Author Topic: Need ammo for your battle rifle?  (Read 2452 times)

Scout26

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Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« on: August 24, 2016, 07:24:29 PM »
In case you missed it on Tam's Blog, Old Western Scrounger bought out some/most/all of SAMCO's inventory at the bankruptcy sale.

http://www.ows-ammo.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=130&zenid=938ab4faf90927dd2ba250e13a9a63d6

I bought 140 rounds of .303 Brit and 100 rounds of Mauser ammo.  All for $190 shipped.  They have lots of .30carbine and other battle rifle and non-battle rifle ammo available at fairly decent prices.  Most is old new stock in original packaging.   All my .303 Brit is WWII manufacture, some British, some Canuckian.  The Mauser ammo is WWII Belgian FN manufacture.


Now I'm off to find dies and berdan primer punches.  Anyone know where I can get cordite? =D

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Jim147

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2016, 07:28:36 PM »
If I had some cash I would be getting some 30 carbine.
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And sometimes goes on and on and on.

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brimic

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2016, 09:44:42 AM »
Ehrmehrgerd! They have m/41 6.5x55. I've been looking for that stuff for years. Credit card is going to take a hit.
Fwiw, I've checked samco several times over the years, but their website/ business was too disfunctional to deal with.

Do need some .303 as well, have a bunch of enfields that rarely get shot.
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K Frame

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2016, 09:47:04 AM »
Back in the 1980s and 1990s SAMCO was well known for advertising excellent condition ammunition and shipping absolute trash. Water damaged, corroded, partially crushed, you name it.

Their business model was apparently "If it's not on fire, it's in excellent condition!"
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Fly320s

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2016, 04:51:02 PM »
I hadn't heard SAMCO closed up shop, but I'm not surprised.  They always seemed to me to be the internet equivalent of an old, ratty, warehouse store that should have burned down years ago.
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Scout26

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2016, 06:25:07 PM »
Went through what they shipped me.  I found one round of .303 Brit was slightly dented (could have shipped that way or damaged by UPS).  But not dented enough not to be able to be shot.   Nothing was corroded or water damaged (paperboard boxes weren't in the best shape, but that could have been from age and shipping also, didn't look water damaged.
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won't help.


Bring me my Broadsword and a clear understanding.
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Take women and children and bed them down.
Bless with a hard heart those that stand with me.
Bless the women and children who firm our hands.
Put our backs to the north wind.
Hold fast by the river.
Sweet memories to drive us on,
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brimic

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2016, 07:08:51 PM »
Thanks for the link, Scout, just ordered up a hernia for the FedEx driver.
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MechAg94

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2016, 08:34:35 PM »
It is loose packed 30 carbine ammo at $25 per 50.  Why is that such a deal?  A quick search online shows lots of cheaper options for new ammo.  I have seen better prices for brass ammo in sporting goods stores. 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

K Frame

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2016, 08:56:05 PM »
There's not much in there that's anything close to a decent deal, but I wouldn't mind having one of those dogbone boxes of Remington .45 ACP.
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Angel Eyes

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2016, 09:03:47 PM »
It is loose packed 30 carbine ammo at $25 per 50.  Why is that such a deal?  A quick search online shows lots of cheaper options for new ammo.  I have seen better prices for brass ammo in sporting goods stores.  

The selling point is it's USGI.  But you're right: one can get commercial brass-cased .30 carbine ammo for around 33 cents/round plus shipping.
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BobR

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2016, 12:46:16 AM »
Ehrmehrgerd! They have m/41 6.5x55. I've been looking for that stuff for a while also.

I may get enough to get my 6.5 auto-chucker (Ljungman) up and running for a while. I love the 6.5, one of those rounds that should be very popular in the US because it can do nearly every thing, but isn't. :(

bpb

HankB

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2016, 10:28:30 AM »
. . .  All my .303 Brit is WWII manufacture, some British, some Canuckian . . .
You're probably OK there; the Indian .303 ammo on the other hand seems to have an exceptionally bad reputation, and may actually be unsafe to shoot.

I got a case of HXP .303 British ammo a little over a year ago on stripper clips from Cheaper Than Dirt; CTD is NOT my favorite company, but this stuff was really clean '76 vintage and the price was right. (It went fast.)
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K Frame

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2016, 11:05:46 AM »
The selling point is it's USGI.  But you're right: one can get commercial brass-cased .30 carbine ammo for around 33 cents/round plus shipping.


And that's a selling point.... why?

To me it would only be a selling point if it were USGI AND considerably cheaper than commercial.

Otherwise, don't waste my time and money.
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tokugawa

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2016, 11:29:45 AM »
Ehrmehrgerd! They have m/41 6.5x55. I've been looking for that stuff for years. Credit card is going to take a hit.
Fwiw, I've checked samco several times over the years, but their website/ business was too disfunctional to deal with.

Do need some .303 as well, have a bunch of enfields that rarely get shot.

 They have 10 and 20 round boxes- is it the same ammo? Educate me on the m41 stuff, I know nothing. about 6.5  ammo

MechAg94

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2016, 03:18:54 PM »
And that's a selling point.... why?

To me it would only be a selling point if it were USGI AND considerably cheaper than commercial.

Otherwise, don't waste my time and money.
The stuff I remember getting that was loaded in stripper clips and bandoliers was a bit underpowered.  Loose packed USGI ammo that isn't in good condition does not excite me.
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Scout26

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2016, 02:02:53 PM »
You're probably OK there; the Indian .303 ammo on the other hand seems to have an exceptionally bad reputation, and may actually be unsafe to shoot.

I got a case of HXP .303 British ammo a little over a year ago on stripper clips from Cheaper Than Dirt; CTD is NOT my favorite company, but this stuff was really clean '76 vintage and the price was right. (It went fast.)

That's why I ordered the Brit and Canuckian .303.  They do have Indian, but I've heard a lot about the (lack of) QC, and being unsafe to shoot, so I passed and stuck with what I know is good ammo.  The Belgian FN stuff I'm sure is good ammo.
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won't help.


Bring me my Broadsword and a clear understanding.
Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing.
Take women and children and bed them down.
Bless with a hard heart those that stand with me.
Bless the women and children who firm our hands.
Put our backs to the north wind.
Hold fast by the river.
Sweet memories to drive us on,
for the motherland.

HankB

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2016, 02:35:52 PM »
That's why I ordered the Brit and Canuckian .303.  They do have Indian, but I've heard a lot about the (lack of) QC, and being unsafe to shoot, so I passed and stuck with what I know is good ammo.  The Belgian FN stuff I'm sure is good ammo.
I sort of follow the old adage "Don't use ammo that comes from a country where you wouldn't drink the water."   ;)
Trump won in 2016. Democrats haven't been so offended since Republicans came along and freed their slaves.
Sometimes I wonder if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain
Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods. - H.L. Mencken
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain

birdman

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2016, 06:38:26 PM »
Hmm...30.06 black tip...yeah, why not.

AmbulanceDriver

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2016, 07:13:48 PM »
Hmm...30.06 black tip...yeah, why not.

I would have to agree.... Curious to see how my Garand likes M2 AP......   From what I've seen of other's experiences, it should like it *extremely* well

ETA: 2 boxes of AP goodness headed my way. Hard to justify more at $1.50 a round
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birdman

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #19 on: August 27, 2016, 07:31:39 PM »
I would have to agree.... Curious to see how my Garand likes M2 AP......   From what I've seen of other's experiences, it should like it *extremely* well

ETA: 2 boxes of AP goodness headed my way. Hard to justify more at $1.50 a round

Likewise re: trying it in the M1 I bought from Fitz...and trying it on some steel plate, though quantity purchased may differ...

French G.

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #20 on: August 27, 2016, 11:51:32 PM »
I have one unopened box of SL43 black tip that I wish I could sell to a collector. The other boxes were unopened but the paper sealbroke from age and handling. I have a ton of loose black tip and some 5 Rd clip bandoleers of SL43 that I do shoot. Wish I could find more.
AKA Navy Joe   

I'm so contrarian that I didn't respond to the thread.

brimic

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #21 on: August 28, 2016, 11:52:59 AM »
They have 10 and 20 round boxes- is it the same ammo? Educate me on the m41 stuff, I know nothing. about 6.5  ammo

I have never tried any of it, but all reports I've read is that it's very accurate. I really want some of this stuff for my M41b rifles to compare with my hand loads , which is the only ammo I've ever shot through them. If it's as good or better than my hand loads, I might spring for a thousand more rounds of it, as the hand loads I use are not cheap- using lapua brass, 140,142gr SMKs or 139gr lapua scenars.

Fwiw,I ordered 25 of the 20 rd boxes.
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Angel Eyes

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #22 on: August 28, 2016, 09:46:33 PM »
. . . . and they won't ship the M2 AP goodness to California, even though it's perfectly legal.  Bastages.
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brimic

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #23 on: August 28, 2016, 11:12:15 PM »
. . . . and they won't ship the M2 AP goodness to California, even though it's perfectly legal.  Bastages.


No worries, it's only a matter of time before some idiot starts manufacturing .50 bmg handguns and it gets banned for the rest of us as well :facepalm:
"now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb" -Dark Helmet

"AK47's belong in the hands of soldiers mexican drug cartels"-
Barack Obama

Mannlicher

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Re: Need ammo for your battle rifle?
« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2016, 04:55:28 PM »
I had so much trouble sourcing 8X56 Mannlicher-Schoenauer ammo, that I had the rifle converted to 8X57 Mauser.   :)