XM118 Specail Ball accuracy

[scatsob]

I found some available for less than $1 a round and since I am on a tight budget it is very appealing. I searched google and here and didn't find much. Anyone have any practical experience with this ammo. I know it is not as good at the newer "LR" stuff but is it worth it or should I just save another hundred and get some HSM match ammo? Thanks in advance.

 

[sinister]

M118 Special Ball was 173-grain 7.62mm rifle ammunition produced at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant that could no longer hold US military match rifle accuracy, thus the ammo had to be re-labeled.

"Special Ball" accuracy ran from good to just OK.

 

[AirCavBob]

It’s crap for accuracy to be honest. Makes decent Mexican match if you pull the projectiles and stuff 175 SMK’s in them. It’s the bullet that makes it shoot so bad.

 

[seanh]

What is your intent with this ammo? If all you're doing is shooting steel or a weekend of fun paper punching, get it. If you're looking for true match accuracy to see what you're gun will do, get it, shoot it then use the brass to reload and find out what it will do.

I'd have no problem using it but consider what it is with the results from grouping.

What is your intent with this ammo?

 

[jetmd]

What is the headstamp on the brass?

 

[blair]

That's a great price. I would get some, of course, depending on your proposed use.

 

[scatsob]

What is your intent with this ammo? If all you're doing is shooting steel or a weekend of fun paper punching, get it. If you're looking for true match accuracy to see what you're gun will do, get it, shoot it then use the brass to reload and find out what it will do.

I'd have no problem using it but consider what it is with the results from grouping.

What is your intent with this ammo?

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I am just a weekend shooter but I don't want to be frustrated by "flyers" that may or may not be me. All I have near me is a 200 yard range so I shoot for groups.

 

[scatsob]

What is the headstamp on the brass?

I don't know what the headstamp is but on the side of the box is LC-93A197-002.

 

[seanh]

buy them then weigh them and separate accordingly. You'll probably find that each weight difference will group in a different area...probably still MOA or better.

At the going rate, 1.40-1.60 per round...and you find it at less than a buck a round...get it, shoot it and keep all your brass...use it for reloading, if you don't reload- start.

If you're looking for precision then you need to reload...you'll get inexpensive round price and the accuracy/consistency you're looking for.

 

[tylerw02]

buy them then weigh them and separate accordingly. You'll probably find that each weight difference will group in a different area...probably still MOA or better.

At the going rate, 1.40-1.60 per round...and you find it at less than a buck a round...get it, shoot it and keep all your brass...use it for reloading, if you don't reload- start.

If you're looking for precision then you need to reload...you'll get inexpensive round price and the accuracy/consistency you're looking for.

What do you base the notion that segregating loaded rounds by weight will improve accuracy?

Do you know if the weight variation is in the brass, the powder, the bullet, or the primer? Or a combination of all these factors?

Personal experience and logic suggests segregating loaded rounds by weight is foolish.

 

[seanh]

I base this on the experience of weighing a couple thousand different economy rounds over the years. What I found is that you can limit fliers by grouping the rounds by weight. You'll still likely have poor groups compared to FGMM but that odd flier way outside seems to be significantly limited.

Peruvian match is another good one to look at...don't know how it compares to the xm118....from my experience the Peruvian match is worth the money if you can find it at a reasonable price.

Scat...if you want to really limit your fliers, you'll need quality amo. You can either buy it or make it yourself. I'd say, save your dollars and buy yourself at least a single stage press, maybe even an arbor press type....you can save a bunch of money by reloading your own

 

[RyanScott]

I have 38 boxes of it, but have never fired it, probably going to just sell it. My gunsmith says that in his rifles it shoots 1 minute.

 

[Redmanss]

I put probably around 25k of this stuff downrange while I was active, and spotted for around the same amount or more as well. Inside 800 yards, on a budget, it's not too bad provided you're not shooting in a competition and don't let fliers get in your head too much. If you go beyond that though, it hits transonic and is pure shit. Like can't hardly hold minute-of-man shit. If your purpose fits and it's in good condition, then I say go for it. The brass is worth it at that price anyhow.

 

[downhill]

It will probably shoot better than any other round a buck a piece. It will work fine for 200yds.

 

[kraigWY]

I've shot tons of it. As the machinery for M118 (white box) started wearing out they stuck them in brown boxes and called it Special Ball, for sniper use (sic). Military teams made Mexican match out of M118 already. They demanded better bullets so the M852 came out (168 SMKs), we still Mexican Matched that for 1000 yard shooting.

When we first started getting 852 we found some guns didn't like it, some did. We had two types of barrels in our M14s, the Military Match 4 grove barrel and the Barnett Douglas based 6 grove barrels. The Douglas barrels like the SMKs, the 4 grove barrels didn't. The 4 grove military barrels liked the 173s better then the SMKs. At the time we getting a mix, some M118, some M852. I started issuing my rifle team two rifles, so they could shoot what ever we got.

In making Mexican match I ended up with 1000s of pulled 173s. Was going to sell them then decided to save them for offhand practice. But then I got into the CMP's vintage rifle shooting. I found these 173s worked good in the old military rifles (M1903s, M1917s and Garand). They really worked great in the two grove Springfield barrels. I just loaded my last several hundred last week.

Anyway if you have the M118 Special Ball and want to shoot them in matches, Buy some SMKs and Mexican match them. If you can get a 4 grove military barrel, shoot them as is.

As to $1 a piece...not me. I still have a few hundred hanging around, I'll use them for offhand practice or plinking out of my FAL, but I certainly wouldn't buy any. Not even worth making Mexican match for me now, Since I'm retired and have to fund my own shooting now, I'll just bite the bullet, buy Winchester brass and Sierra bullets. My M1A and Model 70 target rifle sure likes that combo.