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  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by M43 View Post
    I find all these comments about the "hot / overpressure" Norinco ammo somewhat amusing...

    I bought crates of the stuff as my SHTF stash. But before I bought the crates I bought 200 rounds of which I chronie'd 120.
    I don't have any buddies who own AR's with tight chambers or short leads who had blown primers and such so maybe my opinion is less valid than some... But from chronograping 120 rounds way back when I got my AR, and using few rounds every now an then to use as a "control" load when I test new loads, I can tell you that most or all of the "Hot Norinco" BS is just that; BS.

    Yes it has a shitty ammonia smell (Flash suppresent does that), yes some of the cases split necks (So does PMP and Winchester), and yes some of the cases show splitting along the case body (a short 2 - 3 mm split). But hey its not premium grade ammo or price, and the shit works!
    Having said that, I have some Norinco cases that are on their 5th or 6th loading and they are still going strong.

    So unless someone can show some chrono results against PMP, Federal, Win or S&B I would take the "Hot ammo" stories with a bucket of salt.

    If an AR has extraction or blown primer issue it is probably a chamber dimension issue. BTW the Norinco ammo I have chrono'ed to date was milder than PMP soft points or SA mill-surp by some margin. (and it recoils less)
    Yellow box batch. 55gr from a 16' barrel AR @ 3200FPS seems a tad hot to me

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    Have not chronograph-ed them. (Also see other thread on Gunsite running currently were the conclusion is that velocity reading is not a clear indication of pressure.) But in any case. I have loaded a 30 round mag with 10 PMP, 10 Norinco en 10 S&B. Gave it to a friend that has no idea how or what is loaded. On round 11 he stops shooting and asks "What now." Told him is other ammo. Round 13 is a jam. Primer is stuck on bolt face so round chambered cannot be hit by firing pin as the lost primer is between the bolt and cartridge. Fix it. Round 16 fail to chamber and 18 fail to extract. The rim is stripped. Fix it. Discard 19 and 20. Shoot pleasantly to 30.

    Definately a ammo issue. Nothing with the rifle dimensions.

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    O yes, also bought them for the SHTF scenario. But that aint gonna work. Not reliable enough to prevent the S to hit the F.

    Interesting though that some rifles shoot them without problems and the shooter are happy that it is not a hot load and others complain.

  4. #14
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    Quote Originally Posted by M43 View Post
    I find all these comments about the "hot / overpressure" Norinco ammo somewhat amusing...

    I bought crates of the stuff as my SHTF stash. But before I bought the crates I bought 200 rounds of which I chronie'd 120.
    I don't have any buddies who own AR's with tight chambers or short leads who had blown primers and such so maybe my opinion is less valid than some... But from chronograping 120 rounds way back when I got my AR, and using few rounds every now an then to use as a "control" load when I test new loads, I can tell you that most or all of the "Hot Norinco" BS is just that; BS.

    Yes it has a shitty ammonia smell (Flash suppresent does that), yes some of the cases split necks (So does PMP and Winchester), and yes some of the cases show splitting along the case body (a short 2 - 3 mm split). But hey its not premium grade ammo or price, and the shit works!
    Having said that, I have some Norinco cases that are on their 5th or 6th loading and they are still going strong.

    So unless someone can show some chrono results against PMP, Federal, Win or S&B I would take the "Hot ammo" stories with a bucket of salt.

    If an AR has extraction or blown primer issue it is probably a chamber dimension issue. BTW the Norinco ammo I have chrono'ed to date was milder than PMP soft points or SA mill-surp by some margin. (and it recoils less)
    I got 3030 fps from Norinco also yellow box and 3015 fps from D Marked PMP out of my 14.5inch DM4terribleness,

    So yeah i dont get the whole hot ammo thing,

  5. #15
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    Searched a few USA forums. Seems to me over the years there was thousands of those used. Same as here, 50 % love it, 50 % hate it. Different AR's, different shooters etc. Complaints and compliments exactly the same. One person even posted it as chronied at 3700 fps!!! 22-250 beware!

    Have also thought about the jump issue so quickly compared them with Federal 62 gr Fusions I have for my hunting rifle and also have used in the AR. The Fusions will be forced in the rifling long before the Norincos, so COL also not the problem as far I can determine with a quick comparison.

    So my conclusion as the OP is: From my rifle Norinco Yellow Box .223 ammo is not an option. Get a lot of different problems and recoil is fierce. It is going to break my rifle in the long run. It might work in other rifles, but count mine out.

  6. #16

    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    Having consumed well in excess of 70k Norinco 223 yellow box in the Fourways range, our experience indicates the following, definitely hotter than PMC by significant margin but safer than the Singapore surplus, plenty flash and severe powder erosion on the muzzle brake, worked well in both the range CQA's but was dirtier, runs in the Colt 6920, Sig 516 / M400, and the predator with suprising accuracy. Ruger AR556 and DM4 rifles seem not to like it at all, regular failures. Piston style AR rifles like the MCX need the gas turned down as you can feel it's pretty hot, do not use with suppressor as the erosion is severe.
    No good in LM/Galil styles rifles with primers pierced and the little brass disc being blown back into firing pin channel, jamming up the firing pin, causing light strikes or no strike at all and one occasion causing a small burst of auto fire due to the firing pin being jammed in protruded position.
    So if your rifle runs it reliably, then get as much as you can as this ammo is no longer available and price was unbeatable, we would continue to use it as range ammo in the CQA's and the DPMS's if we could still get in large qty.

  7. #17

    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    I've shot around 1000 through my Daniel Defense DDm4v11 with no issues. Avg speed from magneto speed 3090fps. I get the idea the galils and LM rifles don't like the norinco ammo, as some club members' lm rifles tore the case in two with one part of the case getting stuck in the chamber.

    I get around 2.5 minute groups at 100m with the norinco 55gr at 100m. I have reloaded the norinco cases, after I prepped them and worked on 24.5gr s321 and 65gr Sierra game kings with oal of 2.255" and get .8moa at 100m at around 2890fps in my 1/7 twist barrel. No pressure signs. What I found was the the flash hole of some cases are not centered but since I have quite a lot of the cases I choose the best ones. I honestly can't say that recoil was an issue with the norinco ammo.

    I have seen a few norinco cases on the range where the cap of the primers are blown, but don't know from which rifle it was fired.

  8. #18
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    All I can point out about Norinco ammo is that their cases make awesome parent cases for converting to 300blk. The case walls are fairly thin, but seem harder than say a Winchester or Federal case.

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    Quote Originally Posted by M43 View Post
    Having said that, I have some Norinco cases that are on their 5th or 6th loading and they are still going strong.
    How often do you anneal and what charge do you load them M43? Curious since I got a bunch of Norinco (C J 95 headstamp) for free that I'd like to reload

  10. #20
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    Default Re: Norinco Ammo and AR 15

    As a matter of interest, I bought a lot of the Hornady/Frontier FMJ for slightly more than the Norinco stuff (R172/25 vs R180/20). They seem fairly accurate (managed hits on a gong out to 500m on Wednesday) out of my MP15, the brass seems decent and, 300 rounds down, not one issue with them. I’m yet to chrony them so I have no idea of speed, but I’m pretty happy with them so far. It may be an option for those looking for almost cheap ammo.

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