Ammo questions

1) Looking to grab some m/xm 193 for my AR. I checked Cheaperthandirt and its $10/box of 20. I'm looking to grab 1000 rounds of this stuff; surely there is some place that has a deal better than $500??? Any ideas?

2) So I've got this super expensive Arsenal AK now. I ran 40 rounds of TulAmmo through it yesterday (steel cased stuff). I'm looking at buying 500-1000 rounds of 7.62x39, but I'm hesitant to put more steel cased stuff through it. I wouldn't hesitate on a cheaper weapon I guess, but I'm just kinda worried about this one. I found that TulAmmo at $120 for 500 rounds which is absolutely awesome. What are your thoughts on this steel stuff v. more expensive brass?

Check slickguns.com periodically

Originally Posted by david05111

1) Looking to grab some m/xm 193 for my AR. I checked Cheaperthandirt and its $10/box of 20. I'm looking to grab 1000 rounds of this stuff; surely there is some place that has a deal better than $500??? Any ideas?

2) So I've got this super expensive Arsenal AK now. I ran 40 rounds of TulAmmo through it yesterday (steel cased stuff). I'm looking at buying 500-1000 rounds of 7.62x39, but I'm hesitant to put more steel cased stuff through it. I wouldn't hesitate on a cheaper weapon I guess, but I'm just kinda worried about this one. I found that TulAmmo at $120 for 500 rounds which is absolutely awesome. What are your thoughts on this steel stuff v. more expensive brass?

.223 is getting hard to find cheap in stock. I ordered 900rounds of federal for $269 with free shipping but eta is October. Here's 55gr pms Xtac for $330 for 1000
http://slickguns.com/product/pmc-xta...55gr-fmjbt-330

Aim Surplus had X-Tac for $6.99 a box yesterday. If that's what is in the link above, I apologize. The site is blocked from work.

1. .223/5.56 ammo is sparse right now. Like, REALLY sparse. So much so that I have three training courses I'm attending between August and October, and I'm concerned that I may not be able to get ammo for it without paying at least a $100/case premium for really high-end practice ammo. PMC X-Tac is their variant of AE223 and XM855. PMC is very dirty ammunition and it tends to be less accurate than other 55gr options. However, at 50yds and in, that's somewhat inconsequential. For general range use, it's not terrible.

2. You may have a high-end AK, but it's still an AK. AKs were designed to shoot steel case ammunition. I would not waste time trying to find brass ammo, and then pay the premium for it, when steel case ammo will be just as good in that weapon. Even Hornady uses steel cases for their 7.62x39 TAP ammunition, which should say enough about it. Just my $0.02.

Tula or Wolf is good stuff for the AK, I run it all the time. You can actually buy Tula AK ammo at Walmart. You can get old Soviet ammo in bulk, but most of it is corrosive. Fine to shoot but you better clean the gun right after. Check out ammoseek.com

Alright I think I'll grab 500 rounds of that TulAmmo then; $120-140 seems like a pretty decent deal.

Gotta keep my eye open for good 5.56 stuff

Before you buy that ammo make sure to pick up a couple boxes and try it first.

Had a higher end bulgarian once that would NOT function on that laquer cased stuff.

You probably wont run in to that issue but if you do it would be nice to know with in a box or two instead of being stuck with a case of ammo and a gun that wont shoot it worth a darn.

Originally Posted by tailo

Before you buy that ammo make sure to pick up a couple boxes and try it first.

Had a higher end bulgarian once that would NOT function on that laquer cased stuff.

You probably wont run in to that issue but if you do it would be nice to know with in a box or two instead of being stuck with a case of ammo and a gun that wont shoot it worth a darn.

Yeah, thanks for that tip because I would normally not thought about that. But it just so happens that I threw 40 rounds of the stuff downrange a few days ago with it with no hiccups. I think its all good

lol yeah I've been stuck with a stock pile of junk ammo a few times, bad luck I guess.

Had some korean stuff a few years back blow up two garands, I tossed atleast 600 rounds away after the second gun gave up the ghost.

Got half way though a box of factory reloaded .50 bmg and started pulling the heads off every other round. Probably got 300 rounds of that junk that I have NO idea what to do with. No big deal on the m2 but a bolt gun could blow up with that ammo.

I was buying 5.56 last summer at $289/case. Now I'm at $369 on a good day. I need to buy ~4000 rounds to get me through the end of the year with the training courses I'm taking, and that doesn't include my normal shooting load. My current stockpile is down to about 600rds, and I need to replenish just to get me through to August when I start going to my courses. That's at least another 2000rds right there.
I'm saddened to do this, but I might break down and buy some Wolfshit to supplement the supply to get me through the summer.

Originally Posted by Reedo302

I was buying 5.56 last summer at $289/case. Now I'm at $369 on a good day. I need to buy ~4000 rounds to get me through the end of the year with the training courses I'm taking, and that doesn't include my normal shooting load. My current stockpile is down to about 600rds, and I need to replenish just to get me through to August when I start going to my courses. That's at least another 2000rds right there.
I'm saddened to do this, but I might break down and buy some Wolfshit to supplement the supply to get me through the summer.

I have shot Wolf/Tula steel cased ammo in everything from my Kimber 1911, several Glock, my HK, Sig, and AK. It always functioned for me. Never had a FTF or FTE. Granted, it is dirty and the loads might not be even all the time but if it is that or not shooting......I will take the steel case rounds.

I also think the steel case worries are overblown. It is decent target ammo. Another reason I like my AK...cheap to shoot

NOTE: I do not shoot steel case ammo all the time, but I am not afraid to use it when I have to. If one of my guns is too fragile to handle it....I don't count on a gun like that. I like guns that eat everything.

Originally Posted by Reedo302

I was buying 5.56 last summer at $289/case. Now I'm at $369 on a good day. I need to buy ~4000 rounds to get me through the end of the year with the training courses I'm taking, and that doesn't include my normal shooting load. My current stockpile is down to about 600rds, and I need to replenish just to get me through to August when I start going to my courses. That's at least another 2000rds right there.
I'm saddened to do this, but I might break down and buy some Wolfshit to supplement the supply to get me through the summer.

Brownells has xm193 backorderable for 329 today plus $13 shipping. Theres also a $20 off coupon but not sure if they counted that already . Might order a case today

Sent from my DROIDX using Bimmer

Originally Posted by Adam@Euro-Spec

Brownells has xm193 backorderable for 329 today plus $13 shipping. Theres also a $20 off coupon but not sure if they counted that already . Might order a case today

Sent from my DROIDX using Bimmer

If it's backordered, how long does it typically take to come back in?

Originally Posted by david05111

If it's backordered, how long does it typically take to come back in?

Might be weeks or a couple months...I think the stuff they backordered in feb is shipping out next month.

Ended up buying a case; ~$343 shipped. Would of course hav preferred immediate availability, but the price is pretty good and this stuff is only going to go up. Plus, it's exactly what I wanted. With some luck, it will arrive around the same time as zi receive my Form 1 so I can have some fun.

Originally Posted by david05111

Ended up buying a case; ~$343 shipped. Would of course hav preferred immediate availability, but the price is pretty good and this stuff is only going to go up. Plus, it's exactly what I wanted. With some luck, it will arrive around the same time as zi receive my Form 1 so I can have some fun.

Did you use the coupon code for $20 off?

Stop buying ammo guys! Save some for the other guys

Prices are going up like fawking crazy. Stock up on good deals now....

Originally Posted by Adam@Euro-Spec

Did you use the coupon code for $20 off?

Yep! The price on Brownells was $349 + ~13 for shipping. I entered the code and it brought it down to the $343 shipped or so.

Originally Posted by carcus

I have shot Wolf/Tula steel cased ammo in everything from my Kimber 1911, several Glock, my HK, Sig, and AK. It always functioned for me. Never had a FTF or FTE. Granted, it is dirty and the loads might not be even all the time but if it is that or not shooting......I will take the steel case rounds.

I also think the steel case worries are overblown. It is decent target ammo. Another reason I like my AK...cheap to shoot

NOTE: I do not shoot steel case ammo all the time, but I am not afraid to use it when I have to. If one of my guns is too fragile to handle it....I don't count on a gun like that. I like guns that eat everything.

It's a real toss-up with the steel case ammo. At a training course, one guy was shooting Tula and had several popped primers. I was at the range a couple weeks ago with a buddy from the Sheriff's office and we were doing some carbine work on the square range. He was using Wolf polyformance and had a popped primer on his second mag.
Popped primers usually bring operation to a halt on an AR, forcing you to disassemble and dump out the primer. It also usually involves some kind of force to pry or pull something apart.
This is not a huge issue at the range when practicing, but at training courses it's usually not a good idea and is considered to be rude in some circles. Most higher tier training groups either prohibit the use of Russian steel case ammo, or they strongly discourage it.

I'm not saying the stuff doesn't go BANG. It's just a matter of getting out of it what you pay into it. Brass is more preferable than steel for a reason. That, and I don't want to have to clean my rifle just to shoot the stuff, and then have to clean it every couple hundred rounds to keep it running. Still, if it's what is available, I'll probably wind up giving it a shot. Beggars can't be choosers.