PMC ammo and surplus (or, how to be cheap)

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timbo

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I've heard varying opinions about PMC ammunition, mostly really bad. It cycles well in my gun although I'm not sure if my accuracy is off because I'm bad or if it's the ammo. Anyone have an opinion on this stuff?

Also, what's the word on surplus ammo? I'm in the market for a rifle, likely will be in .223 or .308 for the purpose of having access to surplus ammo. How well can I expect this ammo to shoot? I'm not hunting or anything, but it's no fun when you do everything right while target shooting and still can't hit the target.
 
I have used PMC ammo in the past and always found it to be excellent in both quality and accuracy.

The word on surplus ammo is "corrosive." If it is, pass on it.
 
The word on surplus ammo is "corrosive." If it is, pass on it.
Click to expand...
This is really only a problem with older calibers, like 8mm Mauser, 7.62x54R Russian stuff, etc. .308 and .223 can pretty much be considered to never be corrosive. Even if you do use corrosive ammo it isn't that big a deal. Just clean your gun afterwards.
 
If you are refering to "PMC" [Precision Made Cartridges] brand ammo, in the red & white boxes, I have no complaints with it. I have shot .38Spl, .357Mag, .45ACP, .45 Colt.
Good stuff. I have test fired a bunch of the PMC slugs though my Maverick 88 12Ga, no issues there, either.

PMC is a division of Eldorado Cartridge Corp of Boulder City. NV
 
Yesterday I fired four boxes of the PMC at the range. Two boxes thru a new Glock19 two thru two .357 revolvers. Excellent results. Great stuff.

The glock put 10 rounds into 1.50 inches at 15 yards. Then I shot freehand and opened it up to two inches...

I've used it for years with no problems.
 
I've shot PMC in .32, .40, .45, 9mm, and .223, and never had a problem with it. Maybe you're thinking of UMC?
 
I have shot a lot of PMC ammo. I have fired 4-5 cases since February. I also know people who have worked at the factory.
I think PMC will fulfil your needs. I don't consider PMC ammo to be "excellent" , but it works and exhibits good accuracy.
The only stoppage I have ever had in my AR15s have been when using PMC ammo. I had one occur during the Gunsite 223 course in which I had a failure to fire, did an immeditate action drill and found that the bullet had come out of the case and filled the action with powder. Not that anyone asked this, but I have fired in excess of 5000 rounds of Wolf out of my AR15s and never had any problems of any kind.
As a reloader, I have loaded a lot of PMC brass. I find their quality control to be lacking primarily because the primer flash holes are often off-center. This results in bending or breaking the de-capping pin of your sizing die. Sometimes the de-capping pin punches a hole through the brass where the hole is supposed to be and then the de-capping pin is pulled out of the die on the downstroke of the press. Their brass is so bad, that I quit picking it up.
I have been to two shooting schools :Gunsite and Frontsite and both schools sell PMC ammo. If you sign up for a course and have the school provide your ammo, you get PMC; so they appearently are happy with it. For this reason, I shoot PMC ammo at their schools even though I bring it myself.
 
I use PMC when buying factory ammo whenever possible here's why:

1. PMC 45acp is $9.00 per box at the gun show

2. I have never had a quality issue with PMC ammo

3. The cartridge cases are the thickest brass of the 17 or so types I've
reloaded and really lend themselves to quality handloading.

4. PMC is loaded hot but show no signs of excessive pressure.

5. The boxes and plastic inserts are durable and can be used many times
for reloads.

6. PMC is the only ammo allowed at the full auto range I go to. They feed
PMC to MP5's, grease guns M16's and sten's
 
I never knew that PMC had anything to do with South Africa. As was noted, the US factory is in Boulder City Nevada which is about 20 miles southeast of Las Vegas and is where the Hoover Dam is located.
My understanding is that the company is owned by Koreans.

I know that PMP is located in South Africa.
 
If you can find "surplus" 223 lloaded with the old Lake City parts I hghly recommend it. I know it's available at Georgiaarms.com.
 
this is a scan of the back of the box.
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Who posted that it was "really bad" ?

"my PMC .303 ammo is made in south africa."

So it is. I just went out to the ammo section of the compound and checked my PMC inventory:
Target 22: Made in RO Korea
.32 Auto: Made in RO Korea
.30 Carbine: Made in RO Korea
9mm Luger: Made in RO Korea
Eldorado Starfire 9mm: Boulder City, NV
.357: Made in RO Korea
.45 ACP: Made in RO Korea
.45 Colt (Cowboy Load): Boulder City, Nevada Territory
.30-30 Winchester: Made in RO Korea
6.5 Sweede: Made in RO Korea
8mm Mauser: Made in RO Korea
.303 British: Made in R.S.A.

I can't for the life of me find a single box of PMC in .223 in my stockpile even though I have shot maybe 3000 rounds of it. .:confused:

They are certainly diverse
 
I've shot plenty of 9mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and .223 from PMC and it all works fine.

.357 SIG and .40 seem to be made in Nevada...can't see any indication of RoK on the box.

.223 is marked "Made in R.S.A."
 
This keeps spinning around in my head (and no, I haven't been drinking). :)

I've got .223 from both PPC and PMC...will have to compare.
 
Thanks for the information guys.

So nobody is confused, I am referring to Precision Made Cartridges (PMC). I've heard some call it Poorly Made Crap also by some at a local indoor place. But then I've found that most of the people that work there aren't too happy about anything. I've since found somewhere better to go where the service and atmosphere is excellent... and they sell PMC ammo for a decent price. Next time the gun show rolls through town though, I think I'll pick up a case of the stuff.
 
Shot both PMC and PMP yesterday in .223.

PMC is marked "Made in RSA" (Republic of South Africa).

PMC's headstamp shows "DNL" on the upper arc.

PMP's headstamp shows "PMP" on the upper arc, and stands for Pretoria Metal Pressings, RSA.

PMP's parent company is DENEL (PTY) LTD.

Fairly reasonable to assume that Denel makes .223 for PMC.
 
If you are refering to "PMC" [Precision Made Cartridges] brand ammo, in the red & white boxes
Click to expand...

when you rent a handgun at one of the ranges here that is what they make you use. (while charging a butt load for it.)
 
I'm shooting PMC .223 in my SL8. Those with 55gr FMJs (red-white box, 223A) say Made in R.O.Korea, those with 69gr Sierra MKs (black-silver box, 223SMB) say Made in the USA.
Accuracy with the 55gr FMJs is acceptable, better than the other cheap brands I tried. The loads with the SMKs are much better (and much more expensive), cuts group sizes roughly in half.
 
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