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.30-06 AMMO ID -- NEED HELP


Costa
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GUYS, I HAVE OVER 20 ROUNDS OF 30-06 WITH A CASIND STAMP OF 'K 69 ON TOP AND 30 ON THE BOTTOM. IS IT SAFE TO SHOOT? GOING BACK I WAS TOLD THIS WAS FOREIGN AMMO AND NO GOOD FOR A GARAND.

 

ANOTHER MAKER--- I HAVE A BOX OF 30-06 CASE STAMPED 'RA 56. ANY GOOD TO SHOOT IN A GARAND?

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olivedrab1970

Honestly the best advice would be if its not Lake City M2 Ball or Greek M2 Ball for surplus ammo, I would not shoot it out of my Garand.

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I believe the K 69 30 headstamped ammunition was made by Kynoch. The RA is likely Remington. Remington M2 ball went noncorrosive in 1951.

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Honestly the best advice would be if its not Lake City M2 Ball or Greek M2 Ball for surplus ammo, I would not shoot it out of my Garand.

IMO, there is plenty of other good ammo M2 spec GI ammo out there other than (but including) Lake City or HXP.

 

Lake City, Frankford Aresenal, Remington Arms, St Louis Ordnance Plant, Twin Cities Arsenal, Western Cartridge Corp, Winchester and Dominion and Verdun Arsenals in Canada all made non-corrosive M2 ball ammunition.

 

Danish surplus, headstamped AMA is also great stuff, though it is Berdan primed.

 

There is a handy chart in TM 9-1305-200 that lists the starting lot numbers of noncorrosive priming for several different calibers and types of ammunition.

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olivedrab1970

IMO, there is plenty of other good ammo M2 spec GI ammo out there other than (but including) Lake City or HXP.

 

Lake City, Frankford Aresenal, Remington Arms, St Louis Ordnance Plant, Twin Cities Arsenal, Western Cartridge Corp, Winchester and Dominion and Verdun Arsenals in Canada all made non-corrosive M2 ball ammunition.

 

Danish surplus, headstamped AMA is also great stuff, though it is Berdan primed.

 

There is a handy chart in TM 9-1305-200 that lists the starting lot numbers of noncorrosive priming for several different calibers and types of ammunition.

 

Good to know! It has just been a bare to find any other good US surplus at reasonable prices. I have looked at a site that had European surplus from the 1960's but I am under the understanding most of that ammo was made corrosive?

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Good to know! It has just been a bare to find any other good US surplus at reasonable prices. I have looked at a site that had European surplus from the 1960's but I am under the understanding most of that ammo was made corrosive?

The CMP forum has thousands of posts on this subject. Join up. My understanding is European .30 cal M2 ammo all went to non corrosive when we did as a part of NATO requirements late 1953. That said, the pre 53 corrosive primers are easily dealt with by using water or water based USGI bore cleaner. Water neutralizes the primer salts.

The subject of M2 ammo cost- the round uses 45-50 grains of powder, powder is not getting any cheaper. My reloads cost me .35-40 cents with surplus brass- hardly worth loading up when M2 ammo can be found for .68-80 cents a round. That said, be careful not to use commercial 30.06 ammo- reports of bent op rods have been noted. You can install an after market plug on the gas trap to insure recommended pressures are not exceeded when using modern commercial ammo. The Garand is the funnest Mil surp rifle I have ever shot- but don't skimp on cheap non standard ammo and risk bending the op rod. Keep it greased up ( I use red Mobil one synthetic grease) per TM and it will shoot for decades more. Have fun.Edit: the K stamp if I remember correctly is Korean made, non corrosive but low quality as shot groupings are large with to many flyers- again, the CMP has much info about it. The RA 56 is fine for shooting ( Remington M2 ), I regularly shoot 1954 USGI ( CMP sold) surplus as it is non corrosive. I will post the chart again if I can find it.

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olivedrab1970

TM manual stating when all US ammo production went to non corrosive primers.attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

 

Great chart and information, I will keep my eyes clear on some of this surplus ammo. I live in AZ and time to time some surplus ammo comes around, I stay clear of the Korean made just by bad reputation.

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Great chart and information, I will keep my eyes clear on some of this surplus ammo. I live in AZ and time to time some surplus ammo comes around, I stay clear of the Korean made just by bad reputation.

 

Also, several commercial manufacturers make ammunition they list as Garand safe as well. Federal, Hornady, Privi, Creedmore and I believe S&B. Possibly others as well.

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The days of cheap surplus ammo for the M1 are over. You might check gunbroker but you will pay for it. Every once in awhile someone stumples on some cheap usually through a friend of a friend.

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