How can one tell (by sight and/or feel) a steel case vs. a brass case when they are combined? I've been offered a very large lot of 30-30 brass for a pretty decent price, but have been told that there are steel cases mixed in. Looking at the lot - they all look the same to me. From what I can tell all headstamps are the same.

As I'm typing a thought came to me....would a magnet work?

I would bet that none of the 30-30 cases are steel!
Jim

The only steel cases I've seen are in military calibers such as 7.62x39 and some 7.62x54 R come to mind. Some people seem to be confused with nickel plated cases. I have heard nickeled cases refered to as steel and zinc cases when in fact they are a brass case with a thin layer of nickel to prevent corrosion.Most of the military steel cases have a laquer finish to prevent rusting.A magnet will detect the steel cases.

I don't believe a .30/30 case was ever made from steel in the U.S. I don't know about other countries, but I doubt it!

If in doubt use a magnet to check for steel cases.

I've heard that a brass case is the weakest part of a rifle chamber, that the chamber is good for hundreds of thousands of p.s.i. if it weren't for the brass flowing and rupturing. Would steel cases allow much higher safe chamber pressures than brass cases?

I guess the primer is next in line to blow out after the brass case, maybe first in line. How about Etronx primed steel cases?

H. C.

There was a company that was marketing brass with a steel case head and a replaceable brass body a few years back.Can't remember the name but I'm sure you would find them if you checked an old Handloaders Digest.

I believe they went by the name of "O'Connor (sp)
Steelhead".

Bob

That is correct. They were marketed by O'Connor Rifle Products. They were available for a short time only in the early '80s.
If anyone is interested I have 100 in .300 Winchester Mag. and also some in .270 Win. and .250 Savage