes less tedious and you can focus more on other aspects of your business.

A Larger Selection Sometimes it can be hard to call around from store to store to find the exact item you’re looking for. As it was mentioned previously, when you purchase you stock from a wholesale company, you have access to a lot more options. These stores offer you the benefit of variety. You will not be restricted to just one or two choices for a specific kind of product.

The Ability To Negotiate

One of the major benefits to buying your wholesale ammunition, is that you have the luxury of negotiating the prices. If you become a consistent customer who has established a good relationship with the owner, you are more likely to be able to haggle with him or her for a better deal. This is a scenario in which every party wins. This wholesaler benefits from getting a consistent stream of orders from your store and you as the store owner are getting the opportunity to save a little money.

Wholesale Ammunition Delivery Services

Store owners typically purchase a van or truck and hire someone to pick up all of their goods once they have purchased them from the wholesalers. However, there are several wholesalers who are willing to provide customers with a delivery service. Of course, store owners are expected to pay a certain fee for this service, but it usually equals much less than it would if the merchant decided to collect the good on their own.

As you can see, there are several benefits to buying your ammunition from a wholesale company. You costs will be much lower, there is a huge range of merchandise that you will be able to choose from and lucrative deals can be negotiated with the wholesaler from which you are purchasing the ammunition. So, if you are interested in owning your own gun shop and would like to know the best way to go about purchasing your merchandise, try buying wholesale.