Hey all,

I am wondering if anyone can steer me in a good direction to get reliable, inexpensive and safe 308 for target shooting. I've looked into Tula, foreign surplus, and some no-name manufacturers, but I am still unsure what to get. Is all mil surplus created equal? What countries should I avoid going this route?

Any info and links are appreciated. Cheers!

Steel-cased in a 308 is usually going to give a minimum of 2-3 MOA. The cheapest brass, reliable brass-cased 308 that I've found is made by Herters (Cabelas private label) or Monarch (Academy Sports private label). That'll get you 2MOA if you have a decent rifle.

The cheapest, best, most-reliable and accurate (1MOA or less) name brand I've found is Remington's 150gr. CORE-LOKT , but that's like....$17 for box of 20.

Unless you reload, you can either pick cheap OR good in 308 ammo, seldom both.

I second the 150gr Core Lokt. It shoots well in both my .30-06 rifles. My hand loads are waaay better, though. I can get 2-3 MOA out of the Wolves and Bears in 7.62x39 out of my CZ-527 bolt gun. I haven't shot any cheap .30-06, except for Greek surplus many years ago. It didn't perform all that well IIRC.

I have excellent luck with NATO surplus by Hirtenburg and the Malaysian, both available from SG Ammo. .35-.40 per rd.

MEN (German) is excellent, too, but a bit more $.

Hundreds downrange without problems.

S u b R o s a

Johnnn wrote: Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:57 pm Hey all,

I am wondering if anyone can steer me in a good direction to get reliable, inexpensive and safe 308 for target shooting. I've looked into Tula, foreign surplus, and some no-name manufacturers, but I am still unsure what to get. Is all mil surplus created equal? What countries should I avoid going this route?

Any info and links are appreciated. Cheers!

If you are looking for cheap, reliable and fairly accurate .308 ammunition, it is probably hard to beat US surplus. It is available for 50-60 cents a round and is made with brass, boxer-primed reloadable cases. I've had really good luck with the Lake City M80C...free shipping if you buy a case.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal ... -2900.aspx

If you are wondering about other surplus M80 ammunition, here is a list that a guy on M14forums compiled by shooting various foreign and domestic surplus M80 rounds through his National Match rifle.

https://m14forum.com/ammunition/99954-b ... ded-2.html

If you are going to shoot commercial ammunition, I recommend just biting the bullet and buying Federal Gold Medal Match. It has gotten so cheap (not much more than 150 grain Core-lokt), that the accuracy difference more than makes up for the few cents a round price difference.

168 grain FGMM match ammo....$17.99/box--free shipping for a 200 round case.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal ... -1163.aspx

Out of an 18" barrel (all my NATO rifles have that), the Austrian Hirt surplus outshoots LC. The German MEN does the same MOA as GM Match, but in 147gr.

Stay away from Indian, Venezuelan, and Pakistani. Russki coated steel & autoloaders often argue about extraction.

SR

As you can see, Johann, we've all had different experiences with ammo. Where one person's rifle may do well with one type of .308/7.62 ammunition, another's does better with a different type.

You might try buying a few boxes of different types of ammo and seeing what your rifle likes.

start small. lee loader.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/73572 ... gJCUvD_BwE

lurker wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:07 pm start small. lee loader.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/73572 ... gJCUvD_BwE

To say that reloading equipment is rudimentary is an understatement...

lurker wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:07 pm start small. lee loader.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/73572 ... gJCUvD_BwE

Oh my, I would even have room for that in my cramped quarters. OK I'm going to get this. What else do I need to go with it? I assume I need something specific to the caliber I want to load. Let's say, .223 and .45 ACP to start with.


EDIT

Oh never mind. Looks like its 308 only.

EDIT 2

Ah! Available in multiple calibers. Ordering the .45 for myself now!

I started with a Lee Loader about 50 years ago. It put me off reloading for about 35 years.

The first taste of reloading is free. . .

Hey Eris, I think the Lee Loader is a great thing, but it is at its best with expensive bottleneck rifle cartridges and probably not so great for auto pistol cartridges that headspace on the case mouth like 45 acp.

Marlene wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:19 am Hey Eris, I think the Lee Loader is a great thing, but it is at its best with expensive bottleneck rifle cartridges and probably not so great for auto pistol cartridges that headspace on the case mouth like 45 acp.

I'll keep that in mind. Mostly I just want a small taste of reloading to see if it's something I'd really like to get into.

You have a 38 right? Try that instead of the 45, if you don’t have anything like a 308, etc.

Marlene wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:39 am You have a 38 right? Try that instead of the 45, if you don’t have anything like a 308, etc.

How about .223?

Mustang wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:37 pm

lurker wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:07 pm start small. lee loader.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/73572 ... gJCUvD_BwE

To say that reloading equipment is rudimentary is an understatement...

yes, it is! the lee loader is, anyway. but it works, it doesn't take up much space, and it's a cheap way to get started. good way to try reloading without spending hundreds of dollars, and when you find yourself saying "i like this but i wish it was faster", then you know you're ready for a press. you will get more stuff over time, caliper, case trimmer, lube tray... i started with a lee loader for 30-06, moved to a dillon 650, but still have the lee loader. and it still works. bring your own mallet.

i just ordered one for 45/70. lee was out, quit making them in 45/70, but midway still has them, so... oops, my bad, apparently it's the 30-40 krag they quit making.

Eris wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:58 am

Marlene wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:39 am You have a 38 right? Try that instead of the 45, if you don’t have anything like a 308, etc.

How about .223?

Sure thing for a bolt gun. Maybe maybe not for an auto. The Lee loader only neck sizes cases, so if your fired cases won’t chamber in your gun, then the LL isn’t gonna make ammo that works for you.

i used my 30-06 leeloader for a couple of months before i started having issues. the cases stretch when you fire them repeatedly, and by the 3rd or 4th firing i started having problems with my garand. someone with more experience (didn't take much) told me to get a caliper and case length trimmer, which solved the problem. i'd expect the same results for 223. it's been a long time. i'm sure someone ^^^ can be more specific about this.

There are other options for an inexpensive reloading system using an O press or even a C press. It can be done so it can be taken down and stored out of the way.

When someone asks about "good cheap" commercial ammo it doesn't even registure with me. I'ts like some mythical beast. Other people might have other standards when it comes to the definition of good and cheap.

More sophisticated than the Lee loader, but still fits in a shoe box is the Lee hand press, which uses normal dies and can do just about anything.

you're welcome. have a nice day. so tired.

Eris wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:30 am

Marlene wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:19 am Hey Eris, I think the Lee Loader is a great thing, but it is at its best with expensive bottleneck rifle cartridges and probably not so great for auto pistol cartridges that headspace on the case mouth like 45 acp.

I'll keep that in mind. Mostly I just want a small taste of reloading to see if it's something I'd really like to get into.

Just my opinion, but if you want a small taste of reloading to see if it's something you'd really like to get into, a Lee Loader will not answer your question. I found it to be a tedious and slow method of reloading that required the purchase of additional equipment to load decently accurate ammunition. I found using the Lee Loader to reload for my 6mm Remington rifle to be so different from using real reloading equipment, that it mis-informed me as to nature and enjoyableness of reloading.

As I say, just my opinion.

Marlene wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:00 am More sophisticated than the Lee loader, but still fits in a shoe box is the Lee hand press, which uses normal dies and can do just about anything.

I posted this for one of the members here a few years ago. He and his wife lived in an RV and he was interested in portability. Glad I was able to find the link. http://www.castbullet.com/reload/table.htm