South African .223 ammo

Site Notices

TNVC Partners With Envision Technology - MARS Rangefinder Family, MARS-Lc!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - South African .223 ammo

Posted: 12/5/2001 7:44:22 AM EDT

I'm a proud Colt AR15 owner and usually shoot only Remmington or Winchester rounds. I found this ammo at Cheaper than Dirt stores and wondered if it would have a negative effect on my AR. I've heard bad stories about crappy ammo.
Anyone have any input.
Thanks

Posted: 12/5/2001 8:02:14 AM EDT

[#1]

I've used the SA ammo in all my AR's with good results. There's nothing wrong with it. And the sealed battle packs are ideal for long term storage.

Posted: 12/5/2001 8:04:22 AM EDT

[#2]

Thanks for the info. I'll go stock up ; )

Posted: 12/5/2001 11:57:58 AM EDT

[#3]

Ive used it...compaired to wolf.. its a little more "dirty" good plinking ammo
CB

Posted: 12/5/2001 12:05:10 PM EDT

[#4]

I've ran some of the South African Denel PMP .223 through an AC556 on full auto with no problems. I did notice it was a little dirtier than Winchester, but not enough to cause any problems.

Michael

Posted: 12/5/2001 12:13:21 PM EDT

[#5]

The SA ammo is good stuff. I got very good groups with the stuff. I prefer it over the ss109 ammo.

Posted: 12/5/2001 12:17:02 PM EDT

[#6]

I love the stuff so much I bought another 2700 rounds from SG for $299. Here is what it looks like. I personaly prefer it over Federal ammo. My last batch of SA was highly accurate.

Here are the current SG coupons

www.advertisehorse.com/guns/cheapammopricesandsgcouponsasof110101.htm

Posted: 12/5/2001 3:31:47 PM EDT

[#7]

I've shot at least 900rds of this stuff through my AR's with NO problems.

Cheap fun!

Posted: 12/5/2001 5:23:05 PM EDT

[#8]

I love it! I get mine at Cheaper than Dirt also. It goes 3186 average out of my 20" barrel and gives very nice groups. Does seem a little dirtier than other ammo and smells like ammonia or some acrid chemical but shoots great especially for the price.

Does anyone else notice the smell or is it just me?

Posted: 12/5/2001 5:51:26 PM EDT

[#9]

I've also shot literally thousands of rounds through my BMs w/ no problems at all. I've never used Wolf.

Posted: 12/5/2001 6:45:00 PM EDT

[#10]

I bought a case from Cole Distributing a few months ago. It isn't in battle packs. It's the ones in the little 30-round chinese-food looking boxes. I've had a few jams with it on a couple of occasions, but I think my gun may have been overlubricated. I hadn't had it long, and I was still getting the hang of maintaining it. The last couple of sessions have been flawless. I've also reloaded some that I've shot, and it performed even better the second time around. Looks like good brass.

Posted: 12/5/2001 7:19:56 PM EDT

[#11]

I just bought some of this stuff from www.sportsmansguide.com/showad.html?promo_code=WX0&item_id=51730&ticket=8944341&urlseq=1070289797 and it is on it's way. I did searches at people said it was pretty good and for the price you couldnt beat it, so I am figured I would go ahead and stock up for the range.

Posted: 12/5/2001 8:09:24 PM EDT

[#12]

I thought this stuff was berdan primed? If so then I would love to know how admiral reloaded it?

Posted: 12/5/2001 10:35:45 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Does seem a little dirtier than other ammo and smells like ammonia or some acrid chemical but shoots great especially for the price.

Does anyone else notice the smell or is it just me?

No , I've noticed that too.

Posted: 12/5/2001 10:37:45 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I thought this stuff was berdan primed? If so then I would love to know how admiral reloaded it?

Well as far as I know the sealed 300rd battlepacks are Berdan primed BUT

There is South African commercial ammo,PMP,
that is boxer primed.
All of that I've seen comes in a 20rd cardboard box with a gazelle on it.

Posted: 12/6/2001 5:10:06 AM EDT

[#15]

Yes, the SA ammo I have is boxer primed. That's why I picked it over some other slightly cheaper choices.

Posted: 12/6/2001 7:29:51 AM EDT

[#16]

Thanks for all the replies.
Personally I really like the ammonia smell
and if its dirty then that means I get to
clean her more often :)
My Cousins are looking forward to shooting my guns over the holiday so I won't be so broke sporting them the ammo...

Posted: 12/6/2001 7:39:38 AM EDT

[#17]

try it before you buy a large quantity. i had problems with stuck cases with south african pmp.

Posted: 12/6/2001 4:50:04 PM EDT

[#18]

Admiral:

How can I tell the difference between berdan and boxer primers? I don't reload, but I have saved all my Q3131A brass which I understand is boxer primed and thus reloadable.

I too just got some SA not-in-battlepacks from Coles in 30 rd boxes, though I haven't fired any yet. It's the Denel (Pty) Ltd 223 Rem 55 gr FJBT, Lot 003, headstamp DNL 223 Rem. The primers do not have the "staking" as does the SA M1A4 5.56mm (lot 862A89) that DID come in sealed battlepacks with 10 each 30 rd boxes. My Q3131A does not have this "staking" either.

Two questions: 1) Is this non-"staked" Denel boxer primed and reloadable?

2) Does the "staking" indicate berdan primed and non-reloadable brass?

Thanks to all for your assistance.

Posted: 12/6/2001 8:18:22 PM EDT

[#19]

That sounds like what I have. I'm at work, so I can't look at the label, but that sounds about right.

To tell what kind of primer you have, take a fired case and look at the base inside. You may need a flashlight. If there is one hole in the center, it's boxer primed and reloadable. If you see two side-by-side holes, it's berdan primed, and a no-go.

Also be aware that some milsurplus ammo has crimped primer pockets. My SA ammo is not crimped, so your is probably OK too. If it's crimped, it must be decrimped before you can reload. You can get a special decrimping tool, or you can try taking a bit of brass off the edge of the primer pocket with a case deburring tool.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'staking'. Perhaps this is a primer crimp?

Posted: 12/7/2001 3:08:57 AM EDT

[#20]

Maybe staking isn't the best term, but I'm referring to small "notches" on the side of the primer, usually two of them. I saw them on the unfired SA that came in the sealed battlepacks, not on the Cole stuff or on Q3131A.

These are on the base of the cartridge, and this photo from Eric sort of shows them.

www.ammoman.com/images/AFR_1.jpg

Admiral, if you send me a note off line I can reply (tonight) with a scanned image.

Posted: 12/9/2001 9:45:26 AM EDT

[#21]

That definately looks like primer crimping. It will not affect your ability to reload one way or the other. You'll just have to 'deburr' the notches before you can seat a new primer. That is, of course, assuming that the case is boxer primed.

Posted: 12/9/2001 12:21:07 PM EDT

[#22]

You guys do know you can reload Berdan Primed brass right? You just need a special tool to pop out the primer, and then it is good to go.

Posted: 12/9/2001 12:55:50 PM EDT

[#23]

I had heard that, but I've never looked into it.

Posted: 12/9/2001 4:18:40 PM EDT

[#24]

Reloading Berdan primed .233 brass is not worth
the effort, considering all the brass that is
avaliable for reasonable prices. John

Posted: 12/9/2001 5:45:11 PM EDT

[#25]

Yes you can reload berdan primed cases but you do need the proper tool and you have to use berdan primers again as a boxer primer will interfere with the built in anvil in the primer pocket of a berdan case. Don't bother! Just reload good old boxer primed cases.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - South African .223 ammo

Armory » General Firearm Discussion

Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us