How does Milsurp M2 ball ammo do in a Commercial .30-06 rifle?

[Carolina Kalash]

Like say I had a Rem. 700 or whatever kind of rifle that was chambered in .30-06 and wanted some cheaper ammo to shoot through it at the range, would surplus M2 ball ammo be a good idea? I've heard that it shoots great out of M1903s and Garands (probably because that's what it was intended for), but I don't know of anybody that's fired it in a commercial sporting rifle.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It won't hurt a thing -- it's standard .30-06, loaded down a bit because before WWII the National Guard complained the hotter loads then in use exceeded the backfall space on their ranges.

Depending on WHEN it was made, however, it may have corrosive primers. I'd suspect anything made before the late 1950s, and clean with hot water immediately after shooting. Don't put the rifle away for a day before cleaning it!

 

[Laphroaig]

I'd classify it just as you said, cheap practice ammo that is approximately comparable to commercial 150 gr. loadings. I let my son practice with some Greek HXP ball ammo in his 7600 at a 200 yd. swinger and he nailed it practically every time.

Laphroaig

 

[jaysouth]

Where do you get "cheap" military ammo these days?

 

[agtman]

Where do you get "cheap" military ammo these days?

From one of the CMP stores. Greek HXP or a spam can of 520rds one of the US producers, e.g. Lake City.
CMP North Store still had cans of both last time I checked.

 

[Onmilo]

Mil-Spec .30/06 will eat your barrel throat and burn up the bore in fairly short order.
You should leave the Mil-Spec stuff for the M1 Garand shooters,,,

 

[Kosh75287]

The only down-side I can see (besides burning up ammo pretty much custom-loaded for Garands) is that sporting rifles may have faster twist-rate barrels, to better stabilize projectiles in the 180 - 220 grain range. The lighter 150(ish) grain projectiles might leave the sporting rifle's barrel LESS stabilized, which may degrade accuracy.

I doubt that group size will go from minute-of-angle accuracy to "minute-of-washtub", but I'd expect SOME difference, IF the sporter's twist rate is appreciably different from the Garand's 1-in-10" twist rate. If the twist rates vary by less than 10% either way, the difference in group size may be pretty small (especially with MY half-century old eyes).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

First of all, virtually ALL sporting rifles in .30-06 use the standard military 1 in 10 twist rate, and so does the M1 Garand. The M1903 Springfield was originally designed to fire the same 220 grain bullet as the Krag, and a fast twist was needed. In 1906 when the Army adopted the 150 grain bullet, no change was made to the twist. All military .30-06 rifles, including the M1 Garand, have a 1 in 10 twist.

Secondly, a fast twist has been proven to have no adverse effect on accuracy. Firing 150 grain bullets in a twist optimized for a 220 grain bullet will not degrade accuracy.

 

[rule303]

I have shot a bunch of M2 in various sporting rifles. It works fine and will usually shoot 2-3 MOA. A few rifles don't like to feed it since the OAL is longer than most commercial ammo.

 

[Sunray]

"...virtually ALL sporting rifles in .30-06 use the standard military 1 in 10 twist rate..." Except Brownings. For some daft reason, Browning uses 1 in 11. Still makes no difference.
However, milsurp ammo isn't cheap anymore. Those days are gone forever. Even the CMP wants $130 per 200 for the Greek steel jacketed stuff. Better to reload.