No Comments At the end of 2023, Magtech released a new load in their ammo lineup: Magtech Steel Case 9mm. This new addition comes at a time when steel-cased ammo availability is drying up due to government sanctions. Many shooters equate steel-cased ammo with being unreliable, but I wanted to put this new round to the test and collect some velocity data along the way.
Keep reading to see how the new round stacks up in this Magtech Steel Case 9mm review.
Magtech Steel Case 9mm Review Quick Facts
- Magtech Steel Case 9mm loads the rounds with 115gr. and 124gr. FMJ bullets with lead cores and full copper jackets, zinc-plated casings, and boxer primers
- At the range, I experienced a failure to feed in a Glock 48 and in a Hi-Point 995 Carbine but no other malfunctions
- The rounds were noticeably cleaner than other steel-cased options, likely because the rounds are polished and not lacquered
- Velocities were slightly faster from the Magtech Steel Case 9mm over the Magtech Brass Case 9mm
- Magtech Steel Case 9mm is a more affordable option than brass-cased ammo because it
Magtech Steel Case 9mm Specifications
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Magtech 9mm 124gr. Steel Case | |
|---|---|---|
| Bullet Type | Lead core, full copper jacket | Lead core, full copper jacket |
| Bullet Weight | 115gr. | 124gr. |
| Case | Steel | Steel |
| Primer | Small Pistol Primer 1 1/2 | Small Pistol Primer 1 1/2 |
| Ballistic Coefficient | 0.144 | 0.16 |
The two new rounds from Magtech use 115 grain and 124 grain full metal jacket bullets with a lead core and full copper jacket. The steel casings are zinc-plated and polished rather than lacquered, making it cleaner than most steel-cased options. Magtech Steel Case 9mm uses boxer primers, differentiating it from the majority of steel-cased ammo that uses berdan primers.
Because the round uses steel cases, shooters can expect to pay less for it than brass-cased ammo. Steel-cased ammo is cheaper to produce, which means the savings ultimately get passed on to the shooter.
As of writing this, Magtech has yet to release the 124 grain version of the new round. This Magtech Steel Case 9mm review will be focusing primarily on the 115 grain loading.
Magtech Steel Case 9mm Range Performance
Now, let’s take a look at how the round performed at the range.
Reliability
At the range, I put the new 115 grain steel-cased round through three pistols: the Glock 19, Glock 48, and Sig Sauer P365XL. I also ran it through two pistol caliber carbines: the Ruger PC Carbine and the Hi-Point 995 Carbine. For each gun I shot through about 20 rounds each.
The rounds ran flawlessly through the Glock 19 and Sig P365XL, however, I had one failure to feed malfunction in the Glock 48. When I purposely fired rounds with a loose grip to induce a malfunction, everything ran flawlessly.
I had no malfunctions out of the Ruger PC Carbine, but had one failure to feed with the Hi-Point 995 Carbine. The Hi-Point uses an internal recoil bumper in its stock which has a good bit of give. My suspicion is this caused the failure to feed.
Accuracy
As far as accuracy goes, the Magtech Steel case 9mm had no noticeable accuracy issues out of any of the guns I tried it in.
I had no problem hitting small steel targets at 15 yards out of any of the pistols used. With both iron sight pistol caliber carbines, I was able to consistently hit a 6” steel plate at 110 yards.
Of course, every gun is different, so you may find that it doesn’t run as accurately in your own gun.
Magtech Steel Case 9mm Velocity Testing
| Round | Gun | Barrel Length | Low Velocity (fps) | High Velocity (fps) | Average Velocity (fps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Smith & Wesson M&P Pro | 5" | 1196 | 1230 | 1214.4 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Brass Case | Smith & Wesson M&P Pro | 5" | 1105 | 1223 | 1164.8 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Glock 19X | 4.02" | 1143 | 1192 | 1162.6 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Brass Case | Glock 19X | 4.02" | 1086 | 1158 | 1113.6 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Sig Sauer P365XL | 3.7" | 1115 | 1149 | 1136.4 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Brass Case | Sig Sauer P365XL | 3.7" | 1056 | 1164 | 1104.2 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Hi-Point 995 Carbine | 16.5" | 1373 | 1386 | 1380.6 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Brass Case | Hi-Point 995 Carbine | 16.5" | 1328 | 1365 | 1350 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Steel Case | Ruger PC Carbine | 16.12" | 1310 | 1375 | 1356.6 |
| Magtech 9mm 115gr. Brass Case | Ruger PC Carbine | 16.12" | 1309 | 1340 | 1322 |
Next up, I wanted to see how the round’s muzzle velocities compared to its advertised muzzle velocities as well as the muzzle velocities of its brass-cased counterpart.
Magtech advertises the muzzle velocity of the steel-cased 115 grain FMJ as 1135 fps out of a 4-inch barrel. My 5-shot average out of a Glock 19x, which has a 4.02” barrel, was only slightly faster at 1162.6 fps.
With pistol barrel lengths ranging from 3.7” to 5”, all velocities of the steel cased rounds clocked in between 1115 and 1230 fps. This is just slightly faster than the brass cases which came in between 1050 and 1223 fps.
Out of the two pistol caliber carbines with barrel lengths of 16.12” and 16.5”, velocities ranged from 1310 to 1386 fps. Once again, the steel-cased rounds tended to move faster than the brass-cased.
Despite Magtech advertising the steel and brass cased 115gr. rounds as having identical velocities, the steel-cased rounds moved at a faster speed with all guns tested.
Russian Ammo Ban & Steel-Cased Ammo
The Biden Administration imposed sanctions on Russia in 2021, restricting importation of Russian firearms and ammunition. Because much of the steel-cased ammo on the market, like Tula and Wolf, comes from Russia, there will be no more imported once the final shipments come in.
So long as the sanctions aren’t reversed, this seems like the perfect time for Magtech to come in with the more economically priced steel-cased 9mm rounds.
If you’re looking for an affordable steel-cased 9mm option, the Magtech Steel Case 9mm 115gr. is an excellent option.
