Wolf has issued an advisory not to use their ammunition with the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles.
http://wolfammo.com/advisory.aspx
For me, there is not enough information on what is going on. Why don't other ammunition manufactures also have this same problem? All S&W carbines/rifles are not made the same, some are chrome lined, and are the BCG's all the same? I would like to see some more info before I would say the problem is with the manufacturer.

The way it's written seems very much a gun issue, not an ammo issue. The gun design will allow an out of battery fire or it will not. Not sure how the ammo brand would affect that.

Seems like more of the anti-M&P propaganda started by Appleseed.

Why would a rifle firing out of battery be Appleseed's fault?

Appleseed only addressed the M&P15-22 and not the centerfire M&P15.

If you search, there were many complaints on gun related forums (when the M&P15-22 came out) about the rifle firing out of battery.
Appleseed just said that they didn't want the M&P15-22 used at their events. They never mentioned the M&P15 rifle.

That's propaganda?

I can honestly see there possibly being a problem with one model, maybe even two models of the M&P, but the statement from Wolf infers all M&P rifles.

My bad. I thought they were talking about the 15-22. In any case, I'm not sure how a modern AR can fire out of battery unless there is a part failure. It's a known and proven design.

I find this very interesting. Smith and Wesson is one of the top tier mfg, despite the low cost of the sport 2.

Full text from Wolf: "
*** Advisory Warning - June 8, 2017 ***

WOLF Performance Ammunition has received notifications relating to Smith & Wesson M&P-15 rifles that are discharging out of battery which is evidenced by a lack of damage to the chamber and barrel extension. This shows that the rifle’s bolt did not lock into the barrel, yet the hammer was still able to strike the firing pin to detonate the cartridge and cause a failure.

These failures can cause major damage to the firearm and bodily injury. As a result, WOLF Ammunition does NOT recommend using our ammunition with any Smith and Wesson M&P-15 rifles until this issue is resolved. Moving forward, WOLF’s 100% Performance Guarantee will not cover any damages associated with Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle or rifle created failures exhibiting the above described characteristics."

quote:

I'm not sure how a modern AR can fire out of battery unless there is a part failure.

Back in the 1990s I witnessed two AR fire out of battery. The 1st one was a mix of parts who knows but the the 2nd one was A Bushmaster AR a guy bought new and it was only the 2nd time out with it. Bushmaster took care of the guy since it was almost new, like under a hundred rounds. So yes it can happend. Seen it with some real dirty semi auto 22 over the years also.

I just talked with S&W about this.

They said there is nothing wrong or any current issues with their rifles.

Then she said, from what she has heard... it has to do with the pressure of their rounds.

I have a sport II and just bought 500 rounds of Wolf Steel Case. Now I am afraid to shoot it. Ugh.

Not sure why Wolf is singling out M&P though... seems really odd.

I've fired Wolf Steel Case ammo in my AR's;a 20", a 16" and an 8.5" pistol and had no problems.
I've also fired Wolf Gold in all of them and had no issues even though that particular ammo seems a bit underpowered.
However, the Wolf Steel Case is the cheapest Russian ammo available and I suppose one takes a chance with that.

I have probably shot 2000+ rounds of Wolf through my M&P without any issues. Other than Wolf is nasty dirty stuff!

I wouldn't own an AR that won't shoot wolf.

quote:

Originally posted by Jus228:
I wouldn't own an AR that won't shoot wolf.

I hear you. I bought a SIG 556 when they first came out. It wouldn't shoot Wolf (Steel cased) ammo. SIG Customer service just said "so don't shoot Steel case". I couldn't sell it fast enough.

I don't even consider steel case anmo in my buying decisions as the only steel case ammo I'll ever buy is in the Russian AK calibers. 5.56 steel case never. AKs are designed for it. Most other guns are not.

I avoid steel cased ammunition in ARs

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I avoid steel cased ammunition in ARs

I'm the same way, save a nickel a round, and if you are firing Tula crap, you'll spend more on a replacement barrel than you saved on your ammo. IMHO. If you think I am full of crap, check Luckygunner's ammo test online.What you may have saved on ammo expense, you'll spend on purchasing a new barrel and having it installed.

I have not shot any Wolf or steel cased ammunition through any of my AR's but found the warning from Wolf as a little questionable.

I'm not sure where to begin on the idea that you take a gun designed for one kind of ammunition (brass cased NATO spec) and then feed it something else (steel cased, dirty, lacquer covered, low powered, mostly junk) and then blame the gun. Its just beyond me.
I can understand using junk ammo and dealing with its problems as the price of saving money. Heck I do that all the time with some ammo/gun combinations. But when I have issues I know its not the guns fault.
Selling the gun because of bad ammo. not so much.

The Wolf Gold is brass, but I still won't use it.

I don't see anything in the advisory about which ammo steel or brass? But anything wolf is the low end of the scale, as price is their selling point.

quote:

Originally posted by blasto:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I avoid steel cased ammunition in ARs

I'm the same way, save a nickel a round, and if you are firing Tula crap, you'll spend more on a replacement barrel than you saved on your ammo. IMHO. If you think I am full of crap, check Luckygunner's ammo test online.What you may have saved on ammo expense, you'll spend on purchasing a new barrel and having it installed.

I mostly shoot brass cased ammo but your numbers on cost/benefit depend heavily on what kind of barrels we are talking about.

I can get a chromed or nitrided barrel that will provide good service for many thousands of rounds for about $100.

Or I could buy a $700 barrel from Proof Research. Or a Krieger for $500 or so.


The LuckyGunner test was heavily flawed. How many of us dump that many rounds through a rifle as fast as possible? The excessive heat played a large role in the destruction of those barrels.

I have fired at least 2k rounds of Wolf Military Classic through my 3-gun rifle. Probably 3-5k of brass cased ammo in addition to that. I still hit the 400 and 500 steel at my last match on the first shot.

Part of the question is, what is acceptable accuracy to you. Wolf Military Classic is a little slower but only slightly less accurate than M193 from my 3-gun rifle. Several 223 Rem loadings are more accurate than both so that is what I generally use if I don't have handloads made.


Brass cased ammo has come down in price and 3-gun matches have disallowed any bullet that attracts a magnet, but Wolf ammo isn't going to ruin your barrel with a quickness.

Cost/benefit heavily favors shoot more wolf and rebarrel any time I have run the numbers. But I have all the tools to do it myself as well as a few spare barrels already on hand.