Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

Ouch on the ammo prices. A friend and I decided to drop by Black Hills ammo and try to buy straight from the factory because we have a large order to fill. They pretty much laughed in our faces so we went to a retail outlet and they wanted $365 a case for seconds.

Afterwards we went plunking around at the usual sites and started thinking about trying some of the "Wolf new polymer" stuff. Does the "new polymer" still gunk up AR chambers like the old varnish or does it work pretty good?

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

I sent a message to Stag Arms who manufactured my rifle and they said they have no problems with owners using the poly coated ammo. They did they that you would have to clean the gun more more thoroughly, as the powder is much dirtier.

I bout privi 223 from aim surplus instead of using the wolf. It is approx 1/3 higher, but I can save the brass and trade/sell/reload and get some of that back.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

Silver Bear .223 is zinc coated...I would think it would work well in an AR.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

FIRED HUNDREDS OF ROUNDS FROM MY MINI 14, NO TROUBLE AT ALL.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

ALSO USED THE 7.62X39 (POLY) IN MY MINI 30, SKS AND AK, ALL WORK FINE.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

AK's eat anything......:applause_:applause_

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

The 'gunk' from the lacquer and to a lessor extent the polymer is only PART of the problem.

Steel expands slower than brass, one of the major reasons why it seems like the powder is 'dirtier'. Steel is also harder so when it does expand it is harder to extract that the more malleable brass.

I have about 600 rounds of the silver bear you pictured left to burn thru. Works 100% in the galil, and not 100% in a AR or similar rifle.... WHY?

Answer, mostly because the galil, like an .223AK has a extractor over twice the size of AR extractor and a 'looser' chamber. An AR having a chrome chamber (not just the barrel) will also do better.

You can shoot all the wolf you want without malfunction at the range in most AR's... PROVIDED YOU DON'T LET A ROUND SIT IN A HOT CHAMBER. The steel expands and the extractor will rip part of the rim of the case off leaving the rest in the weapon and requiring a cleaning rod and mallet to hammer it out.

I did it on purpose with my Bushy AR using the zinc recently to test it out. it's true. I've had lacquer do it back in the day on accident (2000) before I knew anything about steel vs brass casings. FWIW In my PLR-16 it'll stick in in a chamber that's had only one or two rounds fired thru it. Don't try it, it sucks.

Practice, if you want to use it, it's your thing, but do NOT count on it for SHTF in anything except what I list next. I won't use any steel in my AR's anymore. My remaining stuff goes into the Galil. AK's, SKS', Uzi's and Galils are DESIGNED to eat it all. AR's aren't.

My XD (and most other pistols) have eaten wolf fine, I test most of weapons on wolf to see "what if" should I somehow find myself with only that ammo on hand, but I won't feed them a steady diet. I trust my life to these weapons. I'm not going to ruin them over a few cents.

FWIW you CANNOT fire wolf .45 thru a H&K USP and expect good things. One of mine and one of my friends become permanetly stuck with them and require a mallet to hammer the slide closed the last 1/4 inch (yeah with a live round in the chamber, DANGER WILL ROBINSON) and fire it off. Sucks. Don't do it.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

Except for the .223 you'll be stealing from the cop shop when TSHTF:D

Thanks for the replies fellas.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

Many AR shooters have used Wolf polymer or zinc-washed without "gunking up" the chambers...that was your question.

My personal choice is to avoid it in ARs. For practice it should be okay...I would not use it for serious social work as stated by Prometheus.

I buy Silver Bear or Brown Bear 62 SP .223 exclusively to shoot in my Saiga and it works flawlessly--what it was designed for.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

The new polymer stuff is the only thing that I've found that will make an AR jam (1 out of about 300 times). No jams though in lower tolerence guns such as the ruger Mini 14 / 30's or AKs.

Re: Wolf .223 "New Polymer" any good?
 

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