Thread: Military surplus ammo

Originally Posted by norsk

It is interesting how different ammo degrades over time.

Pretty much all the German 8mm is buggered now. However the 9x19 seems fine.

The LC 3006 and .45 supplied to Norway under the Marshall aid plan is erratic at best,often the projectiles are corroded inside the case and when you pull the bullet there is a hiss of escaping gas.

A guy I know had 8000 rounds of 303 that was smuggled to the resistance during the war,it was stored in it's wooden crates that were sealed in tin.Ammo looks bright and shiney but at least 10% won't go off and as many hang fire.

I think GC is walking a fine line with there Greek HXP.

Agree. Differences between the different .303 ammo:

A: 1940s, Corrosive Potassium Chlorate primers, Throat-erosive Cordite propellant. Cordite stable to store but naturally hard to ignite.
B: 1970s, Non-corrosive lead styphnate primers, Modern throat-friendlier ball powder. ?stability of ball powder, but 30+ years younger.

I wonder if the wartime ammo is made to military specs with a more rigid primer cup, and we experience more hangfires/misfires due to our Lee Enfields simply having weakened striker springs. Consider: it's not just the ammo which is getting older.

Here is a source of replacement striker pins for Lee Enfields:
https://www.ds-solutions.co.uk/lee-e...w-and-Unissued

There are setups out there that produce double and triple strength striker springs, one outfit in the UK was selling stainless or titanium striker pins - all in the pursuit of reduced lock time - important if you shoot your rifle unsupported (as in out in the bush not on the range with a nice table for your bipod).
https://www.firingpins.com/firing-pi...eld-firing-pin

But ask yourself, how far will you supercharge a Ford-T? Heh heh. (-: