Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

[Database]

I have a Howa 1500 in .308 that I want to get rebarreled. I found a local gunsmith to do the rebarrel, but as we were talking I told him about the ammo I have been shooting. Which is the cheap German surplus DAG 7.62, and he immediately refused to do the rebarrel until I promised to not shoot it through the new barrel. He says that the ammo is bad for the barrel chamber and rifling. I buy it because I am a college student, so I can't afford to shot as much with regular ammo, and can't exactly re-load in my dorm room. Now I know it isn't match ammo or anything, but it can't be that bad when I am getting groups like this out of it at 100 yards.

So my question. Is this DAG ammo really that bad for your rifle? If it is I guess I am going to have to either not rebarrel, or just buy better ammo and shoot less.

 

[Tactical22]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

It shoots good for me, too

I shot it exclusively at a class with John Mcphee recently, and it did acceptably well out to about 600. I shoot it through an 18" lightweight chrome lined barrel on a semiauto, though, so my precision expectations are not very high.

Where are you finding it these days? I have not seen it for sale in bulk recently.

 

[Database]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

The United States Shooting Academy has stock piles of it, I think the only reason they still have any is because they don't sell it online, you have to walk in to the range store to get it.

 

[Tactical22]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

Lucky you.

 

[ORD]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

If you run a search of the Hide using the linked Google search engine in my sig line below, there have been a couple of threads on the Cupronickel bullets loaded in the DAG surplus ammo that hit the market a while back.

Because of the bullets in this surplus ammo, they have the POTENTIAL to cause barrel damage if the fouling is not properly removed after shooting the ammo through your rifle. You need chemicals to deal with BOTH copper fouling and nickel fouling to ensure that you remove it all. If the nickel is not removed properly, my understanding is that it reacts badly with the steel of the barrel leading to "lumpy" deposits/rust spots in the bore. Again, if you run a search, you should turn up a good deal of additional info on the specific concerns with the DAG/Cupronickel ammo.

Again...it is your rifle and your money so do as you please. You have to weigh the money saved by buying cheaper ammo against the money you may spend to rebarrel your rifle (again) if the ammo irreparably fouls the barrel due to nickel deposits/rust/etc.

Out of curiosity, how much are you paying per round (delivered to your door or out the door of your local shop) for the DAG stuff? Depending on your answer, we may be able to suggest some alternatives that won't cost you so much as to keep you from shooting but won't have the possible negative effects of the DAG.

 

[Database]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

I am paying 50 cents a round for the DAG right now.

 

[Database]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

I did some reading thanks to the Sniper's Hide google search you sent me, and it seems that the worry is the "lumpy" deposits. I have at least 600 rounds of the DAG (If not more) through the rifle, and have yet to see any signs of lumps in the bore. And some of what i read seemed to say that part of the problem with the old Cupronickel rounds from the old days (before WW2) was that corrosive primers, and dirtier powders may have been part of the problem.

 

[FNARSHOOTER]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

My question is if those groups are to your likeing why are you rebarreling? That said why would you shoot cheap stuff thru a new barrel?Would be cheaper to buy a factory weapon and rock on with cheap ammo.

 

[Database]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

I have no problem with the accuracy of the barrel, at least when its cool. Its a thin sporter profile, and gets hot really quick (especially in the blistering Oklahoma summer heat) and the groups start to open up. Call me impatient, but I don't like having to wait for the barrel to cool. I should have bought the rifle with the stock bull barrel Howa offers.

 

[RWSGunsmithing]

Re: Surplus DAG 7.62 Ammo

I would go with a little looser chamber like a standard 308 chamber and not a match chamber and then have the barrel melonited.

Give me a call or a email if you woul like to discuss.

Robert