South African .223

[Brad in Idaho]

BONUS! Looking through the ammo stash, I found a quantity of this .223 ammo. I had marked it South African, but I am stumped as to when I got it or where. The boxes contain 30 rounds each and are marked as pictured. I'm thinking I got this ammo in the mid 90's sometime and just put it away. Anyone seen this before? Have any further info about it? Thanks in advance.

http://www.fototime.com/BBAA9207D04DF03/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/C94CCE394458A39/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/88C0B6349813190/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/D7688263FEA862D/standard.jpg

[gwp]

The South African ammo was manufactured by Pretoria Metal Pressings (PMP). The 5.56 and 7.62 was typical service ball ammunition but it was Berdan primed.

http://www.pmp.co.za/index.php?page=smallarms2

[Brad in Idaho]

Thanks for that gwp. They don't list M1A4 Ball any more, but I'm assuming it's probably a 55gr bullet as that used to be standard for military ammo. I guess the 96 on the boxes is probably the date of manufacture. I thought it was a 98 headstamp, but I guess that could be 96 too, I can't really make it out. I'll try some of it out, and hang onto most of it for "just in case" since it's not reloadable brass.

[win308]

Sold by Classic Arms in NC some years ago. I got several battle packs as it was 13 cents a round and it shot very well. Wish I still had some.

[joem]

I still have some in my stash that I've been saving. As my brass wears out I replace failed cases with it.

[MusgraveMan]

As a long time user of South African PMP ammunition - both on the target Bisley range as well as in hunting everything from eland to springbok I can attest to the quality, consistency and accuracy of it. The earlier PMP soft nose bullets have had a slightly too thin jacket for us meat hunters and above 2 400 ft/sec impact velocity mushroomed too much and cause unnecessary meat damage.

Their "Pro-amm" series must be the most accurate hunting ammunition commercially available, and with excellent bullets. I believe their .222 Rem and .308W share the world record for grouping at 100 yds. (the .222 was shot by a schoolboy of 16 years old, - shows you what good eyes do!)

Although it is Berdan primers on your ammunition they are non-corrosive. Indeed 55 gr, as you have assumed.

[colt100]

I shot a bunch of this ammo back about 10 years ago. I remember 2700 rd tubs of this stuff going for about 280 delivered. That was the good old days. The ammo I shot up though had a dull green rubberized package that held the ammo, not a clear one in the picture.

This was hot M193 ammo and very good quality. I traded the last of the stuff I had for 308 ammo when I bought my M1a in about 2004. I would use this ammo as SHTF ammo. I wish I would have kept a tub of it.

[Dave in NGA]

I've bought quantities of PMP ammo in 5.56 caliber over the years and everything I've come across was boxer primed. Has anyone else seen this?

[Johnny in Texas]

I bought 10,000+ rounds of that ammo back in the mid to late 90's and traded 7000 rounds of it for 14,000+ rounds of LC 72 .30 carbine. I just shot the last of the 3000 rounds I kept about a month ago. It was all berdan primed accurate and clean.

[John HOLBROOK]

I have shot at least 10,000 rounds of SA 7.62 NATO in a Garand and in a SA, Inc. M1A. It is hot, fast, clean and ACCURATE...

John

[Bob - The Beagle Master]

I bought a 2700 round container of it in the mid-90s. The battle packs on mine are a brownish green. I got mine at an Indy 1500 gunshow. The guy was asking $38 per 300 round battle pack and I bought the entire container for $33 per battle pack which is a little over 10 cents per round. Since I already had a considerable amount of 5.56, I still have 3 of the battle packs left. Wish I had 30!