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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Rifles
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gpsb
.275 member


Reged: 17/03/08
Posts: 65
Loc: NJ
using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle
      #102853 - 19/04/08 07:24 AM

Hello Everyone,

Has anyone had any experience with using .30-06 army surplus ammo in their hunting rifles. This ammo is greek surplus ammo available from www.cheaperthandirt.com and is non corrosive, lead (not steel core) bullet. I would like to get some insight from experienced members on the forum about the Pros and Cons of using sucn ammo in a bolt action hunting rifle. Thanks.

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Paatti
.333 member


Reged: 18/01/07
Posts: 301
Loc: Finland
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting ri [Re: gpsb]
      #102854 - 19/04/08 07:38 AM

I think that it is ok to use on offhand training and also on hunting if it is accurate enough on your purposes and you cuold use fmj bullets.
One part of portugese 308 surplus ammo shoots sub moa groups when tested on my Sako Forester L579.

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xausa
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Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 2037
Loc: Tennessee, USA
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: gpsb]
      #102856 - 19/04/08 07:49 AM

I assume you are talking about using such ammunition for practice, rather than hunting, since FMJ bullets are generally illegal for hunting in most, if not all, states.

My experience with such ammunition dates back to my service in the military, but generally we experienced less bore wear and greater accuracy with the steel cored armor piercing ammunition than we did with the lead cored ball. I assume it is because the lead core of the ball ammunition would "set up" slightly while overcoming intertia as pressure built up in the cartridge case, while the steel cored rounds were impervious to the force of acceleration.

The comparable wear produced by the two types of bullets was conclusively proved by the markedly longer barrel life of machine gun barrels fired with AP as opposed to ball ammunition. We always used AP for requalification on the rifle range.

I see no down side to using cheap military surplus ammunition for practice and a real advantage to be gained if it promotes additional practice. Even corrosive ammunition can be used, provided appropriate cleaning measures are adopted and rigorously followed.

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tophet1
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Reged: 15/09/07
Posts: 1873
Loc: NSW, Australia
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: xausa]
      #102862 - 19/04/08 08:24 AM

Is that a universal rule for all states in the USA ? FMJ are legal in most other countries and I think that is where Paatti was coming from.

FMJ's are great for head shots if shooting for the pot.

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gpsb
.275 member


Reged: 17/03/08
Posts: 65
Loc: NJ
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: tophet1]
      #102866 - 19/04/08 09:47 AM

Sorry I forgot to add above, the use of surplus ammo (.30-06) for target practice and not for hunting. My question is weather it is safe to use it in bolt action hunting rifles. Does the ammo being surplus have any fit issues in the chambers of commercial bolt action rifle as it is specifically designed to cycle in military semi auto weapons. Thanks

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bigger_is_best
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Reged: 16/01/07
Posts: 82
Loc: Australia
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: gpsb]
      #102911 - 19/04/08 04:10 PM

The only cartridge I can remember that is supposed to be different in dimensions between military and civilian is the 5.56 x 45 / .223 Remington. In the late 1970's or early 1980's SAAMI warned of chambering differences between military and comercial arms that could cause increased presure if military ammo was used in comercial rifles.
I have just run a dial calipre over a number of rounds in my collection, and yes, the neck on military stuff is greater in diameter/thickness than comercial amo, BUT all the rounds I have, including some Vietnam era Remington UMC and more modern military from the US, Australia and europe are all below the maximum for the cartridge (.253 acording to cartridges of the world).
In Australia we have lost our semi-auto and military derived rifles, but large amounts of ex military amo is still sold. I have used several thousands of rounds myself with no issues. Rounds I have used include .303 British (what else in ozzy land), .308 Winchester, 30-06, 8mm Mauser, 6.5x52 Carcano, 7.62x39 russian, and 223 Remington. Rifles range from old Muaser conversions to new comercial rifles, all bolt action.
The only points I will make is that sometimes unscrupulous dealers will sell off doubtfull amo, including one lot of 8mm that I sourced that turned out to be cleaned machinegun belt, (exciting to see tracer go out after rabits), and a batch of 30-06 that I later heard was recovered from an Argentinian ship that had sunk. Although nicely cleaned, it showed a great desire to split, hangfire, detonate with much noise and pressure signs, or fail to go off at all. When left alone for a while it developed a bad case of corrosion similar to that seen from salt water.
If it comes from a reputable source and is in reasonable shape ex mil ammo is excelent for practice on targets or on small animals (rabits make excelent practice, and rarely run off after being hit even though it is FMJ ball ammo)
Get some cheap and knock yourself out, great fun for not much more than rimfire costs.

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26531
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: bigger_is_best]
      #102929 - 19/04/08 10:02 PM

Any '06 issue ammo can be fired in any .30/06 Sporting rifle. Pre WW11 and some post WW11 may have corrosive primers though and require a water soluable solvent to cleanout the salts or murcuric fouling. These are not touched by most modern solvents. Hoppe's #9 PLUS comes to mind as being suitable.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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ducota
.275 member


Reged: 27/04/07
Posts: 75
Loc: Portugal
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: DarylS]
      #103250 - 23/04/08 02:32 AM

Some years ago I was given plenty of surplus 30-06 ammos (from the Portuguese army) but I gave up shooting them because of the mercuric primers and the trouble it was to get the barrels cleaned.

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9.3x57
.450 member


Reged: 22/04/07
Posts: 5504
Loc: United States
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: ducota]
      #103283 - 23/04/08 12:03 PM

Greek HXP ammo in both .303 and .30-06 calibers is generally known to be excellent quality. Really top notch.

The Greek HXP I am familiar with is non-corrosive and of quality comparable to US factory sporting ammo, very good indeed. Boxer-primed and easy to reload.

As far as other, corrosive primed ammo is concerned, it is no big deal.

Removing corrosive primer residue is a cinch and no problem at all. Warm/hot soapy water removes the corrosive salts.

My procedure is to run a wet patch soaked in Hoppe's #9 thru the bore to get rid of the nitro residue, then run a dry patch run thru.

Then the muzzle of the rifle can be inserted in a large coffee can half full of hot soapy water {dish or clothes detergent, or any easily diluted soap} and a cleaning rod with patch run in and out of the bore, sucking the solution into the bore.

Do that a few times, making sure the solution gets to the chamber.

Dry the bore and then run an oily patch thru it. Easy schmeazy.

I have shot lots of corrosive ammo over the years and never had a rust issue at all.

--------------------
What are the Rosary, the Cross or the Crucifix other than tools to help maintain the fortress of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

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Plains99
.300 member


Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 225
Loc: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
Re: using army surplus .30-06 ammo in bolt action hunting rifle [Re: 9.3x57]
      #103318 - 23/04/08 11:19 PM

I use FMJ .30-06 and 8X57mm for predator control, feral hog and coyote hunting because it is cheaper to shoot, drills nice little neat holes, and kills very effectively... but not for deer because it is illegal. The other reason I use FMJ military loads in 8mm is because it is as hot as .30-06 which domestic 8mm sporting ammunition is not. I have some Greek stuff in 8mm and .30-06 that is really good, accurate ammunition. I would think that the stuff would be great for dingo and kangaroo control shooting as well.

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