.223 ammo

[Johnny Rad]

Ringing up 1K rounds of Winchester Q3131A or Lake City XM193 ammo will set me back $189 + S&H, which is approx $10 per box of 20.

What are some other less expensive plinking ammo recommendations for an AR carbine? (I'll pass on Wolf and "battlepacks")

[Erich]

Not sure I understand why you don't want the SA battlepacks - if you want cheap and you don't want LC or Win, you're going to be looking at milsurp. And the SA stuff is pretty good . . . .

"which is approx $10 per box of 20"
. . . and, by your math you'd be paying over $6 per box of 20 in S&H ($189.00 divided by 1000 times 20 = $3.78). Might want to check your work! :)

[TheLastBoyScout]

that price is about 20 cents a round, with s&h, or $4 for a box of 20, shipped if you do the math right. Thats about what American Eagle commercial go's for at my local gunstore. Instead, I use SA battlepacks or Wolf (I prefer the SA stuff though, as wolf is some dirty ---- and the SA while not the cleanest, is ballistically identical to the stuff you're shooting right now.) South African battlepacks (300 rds) are in the 35-40 dollar range at the gunshow (or somewhere between 12 and 14 cents a round if you do the math)

[RTownsend]

Do you have a local Walmart? They should have the Winchester white box 55 Gn FMJ for 7.47 per 40. That price is hard to beat mail order and you get great brass for reloading.

[AR-10]

PMP, commercial South African ammo, is very nice and fairly cheap. Not loaded as hot as Q3131A, but pretty close. It is manufactured by Denel, and sold in boxes of twenty with a picture of a Gazzelle on the box. Runs around $140.00 shipped, but I don't remember who offers it right now. Aim Surplus or Century Arms, I think.

The South African battle pack stuff is hotter, but it is pretty scarce at the moment.

Those two, along with Q3131A and Lake City, are about the only choices I would consider. JMHO

[Double Naught Spy]

We shoot the South African m193 knockoff ammo. It is not quite that of real NATO surplus like the Lake City stuff. It is inexpensive, stored in those great waterproof sealed battlepacks which are easy to transport, and the stuff works really well. The only potential bad aspect is that it is berdan primed and so not easy to remove the spent primer to reload...assuming you reload. I don't and so it isn't an issue.

While I understand it makes no difference, the South African stuff comes in a lot better condition than the XM193 Lake City stuff. The Lake City stuff looks like it has been run over by a couple of vehicles and left out to tarnish. It shoots fine, but looks horrible.

[Johnny Rad]

I assumed .223 was 50 rounds to a box, not 20 ... glad everyone didn't pile on too much ... rookie rifleman mistake.

I'll reconsider the battlepacks.

Thanks!

[zanthope]

I have been a Wolf basher for a couple of years, after a bad episode or two with .45 ACP and .223 55 gr.

Recently I bought some new 62 gr steel cored .223 Wolf for $2.00/20 .... I couldn't resist it for that price.

From my 20" Armalite M-15, I was moderately impressed... MUCH cleaner, perfectly reliable, and three or so inches of accuracy @ 100 yds.

I'll buy a little more and shoot it when I don't feel like using my reloads.

[Onslaught]

I agree, for plinking ammo, South African Battle packs are THE way to go.

www.sportsmansguide.com frequently has good deals on them. So does www.ammoman.com .

Good luck, and enjoy!

[Erich]

I don't know why - because the gun seems pretty solid, but I'm still scared to run Wolf through my Bushie. I sure am glad that milsurp is easy, but I do prefer the 3131/3131A/LC stuff.

Everybody knows about Troy and Tatjana's FAQ, right?
http://www.ecis.com/~mraudio/AR15_Ammo_FAQ.htm
And ammo reviews? http://www.aaconsult.com/ammoreview/html/_223_reviews.html

[Onslaught]

Erich,

I knew about Troy and Tat's site, but not the second one... thanx!

I don't use any lacquered ammo in my Bushie either, but I don't think it would hurt my rifle if I did... I just don't.

I keep Lake City for "you know what", and I'll be picking up some $40 battle packs for plinking. My range sells the Winchester Q3131 stuff for $4 a box out the door that I might consider also.

[King]

I use PMP South African....usally find it at gun shows. About $18 for 100 rounds and it's new ammo........

[Rob01]

I've run thousands of rounds of Wolf 55 grns through my preban Bushmaster Shorty without a hitch. Works great in my chrome lined chamber and no excessive were or laquer build up as the net rumors have said. If you don't want to use it then that's your choice so I would say the next best thing would be the South African battle packs. They also work very well for plinking ammo.

[blades67]

I load my own. Though the SA battle packs do follow me home from time to time.;)

[zanthope]

I like to load my own, too. I've got at least 1000 .223 reloads in the back room, so it's idiotic of me to buy factory plinking ammo.

But, who said anything is supposed to make sense?

Goodbye, TFL. I've especially enjoyed this rifle forum...learned a lot.