I have a Remington 700 SPS-V in .308. I have been shooting Hornady and Prvi Partizan ammo quite a bit. Recently, I've been looking at military surplus ammo just for when I'm target shooting (practicing). Any reviews on it?
Military Surplus
- Thread starter tanda10506
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Re: Military Surplus
Once I got some basic skills, surplus ammo just frustrated me. It's not nearly as accurate or consistent as match ammo so couldn't be sure if that flyer was me or the ammo? Once I was capable of shooting sub 1" groups, using 2MOA surplus wasn't helping me and 2-3" groups was the best I could get it to shoot out of my 700.
Once I got some basic skills, surplus ammo just frustrated me. It's not nearly as accurate or consistent as match ammo so couldn't be sure if that flyer was me or the ammo? Once I was capable of shooting sub 1" groups, using 2MOA surplus wasn't helping me and 2-3" groups was the best I could get it to shoot out of my 700.
Re: Military Surplus
The surplus stuff is great for semi-auto drills and the like. Maybe for a lot of bolt action rapid fire if you're practicing for competitions, like doing live fire dot drills for manipulation practice but don't want to shell out $1 a pop doing it. Don't expect anything more than 2-3moa accuracy out of it though, and fliers will be common too. If that isn't good enough for you, then don't bother with it.
Just make sure whatever you buy has non-corrosive primers unless you want to spend a lot of time cleaning afterward. The standard Lake City stuff is great for plinking.
The surplus stuff is great for semi-auto drills and the like. Maybe for a lot of bolt action rapid fire if you're practicing for competitions, like doing live fire dot drills for manipulation practice but don't want to shell out $1 a pop doing it. Don't expect anything more than 2-3moa accuracy out of it though, and fliers will be common too. If that isn't good enough for you, then don't bother with it.
Just make sure whatever you buy has non-corrosive primers unless you want to spend a lot of time cleaning afterward. The standard Lake City stuff is great for plinking.
G
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Re: Military Surplus
Everyone needs to know how and where standard ball ammo shoots in their stick. Anyone that's been at it long enough will tell you the day will come, when you will have to use it.
Lake City is about as good as anything out there but, Portuguese shoots the best for me.
Along time ago some lots of SB an NM ammo was if'y at best and we found one lot of TW ball that out performed either.
It's up to everyone to know what works and what won't when your std load ain't in the chamber anymore. Besides who makes specialty ammo that shoots to the same POA/POI as your base load?
Data books are not just for range and wind, it's for everything you may have to shoot. Military guys have open access to a lot of specialty bullets. A properly placed specialty can and has been a game changer.
Everyone needs to know how and where standard ball ammo shoots in their stick. Anyone that's been at it long enough will tell you the day will come, when you will have to use it.
Lake City is about as good as anything out there but, Portuguese shoots the best for me.
Along time ago some lots of SB an NM ammo was if'y at best and we found one lot of TW ball that out performed either.
It's up to everyone to know what works and what won't when your std load ain't in the chamber anymore. Besides who makes specialty ammo that shoots to the same POA/POI as your base load?
Data books are not just for range and wind, it's for everything you may have to shoot. Military guys have open access to a lot of specialty bullets. A properly placed specialty can and has been a game changer.
Re: Military Surplus
I'm assuming you do not reload.
My suggestion would be to consider starting, especially if you have kept your brass. Many here would probably laugh at my initial set up. A portable stand for the presses and a TV tray for the digital scale and powder measure wasn't the most efficient, but it was the only thing I could do while renting. However, the end result was higher quality ammo at a price lower than anything I could purchase in a store at that time.
You may not shoot enough for it to be worth your time, money, or effort. Just wanted to throw it out as a suggestion.
I'm assuming you do not reload.
My suggestion would be to consider starting, especially if you have kept your brass. Many here would probably laugh at my initial set up. A portable stand for the presses and a TV tray for the digital scale and powder measure wasn't the most efficient, but it was the only thing I could do while renting. However, the end result was higher quality ammo at a price lower than anything I could purchase in a store at that time.
You may not shoot enough for it to be worth your time, money, or effort. Just wanted to throw it out as a suggestion.
Re: Military Surplus
Porteguese shoots real good in my Steyr SSG...bought a couple of battle pacs for plinking....
Porteguese shoots real good in my Steyr SSG...bought a couple of battle pacs for plinking....
Re: Military Surplus
US Lake City if you can find it or Portugese is the only 7.62X51 surplus that I have found that is still available that shot decently. The rest is just not very good in any of the 7.62X51?308's I own.
US Lake City if you can find it or Portugese is the only 7.62X51 surplus that I have found that is still available that shot decently. The rest is just not very good in any of the 7.62X51?308's I own.
Re: Military Surplus
if you can find some lithunian m80 ball that stuff is killer, plus the brass is top notch
if you can find some lithunian m80 ball that stuff is killer, plus the brass is top notch
Re: Military Surplus
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bm11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Picked up a few hundred rounds of Brown Bear to see how it would shoot, and it isn't worth shooting. 3+ moa out of a 1/2 moa rifle. </div></div>
no kidding, i bought some Winchester NATO ammo from cabelas. i got<span style="font-weight: bold"> 6"</span> groupings from it, switched back to FGMM and got the normal 1/2" groupings im used to
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bm11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Picked up a few hundred rounds of Brown Bear to see how it would shoot, and it isn't worth shooting. 3+ moa out of a 1/2 moa rifle. </div></div>
no kidding, i bought some Winchester NATO ammo from cabelas. i got<span style="font-weight: bold"> 6"</span> groupings from it, switched back to FGMM and got the normal 1/2" groupings im used to
G
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Re: Military Surplus
There is a major difference between surplus, and Combat Rejected Ammo.
Most of the "Surplus" on the civi market is rejects. Issue Lake City gets me 1.5 - 2 moa, more than good enough for anything that walks or crawls.
Port, allows a 200yd longer stand off though.
There is a major difference between surplus, and Combat Rejected Ammo.
Most of the "Surplus" on the civi market is rejects. Issue Lake City gets me 1.5 - 2 moa, more than good enough for anything that walks or crawls.
Port, allows a 200yd longer stand off though.
Re: Military Surplus
Last weekend I shot some Portugese M80 ball ammo out of my 5R and I got 1.5 moa groups. I would rather shoot match ammo out of my sub 1 moa rifle.
Last weekend I shot some Portugese M80 ball ammo out of my 5R and I got 1.5 moa groups. I would rather shoot match ammo out of my sub 1 moa rifle.
Re: Military Surplus
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gunfighter14e2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Everyone needs to know how and where standard ball ammo shoots in their stick. Anyone that's been at it long enough will tell you the day will come, when you will have to use it.
</div></div>
This was true back when I had to de-link my ammo. Not any longer.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gunfighter14e2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Everyone needs to know how and where standard ball ammo shoots in their stick. Anyone that's been at it long enough will tell you the day will come, when you will have to use it.
</div></div>
This was true back when I had to de-link my ammo. Not any longer.
Re: Military Surplus
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tanda10506</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Remington 700 SPS-V in .308. I have been shooting Hornady and Prvi Partizan ammo quite a bit. Recently, I've been looking at military surplus ammo just for when I'm target shooting (practicing). Any reviews on it? </div></div>
Practicing is when accuracy is most important. Shooting surplus through a precision rifle will make it difficult for you to improve your skills. When you toss one it will be very difficult for you to tell if it was the rifle, you or the ammo. Learning to call your shots will help, but how do you learn to call your shots if you don't get proper feedback from a hole in the target?
I don't waste my time with surplus. I won't even waste my money on Prvi. If you need to roll cheap, reload. It's cheaper than Prvi, wolf, etc. and as accurate as any match ammo out there. You can reload at the kitchen table and store the rig in a pretty compact box when not in use.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tanda10506</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a Remington 700 SPS-V in .308. I have been shooting Hornady and Prvi Partizan ammo quite a bit. Recently, I've been looking at military surplus ammo just for when I'm target shooting (practicing). Any reviews on it? </div></div>
Practicing is when accuracy is most important. Shooting surplus through a precision rifle will make it difficult for you to improve your skills. When you toss one it will be very difficult for you to tell if it was the rifle, you or the ammo. Learning to call your shots will help, but how do you learn to call your shots if you don't get proper feedback from a hole in the target?
I don't waste my time with surplus. I won't even waste my money on Prvi. If you need to roll cheap, reload. It's cheaper than Prvi, wolf, etc. and as accurate as any match ammo out there. You can reload at the kitchen table and store the rig in a pretty compact box when not in use.
Re: Military Surplus
Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts.....
Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts.....
Re: Military Surplus
I have a big stock of the Portuguese for the FN FAL's and such. It shoots as well as any other surplus I have ever used, except the Hirtenberger. Comes in nice battle packs, too. Got mine at 12 cents a round though, now it's more like 50 cents a round. Might have to look for some of that Lithuanian, as I've heard a lot of good about it. There is still no subsitute for good handloads in an accurate rifle, though.
Gunfighter14e2 is right, however. It is good to know how various ammo will shoot in your rifle. Especially any/all of the ammo you have in that caliber, as well as a sample of anything you might have access to in the future. And log the results on all of it.
I have a big stock of the Portuguese for the FN FAL's and such. It shoots as well as any other surplus I have ever used, except the Hirtenberger. Comes in nice battle packs, too. Got mine at 12 cents a round though, now it's more like 50 cents a round. Might have to look for some of that Lithuanian, as I've heard a lot of good about it. There is still no subsitute for good handloads in an accurate rifle, though.
Gunfighter14e2 is right, however. It is good to know how various ammo will shoot in your rifle. Especially any/all of the ammo you have in that caliber, as well as a sample of anything you might have access to in the future. And log the results on all of it.
Re: Military Surplus
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Win308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts..... </div></div>
before I had a garage, I had a scrap piece of wood and a C-clamp.....
held it pretty well and no damage to the counter top....
I shot the Lithuanian stuff just to see what it would do....
it hovered around 1.5" at 100 yards.....
and hold overs to 400 yards are the same as my hand loaded 155's.... kinda convenient...
and the brass is nice, just a heavy ass crimp in it....
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Win308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts..... </div></div>
before I had a garage, I had a scrap piece of wood and a C-clamp.....
held it pretty well and no damage to the counter top....
I shot the Lithuanian stuff just to see what it would do....
it hovered around 1.5" at 100 yards.....
and hold overs to 400 yards are the same as my hand loaded 155's.... kinda convenient...
and the brass is nice, just a heavy ass crimp in it....
Re: Military Surplus
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Win308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts..... </div></div>
There are LOTS of methods to surface mount without drilling holes. I believe Sinclair even sells a table top stand.
Or you can get a Frankfort Arsenal stand and break it down when not in use. I have looked at one just to get more space on my bench.
Where there is a will there is a way.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Win308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yea, but the wifey won't be thrilled by the holes in the kitchen table for the two press mount bolts..... </div></div>
There are LOTS of methods to surface mount without drilling holes. I believe Sinclair even sells a table top stand.
Or you can get a Frankfort Arsenal stand and break it down when not in use. I have looked at one just to get more space on my bench.
Where there is a will there is a way.
Re: Military Surplus
I've had great success with the Hirtenberger also. I love that it came in the sealed 200 round battle packs. 5 to a heavy wooden case for long storage. Great stuff and my AR-10 loved it. Not so much luck with the other stuff. Waiting to get my scope back to try it in my 5R.
Seekers
I've had great success with the Hirtenberger also. I love that it came in the sealed 200 round battle packs. 5 to a heavy wooden case for long storage. Great stuff and my AR-10 loved it. Not so much luck with the other stuff. Waiting to get my scope back to try it in my 5R.
Seekers
Re: Military Surplus
I shoot Lake City and Potugese in my Miltary riles but my TRG 22 will nver see a round of either.
I shoot Lake City and Potugese in my Miltary riles but my TRG 22 will nver see a round of either.
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