Why has all .223 PMP disappeared

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
I decided to standardize on that ammo (Gazelle box, not milsurplus which has much bigger muzzle flash) and can't find it anywhere. Any ideas as to where to get PMP .223?
(I could get S&B instead but that's an unknown...would rather find the brand I already tested)
 
I'd shy away from S&B 223, it's a bit more trouble than it's worth with quality control issues.


You might, just might, try getting your hands on some PMC. There are recent lots of PMC coming into the country which are being produced in South Africa, I'm not sure if it's the military stuff or the more commercial stuff but you might try it. It is visually identical to the South African ball ammo.



PMC has been a favorite of mine for years. A bit dirty but runs flawlessly through 3 different ARs of mine, 2 Bushmasters and a custom AR15 with a tight chamber and match barrel.
 
Oleg,

you could try Century Arms.

http://www.centuryarms.com/store/index.html

I don't know if they have it in stock right now, but I have bought it from them before. They are a little slow to ship and may lose your paperwork, but you'll get it eventually. :) Good, inexpensive ammo.

Re: the PMP battle packs, is the flash significantly greater? I bought one of them, but I haven't tried any of it. Guess I should before I buy any more.

BAD_KARMA beat me to it.

Uglygun, PMP is South African.
 
I've bought a ton of PMP at Galyan's sporting goods stores, a few boxes at a time. They sell the Gazelle boxes for $3.46 per 20rd box. They must sell a bunch since they always seem to have a few hundred boxes on the shelf. They do not sell it by the case though.
 
From FAFAL.COM
>>>>>> I've only shot their .223 and that was some good ammo at a great price. This may be OT, however what I was told by J&G Sales is that no more of the PMP will be imported because of some sort of "embargo," or "ban?" Anyone know anything about this??? <<<<<<
 
Greater flash??

Oleg, can you confirm this? My understanding was that the 80's production milsurp SA ammo (berdan, brass, NC) has a flash retardant and has a smaller flash. I have shot some of my stash of this, but not under low-light conditions, and I've never shot any of the PMP ammo.
 
AR-10, I know PMP is South African. That's why I brought up the PMC issue, the new PMC that I'm seeing could very well be a twin sister to the PMP that Oleg Volk is looking for or it's the military surplus stuff. Leaves him about a 50/50 chance of it being what he's looking for if he gets the newer stock PMC.
 
OK, I found Gazelle boxes at $90/500 (a bit high, so will try century). We fired the two side by side from a 16" AR and milsurp had a flash visible in daylight, commercial ammo did not. Guatemalan surplus was the worst, made a huge fireball.
 
I just ordered a tub (2700) rounds of south african berdan primed non corrosive 56 grain fmj from JLM & Sons Inc. The price is 349.95 shipping included. Phone number is (603) 668-9015. E-mail MACHINEGUNNER@MSN.COM. They are great people to deal with and are very honest. I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but give them a call or e-mail them. That comes out to right at thirteen cents a round.
 
Jerry's Sport Center in Pa.(a big distributer) has Winchester Q3131A M-193 Mil-Spec for 149.99/1000. If you have a buddy with an FFL, get some cheap. I bought 3000, 3 cases. Also try ammoman.com . He has the same for 189.99 shipped.
 
Hey Oleg!

I decided to open up the PMP battlepack I have had for a while. I am ready to get more .223 ammo, and I wanted to compare the berdan primed mil-surp to the gazelle box.

I took my Bushmaster Dissipator and a couple mags of each variety ammo to the range and did some shooting about dusk. The only real comparison I did was in regard to muzzle flash. I was shocked and disappointed. The mil-surp (with low-flash powder) had a much larger fireball than the gazelle box ammo.

The commercial ammo had a bloom about six inches long and about three inches wide. The mil-surp had a bloom about two foot long and about a foot wide. I loaded one magazine with alternating rounds,a-b-a-b-a-b, and could not tell by feel that one was loaded any hotter than the other. Guess the mil-surp just became range ammo.

Need to try some Q-3131A.
 
Let me add some more info and a question. I've been shooting a bit of the PMP 9mm stuff lately. It's not bad stuff (and def priced right). However, this ammo is definitely not as hot as most other 9mm ammo I've shot. You could almost call it weak.

Could it be that the 223 PMP ammo is not loaded as hot, and that is causing the ammo to have less muzzle flash than the milsurp Denel stuff? Anyone have a chrono to test this?
 
PMP 9x19 is junk, IMO. I actually gave away some of what I had because it was weak, inaccurate and has a nasty, sparking muzzle flash which is otherwise typical of Russian steel-core ammo.

Their 223 seems very accurate, reliable and consistent and is my tops choice, esp. with decent prices. Finally found it in several places and got another case, plan on getting several more. Chrono results would be appreciated...but I doubt that the velocity variation between brands is all that drastic.
 
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