I run lots of Tulammo through my 5.56 AR and AK. It’s not the most accurate 5.56 ammo in the world, but it was cheap and it goes bang and it’s great for plinking and practice. (Although not necessarily with match-chambered race guns…) And now, like anything chambered in 5.56, it’s either gone or way overpriced. But…

Don’t blame Tulammo. Their reps told me the Russian-based manufacturer has increased its delivery volume, diverted production resources from other less-popular calibers to 5.56, and held their wholesale prices constant for the last six weeks. Any price gouging, they say, is happening at the retail level.

The Obama Panic buying surge has also reduced or postponed production of other calibers, including .38 Special which I’m now told is now on indefinite hold.

 

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74 COMMENTS

    • Don’t roll out the red carpet yet. I bought some TulAmmo .357 mag, and the steel seems to expand a lot more than brass or aluminum, making dumping empties a Herculean task. I have a red dimple in the middle of my palm from repeatedly slamming the ejection rod. I love their .223 and .308 (loved it better when they were $5/box), but I’ve sworn off their .357 and .380.

        • Oh, I forgot to say. I had a box of bad .380 (OAL was too long, wouldn’t chamber), but I emailed them, and I had a $15 check in my hand 10 days later.

          I’ll try them again, just maybe not for .380.

      • I had one case split in my single action and I thought I’d never get that thing out of there. No more of that for me!

      • By nature steel expands less than brass or aluminum. Given that that softer metals like brass or aluminum expand to seal the chamber much better than steel there will be more fouling that blows by steel cased ammo. It’s actually the higher rate of fouling in the chamber that makes for harder extraction with steel. A quick brushing of your chambers every few cylinders may help extraction.

  3. Apart from Mini-14s Russian steel cased 5.56mm never worked to well in western guns (except mentioned Mini-14). Overall there Soviet 7.62×39 and 5.45x39mm rounds are what makes them so important in the ammo world. Wish for pistol ammo they dump laquor and use bi metal like Russian military pistol ammo does.

    • Steel cased ammo works fine in quality AR’s.

      Buy a BCM/LMT/ANYOTHERQUALITYMFG gun and you won’t have problems.

      • I’ve never had a problem with steel in a standard military or commercial 5.56 chamber. Match chambers (and reportedly Wylde chambers) don’t like steel, however.

        Accuracy-wise, Tula 5.56 is like running regular unleaded in a Porsche Cayman; it works, but it doesn’t give quite the same performance as the good stuff.

      • I had serious mag problems during the AWB. Since I started running factory mags it has not stopped once. I wish I had bought more 🙁

    • I have never had a single issue with Russian ammo in my AR. It has a 5.56 chamber and is fully chrome lined. It isn’t even an expensive gun, it is a Del-Ton.

  4. In Kentucky we have the same problem as everyone else. We are getting raped by the retailer. The only shop that hasn’t raised one price in Kenny
    Sumner at Knob Creek Gun Range. God Bless

  5. uh… I have used their steel cased ammunition in everything from handguns to 5.56×45 and .30-06 in my “western” guns without issue. Maybe you need better guns?

    • I’ve run piles of it in different calibers and have only had minimal problems. Calling it crap with the track record that Tula ammo has is a bit ignorant.

    • I too have had mostly positive experiences with Tula brand. Its is dirty and sometimes smells “funny” but has worked just fine for me in a number of different calibers. I would say I’ve gone through at least 4,000 rounds of the stuff too.

      • Its not crap, but partially-crap.

        Sure it may run in your high-end AR, but not everyone has one of those or can afford one.

        Fact: Tula runs dirtier than brass, and steel-cased ammo does not expand reliably like brass.

  7. I would like some steel .38s too…so long as it’s cheaper than the brass stuff. Also, I want some Remington UMC 158 grain lead round nose…Why is that so difficult?

    • Kaliope, ammo to go had some .38 ammo as of yesterday. Give them a check and see. I know they had some round nose and semi wadcutters. I’m not ordering anything for now. I’ve got a stock and I’m hoping for the madness to calm down.

  8. This ammo scarcity thing shows no sign of slowing up. Wonder how long it will be, if ever, that ammo supplies and prices return to what they were , say, last spring?

    I found Tulammo to be very acceptable for fun-shooting. Better, for sure than the old NORINCO .223 I used to buy years ago. I had to go through it and re-crimp the case necks slightly to avoid having the bullets driven back into the case during feeding. Fortunately, when that happened it would jamb the rifle and never discharge. Checking cartridges I found about 10% had loose bullets (some very loose) due to bad crimp at the factory. I still shudder to think what could happen to the pressure curve should it have discharged.

    • I’ve run TulAmmo and Wolf (polymer coated – pretty much identical stuff) with no probs in my Mini-14 and SR40. Tends to be underpowered, has a “strange” report compared to “regular” ammo, and stinks to high heaven (cat piss is the best description of spent Russian mostly-smokeless powder). And it’s (was) CHEAP! But now even reloading components are decimated. I lucked out and found some CCI large rifle primers, but all the small pistol and small rifle is gone. Powder was stripped bare except for shotgun stuff. .224, .401, 9mm projectiles all gone. Fortunately, “some assembly required” parts for 8mm Mauser, 7.62x54R, and .303 British are still available. For now. If you have primers and powder already, that is, and some spent brass.

      • I found small pistol and small rifle primers as recently as 3 days ago. Hard to find yes, but not impossible. Actually pretty much every reloading component is hard to find, but look hard enough and you can find them.

  10. Elect m e President and I will open our borders to cheap junk ammo, let the buyer beware!
    I will also open our borders to cheap supressors, mags, NVDs, BA!
    What I’m saying is why should everyone get the Eric Holder Discount and not the law abidding US Citizen?

  11. Off topic: I’d love to use Tulammo, but the stuff gets jammed in my 9mm XDm mags. The cases just stick together deep down inside. I’ve had it jam even while unloading the mags! Didn’t shoot, but I don’t think it had too much trouble with M&P mags, at least loading and unloading.

    Has anyone else had this problem?

    • Yup, my Sig 220 eats the Tul with no issues but loading the mags is quite an ordeal. Sometimes I can’t get it to load more than 4 or five rounds and then it just locks up the mag, strangest damn thing. No problem loading in my Springfield 1911 mags though.

      • I never had problems with the Tula in my MP but did have the mag issues using some other Russian crap called WPC or something. I don’t mind using Tula when it’s available.

  13. Aren’t Tulammo and Wolf one and the same? Tulammo 45acp sounds great with silencers… surprisingly quieter than other 230 gr brands.

  14. Well all I can say is that this is America. If there is money to be made its only a matter of time before production gets ramped up. My suggestion to you all is learn how to reload. Pick up the brass and save it. I have a progressive press from LEE that punches out 300 an hour easy. Granted LEE is not the best quality but for price vrs function its an easy way to get started. 9mm is sitting on the shelf at Academy Sports with a $45.00 price tag for a box of 50. Insane. I press mine out for 7 bucks a box and I never have to worry about empty shelves. Yes reloading componets are scarce now but they are back orderable from websites. I recommend for the future keep a jug of gun powder and all the parts you need to build bullets in stock at your house. Build them when you need them and maybe even sell some to your buddys. All in all its a great feeling to assemble your own ammo and if you plan ahead you will never get caught with your wanker hanging out when a crisis hits.

    • reloading gives you that feeling like when you pull up to a bunch of fat dudes on 2012 Harleys and you’re riding your 1982 Honda CB750 backyard chopper.

  17. I’ve reloaded for a lot of different calibers but not 9mm, it was too inexpensive to justify the hassle. Not any more. Time to buy some dies, my Dillon 550B is just the right tool for this.

  19. They should be “greedy” and price their ammo to what the market will bear, that way the people who really need ammo will be able to buy it.

    I can’t resist buying regular-priced ammo when I see it these days even though I don’t need any. I buy simply because of the scarcity. I wouldn’t though if the prices were high. People like first-time gun buyers can’t find any ammo at all, and I’m sure some would pay a lot for a box or two of ammo to try their gun out at the range and have some left for home defense.

    We’ve been trained to think “price gouging” is bad, but that is just propaganda as much as the phrase “assault weapons” is.

    Go to YouTube and put “price gouging” in the search box. You’ll see what I’m saying above is correct.

  20. My Arsenal doesn’t like the Tula every time, but it’s getting better as it breaks in. All of my other caliber AKs chew it up no problem, and even my 1911 runs their .45 just fine.
    I’m really pissed I didn’t buy all the Wolf 223 Scheel’s had last fall. At $5 a box.
    I’m an idiot.

  21. Who the hell uses steel case for anything other then AKs?

    Just wait until the ban nonsense is over and rifles and ammo come back strong.

  22. It’s all supply and demand. If demand dropped for ammo followed by lowered prices no one would complain except the sellers. Does anyone know anything about Aguila ammo from Mexico? I’ve seen their products online starting to fill in empty shelves.

    • Ditto on the aquila 9mm. Also their .22 rimfire. They have a 60 grain subsonic load that’s very accurate from my bolt gun. The 60 grainer chokes my 10-22 though. Too much bullet sticking out of the case.

    • The only problem I’ve ever encountered with their .22LR ammo is the slightly odd smell. Otherwise, most loads work fine in my Ruger 10/22. Obviously, their Colibri and Super Colibri quiet loads won’t work in a semi-auto, but my Heritage revolver likes it just fine.

    • I’ve used alot of Aquila 223, the primers are crimped and the pockets are tight as is the bullet crimp. I don’t know what the velocity is but the powder burns clean and after processing the brass reloads like my other 223 brass

  23. Tulammo has run well in both my pistols and rifles without a hitch. But I only own quality guns and mags…so theres that.

  24. Got a box of tulammo 9mm from my old man for Christmas (not to mention him handing me down his pre 64 Winchester). Ran it through my PPQ and worked flawlessly. For target and plinking, I would buy from them in the future. Also, as an aside I live in Chicago. Just wanted to mention that to show that we’re not ALL anti-gun morons up here.

    • KCK: You’ve now posted that, and nothing else, in at least the last 5 consecutive threads. Did you just come up with that phrase and are so proud you had to share (5 times), or is there a message you’re trying to convey?

  26. I never thought I would see the day that .357 sig would be the available and reasonably priced caliber.

    I bought a few 50 round boxes recently for $25.00 each….cheap by 5.56 standards.

    By the way – Dicks Sporting Goods in my area (NJ) has some .223 and some 5.56. I bought 10 20-round boxes of 5.56 for $9.00 each. It was Israeli ammo imported by Federal (and 10 boxes was all they had left). The guy behind the counter says they have been getting regular shipments, and they have not been price gouging.

  27. the ammo prices will be back down. gun prices too. I am not buying any I don’t actualy need right now. this is not the time to stock up.

    any new laws are probably some time off, and probably won’t affect ammo. Except if you live in a state that may ban mail order ammo.

  29. With my Colt AR…I can bust the wings off a gnat’s ass at 200 with this ammo. Its all u need. I set the useless steel casings up on my range as targets after.

  30. The real problem here is “pro-gun” kitchen table dealers spent decades trying to make sure there was no profit in the industry…. I mean helping other pro gun guys not support that thieving dealer who is trying to pay normal business expenses like sleeping indoors, eating, gas and insurance… the sorry evil bastards.

    That situation is allowing for price spiking, Over requesting and hording which destabilizes the industry further. There is no retail price gouging Manufactures and importers are making a killing.

    The next phase will be the surplus dump that the federal government just ordered and it will be back door “surplused” to companies like MI-WAY (NOT MIDWAY) who shows up to large gun shows and sells ammo below whatever is price is normal at the time to ENSURE no dealer at that show will make money. Meanwhile our “pro-gun” brothers stand in line and help them out with hordes of cash.

    Then you have the sorry SOB’s who actually stand in your store and TELL you they are buying an AR-15 HOPING they will get banned…. Dude I hope your ass is out of business next month so I can make a $1000 selling something I don’t know a damn thing about or even want…

    We need to redefine who is “pro-gun”

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