Winchester USA Forged 9mm Steel Case Review

The Best online firearms community in Louisiana.

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,710
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Short review - It sucks.

    I try to shoot a lot so I'm always interested in stretching my ammo budget. I ran across the Winchester USA Forged 9mm Steel Case at Academy. At $23 per 150 round box, it was a good price. I searched online for some reviews and found a mixed group with most of them being mostly positive. So I went back and got a box. I tested 50 rounds through 3 weapons (G17 Gen4, G17, Gen5, AR9) using 3 magazines (ETS, Magpul, Glock OEM). There was a failure to feed in all weapons and with all magazines. The friction from the steel is too high to allow its reliable use. The rounds get stuck and do not feed correctly. As I was loading the magazines, I was expecting that. I was using the mag loader that comes from Glock and frequently I could feel the rounds "sticking." I could also hear the rounds moving around in the magazine instead of being tight in there. I'd have to tap the magazines to get all of the rounds to seat properly. In the last picture, you can see how shiny the rounds aren't. The large round is a Russian steel case 308 round.

    001.jpg 003.jpg 002.jpg 005.jpg
     

    machinedrummer

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Apr 5, 2010
    3,685
    113
    Kingwood, Tx
    Odd this shoul come up. My neighbor is a fairly new shooter. He is a pilot and has been going to the range with me recently. He has a gen 2 G19 that has hardly been shot. He bought the ammo because it was cheap and now I know why. His pistol had more hiccups than an Eskimo eating a jar of jalapeños. Total garbage. I’ve never seen a 19 have that many issues.
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,710
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Odd this shoul come up. My neighbor is a fairly new shooter. He is a pilot and has been going to the range with me recently. He has a gen 2 G19 that has hardly been shot. He bought the ammo because it was cheap and now I know why. His pistol had more hiccups than an Eskimo eating a jar of jalapeños. Total garbage. I’ve never seen a 19 have that many issues.

    I've got to give Winchester some credit. They're not distorting the reviews on their own website. At least I hope they're not. If they are, I can't imagine the reviews they are removing. It has a 2.5 star average with nine 5-star ratings and eighteen 1-star ratings.

    https://winchester.com/Products/Ammunition/Handgun/USA-Forged
     

    JBP55

    La. CHP Instructor #409
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    338   0   0
    Apr 15, 2008
    16,999
    113
    Walker
    Over the years I have put more than 100,000 rounds of American Eagle through my pistols with Zero Issues.
    I recently purchased another 6,000 rounds even though my physical issues have really slowed down my shooting.
     

    sportsbud

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    50   0   0
    Jan 16, 2013
    1,608
    48
    NOLA
    I refuse to get the Winchester Forged rounds. Bought one box out of the 100 or so I shot I had 3 stoppages that i cleared and paid no mind to the rounds until I loaded then again and noticed they were so out of spec that they would not allow the pistol to go fully in battery! I'm just glad the CZ won't fire out of battery otherwise it would have been a very bad day. Sent images and measurements to Winchester and got radio silence.
     
    Last edited:

    JR1572

    Well-Known Member
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    58   0   0
    Nov 30, 2008
    6,691
    48
    Madisonville, LA
    I was using these rounds in my G5 glocks using oem magazines. I did not have any issues at all.

    Now, I’ll let you folks in on a little secret:

    I clean and lube my pistols. I also make sure the magazines are properly maintained and are dirt/dust free. Sounds crazy but there is a trend on social media to brag about high round counts without cleaning and proper preventative maintenance. I’m not participating in that stupidity.

    I recently switched to blazer brass because I couldn’t find that forged stuff at the store by my house.
     

    JBP55

    La. CHP Instructor #409
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    338   0   0
    Apr 15, 2008
    16,999
    113
    Walker
    During the shortage I could not find 4,000 rounds of American Eagle and accepted 4,000 rounds of 124 Blazer Brass.
    No problem with firing after I inspected every round and tossed quite a few rounds that were much shorter than normal.
    I should have sent them back for a refund but needed ammunition at the time.

    I absolutely believe in Preventative Maintenance.
     

    sportsbud

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    50   0   0
    Jan 16, 2013
    1,608
    48
    NOLA
    I was using these rounds in my G5 glocks using oem magazines. I did not have any issues at all.

    Now, I’ll let you folks in on a little secret:

    I clean and lube my pistols. I also make sure the magazines are properly maintained and are dirt/dust free. Sounds crazy but there is a trend on social media to brag about high round counts without cleaning and proper preventative maintenance. I’m not participating in that stupidity.

    I recently switched to blazer brass because I couldn’t find that forged stuff at the store by my house.
    Preventive maintenance is something i practice but it can't help a round so it of spec the pistol won't go into battery and to have several in a pack? No it's not worth it...i trust the Russian ammo more than that junk...

    Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,710
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    I was using these rounds in my G5 glocks using oem magazines. I did not have any issues at all.

    Now, I’ll let you folks in on a little secret:

    I clean and lube my pistols. I also make sure the magazines are properly maintained and are dirt/dust free. Sounds crazy but there is a trend on social media to brag about high round counts without cleaning and proper preventative maintenance. I’m not participating in that stupidity.

    I recently switched to blazer brass because I couldn’t find that forged stuff at the store by my house.

    The G17 Gen5 was cleaned after some training a couple of weeks ago. The mags I was using had been loaded and shot maybe a dozen times or less. They were relatively new and weren't in the usual rotation. The Gen4 is a relatively new pistol with maybe a mag or 2 through it. I'm pretty sure I can rule out all 3 weapond dirty and all the magazines bad. I'm glad you didn't have any issues. I was hoping I wouldn't have.
     

    JR1572

    Well-Known Member
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    58   0   0
    Nov 30, 2008
    6,691
    48
    Madisonville, LA
    Preventive maintenance is something i practice but it can't help a round so it of spec the pistol won't go into battery and to have several in a pack? No it's not worth it...i trust the Russian ammo more than that junk...

    Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

    I guess I was just lucky then.
     

    JR1572

    Well-Known Member
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    58   0   0
    Nov 30, 2008
    6,691
    48
    Madisonville, LA
    The G17 Gen5 was cleaned after some training a couple of weeks ago. The mags I was using had been loaded and shot maybe a dozen times or less. They were relatively new and weren't in the usual rotation. The Gen4 is a relatively new pistol with maybe a mag or 2 through it. I'm pretty sure I can rule out all 3 weapond dirty and all the magazines bad. I'm glad you didn't have any issues. I was hoping I wouldn't have.

    Like I said above, I guess I’m just lucky.
     

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,710
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Like I said above, I guess I’m just lucky.

    You're not the only one. I've read a few positive reviews of the stuff. Maybe I go a bad lot. Or maybe the reviews weren't as honest as they claimed to be. I think I'm going to try to mix the steel with brass. One of one then one of the other. Maybe that will help them not stick so bad.
     

    machinedrummer

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Apr 5, 2010
    3,685
    113
    Kingwood, Tx
    Holy Ballistol Batman!! My sisters second cousin’s great nephews brothers next door neighbor knows someone that has a friend that makes YouTube videos that says you never have to clean a Glock. Boy was I mistaken. Take note all you non cleaning cool-aid drinkers out there. Clean your Glock or you will have malfunctions....pfhhh..
     

    RaleighReloader

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    32   0   0
    Jan 30, 2015
    1,177
    48
    Baton Rouge, LA
    Thanks for the review of the steel cased ammo. Like you, I see this at the shops and I'm tempted to pinch a few pennies.

    I've stuck with brass, though, especially with ammunition prices as cheap as they are right now. And I clean my guns. :-)

    Mike
     

    Beau Etienne

    Take a Card. Any Card.
    Premium Member
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Dec 29, 2009
    449
    28
    Breaux Bridge, LA
    I ordered 500 9mm rounds of it by mistake about a year ago.
    My SIG P6 and my CZ P10C had no problems at all with it. Didn't try them with any of my other nines.
    After reading the results of how extensive firing effects the gun being used, I don't think I will be getting more.
     

    Keith2

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
    139
    18
    Covington - Northshore
    That’s a shame... I’ve had that happen with ETC mags (Russian steel case Ammo), but in OEM Glock mags... Dang that’s bad!! I guess just spray it all down with Hornady dry case lube and burn it at a range day.
     
    Top Bottom