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  1. #1
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    Default Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Hi

    Excuse my ignorance, but I was wondering if it is possible to use military surpluss .30-06 in a hunting rifle?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Quote Originally Posted by Grobbie View Post
    Hi

    Excuse my ignorance, but I was wondering if it is possible to use military surpluss .30-06 in a hunting rifle?
    Possible, yes. I have shot some through a mate's African Mauser .30-06, did feel slightly hotter than usual. Not sure if it was loaded for a semi-auto, such as an M1 Garand but suspect it may have been for bolt-guns.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Quote Originally Posted by Grobbie View Post
    Hi

    Excuse my ignorance, but I was wondering if it is possible to use military surpluss .30-06 in a hunting rifle?
    We are ALL ignorant, bru...just on different subjects!

    Best I can tell, as long as you are shooting surplus US or foreign equalivalent M2 .30-06 ball you should be good to go in a commercial 06 bolt rifle. The M2 load was adopted in about 1940 because the older, heavier-bullet loads did not wanna play well with the M1 Garand rifle....the heavy bullet loads tended to bend operating rods. It uses a 150gr bullet at 2640FPS and pressures are not extremely high.

    US Surplus from before 1955 is suspect as being corrosive although some say the cutoff date was 1952. Pre WWII stuff used heavier bullets that also changed pressures, etc...and that is not even beginning to address non US manufactured ammunition, which might be damned near anything!

    Unless you have stacks of surplus, I think I might just sell it to a shooter with a military rifle who would be glad to get it or either break it down and load it with new primers, powder and bullets. Several guys on GS have Garands I think...one or two for sure.
    Run Fast, Bite Hard!

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    The word I got from a friend is that to waterproof the rounds different sealant were used that make start pressures sky rocket. His advice is to pull the bullets, add safe load of new powder and reseat bullet. You are then sure you are not getting high pressure. If primers dont ignite properly then rather discard. Clean well after shooting to counter corrosive primers.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    American produced M2 or 30-06 will be fine in a bolt action rifle. I have shot tens of thousands of it over the years in my 2 Garands and an old Winchester 70 30-06.

    Just make sure you clean the barrel if the cartridge primers are the older chlorate type, else corrosion will set in. Like Ikor said any US produced prior to '55 is probably the old type of primer.

    Any other 06 milsurp produced by other countries such as Greece or whoever should be treated as if the primers are the old chlorate type.

  6. #6
    User Paul's Avatar
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Please DON'T! I will swop your surplus ball for new commercial ammo.
    "Always remember to pillage before you burn"
    Unknown Barbarian

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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Dont worry Paul.

    This was yonks ago. And it turned out it was factory reloaded ammo anyway.

    Thanks for all the info guys........

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul View Post
    Please DON'T! I will swop your surplus ball for new commercial ammo.
    Wondering why ?

    I have a bunch of mil surplus .303 have shot about 50 threw my 303 and they work well but do feel kind hot. Will pull one tonight and check the powder weight.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Military ball .30-06 in a Hunting rifle

    Quote Originally Posted by andredt View Post
    Wondering why ?

    I have a bunch of mil surplus .303 have shot about 50 threw my 303 and they work well but do feel kind hot. Will pull one tonight and check the powder weight.
    303 and 30-06 ball are two entirely different kettles of fish. The first is easy to obtain the second (in SA) is very, very rare!
    "Always remember to pillage before you burn"
    Unknown Barbarian

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