I picked up my new Bushmaster today and the dealer threw in 4 boxes of this ammo. I have no clue what it is or how bad it is, but it is the best priced ammo around ($4.59/box of 20). Just wondering what I got and what grain bullet it is.

It's a pale yellow box with "Made in U.A.E." on the back. The front of the box is as follows:

ADCOM Manufacturing Ltd.
Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturer

5.56 x 45mm Ball M855
20 Cartridges
Boxer Primed - Non-Corrosive

Any idea what I got or if I should go back and buy more? Is $4.59/box a good deal?

Thanks!

What's the headstamp say?

By headstamp (new term to me) I'm assuming that you mean the imprints on the end of the casing. If so, AD / 5.56 / 98. Separated into thirds.

And the printed code on the inside of the box flap is: AML98M010-001

it was made in 1998. I have about 600rd of the same stuff. The 1999 stuff had alot of problems and made a few kabooms on members rifles.

I was just going to ask too if the 1998 stuff is ok as I havent shot it yet.  I paid about $.19/rd for it a few months ago from sportsmans guide.

Quoted: By headstamp (new term to me) I'm assuming that you mean the imprints on the end of the casing. If so, AD / 5.56 / 98. Separated into thirds.

If it says '98 on end of the casing...you're good to go.  I wouldn't worry about shooting...fire away!

It was the '99 stuff that you have to watch out for.

Enjoy your new toy and ammo.

i had one batch that ran fine. and another that i couldn't run a mag through my rifle without blown primers. both same year iirc. shoot it and see what it does, may work just fine for you......

Quoted: Any idea what I got or if I should go back and buy more? Is $4.59/box a good deal? Thanks!

There is a reason why it is cheap.  I cannot understand why people run crap ammo in an expensive firearm.

i would shoot this stuff over wolf anyday.  The only problems ive heard is on the 99 stuff

I've had lots of good experiences with the 98 headstamped adcom. no problems at all. I think it was $2.99/box, but that was awhile ago.  I haven't found it to be very accurate, but neither is winchester 855...

I ran about 200 of  99 ADCOM last year before I knew better. Didn't have any major problems, but did find a few cracked case necks out of the box. All I shoot now is S&B, AE and RORG, and getting set up to just load my own in about a week.

I've shot about 600 rounds of the 98 stuff. Shoots great in mine.

There's been a few lightly dented cases, but nothing that I wouldn't shoot.

Outta curiosity, anyone know how good the cases are for reloading?
I plan on reloading them fairly soon.

GIJOE: I recently reloaded a few (about 40) rounds from the ADCOM brass. Mine is(was) 04 headstamped M855. Other than having to tighten the deprimer pin to pop out the crimped primers (I then used a chamfer tool to take the edge of the crimp off by hand), they resize like my lake city brass. I haven't fired them yet, but they look and feel just like any of my other reloaded brass (which shoots a-ok).
About the only thing to watch out for is chamfering the primer pocket too much, if that happens the primers will back out when fired, or sometimes just wont stick in the pocket (Dillon Precision makes a neet little swagging press, but its a bit costly imo).

height=8

Quoted: height=8 Quoted: Any idea what I got or if I should go back and buy more? Is $4.59/box a good deal? Thanks! There is a reason why it is cheap.  I cannot understand why people run crap ammo in an expensive firearm. I understand what you are saying. And I agree 100%. But cheap prices do not always mean that it's crap. Cheap prices are just cheap prices. And for punching holes in paper, cheaper priced quality ammo is just as good as high priced quality ammo. But crap ammo is another story all together. Crap ammo is not a bargain, even at $1/box. I was mainly interested in finding out 1) Is it quality ammo? and 2) Is that a decent price?

I have a few boxes left

stuff LOOKS very nice and is seald up

But My 2 LMT M4 14.5 shoot HUGE GROUPS with it

The ADCOM was free for a reason.

The 98 isn't any safer than the 99.

Photo below: Average of one blown primer per box, with the added benefit of bad accuracy.

Do remember: This is the finest ammo the third-world quasi-allied UAE can produce.

I went through 2K rounds of '02 headstamp adcom, it was great ammo, not one single issue.  I wish I had about 20K more rounds of it now

I can't find anymore Adcom anywhere.  I usually get it from Ammunitiontogo.com, 1000rds for about $200 shipped.  They're not there anymore.  This ammo is excellent, I've put over 2000rds of it through my Armalite 1/9 upper.  I have had one blown primer and about 3 rounds that didnt go pop.  For paper hunting this stuff is awesome, and the accuracy is great at upto 200 yards (farthest I've shot it).  Thanks for the help in advance.
Justin

Quoted: The ADCOM was free for a reason. The 98 isn't any safer than the 99. Photo below: Average of one blown primer per box, with the added benefit of bad accuracy. Do remember: This is the finest ammo the third-world quasi-allied UAE can produce. i76.photobucket.com/albums/j18/Skintop911/IMG_3165.jpg

We have a winner.   ADCOM sucks period.   I sent to cases of 99 back due to blown primers.   Between a buddy and I we havee about 500 rounds of the 98 left.   It blows primers also just not as often as the 99.   You also need to inspect each round.  They tend to load cases with split necks.  

I still stand by my "Adcom's QC department standard dress is a burka with no eye holes"

Quoted: Quoted: The ADCOM was free for a reason. The 98 isn't any safer than the 99. Photo below: Average of one blown primer per box, with the added benefit of bad accuracy. Do remember: This is the finest ammo the third-world quasi-allied UAE can produce. i76.photobucket.com/albums/j18/Skintop911/IMG_3165.jpg We have a winner.   ADCOM sucks period.   I sent to cases of 99 back due to blown primers.   Between a buddy and I we havee about 500 rounds of the 98 left.   It blows primers also just not as often as the 99.   You also need to inspect each round.  They tend to load cases with split necks.   I still stand by my "Adcom's QC department standard dress is a burka with no eye holes"

Who did you send the ammo back too?

Quoted: Who did you send the ammo back too?

Sportsman's Guide.   I got it from there and returned it back to them.  The 500 rounds we have left is from Gander Mountain.  

Quoted: The ADCOM was free for a reason. The 98 isn't any safer than the 99. Photo below: Average of one blown primer per box, with the added benefit of bad accuracy. Do remember: This is the finest ammo the third-world quasi-allied UAE can produce. i76.photobucket.com/albums/j18/Skintop911/IMG_3165.jpg

Thats better than what my LMT does with ADCOM

I wonder why?

Has anyone Chrony this stuff


Mine is 98 lot

The ammo does look Well made

I have 1k of 04 headstamp ADCOM that I just opened up 10 minutes ago.  Completely forgot that I had it.  Anyone know if 04 fares well?  The last thing I need is a frickin' KB...

Quoted: I have 1k of 04 headstamp ADCOM that I just opened up 10 minutes ago.  Completely forgot that I had it.  Anyone know if 04 fares well?  The last thing I need is a frickin' KB...

As stated above, I've gone through nearly 2K rds of '04 headstamp without a single problem (aside from a handful of dented cases).  The dented cases were (mostly) probably not bad enough to cause an issue, but I chose the side of caution.

I don't think there is a ton of '04 out there, but who knows.

Quoted: Quoted: I have 1k of 04 headstamp ADCOM that I just opened up 10 minutes ago.  Completely forgot that I had it.  Anyone know if 04 fares well?  The last thing I need is a frickin' KB... As stated above, I've gone through nearly 2K rds of '04 headstamp without a single problem (aside from a handful of dented cases).  The dented cases were (mostly) probably not bad enough to cause an issue, but I chose the side of caution. I don't think there is a ton of '04 out there, but who knows.

Roger that, sorry I missed your post.  I'm thinking about using this for a Carbine course, and I don't want it to blow up or cause a serious stoppage.  A year or so ago I was shooting 98 & 99 headstamp ammo, a popped primer got lodged in my fcg, and stopped the rifle cold.  I might just bite the bullet and buy some decent factory ammo.  


eta:  you said '02

Quoted: Roger that, sorry I missed your post.  I'm thinking about using this for a Carbine course, and I don't want it to blow up or cause a serious stoppage.  A year or so ago I was shooting 98 & 99 headstamp ammo, a popped primer got lodged in my fcg, and stopped the rifle cold.  I might just bite the bullet and buy some decent factory ammo.   eta:  you said '02

You're right, I did say that.  Just checked one of the mags I have loaded with it and it is '02.

Depending on how much ammo you need for the course is really the key.  1K of xm193 is ~300+ bucks right now, but if you only need 500 rds then I'd probably go with that.  

I've gone through around 2k rounds of the 98' headstamp with no problems. At the 3.99 a box I paid for it I am satisfied.

I have debated for a long time weighing in on Adcom. I have a lot of experience plinking with this ammo. It appears that some people have bad experiences with it and some have good ones. I am at a loss as to why this is happening. The shit is sold out everywhere now, so I assume a lot of people are shooting the stuff and never looking back.  

I have shot about 5000 rounds of a combination of 99 and 98 headstamp Adcom. Probably most of it was 99. I have a 20' RRA HBAR A2 and a 24' RRA HBAR A3. I have yet to experience a single popped primer FTF FTE etc with Adcom. I have also fired Remington .223HP, Federal .223, Federal Lake City 5.56 and some Hornady 55gr .223(in the 24' for sighting in the scope) with no problems. The worst accuracy was with 55gr Remington Hollow points. Best accuracy was $16 a box Hornady moly (an entire 20 round mag through a quarter-sized ragged hole in the target). I can hit a 500 meter ram silhouette with Adcom or Lake City 18 out of 20 rounds all day with the 24'. Just last weekend I went through about 200 rounds of LC and another 300 of Adcom with no issues.  

My dad shot a box of 99HS Adcom in his Colt AR. He experienced at least two blown primers. His rifle was newer (purchased in 93, but not fired until last year) than mine, both our rifles checked out visually to have identical function. Both equally lubed but his has an 18 inch HBAR. He gave his ammo to me and I shot it up with no problems.  

Why am I not experiencing blown primers etc? I always carfully cull milsurp ammo before I shoot it. I pull anything that looks too deep-seated, dented, bent or showing cracks at the case neck. With 99 Adcom I will admit that you find more than a few rounds like this. I have also found defective Lake City, so nobody is perfect. Knowing this ammo was loaded somewher in the ME does make me examine it very closely. Nonetheless, the Adcom factory is run by an American company and the production is supposed to be NATO spec.

When I heard about the issues people were having with this ammo, I pulled a bunch of the culled ones to examine them. I also pulled some Lake City. The bullet virtually sits in the top of the powder in this ammo and in the Lake City. The powder in both looks identical in volume and grain shape/size. People have raised the issue of excessive charge possibilities with the Adcom, but that would appear unlikely since the charge would have to be overflowing the case and SEVERELY compressed. Even if powder were charged all the way into the neck taper free space, I question whether this would be sufficient to KB someone's rifle. People have had KBs with all kinds of ammo, and as we all know sometimes a KB can be caused by a malfunction in the rifle itself or by a barrel obstruction etc.

Am I insane, just lucky or stupid?    

All im saying  that the 98 ADCOM was the worst grouping of all M855/SS109
Iused a Defender 2000 M4 14.5 1/7 twist and a Bushmaster lower w/ a LMT M4 14.5 upper

I will asy the AMMO ran 100%
The ammo is WELL MADE

seald at both ends and the crimp/can is better than alot Ive seen

Ive shot Santa Barbra SS109 that gives Black Hills 75 a run for the money

Also Sellier&Bellot SS109 Kicks ass

I do have a theory about this ammo...as it relates to some that is seated past the cann.

When the round is chambered, if the projectile is set past the cann in the case, it could be pushed back into the case and well behind behind were it should be relative to the leade. When the round is then fired, this creates a large overpressure as the bullet is forced through the leade and down the barrel.

I have shot a lot of ADCOM 99 HS ammo in four ARs with no problems.  I shot some of the same ammo out of my sons AR and had a lot of blown primers.  I know for a fact his rifle had a tight chamber.  Could this explain anything?

I was feeling real good about sittin' on a little less than 2K of ADCOM M855 until I started to read this thread then you guys made me nervous. hock.gif  I checked and only a small amount of what I have is '99.  The majority is '00 and '04.  The '99 I inspected all seemed good and I have to think I have already run some through my 16" bushie with zero problems.  

Thankfully, I just acquired two SKSs and 2K of 7.62x39...the free market economy at work.

I Bought 2K of this from SG a while back and had only shot about 50 rnds all of which were fine. As i read this thread i pulled 2 boxes off the top to take a closer look. 3 out of 40 where set to far back in the case, will now check the whole lot.
AML98M010-001

Quoted: I Bought 2K of this from SG a while back and had only shot about 50 rnds all of which were fine. As i read this thread i pulled 2 boxes off the top to take a closer look. 3 out of 40 where set to far back in the case, will now check the whole lot. AML98M010-001

Could you post a pic of an example of a bullet set too far back?  I'd like to have it for reference.

http://s10.picshome.com/c33/march_07_007.jpg
http://s10.picshome.com/c33/march_07_005.jpg

as you can kinda make out crimp is almost non existant. Photo is taken next to a good shell for comparison.

Do blown primers always end up in the path of the BCG? I shot some ADCOM '98 and the metal part of the primer ended up inside my upper and locked up the BCG to the point that I had to remove the receiver extension to get the BCG out along with the metal fragment that was all flattened out. I am worried about shooting the ammo if I may need to disassemble the rifle after every shot that blows the primer out.
I have some '99 that I haven't shot, but the brass isn't cracked and the bullets aren't set back like some examples that I have seen in the '99 lots.

Quoted: Do blown primers always end up in the path of the BCG? I shot some ADCOM '98 and the metal part of the primer ended up inside my upper and locked up the BCG to the point that I had to remove the receiver extension to get the BCG out along with the metal fragment that was all flattened out. I am worried about shooting the ammo if I may need to disassemble the rifle after every shot that blows the primer out. I have some '99 that I haven't shot, but the brass isn't cracked and the bullets aren't set back like some examples that I have seen in the '99 lots.

There was also a guy here who had a primer lodge itself into his carrier key, effectively making it a bolt action.

i had a blown primer get mashed up in the locking lugs. I couldnt shake it out. had to get a field improvised tool (stick) to dislodge it.

all my adcom has been 98 head stamped. i load all mine on stripper clips and so i inspect each and every round. i've culled probably 20 rounds for crushed case mouths from when the bullet was seated. other than that, i've had pretty decent luck with it. i'd probably buy it again  if found for the right price.

A buddy of mine had a blown primer land in the bolt carrier's key channel and it locked the gun up since nothing could rotate. Effectively made the gun into an awkwardly shaped club. Had to use several hard butt-strokes (), flathead screwdriver and hammer to get it apart. That wasn't fun.

For those who say they have no trouble with ADCOM

What size groups?


Like I stated it runs 100% in my M4  but Shitty groups

Quoted: For those who say they have no trouble with ADCOM What size groups? Like I stated it runs 100% in my M4  but Shitty groups

Minute of pie is all I can get with adcom.  but thats not a whole lot worse than I usually get

Quoted: Do blown primers always end up in the path of the BCG? I shot some ADCOM '98 and the metal part of the primer ended up inside my upper and locked up the BCG to the point that I had to remove the receiver extension to get the BCG out along with the metal fragment that was all flattened out. I am worried about shooting the ammo if I may need to disassemble the rifle after every shot that blows the primer out. I have some '99 that I haven't shot, but the brass isn't cracked and the bullets aren't set back like some examples that I have seen in the '99 lots.

On several occasions I've had dislodged primers come to rest under the trigger, preventing it from moving. Same result, disassemble to fix your club. That was with ADCOM and XM855.

If you're shooting lot 99 then you have a lot more to worry about besides blown primers

i found another place those blown primers go, right into the bolt face and onto the next round. I had a click on a shot with no bang, I pulled the charging handle and nothing extracted, but the round was still in the chamber, I then noticed that the previous primer was sitting right on top of the primer for the chambered round. I dropped the magazine, banged the buttstock on the ground and jiggled the losened primer. Then it extracted fine. I didn't get a chance to look at all my brass but someone else said that some of it was splitting at the neck.

I've shot '98 and '04. No problems with either. They are sealed up well and hot. The '04 had flash retardant not sure about the '99, I only tested the '99 in bright sunlight. One difference between the years was the '04 had visible annealing at the case neck and above, the '99 did not.