Plastic cased ammo?

[tommag]

136183136183

Found a few of these at the range today. Other than trounds, this is the first plastic case I've see.

[blademasterii]

https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8699 I was just thinking about this stuff the other day. Local gunshop had some and offered to let me try some but I was shooting suppressed that day and was on my way home when he offered.

[tommag]

I found a review of it from 2012, guess it's not that new, just new to me. I'm surprised how tightly a New bullet seats in the neck.
This has a brass base, and the two pieces rotate when you turn them.
Case capacity is pretty low, only holds 17.5 grs 4895 to neck.

Had moisture in case, not all powder came out. It holds about 20 grs 4895 to the neck. Pcp, the manufacturer, is showing 308 ammo for sale, loaded with jacketed bullets.

[tradbear55]

Wow, I have never seen this type of ammo before, I thought shotshells were the only plastic shells. Who knew.

[jcwit]

I've had a few empty cases for years, been tempted to reload them but never did.

[Big Boomer]

Several years back I picked up some .38 Special plastic or nylon cases with a brass base, the only ones I've ever seen. As I recall, I read somewhere that they required a heeled bullet. Anybody know if the .223 uses regular bullets? Big Boomer

[Calamity Jake]

The 223 uses a regular bullet I have a 2 or 3 loaded rounds somewhere.

[Thumbcocker]

There were plastic case .38 special years ago that had a bullet that snapped into the case with a small hand tool. I would be ok with the concept for low pressure rounds and boolits. don't know what ever came of the business.

[Sweetpea]

I first saw those about 10 years ago.

Looks like a solution in search of a problem.

[DCM]

I used to see blue plastic cased .308s years back, have not seen any for a while though.

[Frank46]

The blue cased 308 rounds were mfgd in germany as training rounds. The plastic bullet looked kinda funny sticking in the plywood backer board at our range. Still have some around someplace. Frank

[runfiverun]

there was some red cased 223 rounds kicking around here for a while, they were full power loads.
and I have a box of 3-D 38 special plastic cases with aluminum bases in the basement.
I dunno why the plastic cased ammo isn't more popular.
with as many steel and aluminum cases as I find, I think price point is the deciding factor for most of the shooters in this area.

[MaryB]

Their website http://www.pcpammo.com/match-ammo/only

[MtGun44]

Bought 100 rds about 4-5 years ago to try in .223. REALLY inaccurate,
100% function, but just junk IMO. These were normal full power, 55 FMJ
with a plastic case and brass head. Never again for me.

[Whiterabbit]

I first saw those about 10 years ago.

Looks like a solution in search of a problem.

Huh? everyone is always in search of cheaper and cheaper still ammo. Be glad you live a the time you do. In 40 years all 223 and 308 ammo will be plastic case unreloadable. with only boutique ammo loaded in brass cases. Similar to availability like 762 soviet and 762x54R now. Not impossible, but much easier to find steel. That's the future of military ammo.

[snuffy]

136229

Got a box from a buddy about 10 years ago. Shot terrible groups, but function was fine. Case IS reloadable, but with no neck tension. Because the bullet is cast with the plastic case as a unit, then snapped onto the brass head. Powder must be inside the plastic case upside down!

Main reason for it was weight reduction for the troops. So they could carry more ammo.

[Sweetpea]

Huh? everyone is always in search of cheaper and cheaper still ammo. Be glad you live a the time you do. In 40 years all 223 and 308 ammo will be plastic case unreloadable. with only boutique ammo loaded in brass cases. Similar to availability like 762 soviet and 762x54R now. Not impossible, but much easier to find steel. That's the future of military ammo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/78/Whereismyflyingcar.jpg/220px-Whereismyflyingcar.jpg

I guess we'll have to wait and see...

[Multigunner]

I ran across some 7.62X39 ammo years ago that came in a five round blister pack with what appeared to be an aluminum case and a black bullet that seemed to be a metal jacket over a plastic filler.
I did not get a chance to closely examine these but later read of an East German 7.62 cartridge made for use by guards at airports and government office buildings.
The lower powered cartridge was intended to cycle a AK or SKS rifle while generating power levels aproximating the 9mm or .357 but with much greater lethality and very little penetration, along the lines of a Glazer Safety Slug.
The intent was that the plastic core bullet being so light in weight would deliver all its energy in the body of a victim and not pass through the body. These bullets would not pass through interior walls of any of the older more substantial office buildings in use at the time.

I have read of a 7.62 NATO training and riot control cartridge issued to US troops in Europe many years ago. These had an unclad plastic bullet molded into the plastic case with a metal base. These would cycle an M14 and at very close range would penetrate automobile sheet metal. Lethality was equal to a .357 magnum, but the light bullet lost velocity so quickly it did little damage at 200 yards.
A 5.56 cartridge of this type was also pictured but with not further information.

Perhaps these have some home defense or LEO application.
Could be useful in dealing with dangerous dogs or varmits on your property without endangering the neighbors.

[Dale in Louisiana]

The blue stuff Wideners offers is surplus West German ammo. It matches ballistics of 7.62x51 Ball out to a hundred meters or so, then the velocity drops off fast. When you think of how big a range impact area you need with real ammo. something that won't got past a few hundred meters on its best day is a good deal.

The Germans made a special bolt for their HK's so this stuff would cycle. That bolt did NOT lock. The case of this ammo is purposefully made a bit smaller than real ball ammo so it will work with this bolt, but ball ammo and the non-locking bolt won't function, thereby keeping Konrad from eating an HK bolt.

The smaller sized head may give problems functioning with other weapons expecting the correct head size. They won't function in my Spanish FR-8.

dale in Louisiana

[Sean357]

Www.kineticammo.com

Aluminum base, polymer case and stepped copper bullets.
These guys popped up on my Facebook feed about a week ago, didn't even know there was another option other than brass. Out of georgia if i remember correctly.Not out yet I believe, but looks interesting.
Very interested in what they're saying about their 38 special. 1500 and 1750 fps. And reloadable. But I'm guessing that the load options will probably be limited based on the case and bullet design.

[MtGun44]

Well there are two of us that verify it shoots terribly inaccurately.

Great for rifle fights inside an bathroom, but beyond that. . . . starts to become worthless.

[Hamish]

When I clicked on the thread I figured it was about this stuff: (scroll down to "Gallery/Guard/Short Range")

http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=introduction-to-30-06-cartridges

[MUSTANG]

The DoD has been on again off again in developing Plastic cased 5.56 and 7.62 rounds for the last 30 years. The persistent problem has been that they do not perform well in simulated combat environments where they experienced binding/stuck cases in hot chambers, failure in full auto/burst firing, corrosion problems, and poor operation in presence of mud and grit. THere have been stories in the "Stars and Stripes" & Navy/Army/Air Force Times papers several times over the last three decades.

[Multigunner]

There was an odd ball .45 ACP cartridge tested when the Colt 1911 was adopted. The cartridge was intended for use in a unusual blowback pistol. The metal clad wooden bullet weighed very little but left the muzzle at around 1600 FPS. Very deadly at close range but lost velocity very quickly.
Had further work been done on this round it might have been useful as a training round or for use by guards inside buildings.

The Japanese used wooden bullet ammunition, not the wooden tipped blanks though they used these as well) for some blowback operated LMG training weapons.

These blowback trainers used to show up as parts kits a few years back.

These days dedicated simunition weapons fill that role.

Chamber adapters in .22 RF make more sense for 5.56mm weapons.

[BLTsandwedge]

Well there are two of us that verify it shoots terribly inaccurately.

Great for rifle fights inside an bathroom, but beyond that. . . . starts to become worthless.

Dunno...your bathroom doesn't have a thick, choking blue haze like mine.............

[blackthorn]

Dunno...your bathroom doesn't have a thick, choking blue haze like mine.............

So---not a good place for muzzle-flash? Could lend a whole new meaning to the words---SEE?