Interesting… Patented steel alloy cased ammo allows higher pressures:
The technology of a stronger case allowing high pressures without case stretching and primer pocket expansion is very cool. They are pushing the maximum chamber pressure up to 80,000 PSI. This gives them ability to push high BC (0.645) bullets to 3,150 fps. This is a slightly higher BC and 250 fps more than what I can do with .300 Win Mag. And the cases can be reloaded.
I also find it very interesting that suppressors are going mainstream with this ad.
The advantage is not “250 fps more than what I can do with .300 Win Mag” but that it can now be done in a substantially shorter barrel.
There are some situations, however, in which the penalty of a longer barrel is acceptable; I can think of some people in a small suburban enclave who are looking at this very, very closely, and it portends for some shooters the possible desire for several hundred more yards at Boomershoot. The distance game will change.
I would like to see some of the metallurgical data on cases and receivers, though…..
Peak alloy? Or a different grade of steel? The problem has always been that a case hard enough to with stand 80,000+ pressures will not expand at the neck to seal the pressure in the barrel.
Sig’s answer was to make a steel base, with a brass body.
Federal must have figured a way lower the carbon rate in the upper part of the case/neck shoulder area somehow.
Good on them and giant kudos! If nothing else, just the case being harder at the base makes it much safer. Even if it isn’t being ran at 80,000PSI.
And the cost of using steel will be a big boon for cheaper ammo in the future as more manufacturers start using it.
I was always under the impression that the receiver was the critical point on the pressure curve. Like what happens when a receiver/barrel interface that’s spec’ed at a max of 55K Cup gets hit with 80K CUP multiple times?
Ya, It’s not the rearward pressure as much as the brass stretch above 65,000 PSI. is what’s allowing the pressure into the bolt face/lugs/receiver. And deforming the case to the point one can’t open the bolt.
And on AR’s it’s gas timing more than anything. Too fast and the lugs are trying to turn while the case is still pressurized.
Wearing out bolt lugs and breaking extractor claws.
And why you see “ejector swipes”, on the back of the cases.
If all your dealing with is straight rearward push? 80,000 PSI. isn’t a big deal, and most all modern firearms will handle it.
Would these cases have enough chromium to make them ‘stainless’?
No mention of barrel life.
Will the case be reloadable? Will it show signs of impending failure or just go ‘boom’ when it’s been stressed enough?
I’m always a little suspicious of the reinvention of the wheel.