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8/30/2008 9:25:59 AM EDT
I've been having issues with SA getting stuck in my chamber so I did one last experiment before I sent my gun back to DSA (the said they would look at it under warranty, shooting surplus ammo was no problem according the the rep I talked to).

I took my 21" Para and SAI M1A to the range one more time with some Lithuanian, and the remainder of my SA ammo.

The FAL digested all 200 rounds of LITH, with only a couple FTE which was remedied by 2 more clicks on the gas.

I had stuck cases with the SA in both my M1A and my FAL. My friends CETME also jammed with the SA.

On the plus side, Lith is my new favorite load as I can get 2.5" groups with the stock irons with my FAL.

40 rounds of Port also ran great.

Why do so many people like South African? It seems to cause a lot of issues.

NOTE... All three of the rifles have 308 chambers.
8/30/2008 10:44:50 AM EDT
[#1]
I had a few stuck SAs in my Para as well.

I looked very carefully at the bolt and noticed a nice little chip broken off the 'tooth' of my extractor.

I replaced my extrector , and now there are no problems whatsoever.

Funny thing is , even with the broken extractor , it would still shoot some other ammo with no problems, TAP and Port.  

Good luck bud.
8/30/2008 10:49:05 AM EDT
[#2]

Quoted:
I had a few stuck SAs in my Para as well.

I looked very carefully at the bolt and noticed a nice little chip broken off the 'tooth' of my extractor.

I replaced my extrector , and now there are no problems whatsoever.

Funny thing is , even with the broken extractor , it would still shoot some other ammo with no problems, TAP and Port.  

Good luck bud.


Just checked my extractor, looks good.  I can't explain my my gun eats every other type or ammo I've tried (Port, Lith, WIN 7.62, RG) and chokes on this stuff.  I must have a bad batch.

8/30/2008 12:26:48 PM EDT
[#3]
I have not had any problems with SA 308 in my DSA SA58 FN Congo, Belgium FN Fal or HK91.
Not the cleanest ammo, but has been good for range practice.
8/30/2008 1:36:27 PM EDT
[#4]
I don't have any of the SA ammo, but if I did and was having trouble I would shoot at least 20 rounds over a chronograph to see if it is consistient and what the average velocity is.  Some rifles need the pressure just right for proper semi-auto operation, some not so picky. If you get 100 fps (or greater) spread it is bad and I would scrap it, good ammo should be less than 50 FPS spread between the fastes and slowest rounds.

I got the same impression of the Lithuanian 308, it is damned good ammo.

I am still working on a stash of Brittish surplus 308 (Radway?) that is good in all my rifles too.  I had good results with that wave of ADI (Austrailian I think) that was around a couple years ago too. Glad I bought it when it was available and at what turns out to be real good price compared to now!

Perhaps you can swap or sell that SA 308 to someone who has no issues with it.  
8/30/2008 5:59:45 PM EDT
[#5]
Ive had no problems with SA in my Belgian FAL. It was produced for the FAL, at least until recently.
8/30/2008 6:29:21 PM EDT
[#6]
No problems with SA in a variety of FAL's, M1A's, or a HK91 over the years

I've fired a lot of SA, and certainly it's not match quality accuracy wise, but has proven (in my rifles) dependable for general range usage.

Obviously, YMMV.

8/30/2008 6:54:19 PM EDT
[#7]
No issues with SA. Do you know what rifles they used is South Africa? Fals, do you think that the ammo they made for use in those Fals would probably work?

I would suyspect something is wrong with the rifle before I would go blaming the ammo.

I can see problems with the CETME if it has a fluted chamber, SA does not work great in them due to the sealant.

I have 2 Fals, 3 M1As and one .308 Garand, I shoot SA a lot in them, I have very few issues at all. I do have to adjust the gas in the Fal, especially if I've been shooting Aussie, Port, or HB tho SA is mostly what I shoot

I will say tho, all my battle rifles are full length.

SA does run slower in 7.62x51 cal then some of the other makes, don't know if that is due to time or because it was originally for use in a hot tropical climate and they factored in that when they manufactured it to keep pressures in spec.
8/31/2008 2:28:17 AM EDT
[#8]
Send it all to me and I'll dispose of it properly.
This is the berdan primed stuff in PVC battle packs, right? My M14 eats it up, no issues. The LRB seems to also, but I don't shoot much surplus through it.
8/31/2008 3:57:15 AM EDT
[#9]
I have been using SA 7.62 for years in my recently departed M1A and it never caused any problems.  It worked fine but was pretty dirty and not the most accurate to use.  I have probably shot around 1000 rounds of it in the past 10 years or so.
8/31/2008 5:01:25 AM EDT
[#10]
SA works OK in my DSA StG58A, although SA, as a general rule, is not the most consistent 7.62 milsurp.  There are the occasional flyers.  All said, it is maybe 3 MOA ammo on a good day with a good rifle.

Surprisingly, my Match-chambered Super Match M1A digests it with no problems.

Maybe it's not all the ammo's fault.
9/3/2008 7:14:20 AM EDT
[#11]
Crank your gas closed and try it again. Some lots are a bit low pressured.
9/3/2008 4:03:56 PM EDT
[#12]
I never had problems with any I fired in my Para or carbine barreled build. My gas setting was 4. Both have chrome lined chambers and bores.
Don't have any of it left. Running straight reloads. Saving the 5k of Radway Green for a rainy day(s).
9/9/2008 3:31:19 PM EDT
[#13]
my STG eats SA. first time out, it put most of a 20-round box in 3" at 100 yards, with irons. that is about what I expect from the rifle with surplus ammo. no failures of any kind, though I had the gas turned up a little too high.
9/9/2008 4:04:30 PM EDT
[#14]
another +1 for SA in an STG.   Never had an issue.    
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