Surplus .30-06

[1943m1garand]

Sorry if this has been addressed before and I was not sure where else to post this, but being the reloading section, I'm sure the learned people here can provide an answer.

I was sorting my surplus .30-06 which is a variety of Greek, Korean, and I think even a little older U.S. ammo. In any event I also have a small stash of black-tipped .30-06 that is made by FN. When I ran my magnet over the bullet, it was, as expected, strongly attracted to the magnet.

Then I checked the rest of my non-black-tipped ammo and magnet was also attracted to the bullet. Why is this happening? I was under the impression that only M855, M2AP, ComBloc 7.62 was steel cored? Can ammunition be steel-cored but not be AP. I just ask because many of the ranges I shoot at have become very serious about prohibiting AP ammo and I don't want to get in trouble. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

 

[packratt]

Re: Surplus .30-06

The black tip is definately steel core AP. IIRC some of the old surplus used a copper washed steel jacket.

 

[1943m1garand]

Re: Surplus .30-06

Thanks. I wish I had a saw to cut one of them open so I can tell what the hell is going on.

 

[Hummer]

Re: Surplus .30-06

If you pull one and can get the jacket off you will have a great center punch. Guy came down a couple years ago and shot 105 rounds of 50 cal AP in my backstop at 600 yards. Thought I had center punches for life. Found ONE ! ! ! ! ! rest buried themselves too deep to get to.
You can turn jacket off with a lathe.

US GI steel jacket has a heavy coat of brass. Foreign stuff is known to be thinner.
take care of your brass, won't be any more.

 

[trobertson5-0]

Re: Surplus .30-06

Lots of U.S. and foreign surplus had copper washed steel jackets,the mild steel acts like a regular FMJ but usually ranges that are anal about AP ammo won't let you use any ammunition that attracts a magnet.

The FN black tip is of course real AP. Also be aware that even really late headstamped FN stuff I have is corrosive. U.S. stuff after about 51 is all non corrosive but FN was corrosive into the late 60's at least. TJR

 

[1943m1garand]

Re: Surplus .30-06

Thanks for the great info. Some of the places I shoot at like the magnet test so this information is very helpful.

Also I really appreciate the information at FN. I always assumed that anything made after the Korean war was GTG, but now I am going to be more careful and stick with the Greek and Korean ammo that I know is non-corrosive. This is all the more important becuase I don't believe in cleaning!

 

[nicholst55]

Re: Surplus .30-06

Being a pessimist, I just assume that any foreign milsurp or military-style ammo is corrosive. Until I have proven otherwise, anyway. I'd rather spend a few minutes cleaning the bore, bolt face, and muzzle with water and find out later that it wasn't necessary, than <span style="font-style: italic">not</span>, and find out that it <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">was!</span></span>

 

[bohem]

Re: Surplus .30-06

That Korean ammo has been known to blow up garands. I have a friend who shoots CMP and runs the greek stuff a lot. He saves the brass and gives the brass to me at a killer price.

He said he has seen 1 instance of Korean ammo causing a very dangerous failure on the line during a match. Nobody was seriously injured, but the rifle was trash.

My dad seconded that reminder, he spends a lot of time shooting CR and BPCR stuff. Korean stuff is dangerous.

The ammo you have that's steel jacketed isn't going to hurt your rifle but you probably will get headaches trying to shoot it at most places that check ammo.

Save that black tipped stuff or send it to me. I'll replace it with non-AP's for you. They're worth too much to be just plinking around with.

 

[1943m1garand]

Re: Surplus .30-06

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bohem</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That Korean ammo has been known to blow up garands. I have a friend who shoots CMP and runs the greek stuff a lot. He saves the brass and gives the brass to me at a killer price.

He said he has seen 1 instance of Korean ammo causing a very dangerous failure on the line during a match. Nobody was seriously injured, but the rifle was trash.

My dad seconded that reminder, he spends a lot of time shooting CR and BPCR stuff. Korean stuff is dangerous.

The ammo you have that's steel jacketed isn't going to hurt your rifle but you probably will get headaches trying to shoot it at most places that check ammo.

Save that black tipped stuff or send it to me. I'll replace it with non-AP's for you. They're worth too much to be just plinking around with.</div></div>

Thanks for the head's up on the Korean ammo, 90 percent of what I have is Greek so I'll stick with that.

I know that black-tipped AP is pretty rare and expensive now. I think I'll hold onto it. Thanks for the offer though. :0