ID this .30-06 ammo? Weird headstamp...

[Baron]

Hey all - friend was given a bunch of .30-06 loose in ammo cans (many of them badly mangled); the guy he got them from didn't know anything about it. Check out this headstamp:



Any ideas what the heck this stuff is? Would love to shoot it through my Garand but won't unless I know it's safe to do so.

Many thanks!

 

[illinoisburt]

1960's Iranian manufacture. Non-corrosive, berdan primed. Multiple outlets had them a few years back.

 

[unlimited4x4]

Iranian surplus

Take a look at the link below. A discussion on the same ammo.

http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=37069

 

[Baron]

*Iranian?* How the eternal crap did a bunch of Iranian ammo end up in the rolling green hills of Tennessee...

Looking at that other thread, also looks like it doesn't work in Garands...would it be harmful to try it in mine? Or is it just a feeding/reliability issue?

I love this forum...

 

[lpsharp88]

Call me over protective, but I won't shoot anything in my Garand unless I know 100% that it's Garand safe. I.E. HXP surplus, handloads, or marketed as for the Garand. So if it were me, I'd pass on using it in the M1

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

It would have been made before the current Iranian regime took over, which would mean pre-Carter. Iran at one time was a reliable western ally and we supplied them with a lot of our WWII military surplus including ships and submarines. There was an internet supplier in Florida who regularly had ammo of Iranian manufacture until they closed up last year.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I'd probably take a couple cartridges apart, if the projectiles are 150 grain and the powder charge is consistent, then I'd give it a go in my Garand.

You could swap out a gas plug if you are still worried.

 

[Baron]

Well I gave it a go this afternoon - loaded up a clip and fired away. First round or two was fine, next, *click.* Cycled the action and fired again, then another click, this time the charging handle wouldn't budge. Twas then I recalled how great an advantage a real charging handle is; a gentle hit against a post brought the round out. Then I screwed up somehow and dumped the clip and remaining rounds everywhere. I got them all back in and the rest of the clip fired without incident.

So...it *kinda* works in my gun, but I'll be just as happy to let somebody put these through a bolt gun

 

[DaisyCutter]

Were you facing East when you tried to shoot it?

 

[Baron]

You know, I couldn't find a single infidel to aim at and I think my dress was a little crooked. All my goats had run off (and who could blame them) so my mind was elsewhere...I think it must not have been Allah's will for this ammo to run in my Garand.

 

[Swampman]

It's an old rule, but still a good one:

Never shoot ammo from anyplace where you wouldn't drink the water.

With that said, my guess is that the ammo was probably loaded to be used in the Garand. It may be non-corrosive, but I'd clean the rifle with hot soapy water anyhow. Better safe than sorry.

I have no experience with the actual ammo, but I have reloaded the cases without issue. The brass seems softer than Danish or Lake City, but it works fine out of a Mauser.

 

[Dog Soldier]

A bucket of free ammo is never worth the value of a Garand Rifle.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I wouldn't trust any middle eastern ammo as non corrosive. I would treat the ammo as corrosive primed to be sure.

 

[rondog]

Keep that stuff away from your ham sammich.....

 

[Speedo66]

It's an old rule, but still a good one:

Never shoot ammo from anyplace where you wouldn't drink the water.

So you're writing off Mexican ammo, i.e., Aguila?