Wolf Ammo
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Before I bought the 6.8 Kit, I shot a lot of Wolf. I didn't have an issue with it in my XCR, but my AR didn't like it. Quick purchase a couple hundred rounds and try them in your XCR. If your gun likes them "get some!" :2cents: And if the price is so good pass it on to your forum chums. ;D
That is the site which I will be getting the Wolf from. http://www.ammoman.com/webstore_223.htm
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I've only tried wolf on gas 3 and it gave me lots of problems. I'll crank it to 4 next time and I don't expect any issues...
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On my last outing, 1redgmc gave me some wolf to try and on gas setting 4 it cycled like a champ and was spitting out the steel cases 15' plus which is good.
I've shot Wolf in many rifles; never had a problem with it.
As far as I'm concerned, unless there is serious evidence to the contrary (regarding a specific lot of ammo), if you have a "combat rifle" with a standard .223 or larger spec chamber that won't shoot Wolf, its a problem with the gun, not the ammo. A "combat rifle" should be capable of eating anything you feed it.
As far as I'm concerned, unless there is serious evidence to the contrary (regarding a specific lot of ammo), if you have a "combat rifle" with a standard .223 or larger spec chamber that won't shoot Wolf, its a problem with the gun, not the ammo. A "combat rifle" should be capable of eating anything you feed it.
It's always good to check www.AmmoDaily.com to make sure you can't get it cheaper elsewhere. :2cents: :duh:
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I love Wolf and shoot it almost exlusively through 2 of my AR's. I have paid $130, $160, $180, $200, and $220 shipped for it. I see it is now $240 and if I had money I would pick some more up. Down to 4000 now so I better be frugal.
BTW: I Have not tried it in my XCR yet, but I have no doubt it will perform like a champ.
BTW: I Have not tried it in my XCR yet, but I have no doubt it will perform like a champ.
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448 Posts
Wolf is fine plinking ammo. If you shoot it in an AR do it in a milspec barrel, otherwise they tend to get stuck in non-milspec chambers. They will wear out AR stock extractor springs quickly, so be ready to replace them if it's a "my life depends on it AR". Might as well get the best extractor springs and o-ring buffers you can get after that. My XCR shoots it no problems. No less than '3' gas setting. I noticed on '3' it doesn't launch empty Wolf casings as far as it does brass cased ammo. About 8' to 11' away.
I won't shoot it in my AUG. Simply b/c AUG parts are expensive (no help from MSAR) and getting harder to find. Bolt parts are delicate as the AR. My AUG is a 'safe princess', as opposed to a 'safe queen'. The difference is safe queens don't get fired, princesses' get sneaked out an parties a little until they become queens. Most of my other guns are trailer park whores. lol
I won't shoot it in my AUG. Simply b/c AUG parts are expensive (no help from MSAR) and getting harder to find. Bolt parts are delicate as the AR. My AUG is a 'safe princess', as opposed to a 'safe queen'. The difference is safe queens don't get fired, princesses' get sneaked out an parties a little until they become queens. Most of my other guns are trailer park whores. lol
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I'm not entirely sure as to when Wolf inytoduced .223 inot the US market. I'd have to guess sometime around 2001.
The issue here is steel cased ammo vs. brass cased ammo. As most do know, brass is far more softer/maleable than steel making it easier material to tune into specs. Besides the obvious facts that brass has a bearing surface that is ideal to use with steel having a lower friction rate than steel on steel. Brass casing expand more evenly inside of chambers making better gas seals than the Wolf steel cased ammo.
I've shot somewhere around 12,000 rounds of Wolf 223 through 3 or 4 personal AR rifles throughout the years since it became available. I've also shot about 30,000 variety of brass cased ammo, about half and half milspec and commercial ammo in the same time span. All of my AR's, and issued M4's are milspec Colts with chromed bores and chambers. Wolf will not work reliably in non-milspec/non-chromes chambers. If it does that barrel/chamber is worn out, cut a tad over, or you just haven't shot that much.
Wolf does make good ammo. The steel they use is pretty soft, however comparing to brass not that soft. Wolf ammo does conform to SAAMI specs but in the end there is a spec range. It is tough to produce millions of rounds and all be within the exact specs. As tooling and dies wear out as many casings get cut/formed to varied specs within grade. Some casing rims are cut thicker than others or a tad larger, as some get cut/formed smaller. Don't believe me? If you, or someone you know, has a scale, get your most finest ammo and weigh each round. Unless you re-load and do it to precision, consistency in ammunition will always vary. Now put it into perspective that Wolf produces chingo loads of ammo, made out of a tougher metal to form, and for the lowest price. But as I initially said, they do a pretty good job for what they make.
Extractors are designed to grab casings in a lug fashion oppesed to a hook fashion. What I mean that it doesn't grasp a casing as a fish hook hooks onto a fishes mouth making the hook, in this case the extractor, do all the work during the extraction cycle. The extractor spring provides the right degree of tension to make it sufficient enough to let the extractor ride ro bump over a case rim and engage onto the case rim's "flat" side. The case rims are designed to provide a taper edge on the case rim "bottom" as well as the flat edge on "top". The extractor spring has to have enough "umph" to be sure that the extractor lug hangs on to that casing during th extraction phase. If it didn't need that much tension, any spongy spring will suffice.
If the casings is harder to extract to the point of failure, something is gonna give. A brass case will either break at the rim or other weak point in the casing or the extractor lug will disengage. In steel cased ammo, either rim, extractor will break or as the brass, completely disengage. Most cases extractors will simply disengage and if not the blowback gasses in AR's will blow by the rings and/or escape somewhere else. Typically you'll experience a "short stroking" weapon.
AR, just as G36, AR180,(might as well include MASADA/ACR) AUG's etc have small extractors, extractor springs, extractor pins. When shooting Wolf, although it's good plinking ammo and will work in a pinch for AR's, steel cased ammo will require these parts to work harder. Now I'm not sure whether or not Wolf ammo propellant is weak or the fact that steel case issues reduces efficiency. You have to remember this company (or subsidiary of) made ammo exclusively for AK type rifles that use higher tapered ammo in chromed chambers. That they've had over a half a century to work out any bugs and using cheaper materials, such as steel, was mandatory. Now all of the sudden they are making a 'good' quality ammo for a more narrow taper for about a decade and for a rifle that was never designed to shoot steel cased ammo.
My personal experience has been that I start experiencing failures with MY rifles around the 3,000 to 5,000 range using a mix match of Wolf and other ammo. While duty weapons going 10,000+ before issues arise using solely brass cased ammo.
The way I see it I much rather have a spare bolt assembly, firing pin, and cam on hand (or in PG, range bag, etc) for around $55 and shoot ammo at 20-something cents a round, or around $250 a case of ammo, NOW, than stick with outrageously priced milspec, designer, or commercial ammo at $400+ a case. I can buy a spare bolt assembly per case of wolf and still come out ahead and it's not even necessary.
Once my AR's start short stroking, or at around 3k rounds, I automatically replace extractor, ejector, buffer springs, gas rings and add or replace any o/d rings I use in conjuction with the extractor springs. This usually involves me swapping my spare bolt assembly then replacing that bolt's springs and making it my spare. These parts total around $10. Cheap insurance if it is you go to gun. And I don't give a crap what wikipedia puts out as myth. Any French 16 year old airsofter can edit what they please because they cruise ARFKKOM and somehow they are now an expert on the matter.
The next time you take apart an AR take a good look at that extractor spring and think to yourself that your $1300+ rifle, with a $800 ACOG, and 8-$39 Hk mags, that shoot Hornandy TAP ammo at 90 cents a piece depends on that $1.95 spring to do it's job! Then look at your XCR's and say, "Wolf ammo, eh. I better put my gas settings at 3" knowing you have one gas setting left just in case.
BTW, I've never spent over $900 for any one of my AR's and I got most of my Hk mags for free. However I did just threw down $1360 for a Elcan Specter DR!!
In the end, Wolf makes a great low-cost ammo for training purposes and emergency situation.
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447 Posts
Nice post i303.
Speaking of Wolf .223
Classic Arms has it in stock for $200. I guess that is a good deal these days. I hope I don't regret only ordering 2k.
Speaking of Wolf .223
Classic Arms has it in stock for $200. I guess that is a good deal these days. I hope I don't regret only ordering 2k.
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448 Posts
LINK LINK LIIIIIIIINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nevermind. Found it.
http://www.classicarms.us/htm/ammunition.htm
Edit to add and hijack for a bit:
This is 'other' stuff I've found re AR (M4) rifles. It's some 80 pages long so just start at page 44 and it tells you somethings about the M4's.
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2006smallarms/taylor.pdf
Nevermind. Found it.
http://www.classicarms.us/htm/ammunition.htm
Edit to add and hijack for a bit:
This is 'other' stuff I've found re AR (M4) rifles. It's some 80 pages long so just start at page 44 and it tells you somethings about the M4's.
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2006smallarms/taylor.pdf
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