DPMS says " South African 308 voids warranty"

[chestnut ridge]

My question is why? This is high quality, brass cased, non-corrosive
ammo loaded with lead cored non-magnetic bullets. I thought it was
hard to get better ammo. Anyone know what objections DPMS has
discovered concerning the SA 308?


Edit- 3-22-06 My information is not correct. The actual wording from
DPMS concerning use of South African 308 reads not recommended.

 

[whm1974]

Maybe because it is from SA or it's surplus?

-Bill

 

[3 gun]

No idea here. I've used a couple of battle packs without a problem. I'll be watching this to see what comes up.

 

[odysseus]

Strange they would single out SA surplus. Heck it's decent enough I have shot it and still have some, but according to that rule you write it seems like you could use Pakistan or Indian and well I wouldn't touch those!

Perhaps they mean no surplus, only new manufactured - which a lot of manufacturers say for their own reasons.

 

[beerslurpy]

Probably got a bunch of returned guns that had been using that ammo. Maybe a few high pressure rounds got through QC. Someone accidentally put pistol powder in the machine that makes the 308? Who knows?

 

[cracked butt]

How would they know that you were firing SA ammo unless a case got stuck in the chamber? Just say you were shooting Portugeuse.

 

[Navy joe]

It is pretty hot stuff. It was very accurate stuff for me out of a 700, but I fired 20 rounds through my M-1A and the defining feature of that experience was the extractor ripping the rim off of the case. Not wishing to bend an op-rod or worse, I quit.

 

[longhorngunman]

Are the DPMS .308's Nato chambered or designed just for commercial .308?

 

[Nightcrawler]

Well, since South African .308 is the most commonly available military-type ammo (is it actually military surplus?), that puts the DPMS shooters in a bit of a fix. Not the heavy barreled target model shooters, but that oversized M4 type rifle they've got. Buying commercial .308 by the twenty round box for a rifle with twenty round magazines is going to get old quickly.

Funny that they would pick South African, and not, say, Indian, which is utter crap, or even Wolf with its steel case.

I never found South African ammo to be "hot". Just the opposite; I found it underpowered. I started getting FTEs with it and had to increase the gas pressure on my FAL to restore cycling (compared to Portugese).

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Well, my personal solution has been not to buy from manufacturers that won't warranty their rifles for ammo that all of my other rifles shoot fine and are warrantied under.

 

[Onmilo]

I think it must be a functioning issue with the fixed gas assembly AR type rifles.
I didn't have a lot of luck with the South African stuff in my PTR-91.

My M1A rifles would cycle it but the accuracy wasn't anything to brag about.

I never shot any of the stuff over a chronograph but my impression was the stuff performed like the underloaded early Spanish CETME,(doesn't that word just look cooler when it is capitalized! ), load or the Japanese 7.62X51 low pressure ammunition.

 

[bgold]

I believe it would probably have something to do with some (90's?) SA ammo has a black tar used in the primer flash holes. This "tar" can really gunk up a rifle, and is a pain to clean. I'm sure it led to some warranty issues if someone kept operating a rifle with this stuff in it.

Most SA, however is great surpus ammo, and feel that DPMS is probably going to miss out on a few customers with this policy.

 

[HankB]

No SA milsurp in DPMS rifles?

FWIW, my DSA STG58 works fine with SA 7.62 surplus - in my rifle, it's actually more accurate & cleaner than the highly-touted Aussie milsurp ammo, too. (Of course, it's a FAL, not an upsized AR15.)

I've heard conflicting assertions about DPMS quality over the years, mostly in reference to their AR15 clones . . . if they're applying these sort of restrictions to their AR10 clones, that doesn't speak well to their product.

Any idea as to what Armalite and Bushmaster's policy is on SA 308 in their rifles?

 

[jem375]

I don't know where you got the idea that DPMS ar15 rifles are having quality problems. They have a top notch reputation around the country and that is the only ar15 I will buy....I don't know about the South African 308 but will check it out with a phone call............
After a phone call, the warranty is not voided if using SA ammo, but it is not recommended because of feeding and extraction problems that could happen.......

 

[atblis]

Isn't the AR picky about pressures

powder types. Slow v. Fast powders etc.

 

[SnakeEater]

I believe it would probably have something to do with some (90's?) SA ammo has a black tar used in the primer flash holes. This "tar" can really gunk up a rifle, and is a pain to clean. I'm sure it led to some warranty issues if someone kept operating a rifle with this stuff in it.

I'm pretty sure this is the real reason. FYI I have read that JLD also advises against using SA in their PTR91 rifles. My understanding is that only certain lot numbers are the "bad" stuff and the rest is ok.

 

[chestnut ridge]

jem375- I stand corrected on the DPMS warranty vs. South African 308.
Not recommended is the correct term.

 

[jem375]

noted and thanks

 

[JohnKSa]

I never found South African ammo to be "hot". Just the opposite; I found it underpowered. I started getting FTEs with it and had to increase the gas pressure on my FAL to restore cycling (compared to Portugese).

Ditto.