Ammo Respite!

Ammo supplies are starting to loosen up.

ammunitiontogo has Brown Bear 7.62x39 at $274 per 1000 and Golden Tiger at $349 per 1000.

It's not the sub $200 we were seeing a year ago but it's on its way back down.

My local sporting goods store has even been getting in the 200rd .223 target packs again.

On a side note:

My wife's family is giving me several 8mm Mausers (Turk and Spanish I think). I know these have not been fired in decades. Does anyone know what all I need to do to make them safe to test? I am comfortable with deep cleaning/inspection myself but are there specific things I need a gunsmith to look at first?

Thanks!

reply to post by emsed1


I'm seeing more and more evil black rifles on the walls at shops too. I think the initial panic is over and all the panic buyers have their would-be banned rifle.

I hope the ramped up production to meet the temporary boost in demand results in a glut and a price drop but I'm sure that's just delusional thinking.

More than you'd ever wanted to know about a Spanish Mauser:
www.surplusrifle.com...

If you dont feel like reading all that just make sure it locks up tight and that there are no cracks, chips or signs of warping.

[edit on 12-6-2009 by thisguyrighthere]

reply to post by emsed1


The Major is quite fond of the Mauser action, though the Major prefers the ballistics of the 7mm vice the 8mm.

The Major recommends having the head space checked. If you have multiple rifles this might be handy.

Here is an excellent reference.

Vintage Mausers are are excellent rifles and can provide all around survival service.

Dismissed.

I just made a post on a different forum about this.

In the Midwest I'm starting to see .223 1000/rd cases back in the shops (at about $330 per case, not bad), still no 7.62x39 though.

9mm and .40 is making a comeback in the stores, I just found some practice 9mm FMJ in 50rnd boxes for reasonable prices. .45ACP is still non-existent though.

One odd thing that I have noticed (and this may just be a regional thing) is that bricks of .22lr, which were plentiful throughout the whole ammo shortage are now gone. I called several local shops (I prefer to buy locally) and no one had any.

Be careful with Brown Bear and Tiger ammo. Some distributors will no longer sell or keep ammo in stock from them. Duds and spit cases and stuck cases have been a problem in the past with this ammo!

Zindo

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
Be careful with Brown Bear and Tiger ammo.
Zindo

I personally have never had a problem with Brown Bear, I've gone through at least 5 full cases of Brown/Silver Bear with my AK, and have yet to have a dud or misfire.

I haven't shot too much Tiger (maybe a dozen boxes), but when I did it wasn't bad. just a little dirtier then I prefer.

And speaking of dirty ammo, Wolf is the absolute worst.

reply to post by DropInABucket


My Polytech 386 national match loves Wolf and its accurate till it loads up with that thick black tar from the ammo,LOL! Brown Near that has been siting in warehouses before the great ammo buy off of the last year had troubles. i know because we had to send it back to our distributor who demanded we not sell it. They had so many calls on this particular batch that they did not want it sold!

Zindo

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
Be careful with Brown Bear and Tiger ammo. Some distributors will no longer sell or keep ammo in stock from them. Duds and spit cases and stuck cases have been a problem in the past with this ammo!

Zindo

Seargeant Major Doone speaks the truth about Brown Bear.

I have no experience with Tiger, but here's what I've experienced with Brown Bear.


My SKS, one of the little - looked brand new - shot ones that commanded a $50. premium over the regular SKS offerings would not fire Brown Bear.
Not one.

I cleaned the cosmoline quite well before attempting to shoot it and did make sure the floating firing pin was loose and rattling within the bolt.

Cleaned it a couple more times and still no go.

My pal's SKS with a few more miles on it than mine - the standard offering fwiw - fired about half of the Brown Bear I gave him to try.

The other friends AK47 shot em all, maybe one misfire in a batch of 20.

I bought some Silver Wolf and my SKS hasn't missed a beat.


After all that, I read that the Brown Bear had come through with overly thick primers.
Looking at the unfired, lightly dimpled by the SKS' firing pin, Brown Bears, it's true.

The Silver Wolf fired rounds have a well dimpled primer.

There's another brand that I can't remember the name of right now, but it fired in my SKS every time.

Brown Bear in 7.62 x 39 is one I'd stay away from.

Other than that, the SKS is a great rifle and I enjoy it.

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
reply to post by DropInABucket

 

My Polytech 386 national match loves Wolf and its accurate till it loads up with that thick black tar from the ammo,LOL!

Oh I agree that Wolf Shoot great, but it takes me twice as long to scrub my AK out than if I use a different brand. I shouldn't need a roto-rooter to clean my barrel.

Brown Near that has been siting in warehouses before the great ammo buy off of the last year had troubles. i know because we had to send it back to our distributor who demanded we not sell it. They had so many calls on this particular batch that they did not want it sold!

That's some news to me, thanks for the heads up, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for that. Was this just Brown bear or were the Silver and Gold lines affected too? I shoot more Silver Bear than I do Brown Bear anymore, as thats all I can get locally.


Desert Dawg,

Some guns just don't like certain ammo. Luckily my AK has fed everything I have thrown at it without issues. My .45 on the other hand is very picky. It won't feed anything with a steel case, so I can't use Wolf or Brown bear to practice.


[edit on 12-6-2009 by DropInABucket]

Re: the mauser's. Checking the head spacing wouldn't be a bad idea. The Mauser is one of the strongest, and possibly the strongest action out there. Just short of having to spend money at the gunsmith to have them check the head spacing(if you don't know how), after initial inspection I'd try a couple rounds through each. It will give you a basic idea; should the casing be 'dinked' up.

8mm mauser ammo usually is corrosive; so a thorough cleaning each time fired is important. Also, before firing the first time, of course check your bore.

I really like the 8mm mauser. It is the same design that the 1903 springfield is patterned after, and the pre 64 Winchester.

In WW 2 the Germans used the same 8mm mauser ammo in both the MG42 machine gun, as well as the regular field mauser.

The interesting thing about that was how hot the load was. 180gr. bullet with a muzzle velocity of 2950f.p.s.......HOT.

Those Mausers will take alot.

reply to post by emsed1


The best way to handle the ever unstable ammo situation is to make your own whenever possible. In addition, black powder is always an option

Glad to hear things are loosening up. I've got about 1500 rounds of 9mm, and a couple hundred of .22 cal, but I've had to work to get it. Needless to say, I haven't been able to get the practice I need.
Oh yeah, bricks of .22 cal have been damned near impossible to find in NE Arkansas. (Like one of the other posers, I perfer to buy locally whenever possible.

reply to post by sanchoearlyjones


The Mauser action is the most copied and most used by custom rifle builders! Mauser built two distinct actions. A short action and a long action. Old Mausers , in excellent condition with the original crest on them bring huge amounts at auctions. Some copies however are not up to spec of the original and must be tested for hardness and concentricity before being considered for custom use or even firing of modern ammo!

Zindo

I need to go back and look at them to be sure, but I'm pretty sure one is Turkish (arabic writing and a crescent stamped on it) and another one I seem to remember was Spanish (crest and 'Oviedo').

The third I don't remember much about (it's been a year or so since I examined them, waiting on a rifle safe before bringing them home).

The fourth... well... there was no mistaking this one. It's an infamous Mannlicher-Carcano carbine.

I believe at least one of the Mausers is 8x57 after seeing a few boxes of 8mm ammo in the garage. I think there was some flavor of 6.5 also (for the carcano maybe?)

Anyway.. on to ammo..

I bought a case of Brown Bear FMJ last year at around $180. I put about 400 rounds through my Norinco SKS (man I LOVE that little gun!) with no problems. The last outing I had one FTF but it was my fault for not mashing the rounds all the way down from the stripper clip.

The Brown Bear feeds well in my SKS, and I am happy with the accuracy. Wolf does fairly well too (black box) but they are both DIIRRTTYYY. I don't mind dirty, though, because I actually enjoy spending a couple hours cleaning my guns after shooting.

I also bought a couple hundred rounds of Silver Bear soft-point last year. It may have been a bad batch but it SUCKED!!! The uncoated silvery cases were hard to push in on stripper clips (compared to the lacquered Brown Bear) and you would have thought I was launching 60 caliber black powder balls from all the smoke, flames and burning powder that launched out the muzzled. I fired exactly ten rounds of silver bear and I was DONE.

When I got the gun about 15 years ago all I shot was PMC brass though it. I wish now I had saved all that but who'da thunk there would be an assault weapon ban and now this ammo shortage?

I'd love to be able to put nice American brass through the rifle but I just can't do fifty cents or a buck a round.

One good thing that's come out of all this is now I really am considering reloading!

As far as 9mm the only thing I have been able to get is CCI blazer aluminum for the last six months. A farm supply store in my town (best kept secret around) has been quietly getting in a few cases every week and still sells it at $9.99 for a 50 rd box. Granted, it's CCI aluminum, but you can't beat that price.

I have finally seen the first two boxes of Hornady Critical Defense show up on the shelf since March. They want $25 for 25 rounds. I love Hornady but just too rich for my blood.

I noticed today that natchezss now has CCI primers back in stock. (reloaders know how that situation was starting to look).

Cabelas also has three or four different JHP varieties of 9mm now too.

One thing is damn sure. I am NOT gonna get caught with my pants down on ammo again. They can call me a stockpiling paranoid conspiracist, but that was a CLOSE one!

PS on the .22 bricks

www.ammunitiontogo.com has 500 rd bricks also this week. They have some high-velocity HP and round point made by Aguila for about $30 a brick (up to 5000 case) and some nice competition .22 LR for $40 per 500 brick.

I haven't seen JACK for .22 LR in months at the local stores either except for a scattering of CCI "velociraptor" or whatever LOL at $10 per 100.

I see .17 HMR EVERYWHERE though. Makes me wish I'd invested in one of those rifles.

reply to post by ZindoDoone


Well said. I've got a couple German, and Spanish Mausers. I believe they are the longer action. Haven't really played with them in a while.

I think getting one of the better grades, like a german, leaves a lot of room for customizing. I did load some of the 180gr. fmj spitzer's hot loaded them, and was chronoing. in at around 2875fps. Not to shabby of a round.

There's a lot of them like that. Another favorite of mine is the 45-70, and the 458 socom. I've got one of the upper reciever's for the AR.

On Mauser's, large ring Mauser's are the best as they can be re-barreled and have the best strength.

I have a old 8mm VZ24 BRNO Mauser that i bought years ago for $56 that i am getting ready to re-barrel to make a bull-barrel .308 carbine.

I am thinking of building a one of a folding aluminum pistol grip type stock for it,

I have a new milling machine on order that should by here in two weeks.

reply to post by ANNED


That would be, in a word, 'badass'.

Throw a long eye-relief scope on it and you would have a wonderful 'scout rifle' true to Jeff Cooper's concept.

Plus with a .308 you don't really need to shoot twice!