[luigi]

I have made it my policy to only purchase US manufactured ammo. In the past I have had issues with two types of foreign manufactured ammo. Both were manufactured by reputable companies and some folks swear by them. The first issue was inconsistent cartridge headspace and the second was a blown primer. The blown primer ended up in the trigger group and that was quite an adventure.

I contacted both the distributor and the manufacturer of the ammo with the blown primer and they tried to tell me that the problem was due to a non mil spec chamber. I explained to them that wasn’t the case. The rifle was a Colt M4A1 carbine with a mil spec barrel. The distributor took back the unfired ammo but the manufacturer didn’t do a thing even after I sent them photos and filed out their incident report. Lesson learned.

What mfg? I have used a large amount of Serbian ammo ( PPU ) with good results and reloaded their brass. I am guessing is it not Prvi Partizan from Serbia?

 

[stlm14]

I guess I have been lucky. The only ammo I didn't like was some BH moly-coated ammo years ago (.308) that cause some weird fouling in my M1A. I finally got it out.

 

[rickgman]

What mfg? I have used a large amount of Serbian ammo ( PPU ) with good results and reloaded their brass. I am guessing is it not Prvi Partizan from Serbia?

Luigi, No it was not PPU. I try to avoid posting messages on-line which specifically name products I find inferior.

 

[E pluribus unum]

Well it isn’t worth much to post to a thread titled “What Ammo Would You Not Buy Again” and not name the ammo.

 

[rickgman]

Well it isn’t worth much to post to a thread titled “What Ammo Would You Not Buy Again” and not name the ammo.

As I stated, I avoid all foreign manufactured ammo. I simply do not trust the QC procedures of many foreign manufacturers. My approach is definitely a bit overly conservative but I personally am unwilling to engage in experimentation with something as critical as ammunition.

 

[Thrashcompactor]

My rifle hates Magtech M80 and PMC Xtac M80. Numerous failure to fires. My S&B M80 has been very reliable, although none of it is particularly accurate.

 

[E pluribus unum]

“I have made it my policy to only purchase US manufactured ammo. In the past I have had issues with two types of foreign manufactured ammo. Both were manufactured by reputable companies and some folks swear by them. The first issue was inconsistent cartridge headspace and the second was a blown primer. The blown primer ended up in the trigger group and that was quite an adventure.”

That is a bit more detailed than stating you simply avoid all non US ammo.
It begs the question when the whole point is to help others avoid specific problems with specific ammo.

 

[highlandfarmer]

Mine is simple - I just stay away from Berdan brass. But they are great for battle ammo if you intend to just use the brass that one time. Otherwise, I look for boxer prime brass for reloading. And no steel cased brass at all.

 

[Rifleman-7.62]

I have had problems with Magtech brand brass cased 7.62 x 51 on light primer strikes with a certain rifle. But I have not had problems with Magtech on any other firearm.

I bought some 7.62 x 39 Geco ammunition and had continual problems with failure to feed in an AR-15.

In my AR-15 rifle I use Russian steel cased Tula and Wolf 7.62 x 39 ammo and I have no problems with it that I can discover. But I do not like Russian steel cased ammo in pistols.

Blazer .45 Auto and 9 millimeter Luger brass cased ammunition I have no problems with.

Thus far I do not like aluminum cased ammo because of problems with it. I now try to avoid it.

So my naughty list for ammunition is: Magtech 7.62 x 51 brass cased, Geco brand ammo and aluminum cased ammo and steel cased pistol ammunition.

 

[alFALfa]

You couldn't give me any Aguila .22LR. Ditto Remington Golden Bullets .22LR.

I'll agree with the Remington Golden, but the Aguila .22LR 40gr high velocity I'm shooting has been great.

I'll never buy Spanish surplus 7.62x51, I had a case of '70's vintage Santa Barbara that was awful.

 

[migunshooter]

Winchester 17hmr i had several boxes that had bent tips. it produced 2" groups at 100yds same rifle with federal and hornady were sub 1"

 

[XXIV Corps]

I'll never buy Spanish surplus 7.62x51, I had a case of '70's vintage Santa Barbara that was awful.

My top scores with old military surplus ammunition from around the world...

1, M852 Lake City from 1991. Top score of 200-20X, on a SR-1 NRA standard 100 yard target, 1-20 round mag only with my NM M1A.
2, Argentine FLB, surplus from 1983, 200-16X.
3, M118LR Lake City from 2003, 200-13X.
4, German DAG, surplus from 1993, 200-12X.
5, M118SB Lake City from 1983, 200-10X.
6, M852 Lake City from 1988, 200-10X.
7, Radway Green surplus from 1990, 200-10X.
8, Greek surplus from 1980, 200-10X.
9. Santa Barbara surplus from 1968, 200-8X <<<<<.
10, Australian MF surplus from 1966, 200-6X.
11, M118SB Lake City from 1985, a 199-12X.
12, Nigerian from 1970, 199-10X.
13, Portuguese m/963 surplus from 1979, a 199-10X.
14, Radway Green surplus from 1985, 198-12X.
15, Malaysian surplus from 1985, 198-11X.
16, Belgium surplus from 1977, 198-10X.
17, Bosnian surplus from 2003, 198-10X.
18, Radway Green surplus from 1995, 198-9X
19, Austria surplus from 1980, 198-8X.
20, South African surplus from 1980, 198-6X.
21, Santa Barbara surplus from 1980, 197-14X<<<<<.
22, Argentine surplus from 1983, 197-8X.
23, German DAG, surplus from 1976, 197-8X.
24, German MEN, surplus from 1969, 197-6X.
25, Singapore surplus from 1986, 196-11X.
26, Israeli surplus from 1974, 196-10X.
27, Australian ADI surplus from 1988, 196-8X.
28, Bosnian M118 surplus from 2003, 196-8X.
29, Serbia surplus from 2002, 196-6X.
30, Malaysian surplus from 1982, 195-6X.
31, Malaysian surplus from 1983, 194-9X.
32, Lithuanian surplus from 2003, 194-6X.
33, Serbia surplus from 1989, 194-2X.
34, Venezuelan surplus from 1989, 194-2X.
35, Denmark, surplus from 1993, 193-2X.
36, Canadian, surplus from 1970, 192-8X.
37, Chilean, surplus from 1976, 191-4X.
38, Indonesian surplus from 1985, 190-6X
39, Portuguese m/963 surplus from 1978, 190-4X.
40, Austria surplus from 1978, 190-3X.
41, South African surplus from 1981, 189-1X.
42, Pakistan surplus from 1979. Score of 188-4X.

Commercial grade 7.62x51mm Winchester and Federal Cartridge Company all in white boxes ammunition was always below grade third world military surplus ammunition.

XXIV Corps

 

[Scott in Texas]

Commercial grade 7.62x51mm Winchester and Federal Cartridge Company all in white boxes ammunition was always below grade third world military surplus ammunition.

XXIV Corps

 

[Rifleman-7.62]

A 420 round can of Federal XM855 I bought a long time ago was pretty horrid. Ten inch groups from a 16 inch 1:8 twist barrel at 60 yards. I thought there was something wrong with the rifle until I tried some Hornady ballistic-tipped rounds and it shot near Minute of Angle. First Federal ammunition I've ever had an issue with.

Even cheap Russian rifle ammo out performs that. I do not expect better than 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards from Russian steel cased ammo. Some ammunition batches just were done with shoddy quality. I get better groups than that firing 9 millimeter Luger pistol ammunition from an AR-15 carbine.

 

[wiz1997]

Back some 15 years ago, Aguila 30 Carbine was a real problem in both my M1 Carbine and my Ruger Blackhawk.

Purchased 500 rounds of the stuff, then after fighting failures to extract in the M1 Carbine and having to get aggressive with the eject rod on the Blackhawk, the ammo now sits in an ammo can, with plans to break it down, might try to find why it doesn't work too good.

Back when I purchased my 2012 Scout, I also purchased 250 rounds of the MAGTECH
.308, 150 grain, ammo.

Had a bunch of failures to extract, but it may have been because I did not scrub the chamber good enough prior to the first range trip.

Worked fine in the bolt action and have reloaded the brass 2 more times.

Never bought any more.

 

[Kmc1911]

Federals and AM Eagle 115 fmjs shoot terribly in every gun I've ever used.

Ruag M80 is awful in accuracy, but is quality.

UMC anything was always terrible.

Winchester forged is as bad as it gets.

Atomic, Ammo Inc, and Freedom are all on my banned list.

 

[Den308]

Surplus CAVIM 91 headstamp was really inaccurate. I'm assuming other years were pretty bad too.

Still have some I want to break down and reload, when we got it we chronographed it, velocity was anywhere between 2,400-3,100. Crazy.
We burned it on position drills with our team.

 

[15636215]

Bought some turkish , never again.

 

[nf1e]

Bought some turkish , never again.

That's funny. Never had any Trukish myself, but I went through a Blue Card certification years ago with a bunch of bodyguards from U.S. Surgical. These guys came with brandy new Glocks and plastic bags full of " supplied" Turkish 9mm. All through the classroom part of the course they were laughing at my backup Colt .32. On qualification day it became a whole different story. On the line all these big mouths had trouble with their ammo. Bang, poof, pop and some nothing. Stovepipes and fail to extract among other failures. Never saw so many trying to clear a weapon at the same time. My poor old Colt never missed a beat an made certification without a hitch. After our classroom disassembly, cleaning and re-assembly, there was nothing to blame but the ammo and maybe a few limp wristers in their lineup.

 

[upintheholler]

Perfecta 45acp ... never an issue with.

Winchester M80 7.62x51 on Lake City brass in the white box is what I bought quite a bit of when I got my M1A.

Shooting 1.5" at 100 yds but haven't fine tuned the scope yet. No complaints but it does have an odd smell to it. Doesn't smell like regular gunpowder.