About that Korean 30-06 ball...

I bought a quantity of the type headstamped "PS" understanding that it isn't corrosive and is Boxer primed. However, on another thread, someone said those rounds may have a case-failure problem. That would tend to discourage me from reloading the stuff, if true. Does anyone have experience or more info on this?

 

I ran 40 rounds of it through my M1 and didn't have a problem.

Pilgrim

 

I've got several cases (50 cal ammo cans) of the boxed Korean ammo and I just bought two more cases. (400 rds to a can)
Good stuff, accurate and non corrosive. I've shot hundreds of rounds.


I've also got a few cases that's packed on M1 clips. I've also shot hundreds of rounds of this stuff.

I had a case to blow and found another case with a hair line crack that would have blown if fired. I haven't checked it all but I will before I fire it.
The dates went back to 66 or 67. No doubt corrosive
Many cases are discolored. Some bullets are loose. Some clips are rusty.

It shoots OK but I won't buy anymore.

 

I'll have to see if I can find the issue of the Garand Collector Association Journal. The showed a picture of three cases. The also told how the M1's receiver and bolt were ruined.

 

I bought three cases of it.
I shoot it all the time.
I have reloaded the brass.
No problems at all.

I went 5 for 5 at 700 yards during a steel plate match with my M1 and Korean Ball.
I hit a three foot diameter steel disc once out of six shots (adjusting the sights to walk the shots in) at 1000 yards using my 1903 and Korean Ball ammo.
I just got a case of it yesterday.

 

Korean in the M1 clips.
Shot in a 03A4.
No damage to the gun.
Half a dozen little blood spots on my face.
The bottom case has a hair line crack which I'm sure would "burn" out like the top case.

 

I've bought 20 rd boxes and loved it, and I then bought a 376 rd case on enbloc clips.

It seems from what everyone says that you really should try to buy it locally and inspect it before buying if possible. The lot I got is in great condition, no rust, no split cases, nothing. People warned me that it was corrosive, so I had my chemist uncle check it out.

The lot I got is absolutely, 100% not corrosive, regardless of many people telling me it was.


I'd say that the lots being sold are very, very different in quality.

 

I've shot about 500 rounds of the PS-75 stuff in both a Garand and an '03A3 with no problems. These are packaged 400 to a can in 20 round boxes (ie. not in clips).

 

BTW, I've not reloaded any yet, but I've been saving it. It cleans up pretty well and all the cases I've inspected seem to be in decent shape.

 

The PS headstamped stuff (the type NOT deliverd on en lboc clips) is not corrosive and seems to be reasonably good quality. The case ruptures seem to be isolated to a certain set of lots of ammo. The lot is marked on both the 20 round box and on the outside of the ammo can.

On battlerifles.com they have been compiling stats on the ruptures. I can't seem to find the thread right now. I do remember that the problems are associated with the mid-range lots...say around 2-152. The early ones (2-130's) and later ones (2-170's) don't have any problems associated with them that I've heard of.

Correction, here's the thread.

---------------------------------------
Here is what you desire, but note that I compiled this list based on REPORTS from contributors to this and the CSP forum (jouster.com). This list is not the result of "scientific research" and/or testing. Reports were postive unless noted.


But, anyway, here it is:

PS 2-033 (Bad - one report - unspecified problem)
PS 2-035
PS 2-088
PS 2-090
PS 2-093
PS 2-094
PS 2-097
PS 2-098
PS 2-100
PS 2-101
PS 2-104 (one positive report based on very few rounds fired)
PS 2-105 (one positive report based on a few hundred rounds)
PS 2-122
PS 2-124
PS 2-127
PS 2-128
PS 2-135
PS 2-144
PS 2-145
PS 2-146
PS 2-147
PS 2-148
PS 2-149
PS 2-151 (Maybe OK - based on VERY limited information)
PS 2-152 (VERY Bad - numerous reports of ruptured heads!)
PS 2-154 (Some positive reports / negative report [splits] based on sketchy info)
PS 2-155 (Bad - one report of splits 2 out of 250 rds)
PS 2-156 (??? - there are reports it's fine - one report of splits)
PS 2-157
PS 2-161
PS 2-165
PS 2-169
PS 2-171 (one negative report of blown primers)
PS 2-173
PS 2-177
PS 2-181
PS 2-183
PS 2-184
PS 2-185 (One negative report but only on hearsay)
PS 2-186
PS 2-187
PS 2-192
PS 2-193 (??? - some of this lot badly corroded)
PS 2-194
PS 2-195
PS 2-198
PS 2-204
PS 2-205

 

I've fired one box so far with no issues. I have four more to go.

I've avoided the stuff on the clips b/c of corrosion and case issues.

 

I've read on a number of Forums that Korean ammo with a KA headstamp is corrosive. This is typically the stuff already loaded in enbloc clipa and sold in bandoleers. Spraying your rifle with Windex with Ammonia immediately after shooting followed by a normal cleaning later should prevent any corrosion issues with it.

The KA stuff might be a good way to get a supply of enbloc clips if you need more, but just be sure to clean your rifle to get rid of the salts from the primers.

 

I'll say it again.

My case of 376 rounds, KA headstamp, isn't corrosive. I'm not sure if it's just the particular lot I got or not.

Lot number is 9362166599, and the stuff looks brand new out of the factory, if not for the 1960s headstamp.

 

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post. I have now purchased a total of four cases (800 round cases ? somthing like that) of this stuff. It was all packed in en bloc clips which were in bandoleers. It all had the K A headstamp.
I will be buying as much of it as I can get.

 

edited

 

I bouight a case of the Koean with clips and bandoleers...I expected them to be corrosive, so I'll just clean it a little quicker!

 

OH MY GOD. It's CORROSIVE.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't we fight every war from the American Revolution up to and including WWII using corrosive ammo ? How many billions of rounds of corrosive ammo do you think have been fired ?

So why would you care that the ammo is corrosive ? What makes this a problem you can't deal with, yet some guy in a foxhole in the jungle could deal with ? Why is this an issue ?

When I first started buying milsurp ammo, I had heard about the dreaded corrosive ammo. It was said without explanation. It was said in the same way as saying: he has ebola or something. When I started thinking for myself instead of listening to everyone else I realized that these rifles I was shooting we designed, built, and used in an era where corrosive ammo was the only game in town. When someone mentioned ammo in those days, it was corrosive. Yet the rifles survived it long enough for me to be shooting it today.

 

"Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't we fight every war from the American Revolution up to and including WWII using corrosive ammo ? How many billions of rounds of corrosive ammo do you think have been fired ?

So why would you care that the ammo is corrosive ? What makes this a problem you can't deal with, yet some guy in a foxhole in the jungle could deal with ? Why is this an issue ?

When I first started buying milsurp ammo, I had heard about the dreaded corrosive ammo. It was said without explanation. It was said in the same way as saying: he has ebola or something. When I started thinking for myself instead of listening to everyone else I realized that these rifles I was shooting we designed, built, and used in an era where corrosive ammo was the only game in town. When someone mentioned ammo in those days, it was corrosive. Yet the rifles survived it long enough for me to be shooting it today."


I agree.

 

I heard from a guy who used to work in the defense industry that the US discontinued the manufacture of corrosive ammo in 1936. Corrosive ammo was still used through WW2 because there was so much of it still stockpiled. However, some of my other reading says there was a change in the US issue '06 round for the M1 Garand from M1 ball (ball powder) to M2 ball (extruded powder) because of pressure issues effecting performance. If you're firing a '03series/P17, you won't notice a difference in the two powders. If you're firing an M1, you'll notice some difference. This fact taken along with the discontinuation of corrosive ammo in 1936...

Some of the above is from http://www.battlerifles.com and as I said, some is from a guy I met at the range who used to work in the defense industry. I'll probably see him tomorrow and I'll see if he can remember where he got his info.

 

Thank you all for the info. I guess I'll be inspecting every round very carefully. The lot mine came out of is #149, pretty close to the bad lots.

If it makes a difference, I'll be using it for target shooting from a bolt-action (English mauser.)

 

"I heard from a guy who used to work in the defense industry that the US discontinued the manufacture of corrosive ammo in 1936."

In his Notebook, General Hatcher said that noncorrosive service ammo started showing up in around 1947 (as I recall). To be safe, I would consider any pre-50s US milsurp ammo corrosive and clean accordingly.

Tim

 

I received some Surplus from Midway USA from lot PS 2-144, some rust on the edge cases but otherwise, they look fine.

No Garand to shoot it out of yet...