It's not just the cost of the barrel, by the way. A top quality HBAR
is at least $350 and in my case, I'd also have to buy a low-pro gas
block and probably have to have the barrel dimpled to hold the gas
block set screws, since my current gas block is more properly pinned
through the bottom wall of the barrel. That's another $50. Then there
is the cost of getting a qualified gunsmith to headspace the barrel.
That's another $50 or more. By the time you've finished, you've spent
$500 for a quality replacement barrel. The steel cased ammo is a
nickel a round less than the brass ammo. I'll pass on that "savings"
in order not to have to deal with replacing a barrel long before its
time. Oh, and I can shoot the brass ammo on any range where rifles are
welcomed.
You are confusing casings and bullets.
Yup.
No, I am not. I am referring to the ferrous metal in the bullets, not
the shell casing. I wouldn't use steel shell casings in a semi auto,
either but obviously they'd present no problem in a revolver.
I see guys at our range shooting Russian ammo in their AKs all the
time but maybe the rifle is just made for it.
Or maybe AK barrels are cheaper or less of a pain in the ass to replace.
I was just offered a "real deal" on a new S&W 686 revolver, stainless,
4" barrel, in .357MAG/.38SPECIAL. In other words, the same caliber of
my Ruger, but with a shorter barrel.