Ammo Question - What are these?

[Joe2Kool]

Neighbor gave these to me. Probably 100 rounds. They were his dad's, a WWII vet that passed away about 10 years ago. Pretty sure they are 30-06. Appear to be FMJ to me. Some are corroded, but most aren't. My neighbor guesses they are at a minimum 50 years old.

I don't own a 30-06 but I have a friend that does. Maybe some of you old timers or veterans recognize them.

Two questions, what are they? Shoot 'em?

Pics show a Remington 30-06 Core Lokt for comparison.

 

[ridgetops]

Military rounds?

 

[Pre-64]

It’s 30-06 made in the St. Louis Army ammo plant, appears to be 1957. That’s, the case I have no idea if it has been reloaded or original factory loads.

 

[Joe2Kool]

I don't think Mr, H reloaded. I'll ask his son, my neighbor. Neighbor doesn't remember his dad deer hunting much after the early 60's. So "S L 5 7" makes sense.

Thanks Pre 64!

 

[Pre-64]

Also, they are loaded in en bloc clips, that what you load the M1 garand with, one of the few guns that use a clip and not a magazine. see if he still has the rifle, some of them are crazy expensive.

 

[Togwotee]

My dad had a bunch with a 42 date and they were corrosive primer. not sure if '57 was or not.

 

[Pre-64]

The US military stopped using corrosive primers by the early 50’s. Lots of Russian and Chinese stuff still being made that’s corrosive. It will junk a gun right now if you’re not careful in the clean up.

 

[Bluehair]

Yup, ‘06. We shot a boatload of old military ball like that when I was a pup. Back in the day I would have shot them just for the brass. And because shooting trees and rocks with AP rounds is fun Just clean your rifle if you’re worried.

Now I hang on to them because I like the old nostalgic stuff. I still have a couple boxes of unfired match ammo.

If you do shoot them, you will have to swage that primer pocket, which is easy- with the die. Ive seen in some of the new reloading manuals that it’s recommended to reduce loads by a grain because of the mil spec thicker brass. I don’t know whether it’s necessary or not.

 

[Chesterwyo]

Only one way to find out..

 

[Bluehair]

I should have said if you reload them you will have to swage the primer pockets.

 

[tailchasers]

This is news to me too! Appreciate the insight!!

 

[MountainSqwabler]

What others have said. That's a clip for a m1 garand. I'd suspect they are the low pressure loads too.

 

[DH56]

Those are 30-06 military rounds with the clips as Mountainsqwabler mentioned. I have some dated 1956. I have shot a hand full several years ago, but I mainly have had them as part of my vintage ammo.

 

[Joe2Kool]

Good info guys!

Short version on the M1 Garand, he got $800 for it and a Remington 1100 on a football board. I remember we looked up the value and about $400 seemed reasonable at the time.

 

[Bluehair]

I stumbled across some stuff in the reloading room that reminded me I should make a footnote to this thread.

Any of this old military stuff needs to be inspected pretty closely. Back in the day they improvised things occasionally.

Here is what I believe are some 35 Whelen rounds built on old military brass. I mic’d em one time and concluded that.

And they even did stuff like this

So always double check.

I always wanted a 35 Whelen.

 

[trophyhunter]

Neighbor gave these to me. Probably 100 rounds. They were his dad's, a WWII vet that passed away about 10 years ago. Pretty sure they are 30-06. Appear to be FMJ to me. Some are corroded, but most aren't. My neighbor guesses they are at a minimum 50 years old.

I don't own a 30-06 but I have a friend that does. Maybe some of you old timers or veterans recognize them.

Two questions, what are they? Shoot 'em?

Pics show a Remington 30-06 Core Lokt for comparison.

View attachment 132054

View attachment 132055

That looks similar to the old WW2 military ammo, full metal jacket in 30/06 shot plenty was easy to get at surplus stores years ago.