Need advice on first ammo for NIB M1A

[Lbys]

Folks--

I have a new Springfield Scout/Squad M1A on the way, and, having never owned a new battle rifle, am wondering what type of ammo to feed it the first time I start pulling the trigger.

I've done some searches on this, but couldn't find anything specific to my question. I'm not a reloader (yet), and like a lot of others, can't seem to find any non-Indian surplus FMJ. I was thinking American Eagle 150 gr FMJ or something similar, but will welcome any suggestions. The quality standard for factory loads, from what I'm reading, seems to be Federal's Gold Medal Match 168 gr JBTHP or Hornady's Match 168 gr JBTHP.

Also, I'm wondering if FMJ is a requirement, or if I could just stop off at the local Gander Mountain and feed my new baby some Remington soft-points in .308, or something like that. Please let me know.

Lbys

 

[nobody_special]

I'm in the exact same position as you (hoping to pick up my Scout/Squad this weekend). I picked up some 70's Indian surplus, and it looks okay.

Have a look here for a listing of currently available surplus:
http://rifle-company.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=431

...and note that there isn't a surplus of surplus.

I'd stick with FMJ, you don't want lead fouling your gas port.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

Extracted from an email I received from Springfield Armory:

Recommended: commercial US manufactured to SAAMI spec .308 WIN. Military surplus 7.62x51 should also be okay to use (unless it's Indian surplus...which is usually junk).

Black Hills (168-175 gr.): Best for accuracy

Federal Gold Medal (168 gr.): Best for accuracy

Winchester Failsafe (good for hunting)

Federal Nozler Ballistic Tip (good for hunting)

Most other commercial ammo will be okay

Best is 168 gr. (match grade). 147 gr. to 150 gr. is good for just plinking around at the range (less expensive as well).

Molly Coated (okay, but with this type if you start using it you should stay with it). The gas system requires cleaning more often

NOT recommended:

Soft point, it may or may not feed. Lead shears off the tip and can build up in the action and cause problems

Steel Ammo is sub-standard, 'junk' Chinese. Cavim ammo is head stamped on the case.

Stay away from corrosive ammo or any ammo that would stick to a magnet. It will wear down the lands and grooves quickly (not covered in warranty if used).

Anything 180 gr. and above is too hard on the rifle.

Anything around 100 gr. and less will not allow the rifle to function properly (short stroke).

IF you use NATO surplus: Be careful, some of it is junk. It depends on where and how it was stored. You can get an indication by looking at it. I've heard instances where people threw away 20% or more of the surplus they bought because of its condition as well as the casings not manufactured to specs. STAY AWAY FROM INDIAN SURPLUS! It's cheap for a reason. Also, never buy loose rounds. Only buy unopened/sealed boxes.

Recommendations from other shooters:

NATO SURPLUS:

Lake City Army Ammunition (USA): THE BEST SURPLUS AVAILABLE, very pricey, NATO cross stamp

Argentine: Good when found, stamped FM or SF

Australian ADI (Australian Defense Industries): Good, stamped AFF or MF

Portuguese: Good, stamped BF

Radway Green (British): Very Good, getting more expensive, NATO cross stamp

German: Real good, stamped MEN and DAG, expensive

Hirtenberger: Real good, getting more expensive, stamped HP

Israel Military Industries: Hear it's real good, stamped IMI, S, SA, SB, TA, TZ, or TZZ.

Malaysian: Good, hard to find, stamped MAL

Santa Barbra (Spain): Real Good, stamped SB/7.62x51

South Africa: Good, stamped R1M1

Royal Ordnance (Indian): AGAIN, it's cheap for a reason.

If you want to hear the above from the horse's mouth, write to John Moe, Regional Dealer Representative, Springfield Armory at: [email protected]

It'll pay to do a bit of research before reloading for an M1. Here's some need-to-know information:

Reloading for Semi-Autos and Service Rifles

Reloading For The Match M14

Recipes For Success: Reloading For The Match M14

Reloading for the Match M14

For my M1A loads, I duplicate M852 match cartridge: 42.0 gr. of IMR 4895, 168 gr. SMK (right out of the Technical Manual for Army Ammunition TM43-0001-27, Chapter 11) and the CCI No. 34 Arsenal Primer.

Also to duplicate and improve upon military cartridge primer/bolt face clearance, I ream and uniform the primer pocket depth to .131" (industry specification is .132" max.), square the bottom corners and seat primers to a uniform depth of approximately .006" below flush (industry max. seating depth is .008"). It's an extra margin of safety against the dreaded slam-fire.

Cheers!

 

[Lbys]

Thanks a bunch!

Jacka L Ope--

I think that's the best ammo post I've ever seen. Thanks a bunch for that!

Lbys

 

[Jacka L Ope]

You are most welcome, sir!

 

[nobody_special]

Royal Ordnance (Indian): AGAIN, it's cheap for a reason.

I've searched high and low for reports of problems with 70's OFV, and have found nothing but praise. More recent stuff (90's or later) is a different story, of course. It appears that the widely reported failures were due to a bad batch that may have been improperly stored and/or mishandled.

The '75 OFV I have appears to be in good condition. It came in a sealed can which was very difficult to open - it may well have been sealed since manufacture. I'm inspecting the cartridges as I load them into magazines (have only looked at 100 rounds so far, out of 400 in the can) and the only "problem" I've found is a bit of black goo on the side of a bullet. It appears to be primer sealant, and it scrapes off with a little effort.

I haven't found any indications of serious problems - none of the dents, damaged/misformed cases, or poorly seated bullets that were reported with the 90's stuff. The cases and cartridges are of uniform length, and the bullets are well seated and straight.

That said, I'd certainly inspect any batch of this stuff before firing it.

 

[Gator]

Great post "Jacka L Ope", but I'm curious about the Cavim. What problems have there been with it? I have shot a bunch of it in my M1A and .308 M1 without any problems. Thanks

 

[Jacka L Ope]

I failed to mention that much of my above post [now edited] was extracted from an email received from Springfield Armory in reply to my query about ammunition that would not void their warranty and specifically about the Russian Silver Bear ammo with their zinc-plated cases.

(It's shoots just fine but is not on par with Black Hills or Federal Gold Medal ammo. Go figure. Still, at $3.47/box when I picked it up, I couldn't pass on 1000 rounds of it.)

WRT Cavim ammo from Venezuela, I have not fired nor seen any of it to date so do not know what problems were reported with it to SA. Sorry for any confusion.