Monarch Ammo -- Good/Bad?

The Kid · September 11, 2009, 11:52 PM

Hey guys,

Anyone here ever use Monarch Ammo? I found some at academy sports. I think it's Serbian/Russian/UstobelongtotheUSSR made...any way, I was the lowest price ammo, but am I just buying more trouble than its worth? Remington ammo is $4.00 more...

What do you guys know/think about it?

Personally, I think that I'm going to end up w/ a lot of copper fowling b/c of shoddy primers etc. in my barrel, but if anyone has had any good experience, then my all means, share.

Jason_G · September 12, 2009, 12:03 AM

What did you buy, the steel cased stuff or the brass cased stuff?

Steel = Barnaul. (Russia)
Brass = Prvi Partizan. (Serbia)

Neither will win awards for accuracy IME, but they're cheap and decent enough for plinking out of most guns. The Barnaul steel cased stuff is lacquered, so you may have to contend with buildup in the chamber. The Prvi .308 is not very accurate out of my M1A (about 3 MOA, compared to about 1.75 MOA with Rem UMC 147 gr). The steel cased stuff was kind of weird- seemed like I would have about 3-4 shots within a couple of inches, and one flyer that was at least a couple of inches out of the group at 100 yds, and I know it wasn't me or the rifle.

My take: good ammo for some drills, etc., but don't use it to sight in a rifle or shoot long distances.

Jason

**44 AMP** · September 12, 2009, 12:04 AM

But about 40 years ago, Monarch was a brand of ammo you could get at Mongomery Wards. It came from Canada. My dad had a box of it in .308 Win. He also had a box of DWM ammo, same caliber. I still have those DWM cases, and have reloaded them over a dozen times!

I'm not sure, but I think Monarch became CIL some time later.

Don't know if the Monarch you have is the same stuff or not, sorry. The box should say on it somewhere where its made.

cslinger · September 12, 2009, 12:28 AM

Currently the Monarch at Academy is Privi Partisan from Serbia. It is ok. REALLY dirty especially the .357/.38 stuff but all in all reliable, accurate enough for plinking and seems to have decent quality control.

Never seen Monarch steel stuff, but as was said a good bet is it is Barnaul/Wolf/Brown Bear etc.

The Kid · September 12, 2009, 12:37 AM

So basically, if I use it I'm just going to have to clean my rifle a lot more thoroughly than if I shoot remingtons?

plainsman456 · September 12, 2009, 12:57 AM

I know people that have shot it in their AR-15s with no problems.It doesn't seem to be different than Rem or Win ammo.When I shot it with them and we cleaned the rifle it wasn't that bad.Good Luck

CK_32 · September 12, 2009, 01:10 AM

Yea what kind of gun are you shooting..
that also makes a huge difference because my cousin has a
few rifles and some of them shoot wolf with ease and other
not so well.. Because bolt actions/Semi-auto and different
types of guns and calibers all come into count for most guns
because Wolf ammo isnt the best but is exceptionally a good
bullet in my opinion but in other cases i wouldn't touch the stuff.

The Kid · September 12, 2009, 09:46 AM

Shooting Remington 700 ADL .30-06

REWTX · September 12, 2009, 11:57 AM

I've shot quite a bit of Academy Monarch (.45, .223, .308, and 30.06) with no problems. It seems about as clean as any lower-priced Winchester, Federal, and Remington ammo.

September 11, 2009, 11:52 PM	#1
The Kid Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 65	Monarch Ammo -- Good/Bad? Hey guys, Anyone here ever use Monarch Ammo? I found some at academy sports. I think it's Serbian/Russian/UstobelongtotheUSSR made...any way, I was the lowest price ammo, but am I just buying more trouble than its worth? Remington ammo is $4.00 more... What do you guys know/think about it? Personally, I think that I'm going to end up w/ a lot of copper fowling b/c of shoddy primers etc. in my barrel, but if anyone has had any good experience, then my all means, share. __________________ "When the lambs is lost in the mountain, he said. They is cry. Sometime come the mother. Sometime the wolf." -- Leader of a group of horsemen to the kid and Sproule in Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

September 12, 2009, 12:03 AM	#2
Jason_G Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,902	What did you buy, the steel cased stuff or the brass cased stuff? Steel = Barnaul. (Russia) Brass = Prvi Partizan. (Serbia) Neither will win awards for accuracy IME, but they're cheap and decent enough for plinking out of most guns. The Barnaul steel cased stuff is lacquered, so you may have to contend with buildup in the chamber. The Prvi .308 is not very accurate out of my M1A (about 3 MOA, compared to about 1.75 MOA with Rem UMC 147 gr). The steel cased stuff was kind of weird- seemed like I would have about 3-4 shots within a couple of inches, and one flyer that was at least a couple of inches out of the group at 100 yds, and I know it wasn't me or the rifle. My take: good ammo for some drills, etc., but don't use it to sight in a rifle or shoot long distances. Jason __________________ "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." -Amendment II, Constitution of the United States of America

September 12, 2009, 12:04 AM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 8,965	I don't know about today.... But about 40 years ago, Monarch was a brand of ammo you could get at Mongomery Wards. It came from Canada. My dad had a box of it in .308 Win. He also had a box of DWM ammo, same caliber. I still have those DWM cases, and have reloaded them over a dozen times! I'm not sure, but I think Monarch became CIL some time later. Don't know if the Monarch you have is the same stuff or not, sorry. The box should say on it somewhere where its made. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

September 12, 2009, 12:28 AM	#4
cslinger Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 912	Currently the Monarch at Academy is Privi Partisan from Serbia. It is ok. REALLY dirty especially the .357/.38 stuff but all in all reliable, accurate enough for plinking and seems to have decent quality control. Never seen Monarch steel stuff, but as was said a good bet is it is Barnaul/Wolf/Brown Bear etc. __________________ "Is there anyway I can write my local gun store off on my taxes as dependents?"

September 12, 2009, 12:37 AM	#5
The Kid Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 65	So basically, if I use it I'm just going to have to clean my rifle a lot more thoroughly than if I shoot remingtons? __________________ "When the lambs is lost in the mountain, he said. They is cry. Sometime come the mother. Sometime the wolf." -- Leader of a group of horsemen to the kid and Sproule in Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

September 12, 2009, 12:57 AM	#6
plainsman456 Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2008 Posts: 260	I know people that have shot it in their AR-15s with no problems.It doesn't seem to be different than Rem or Win ammo.When I shot it with them and we cleaned the rifle it wasn't that bad.Good Luck

September 12, 2009, 01:10 AM	#7
CK_32 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2009 Location: Orange County, Ca Posts: 450	Yea what kind of gun are you shooting.. that also makes a huge difference because my cousin has a few rifles and some of them shoot wolf with ease and other not so well.. Because bolt actions/Semi-auto and different types of guns and calibers all come into count for most guns because Wolf ammo isnt the best but is exceptionally a good bullet in my opinion but in other cases i wouldn't touch the stuff.

September 12, 2009, 09:46 AM	#8
The Kid Member Join Date: August 1, 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 65	Shooting Remington 700 ADL .30-06 __________________ "When the lambs is lost in the mountain, he said. They is cry. Sometime come the mother. Sometime the wolf." -- Leader of a group of horsemen to the kid and Sproule in Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

September 12, 2009, 11:57 AM	#9
REWTX Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 66	I've shot quite a bit of Academy Monarch (.45, .223, .308, and 30.06) with no problems. It seems about as clean as any lower-priced Winchester, Federal, and Remington ammo.