Some guns run like sewing machines—as long as you feed them brass. Switch to steel or aluminum-cased ammo, and suddenly you’re clearing stovepipes, fighting failures to extract, or worse, dealing with sheared rims. It’s not always about poor ammo, either. Some platforms are built tight or rely on softer casings to cycle properly. Others have extractors that don’t play nice with harder case materials.
If you’re running a gun that’s picky, it pays to know it up front. When brass prices spike or supply gets thin, these are the guns that start giving you headaches.
SIG Sauer P365
The P365 is reliable with good brass ammo, but steel and aluminum often cause hiccups. The gun’s tight tolerances and small frame don’t leave a lot of wiggle room when extraction gets sticky.
Some shooters report issues with certain steel-cased rounds failing to eject cleanly, especially when the gun’s dirty. It’s manageable if you stick with clean, high-quality brass, but start mixing in budget ammo and you’ll likely see it stumble.
Ruger SR9
The SR9 was built with performance in mind, but it tends to be picky when it comes to case material. It likes brass, especially full-power loads. Switch to steel or lower-pressure aluminum and extraction issues show up fast.
The extractor isn’t aggressive enough for some steel casings, and the chamber doesn’t always forgive dirt or fouling. If you’re using it for training, budget accordingly—this one runs best on good stuff.
Beretta 92FS
The 92FS is a proven platform, but it prefers brass. Steel-cased ammo often causes problems with feeding or fails to extract cleanly due to the gun’s open-slide design and specific chamber dimensions.
If you keep it clean and oiled, it can tolerate a few mags of cheap stuff. But over time, fouling builds, and steel starts dragging. For smooth cycling and consistent ejection, it runs best on NATO-spec or decent brass-cased rounds.
Kimber 1911s
Kimber makes some tight 1911s—and that’s part of the problem. They run great on quality brass, especially once broken in. But throw in some steel-cased or aluminum ammo, and you may start seeing failures to return to battery or extractor tension issues.
The tighter the fit, the less forgiving it is with dirty or underpowered rounds. You can tune them, but right out of the box, Kimber 1911s aren’t happy with anything other than decent brass.
Walther PPS M2
The PPS M2 is a solid carry pistol, but it’s not a fan of steel-cased ammo. The slide velocity and extractor tension seem to favor brass, and low-pressure loads can leave casings sticking in the chamber.
You’ll feel the difference on the range. Brass cycles smooth and clean, but the cheap stuff often brings short strokes or stovepipes. For a defensive pistol, that kind of inconsistency makes it hard to trust anything but quality brass.
FN FNS-9
The FNS-9 runs great—when fed brass. It doesn’t play nice with steel-cased ammo, especially in extended range sessions. The extractor struggles under fouling, and aluminum cases can short stroke or fail to eject cleanly.
It’s a good pistol, but like many striker-fired guns with tight chambers and smooth feed ramps, it wants a certain level of quality in its ammo. Cheap practice rounds will probably lead to more malfunctions than you want to deal with.
CZ 75 Compact
The CZ 75 platform is usually known for reliability, but the Compact models can get temperamental with steel. The internal slide rails make it run slick, but also a bit sensitive to dirty casings and underpowered loads.
Brass cycles fine, even when things get a little fouled. Steel or aluminum? That’s where you start getting stovepipes or failures to extract. Some people polish the feed ramp or tune the extractor, but from the factory, brass is the safe bet.
Springfield XD-S
The XD-S is slim, lightweight, and very ammo-sensitive. It handles brass with no issues, but introduce steel or aluminum and the narrow profile starts working against you. There’s less mass in the slide, which means short-stroking becomes more common with lower-pressure rounds.
You’ll notice more failures when running anything that doesn’t have enough push. This is one of those guns where you really want to test your carry ammo and stay away from bargain-bin steel for training.
H&K VP9
The VP9 is well-made, but it’s been known to stumble on steel-cased rounds. The recoil spring and extractor were designed for standard-pressure brass ammo, and it doesn’t love dirty casings or low-powered imports.
Some shooters get through a box of steel just fine, but it’s inconsistent. For a defensive or duty gun, that’s not acceptable. It runs great with brass and stays smooth even after hundreds of rounds—if you feed it the right stuff.
SIG Sauer SP2022
The SP2022 is often overlooked, but it’s solid. That said, it’s another one that doesn’t like anything outside of brass. Steel and aluminum both tend to create problems with extraction and feeding under heavy use.
The polymer frame and light slide don’t absorb inconsistency well. You’ll feel the cycling change, and you might start seeing stoppages once things get a little dirty. Stick with brass if you want this one to run how it’s meant to.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
