Need ammo advice: 7.62X51 surplus

[Grayfox]

Some years ago I stocked up on surplus 7.62X51 ammo and its lasted me quite a while. But now its time to buy some more and I'm not familar with any that's being currently offered. Prices are also way up there, so I plan to buy about 1000 rounds so it will last me a while.
I need to know what's good, what's bad, what's worth the money and which ones are reloadable.
Here's what I've found to be currently avaliable which I can afford:
South African
Serbian
Pakastain
Lithuania
Yugoslavia

While I'd love to buy U.S. Lake City, its out of my price range.
I've also heard more than enough to know to avoid the Indian crap.

Ok, folks, opinions and experience please. Which one to buy?

 

[nobody_special]

I've heard good things about Prvi Partisan. The Lithuanian that recently became available is of recent manufacture and should also be good.

Personally, I got a few cases of Indian ('74 and '75 OFV) back when it was ~$0.25/rd., and it's pretty good... worth getting but only if cheap (if you can find it... I can't). Just avoid anything manufactured later than about 1980 or so.

The Pakistani and SA ammo is Berdan primed and not reloadable. The Prvi and Lithuanian are Boxer primed.

Look here: http://www.m14firinglineforum.com/upload/showthread.php?t=23308

 

[jimbob1911]

aim has silver bear right now and it prob wont last long as it is the cheapest currently available at around 300/1000

not the best but the most economical

 

[MIL-DOT]

where have you found the south african ? i was getting battle packs of it at the range on fort benning a while ago for $27 ( got ONE left!) and really liked it. i've read that it has dried up.

 

[USSR]

Grayfox,

For what you're gonna pay for 1,000 rounds of milsurp, you can set yourself up quite nicely for reloading.

Don

 

[Titan6]

You can buy new Federal soft points at Walmart for $.51/rd. Outrageously expensive I know but better than any of the milsurp available and cheaper than most as well (no shipping either).

 

[jonnyc]

Get the Indian if you can, mine has all been reliable, and it's reloadable. Beyond that, I think only the Yugoslavian and Lithuanian is Boxer primed.

 

[kesmed2001]

Surplus .308

Aimsurplus was getting small amounts of South African .308 in over the last few months. Prices were $350/1000 ($49/140rnd battlepack) when I last bought some from them.

At $525/1000 the Lithuanian 147gr FMJ seems pricey to me. For just a few bucks more ($540/1000) you could buy the Privi 168gr HP Match.

I'm thinking about a Dillon and rolling my own...

 

[USSR]

I can reload 1,000 rounds of higher quality milsurp than what is currently available, for less than $150 (not counting the cost of brass, which I already have and which is reusable).

Don

 

[TOU]

Any recommendations as to where to get brass and bullets in bulk?

 

[Scorpiusdeus]

The prices for the SA battle packs were recently about $45.00 as I recall. It's expensive AND hard to find.