Is surplus 30-06 ever coming back?

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
A while back, I couldn't find much 303 British, much less non-corrosive. Suddenly, a glut of 303 surplus appeared and I was able to get a lifetime supply of it for my P1914.

I have a Garand in 30-06 for which I have some ammo but can't find any plinking ball at reasonable prices. Would anyone care to speculate on the probability of 30-06 surplus ever coming back at prices similar to 1995 or so? I worry that I'll be hard-pressed to afford 30-06 ball once my current stash runs out.
 
Personally, I'd say the possibility is pretty small. I don't know of any large government stash of 30-06 that might come on the market. Time to fire up the reloading press... :D
 
The best deal I know of now is the through the CMP - 280 rds of USGI M2 ball for $72.50 delivered. Comes loaded on 35 Garand clips, with cardboard spacers, and cloth bandoleers - all packed in a newish .50 cal ammo can. Not too bad a deal when you figure the clips are worth around $15 and the can $5. I've even seen bandoleers sell for a dollar apiece at gunshows (I always use to throw mine away). Bottom line is around 18 cents per round or $3.60 per 20.

A couple of years ago Greek .30-06 was cheap and plentiful. Wish I'd bought a couple of thou'. Then there was delinked IMI, but it got a luke warm reception from the Garand crowd - ran a tad hot. The thing about surplus ammo is you never know who's gonna turn over their stock and bust loose with a boat load. I gotta believe there's still many millions of rounds out there in foreign storage. -- Kernel
 
Few years ago I heard Korea and Phillipine still has large stocks of 30-06 ammo for use in their M-1. Korea no longer keeps M-1 in stock so I guess it is possible to see them soon. Phillipine I heard still issues their M-1 to some local police units and militia so I guess it will take a little longer. I'm sure surplus 30-06 ammo will show up again sooner or later.
 
ammoman.com

I just purchased 250 rounds of Talon M2 ball ammo in a surplus ammo can for $70.00 delivered. Ammoman is the best when it comes to purchasing ammo.

The ammo came loose in the can and has that GI smell :) I'll find out how it shoots this weekend at the TFL shoot in PA

Geoff Ross
 
I bought one case of match ammo from DCM. Now, there's so much stuff piled in front of my ammo locker, I can't reach it. :(

K80Geoff: please share with us your report on that ammo you bought.
 
Ammoman is definitely the way to go! I also have the Talon M2 ball and it shoots perfectly. I've shot hundreds of rounds with no misfires and acceptable accuracy. I have a few thousand rounds of it left and will be ordering more.
 
Phillipine I heard still issues their M-1 to some local police units and militia so I guess it will take a little longer. I'm sure surplus 30-06 ammo will show up again sooner or later. ................About 5 or 6 years ago I was in Monterrey, Mexico, and on the way from the Airport to the Crowne Plaza we passed a Pemex Refinery. It had Mexican Army guards on duty at the gates and they were armed with the Garand. About 3 years ago I was in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and passed a bank. The bank was guarded also by mexican troops and some had Cal. 30 Carbines and some still had Garands. My guess is that the Mexican Army does not have much else to do so they stick them in places like that to look official. If they had or maybe still have the Garands they must have a large stockpile of ammo! Maybe one day they will bust loose and sell it.
By the way it was a tie! The marguitas were just as good in Nuevo Laredo as Monterrey!
 
From the last CMP update:

********************************************
http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/ammo.htm

AMMUNITION NEWS. We have received several truckloads of both standard velocity .22 caliber ammunition (NLU 414) and 400 rd. cans of M2 Ball (NLU 402). Both items are available on the ammo shopping cart.

********************************************
 
Aimsurplus had Cavim (Venezualan) last year, $50. for 250rds on links. When they ran out, they said they were working on a contract for newly produced ammo from a European maker, don't know what's happening to that, but I'm hoping. the ODCMP seems like a good deal though.

[Edited by TABING on 05-24-2001 at 04:30 PM]
 
A word of caution about the remanufactured Talon M2 ball. Not all of the projectiles used in their rounds are the same, even in the same 20 round box!

To check your stash, use a magnet. Some of them contain steel while others do not. This will affect your point of impact more than you think, so sorting is desired to ensure you get somewhat better accuracy by at least using the same bullet type from shot to shot.
 
www.ammoman.com just got in:

YUGOSLAVIAN 30.06 150gr.
LATE 1950's 30.06
Manufactured in Yugoslavia
FULL METAL JACKET
BOXER PRIMED

PACKAGED IN 22 Round Boxes
484 Round RESEALABLE US AMMO CANS

100% NON CORROSIVE

FREE SHIPPING

Part Number #3006-YUGO1

$135- 484 rounds (1 CAN)
 
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