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7.62 x 51 Surplus

1K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  Doc McGlock 
#1 ·
Back in the 90's it was everywhere. Berdan primed, non-reloadable. Now I don't see it anywhere. Has it dried up completely?
 
#3 · (Edited)
It's still available only different manufacturers. There's Brown Bear, Tula, Wolf, Silver Bear
The demand for berdan slowly cutback over time.

At one time the price of 308 had those who were hobby shooters selling it for top dollar. The demand allowed it to go in to peoples ammo forts.
Fortunately commercial 308 is still $0.50 - 0.75 per depending which brand you go with. If you're not reloading now or down the road, buy the wolf. If you want accuracy, consistency and boxer primed go with PPU. Their 168 is nice for the price point.


SG has wolf, tula and the old reliable Hirtenberger
http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammo-sale/308-win-762x51-ammo
 
#5 ·
It's still available only different manufacturers. There's Brown Bear, Tula, Wolf, Silver Bear
The demand for berdan slowly cutback over time.
I've got some OFN made in Nigeria (allegedly on German equipment) that I've shot 3/4 moa with. I've also got some Spanish and Venezuelan that seems to shoot well also.

The reason I ask is because my HK 91, while fun to shoot, really does a number on the brass and I prefer to feed it the cheap, non-reloadable stuff.

If I could find someone selling corrosive, berdan-primed I'd be all over it. I guess it's a good thing that I'm old enough to remember 7.62x51 surplus @ 16 cents/round.
 
#9 ·
I've got some OFN made in Nigeria (allegedly on German equipment) that I've shot 3/4 moa with. I've also got some Spanish and Venezuelan that seems to shoot well also.

The reason I ask is because my HK 91, while fun to shoot, really does a number on the brass and I prefer to feed it the cheap, non-reloadable stuff.

If I could find someone selling corrosive, berdan-primed I'd be all over it. I guess it's a good thing that I'm old enough to remember 7.62x51 surplus @ 16 cents/round.
Corrosive? You mop up after every shoot or am I missing something?
 
#6 ·
I ran into some stuff, European surplus, that had pierced primers with every 7.62 I had except my HK91. Looking at the case, I then noticed no cross in the circle.
 
#7 ·
I have no way to prove this but I truly believe that when Hillary was Secretary of State and traveling around the world getting rich she also stopped the import of most of the surplus ammo.
You destroy the ammo and we will give you xxx dollars in foreign aid.
 
#8 ·
A friend and I ordered surplus 7.62 NATO back then in large quantity to get free shipping. I been shooting 308 out of battle rifles for years. The lowest cost then was 7.5 cent a round delivered. Indian reloadable. When ammo started to dry up I started picking up my empties. Have several 50 caliber cans of FN loaded on 5 round stripper clips. Also Red Way Green.

When people couldn't shoot 22s I was shooting 308.

Even with all that ammo I handload a 150 grain Nolser BT. I also buy Federal 308 Match 168 Grain Sierra SMK and handload a factory duplicated round that hit at the same point of aim.

I like the 308 and own several. Someday I should dig them out and post a picture.
 
#14 ·
My first HK 91 back around 1980 was amazing. I was at an outdoor bench about 30 feet from the closest parked cars... my empty brass was leaving hard going god knows where. A guy was leaving and got to his pickup truck.. he walked over smiling and asked if I wanted to retrieve the several hundred 308 pieces of brass in the back of his pickup truck. Glad he had an old work truck.
 
#16 ·
What is the consensus of ZQ1? I have a bunch of it from Wallyworld and have fired some of it but I don't have a lot of experience in long guns. It runs about .50/rd. I also have a bit of their Perfecta at around .60/rd.

It's one of those rounds that always seemed available during the past ammo crunch.
 
#20 ·
What is the consensus of ZQ1? I have a bunch of it from Wallyworld and have fired some of it but I don't have a lot of experience in long guns. It runs about .50/rd. I also have a bit of their Perfecta at around .60/rd.

It's one of those rounds that always seemed available during the past ammo crunch.
ZQI is good ammo, not the most accurate but good enough for plinking. Accuracy depends on the rifle though as some have reported superb accuracy with it but most report just average accuracy.
The brass is good if you reload.
 
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