Wolf 9mm Ammunition Question

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TomJ

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I picked up a AR500 Steel pop up target. It says it's to be used with lead or copper jacketed lead core bullets only, and not steel core or steel jacketed bullets. I have some Wolf steel cased ammo, but the only things their web site says about the bullet is that it's FMJ. Does anyone know if their bullets are safe to use on this target without damaging it? Obviously, if I'm not sure I won't use them.
 
I think they are worried about ricochet with steel-core bullets, which could be a problem if you are close up.
 
Steel jacketed ammo is generally more penetrative than copper/gilding metal jacketed ammo. Also, greater risk of sparks when impacting a steel target.

I like Wolf ammo much more than many and use it often, but one has to use any sort of ammo with common sense. If your range is dry with vegetation prone to ignition, I would not use it. Same thing with a marginal steel target or someone else's steel target.

Good luck.
 
I didn't think of trying a magnet. Thanks.

I'm in the Chicago area, and dry vegetation at our club isn't an issue right now, as it's currently pretty wet here.
 
I may be wrong, but it was my impression "steel case" ammo refers to the casing of the cartridge and not the casing of the projectile, at least insofar as Wolf ammo is concerned.
 
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If that target is specified for 9mm use, you will be fine. Its just ball ammo with a steel case. And dirty.
 
I may be wrong, but it was my impression "steel case" ammo refers to the casing of the cartridge and not the casing of the projectile, at least insofar as Wolf ammo is concerned.

You’re correct in that the casing of the cartridge is steel. What they don’t make clear, at least that I could see on their web site is what the projectile is made of. I’ll try a magnet.
 
You could be fooled by the magnetic attraction to the case. Bottom line pull one apart and test the bullet alone. Just look at grain weight of the ammo. If it is at least 115, what is the likelihood of a less dense steel bullet being long enough to be that heavy.
 
If its a real AR500 target 3/8" or thicker Wolf/Tula steel cased 9mm won't do anything to it. We've shot thousands of rounds of the stuff through our 9mm ARs at targets from 10-100 yards away. just not an issue.
 
The last several cases of wolf 9mm I have bough were steel core rpenmanparker is correct in recommending you pull the bullet out of the case to check it for magnetism. But whether it steel core or not it should still be fine to shoot at you plates as long as you aren’t too close.
 
The only reason I don't shoot Wolf ammunition is that in my guns it doesn’t fly straight.

I do shoot quite a bit of Tula 9mm. It shoots pretty straight in my guns and It’s cheap. What’s not to love. I don’t shoot steel matches, but a while ago I was talking to the guy that runs the local club matches about steel jacketed ammo. He told me that they were fine with me shooting Tula in their match.
 
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