Wolf Ammo. Is it still garbage?
- Thread starter Fiero
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JohnBT
Member
Yep, the .22 ammo is made in the SK/Lapua/Nammo plant in the former E. Germany. I still like it, lube and all, but I liked it better when it was only $1.50 a box. JT
I've had some problems with the new stuff...
I was just shooting my RRA Car-4 on Friday. I had several FTF's (maybe 7-8? Sorry wasn't counting) . Out of maybe 160 rounds I ran through the gun.
I didn't pay attention to it since I thought it was just the gun getting gunked up. Now I am guessing it was the ammo. I had noticed that Wolf was a different color. But didn't think anything of it. Generally I keep some around as it was good, cheap 223 plinking ammo. I'll have to re-think what I use for .223 now.
BTW: The old stuff worked fine and usually had about 2" MOA out of my RRA. And no jams. (Except for large amounts shot between cleanings, and my own fault.) I've shot maybe 2000-3000 rounds of it through my AR the past year or so.
I was just shooting my RRA Car-4 on Friday. I had several FTF's (maybe 7-8? Sorry wasn't counting) . Out of maybe 160 rounds I ran through the gun.
I didn't pay attention to it since I thought it was just the gun getting gunked up. Now I am guessing it was the ammo. I had noticed that Wolf was a different color. But didn't think anything of it. Generally I keep some around as it was good, cheap 223 plinking ammo. I'll have to re-think what I use for .223 now.
BTW: The old stuff worked fine and usually had about 2" MOA out of my RRA. And no jams. (Except for large amounts shot between cleanings, and my own fault.) I've shot maybe 2000-3000 rounds of it through my AR the past year or so.
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Yes, a 1942 VKT M39, built on a 1905 hex receiver.
Thrash1982
Member
A friend and I recently built AR-15's and split a case of the new poly coated wolf .223. So far it's been 100% reliable in both of our weapons and we recently bought more. He has also put close to 500 rounds of Wolf poly coat 9mm through his Glock 17 with no problems.
ny32182
Member
I run Wolf 762x39 in my VEPR K, and never a problem, even with the gun smoking hot. I even leave a mag of it in the VEPR for serious purposes.... why not? I've never had a malfunction of any kind with it, and I don't see any "military" loads in that cartridge on the market anyway.
I wouldn't run Wolf in my ARs simply due to the reputation it has with causing problems in ARs, but a buddy of mine does and hasn't had any problems.
Handgun ammo: I can get brass cased plinking loads at walmart for the same or less money, so thats what I do.
I've never seen any of this polymer coated wolf in person. All of it around here still has the old green lacquer.
I wouldn't run Wolf in my ARs simply due to the reputation it has with causing problems in ARs, but a buddy of mine does and hasn't had any problems.
Handgun ammo: I can get brass cased plinking loads at walmart for the same or less money, so thats what I do.
I've never seen any of this polymer coated wolf in person. All of it around here still has the old green lacquer.
RavenVT100
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I have found that Wolf is not generally all that compatible with the tightly tuned tolerances of the ARs. Russian guns, sure. The SKS that I have functions fine with Wolf; that's the ammunition it was designed to eat after all. For AR type rifles, I recommend Federal XM193.
Master Blaster
Member
It works fine for me in my SAR-1 and my Saiga .223, I hear about the lacquer melting and gumming upp the chamber, and then the cases sticking.
I have never fired by gun fast enough for it to heat up to the point where the lacquer on the case melted. I would be more worried about the effect of this practice on the barrel and chamber's structural integrity.
Just how fast do you have to fire the AK to melt the lacquer, anyway?
For me it would be too fast to hit anything at 100+ yards, but I guess I like aimed fire.
I have never fired by gun fast enough for it to heat up to the point where the lacquer on the case melted. I would be more worried about the effect of this practice on the barrel and chamber's structural integrity.
Just how fast do you have to fire the AK to melt the lacquer, anyway?
For me it would be too fast to hit anything at 100+ yards, but I guess I like aimed fire.
jefnvk
Member
Shoots great out of my SKS, and my Springfield GI.
Darkmind
Member
My mossy 590A1 loves all the wolf 12 gage stuff.
I think i got a bad batch of 40 S&W, The spent powder was really gummy like, in my glock 23 causeing some FTEs and FTF.
I think i got a bad batch of 40 S&W, The spent powder was really gummy like, in my glock 23 causeing some FTEs and FTF.
Fiero
Member
One thing I forgot to mention. My local indoor gun range FORBIDS Wolf ammo it it's facility. Big sign on counter. NO WOLF AMMO PERMITTED.
They attribute the sign to problems of reliability which leads to accidents, especially hangfires on revolvers. KABOOM.
They attribute the sign to problems of reliability which leads to accidents, especially hangfires on revolvers. KABOOM.
Pepe Domingo
Member
I liked it until I had a blow up with the 9mm stuff. I would imagine a rifle round kaboom would be much worse with the higher pressures and all.
I find the whole "I only use it in my Russian guns because that was what they were designed for" argument to be silly. I do not think Mr. Kalashnikov designed the AK-47 to handle many blow ups. The AK is cheap, the ammo is cheap and the lives of Ivan's soldiers were cheap (at least as far as the Kremlin was concerned).
For not really much more money you can run higher quality American, Italian, German, and South African brass through your weapons. Maybe my blow up was a once in a million fluke, but for an extra $20-$30 per K, I can never go back to the big, bad WOLF. I like my hands and eyes too much to wreck them by going the low bid route.
I find the whole "I only use it in my Russian guns because that was what they were designed for" argument to be silly. I do not think Mr. Kalashnikov designed the AK-47 to handle many blow ups. The AK is cheap, the ammo is cheap and the lives of Ivan's soldiers were cheap (at least as far as the Kremlin was concerned).
For not really much more money you can run higher quality American, Italian, German, and South African brass through your weapons. Maybe my blow up was a once in a million fluke, but for an extra $20-$30 per K, I can never go back to the big, bad WOLF. I like my hands and eyes too much to wreck them by going the low bid route.
Darkmind
Member
Fiero said:
Same hear, but my local range says that they dont let anybody shoot it because of the rounds haveing a steel core.
Bravo11
Member
Pepe,
Not to put a price tag on safety but around here the other brands available for 7.62x39 are almost twice the price.
Not to put a price tag on safety but around here the other brands available for 7.62x39 are almost twice the price.
13A
Member
Pepe,
As many others have said, I have no problem in my SKS. I value my body parts. However, I DO NOT fear using Wolf in my SKS.
I DO NOT shoot Wolf in my other guns. More because other ammo is better designed for them than for safety.
As many others have said, I have no problem in my SKS. I value my body parts. However, I DO NOT fear using Wolf in my SKS.
I DO NOT shoot Wolf in my other guns. More because other ammo is better designed for them than for safety.
Skofnung
Member
Russian rounds for Russian guns.
My Commie designed guns like it, though I only bought a few boxes for each just to try it out for future reference.
I've never used it in American arms, though I would like to try the match grade .22 LR stuff sometime soon.
A good friend of mine bought a half case of Wolf .45 ACP to put through his old Remington Rand 1911. The stuff stunk like burning feces and jammed quite often, like once every two to three magazines. It could have been a bad batch though...
I know this much: It will stay far away from my AR15's chamber. Too much of a crap shoot for such a gun if you ask me. YMMV on this one.
I would (and will) buy more in 7.62X39.
My Commie designed guns like it, though I only bought a few boxes for each just to try it out for future reference.
I've never used it in American arms, though I would like to try the match grade .22 LR stuff sometime soon.
A good friend of mine bought a half case of Wolf .45 ACP to put through his old Remington Rand 1911. The stuff stunk like burning feces and jammed quite often, like once every two to three magazines. It could have been a bad batch though...
I know this much: It will stay far away from my AR15's chamber. Too much of a crap shoot for such a gun if you ask me. YMMV on this one.
I would (and will) buy more in 7.62X39.
Pepe Domingo
Member
I was forgetting the choices available for 7.62x39 seem to be basically Russian or very expensive Wichester brass. I am a .223/.308/9mm shooter only.
If forced to shoot steel cased ammo, I would choose Barnaul over Wolf. My very unscientific internet research seems to turn up less problems and complaining with that brand over Wolf. That may be due, however, to the greater availability of Wolf.
A blow up does wonders to change ammo attitudes. I was a card carrying Wolfman for a number of years. The way Wolf dealt with my wrecked weapon and subsequent refund/repairs was so smooth and problem free that it led me to believe that they have lots of experience with such matters.
Shoot the best ammo that you can afford.
If forced to shoot steel cased ammo, I would choose Barnaul over Wolf. My very unscientific internet research seems to turn up less problems and complaining with that brand over Wolf. That may be due, however, to the greater availability of Wolf.
A blow up does wonders to change ammo attitudes. I was a card carrying Wolfman for a number of years. The way Wolf dealt with my wrecked weapon and subsequent refund/repairs was so smooth and problem free that it led me to believe that they have lots of experience with such matters.
Shoot the best ammo that you can afford.
Feanaro
Member
I'd hate to be one of the guys running Wolf. Do a good job fixing a problem and lose business for it.
Brad Johnson
Member
If they were honest they would tell you it's because they can't sell back the empties.
Brad
The Grand Inquisitor
Member
This reminds me of the stink that came up over the Steyr M series autoloaders- everyone on the boards was buzzing about how they tended to have problems so deeply ingrained into the design that rounds exploded frequently while shooting. EVERYONE knew that these problems were to be had in the Steyr pistols - it was simply common knowledge.
Then people (mind you, those foolish enough to not accept the recieved wisdom of the web-boards) began to actually purchase and shoot the Steyr pistols, often, and, suddenly, people found a new pistol which actually functioned very well. Now, with thousands of Steyr M's across the country, how many posts were there from mangled owners warning others of the dangers of the Steyr M?
None.
Mind you, if you would like to poke around Glocktalk's Steyr board you can still fight the battle of the exploding M series, but people tend to dismiss the people who are still fighting that battle up ????creek without a paddle anyway - many because it has proven to be utter crap.
There is no such thing as "Russian ammo" for a "Russian gun". Wolf works fine in any firearm, I shoot it and all sorts of other rounds in my AR 180B and I have had no problems, although perhaps I am just foolish enough to actually clean my rifles after I shoot them.
Wolf isn't Match ammo, but it also certainly not garbage. Next time you buy some ammuntion, buy whatever you usually buy, but also grab a box of Wolf in whatever caliber you like and give it a try, you may just be in for a surprise.
PS - I don't want to bag on the boards here and elsewhere too much, I frequent these boards rather often, but sometimes it seems that folks get a bit too riled up over something and people begin to make judgements about products they have never tried.
Then people (mind you, those foolish enough to not accept the recieved wisdom of the web-boards) began to actually purchase and shoot the Steyr pistols, often, and, suddenly, people found a new pistol which actually functioned very well. Now, with thousands of Steyr M's across the country, how many posts were there from mangled owners warning others of the dangers of the Steyr M?
None.
Mind you, if you would like to poke around Glocktalk's Steyr board you can still fight the battle of the exploding M series, but people tend to dismiss the people who are still fighting that battle up ????creek without a paddle anyway - many because it has proven to be utter crap.
There is no such thing as "Russian ammo" for a "Russian gun". Wolf works fine in any firearm, I shoot it and all sorts of other rounds in my AR 180B and I have had no problems, although perhaps I am just foolish enough to actually clean my rifles after I shoot them.
Wolf isn't Match ammo, but it also certainly not garbage. Next time you buy some ammuntion, buy whatever you usually buy, but also grab a box of Wolf in whatever caliber you like and give it a try, you may just be in for a surprise.
PS - I don't want to bag on the boards here and elsewhere too much, I frequent these boards rather often, but sometimes it seems that folks get a bit too riled up over something and people begin to make judgements about products they have never tried.
only1asterisk
member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2003
- Messages
- 2,412
My guns cost too much money to run steel cased ammo of any stripe. Wolf is fine tooling around with a Siaga, but why wreck a firearms that cost several hundred dollars over a few pennies saved with cheap ammo?
David
David
YammyMonkey
Member
I've fired about 400 rounds of the polymer stuff through my AR and another 600 or so through my 1911's with zero issues and no noticeable wear issues. Since I can buy 2 cases of the Wolf 5.56 for the price of one XM193 case, and save about $70 per case on the Wolf over Blazer in the .45's and money is a bit tight right now it makes sense for me.
BTW, I don't let rounds sit in the chamber of my guns, just in case. I would recomend buying a smaller (250rnds maybe) quantity and giving it a go before jumping into case quantities.
BTW, I don't let rounds sit in the chamber of my guns, just in case. I would recomend buying a smaller (250rnds maybe) quantity and giving it a go before jumping into case quantities.
Daniel T
Member
Wolf rifle ammo has always worked just fine for me. Inexpensive ammo is not always garbage.
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