Is all USGI 7.62 Nato Surplus Bi-Metal?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M1key

M1key

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
2,944
Location
SW
I have recently gone through my stores of USGI M80 dating from 1967 to 2002 and discovered to my surprise it is all bi-metal (takes a magnet). Obviously this has been going on for a long time.

I checked some Radway Green, South African R1M1, Australian ADI surplus, and even some Lithuanian and it is all non-magnetic.

Is there any US milsurp that is not magnetic?

M
 
Last edited:
Well, looks like most of it is gonna get sold at the next gun show. :cuss: About 3000 rounds.

I even have a can of '77 LC headstamp in strippers and bandoliers with every other round magnetic. Maybe 3 out of 5. All mixed up. Dang...

I might save some just for the brass. Or maybe pull the bullets...dunno.

M
 
Yeah, I'd rather not shoot stuff designed for machine guns out of my Saiga or FAL. In fact I think I'm gonna sell off my Silver Bear 308 ammo as well. I'm thinking this stuff probably causes premature barrel wear not to mention M80 ain't the most accurate. If I pull the bullets, I can at least neck size and try a Hornady FMJ or SP. We will see.

M
 
Mild steel jackets wear out barrels? I guess that is why just about every military has used some kind of mild steel jackets in their ammos. If you want your rifles to last almost forever, shoot only lead at very reduced loads. Gunpowders at high temps and pressures is what wears barrels out. Best of luck on your ammo sales. If you were close to Tampa and the price was right, I'd be interested.
 
Remember one thing, a barrel chrome moly or not, is 1000s times stronger than the jacket of these bullets. Bi Metal cases damaging barrels has been a mythical creature only seen be one Lucky Gunner study. I've shot tons of steel and I wouldn't worry about this issue.

But I understand your concern and I'm not saying this to start the steel vs brass debate. I just wanted to point out the physics of how tool steel and bi metal jacket relate.

My 0.02 Yours may differ
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the comments. Reason may yet prevail...LOL

M
 
Why bother with reason? Sell your cheap ammo and buy some more expensive ammo. Help the economy!
 
easy said:
Why bother with reason? Sell your cheap ammo and buy some more expensive ammo. Help the economy!
Click to expand...
Good idea. I'll sell the ammo stack I bought years ago for 15 cents/round and sell it for 75. Not a bad return on investment...

M
 
I've seen US M-80 ball with both clad steel and gilding metal jackets. There's no difference in the packaging, the only way you can tell them apart is with a magnet.

According to Dr. Gary K. Roberts, the steel jacketed bullets are much more terminally effective than the gilding metal version at short ranges where velocity is still high.

The steel jackets are thinner and supposedly fragment a lot more readily than the gilding metal jackets.

Here's a link (sorry, it's a PDF).
You might want to check out the illustrations on page 21.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...EdgE_w-GrMgL14CXppXQtEQ&bvm=bv.79142246,d.eXY

Are you SURE you want to get rid of that ammo? :)
 
No problem.

They actually make a fairly spectacular varmint bullet out of a .300 Remington Ultra Mag. :D
 
To help put this issue into perspective, I pulled out some of my sample rounds from various countries and ran a magnet over the projectiles.

All of my Pakistani .303 and 7.62x51 was non-magnetic.
All of my Indian 7.62x51 was non-magnetic.
All of my Syrian 7.5x54 and 7.62x39 was non-magnetic.
All of my Egyptian 7.62x39 was non-magnetic.
All of my Albanian 7.62x54R was non-magnetic.

All of my German 7.62x51was magnetic.
All of my Swiss GP-11, 7.5x55 was magnetic.
Most of my U.S. 7.62x51 was magnetic.
Most of my Russian/Soviet 7.62x54R was magnetic.

Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?
 
Swampman said:
To help put this issue into perspective, I pulled out some of my sample rounds from various countries and ran a magnet over the projectiles.

All of my Pakistani .303 and 7.62x51 was non-magnetic.
All of my Indian 7.62x51 was non-magnetic.
All of my Syrian 7.5x54 and 7.62x39 was non-magnetic.
All of my Egyptian 7.62x39 was non-magnetic.
All of my Albanian 7.62x54R was non-magnetic.

All of my German 7.62x51was magnetic.
All of my Swiss GP-11, 7.5x55 was magnetic.
Most of my U.S. 7.62x51 was magnetic.
Most of my Russian/Soviet 7.62x54R was magnetic.

Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?
Click to expand...
The countries with the best militaries use steel jacketed bullets?
 
Originally posted by:KansasSasquatch
The countries with the best militaries use steel jacketed bullets?
Click to expand...

I just meant that some countries are known for making better ammunition than others and that bullet jacket material is not necessarily a good predictor of the overall quality of the ammunition produced.

Most milsurp shooters with even a minimum of experience would probably rate Swiss military ammunition quality somewhat above that of India or Pakistan.
 
Decided to dump the M80 and load up on Lithuanian. Many reports are that it is almost match grade (M80 certainly isn't) boxer primed, copper jacketed, non-magnetic bullet, and cheaper.

Thanx for replies.

M
 
I've only shot a couple mags worth of the Lithuanian through my M1A. Not nearly enough for a definitive test, but it seemed more accurate than US M80 I've shot. Almost as good as early 90's DAG, but without the poor storage issues I've read about with some of the German ammo.

The Lithuanian brass looked excellent, although I haven't loaded any (the ammo belonged to a friend). It was polished up like commercial ammo, although it did show annealing IIRC.

If you were able to buy the Lithuanian for less than you sold the LC for, I'd say you did very well.
You ended up with reloadable, Boxer primed brass ammo that's decades newer than what you sold off, and is more accurate to boot.

Just don't expect it to be significantly easier on your bore than the gilded steel jacketed stuff you had before. Rate of fire and proper cleaning technique have far more effect on barrel longevity than jacket material.
 
Well, I do have ~1000 rds of the Lithuanian. I haven't gotten around to testing it yet (maybe this weekend) and it is getting to be a bit pricer that new issue USGI M80.

http://www.sgammo.com/product/surpl...n-fmj-gp11-ball-ammo-new-production-ammunitio

http://www.sgammo.com/product/feder...1-federal-lake-city-m80-149gr-fmj-ammo-xm80cl

Anyway, I guess I would like to get some fresher ammo (M80 I have is 45 years old) and thought I would "upgrade" to something a bit better. It all depends on how much folks are willing to pay for mine at the next gun show. I do have a good bit of it in original "drop boxes" with strippers and bandoliers for the M-14. Maybe some historical buff might pay my price. We will see...

M
 
Strippers and bandos will definitely add a good bit to the value of your ammo.
Good luck, and don't get in a hurry to sell.
Also, it may just be semantics, but when selling, always refer to the ammo by headstamp date.
"69 Lake City" somehow just doesn't SOUND as old as "45 year old Lake City". :)
 
LOL..thanks

By the way that new Federal M80 is bi-metal also:

QUOTE: "Federal Premium ammunition is excited to offer its popular Mil-Spec 7.62x51mm NATO round in bulk packaging. This particular load features a 149 Grain FMJ projectile traveling at 2750 fps. The jacket does contain bi-metal material and as such it will attract a magnet."

M
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

J
  • Locked
which 7.62 surplus nato ammo
Replies
5
Views
827
Lightning12
L
J
  • Locked
AIM Surplus:The bad news
Replies
15
Views
1K
Jackal
Jackal
D
  • Locked
The 7.62x51 (.308) surplus guide, needs editing
2
Replies
26
Views
9K
paratroop23
P
wally
  • Locked
Interesting Experience with 80's 7.62x51 NATO Surplus
Replies
2
Views
448
wally
wally
M
  • Locked
Serbian 7.62
Replies
23
Views
1K
AndyC
A
Back
Top