M1 Acquisition & Korean M2 Ball

[daekken]

I guess "M1-related Acquisition" would have been a more appropriate title. The closest I can get while waiting on service grades!

I was at the local shop picking up some stuff and noticed they had some M1 enbloc clips, so I grabbed a few.



They had some Korean M2 ball surplus, but I've heard bad things (KA [?] headstamp being corrosive, PS being jokingly referred to as "probably safe" - but both with stories of "friend of a friend" about blowing guns up) so I passed on it, figured HXP would suffice. Anyone else try it?

They had surplus 8mm Mauser but I won't be fanciful enough to even put that on my shopping radar yet.

 

[headednorth]

I bought some KA a while back , hadnt heard it was corrosive when I bought it. Ive been picking away at it- pulling, decapping, repriming, recharging, and reseating. Its not as much fun as it sounds, lol. Probably easier to buy a Springfield 03 and just shoot the stuff.

Supposed to be good brass for what its worth. From my research, the PS kabooms seem to be limited to certain years (lots, maybe?)

If I could go back, I'd of passed on it too and just got more HXP instead. I forget if it was out of stock at the CMP or I was just an idiot looking to save a few pennies.

 

[mac1911]

I know a few old timers who love the Korean M2 ...they say it's some of the most accurate M2 ever made....they don't really care about corrosive issues as they where shooting corrosive surplus most of their shooting days... I know one guy who has many 10k of thousands rounds of late 40s early 50s M2

 

[jpm]

Some of the Korean stuff is bad, some is corrosive. I wouldn't shoot it.

 

[OldNorth]

I shoot KA out of the 03a3, don't shoot it out of the garand. It is corrosive. Easier to clean an 03 than get into the gas system in the garand every range trip. That said, it's been good ammo for me. I'd have bought lots more of it but its usually significantly more expensive than HXP. Price being equal I go with the Greek stuff. If you can get a good deal for the KA, I would get it.

IIRC it's the PS that people had trouble with, but only in specific lots.

 

[dw617]

Buy the loose HXP while you can. Save the brass. Learn how to reload. Shooting potentially corrosive ammo isn't worth it these days, especially if you don't even own the ammo yet.

 

[dhuze]

I shoot KA out of the 03a3, don't shoot it out of the garand. It is corrosive. Easier to clean an 03 than get into the gas system in the garand every range trip. That said, it's been good ammo for me. I'd have bought lots more of it but its usually significantly more expensive than HXP. Price being equal I go with the Greek stuff. If you can get a good deal for the KA, I would get it.

IIRC it's the PS that people had trouble with, but only in specific lots.

This.

I have KA, I shoot in in my 03 and 03A3's because it's less cleaning. It's corrosive so clean accordingly and you will be fine.

The PS ammo has some known bad lots. It's not corrosive, but I won't shoot it.

If you truly want some ammo that may or may not go boom and will eventually blow your gun up try some French 30-06. I have two belts of the stuff. Only have it because it's linked and since it's utter garbage I don't feel bad about not shooting it.

 

[mac1911]

also the price differential is just not there. When I first started buying M2 HXP was 28 cents per round and you could pick up Korean for about 13 cents.now it's the same if not more than HXP.