Military Grade Ammo in a Modern Rifle

[mjk21]

All,

Ammo availability being what it is today. Does anyone have experience or history using military grade ammo in a Remington 30-06, concerned about anything that might come up not using commercial grade factory ammo?

Thanks for any feedback?

Mjk21

 

[Don Fischer]

What makes you think military ammo is any easier to get? Might be but I'd think it's also in short supply. Military ammo has crimped primers and full metal jacket bullets. The military used them to kill the enemy, what makes you think they might do less on an animal? What ever bullet's you shoot, brand or intended purpose of the bullet, use it right and it will most likely kill what you shoot it at! Years ago a friend and I tried some 50 gr Hornady SX's out of his 22-250. Thing about them then is you were warned that at 3500 fps they would come apart in the air! We tried it out and sure enough they would come apart in the air. But the same bullet from my 222 Rem fired just below the ear into a deer killed a deer. What ever saving grace you think the bullet's you use has, they don't unless you used them the way they were intended to be used. Then there's the fragile bullet's and don't believe for one second that if you use it just right they won't kill well beyond their design! Maybe said that wrong, don't believe for one sec if you use it wrong, just right, it won't kill!

 

[JustJay]

All,

Ammo availability being what it is today. Does anyone have experience or history using military grade ammo in a Remington 30-06, concerned about anything that might come up not using commercial grade factory ammo?

Thanks for any feedback?

Mjk21

Pressure, and headspace..

 

[mjk21]

Thanks for the replies, appreciate the information. As for availability, its available from fellow veterans I'm in contact with, I only shot the stuff while I was in and on weapons issued to me, I wasn't an armory guy or ballistics expert, my work was elsewhere blowing things up. I've got a supply of factory stuff I've saved for this fall and will rely on it for meat on the table.

Thanks again.

 

[Foxtrot1]

It is generally safe to shoot in a modern rifle. Military cases are thicker, reducing case capacity. They are not usually loaded as hot as a commercial round, because they were designed for use in 03s and garands. Depending on age, the primers may be corrosive. Clean well after range time. The bullets are nonexpanding so may not be legal for big game hunting. Check your local regs.

 

[antelopedundee]

I saw somewhere that due to our decreased presence in Afghanistan that someone was actually disassembling military ammo and the bullets were showing up for sale.

 

[coleslaw]

Price is likely going to climb higher now that Russian ammo imports are banned, causing a higher demand on an elready exhausted domestic mil-spec market.
Nothing wrong with old mil-spec ammo, just watch out for corrosive primers if you don't want to be cleaning with Windex.
I would hughly recommend not using as hunting ammo.

 

[338win]

I cant imagine any mil 06 ammo still in circulation being safe or useful with powder breakdown. I thought the last 30 cal ammo was made for the Vietnam War when we used the last of the browning 30 cals.

 

[Big Slick]

I have some 172 grain 30-06 match grade bullets that are military from the Korea war era. They are not full metal jacketed.

 

[std7mag]

I've got a handfull of 1971 Greek 06' ammo.
But i wouldn't use it on game.
FMJ.
Check your state laws first. Most don't allow FMJ for hunting.

Second would be, it's FMJ. It doesn't expand.
Hunting ammo isn't overseen by a collaboration of foreign governments that set 1917 rules about what was humane to soldiers on the battlefield.

The Geneva Accords don't help you kill a deer/antelope/elk cleanly.

 

[Durango Mike]

I have some 172 grain 30-06 match grade bullets that are military from the Korea war era. They are not full metal jacketed.

That stuff is usually loaded with 172 grain hollow point match, sometimes Sierra, sometimes another manufacturer who had the low bid, often lake city manufactured, usually around 2700 fps, and was very accurate in my service rifles.

 

[MO Betta]

I've got a handfull of 1971 Greek 06' ammo.
But i wouldn't use it on game.
FMJ.
Check your state laws first. Most don't allow FMJ for hunting.

Second would be, it's FMJ. It doesn't expand.
Hunting ammo isn't overseen by a collaboration of foreign governments that set 1917 rules about what was humane to soldiers on the battlefield.

The Geneva Accords don't help you kill a deer/antelope/elk cleanly.

Hague but you are mostly correct on this.

 

[std7mag]

Hague but you are mostly correct on this.

Thank You!
I knew it was something different, but couldn't remember what.

There was a reason that some used to cut a cross in the point of the bullet with their knives.
Against the rules, but done none the less.