Any Feedback on British 5.56x45 Ammo??

[Country Boy]

Found a deal online that seems to good to be true. 500 rnds of British XM855 for $120. Is there something wrong with British 5.56 ammo? Marked as discontinued by manufacturer. I read that some was downloaded for the Brit's rifles, but the 855 should be up to US spec, right?

Product details and link to follow:

Surplus Ammunition British 5.56x45mm (223 Remington) SS109 62 Grain XM855 NATO Headstamp Full Metal Jacket Boxer Primed Box of 500

1990s-production surplus ammunition bulk-packed in a 500-count cardboard box. This ammunition features a NATO headstamp and is non-corrosive in boxer-primed, reloadable brass cases. Please note: This is military ammunition that may be loaded to higher pressures than SAAMI specifications for 223 Remington.

 

[nalioth]

If it's Radway Green, it's fine stuff.

 

[Halo]

It's probably Royal Ordnance - Radway Green, and while I can't comment as to the 5.56 specifically, Radway Green is known for producing first rate ammo. That looks to be quite a deal.

 

[Country Boy]

The RORG headstamp DOES stand for Royal Ordnance Factory Radway Green, so that's probably it.

http://www.igman.com/ammunition/codes/R/RORG-UK.html

 

[jaholder1971]

I shot up some RG 92 stuff about 11 years ago.

Accuracy-wise, it shot 4" groups at 100 yards, compared to 2-2.5" groups using U.S. made M855, M193 and commercial UMC 55 grain FMJ. The rifle used was an Eagle Arms EA15 with a 20" standard 1X7 barrel.

20 percent of the round stovepiped and/or failed to feed. What made this interesting was that velocities were about 100-150 fps faster than the other samples I shot that day.

I'd been told that the Brits downloaded their 5.56mm NATO to work better in their SA80/L85 weapons, yet velocity was faster and showed insufficient pressure related failures.

The only thing I can figure out is they use a faster powder to get the NATO spec velocity yet is easier on the weak gas system of their weapons. Fast powders in an AR may give great velocity but the burn rate drops before the gas system has a chance to work.

If it's cheap, cheap I say, but it. It's berdan primed so you'll only get one firing.

 

[everallm]

Well the British Army doesn't seem to have any problem introducing others to their Maker with the stuff......

 

[walking arsenal]

Only because they never shoot it at anybody.

 

[Halo]

They've been shooting it at more than a few people in Afghanistan and southern Iraq.

 

[Mr White]

I had 1000 rounds of Radway Green a few year ago. I remember it being good accurate ammo.

 

[speedball]

From what I have read the downloaded ammo was earlier than late80's early 90's. The later stuff (again late 80's early 90's) has a different pressure curve than the US M855 round. It has worked well in my piston ar's but I have heard of problems with some DI guns. Most seem to like it though. Good luck.

 

[Kindrox]

It's cheap because Midway is no longer selling it . . .

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=665560

 

[Dienekes]

Without going down to look, I think the stuff I got a couple of years ago was RORG 92 (M855). I fired about 200 rounds of it through a new M4gery with zero problems, and have reloaded the brass as well. Still have about 700 rounds left.

I see the price has gone up but the ammo is good. Mine came with stripper clips and rubberized bandoliers, which are better than the US issue ones.

 

[walking arsenal]

I know Halo, that was a joke, hence the

I've shot Radway through my bushmaster.

No problems though it did seem milder in recoil.

 

[JesseL]

I've still got a bit left of 500 rounds of it that I got for $90 a couple years ago. The only bad thing I can say about it is that I didn't buy as much as I should have.

 

[Tony Williams]

It is interesting that although SS109/M855 ammo is all supposed to be made to a common NATO standard so it's interchangeable, in practice it doesn't quite work out like that. Different guns have different operating characteristics, and their "home" ammo seems to be fine-tuned to match those.

A soldier who took part in the reliability trials for the then-new L85A2 told me the following:

"The trials were conducted using British ammo, but some German and American types were tried. It was found that the German ammo fouled the gas ports very quickly, whereas the US ammo sometimes didn't seem to produce enough pressure to cock the gun reliably, with a stoppage occurring once every one or two magazines."

 

[steven04]

I use 62g RG 5.56 in my AR carbine - 14.5" M4 profile (straightpull)

I've currently got stock from 1992 (inc tracer), 2005 & 2006.

Its good stuff, I use it in service rifle matches here in the UK.

 

[ftierson]

As Dienekes says, this ammo is boxer primed...

Forrest

 

[cracked butt]

You can drink the water in GB without getting sick, so the ammunition should be very good

 

[Halo]

I know Halo, that was a joke, hence the

Ahh, gotcha. At first I thought it was one of those "never fired and only dropped once" type of comments we hear from time to time about the relative prowess of allied militaries . Man for man the British forces are the equal of any in the world.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Shot several hundred rounds through my AR15's just fine. I still have a few bandoliers left.

 

[Bostekrisco]

Product details and link to follow:

Did I miss the link?