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The Future of Military Surplus Ammunition

5K views 17 replies 13 participants last post by  Parasales 
#1 ·
Here is the current and foreseeable future of Imported Military Surplus ammunition.

It has always been the case that any obsolete calibre has a limited supply. It has always been that once the supply from a given source was exhasted that was it. These and other truths are well known about Military Surplus.

What has not previously been the case with Military Surplus is that the US government would stop its participation in surplusing loaded ammunition and that the so called world community (read UN) would pursue the total elimination of Military Surplus.

Is there anyone who cannot understand that in order to totally end the proliferation of arms and munitions globally, ALL trafficing in arms and munitions MUST cease?

That means ALL Military Surplus and Commercial sources MUST be cut-off.

Yes I know that it is not intended to stop Nation States from supplying arms and munitions to one another.


I have heard continuiously that there will always be another source of Imported Military Surplus ammo. Well as for 7.62 NATO I am sorry to REPORT ( NOT Predict ) that NO such source has been located nor is their any over the horizon.

Barring a miracle, we have seen the last of Imported Military Surplus 7.62 NATO ammunition.

As for Imported Military Surplus ammunition in other calibres; well here is how it IS !

1) 7.62x54 When the current supply is exhasted that's it. No new sources in sight. As for commercial sources unknown at this time.

2) 5.56 (aka .223) yes I know the difference, well, has anyone heard of additional sources other than maybe a small amount of Guatemalan no other soiurces are being offered. As long as the war on terror goes at full bore forget Imported Military Surplus from any place.

3) 7.62x25 Once its gone its gone. This is the Normal situation for an obsolete calibre.

4) 7.62x39 Not sure about the future of any Imported Military Surplus. It seems that so called Russian Military is still coming at this time but for how long ??? Yes commercial Wolf , Silver Bear, Brown Bear, etc. will continue to be available but at what prices?

5) 30.06 Well its Korean and CMP or nothing. When that's gone its gone.

6) 8x57 Mauser Whatever supply that is in the US is all there is. When its gone its gone.

I have not obtained detail information on pistol calibres except that 45 ACP Imported Military Surplus was History long ago.

As for 9mm; it seems we are limited to commercail brands as well.


In short with the UN's Vote on a Treaty to control (read eliminate ) the Global Trade in Illicit Arms and Munitions by restricting the Import/Export of weapons and ammunition don't expect any new sources to come on line period. See link below for story.

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=35262

So what do we do?

It makes sense to follow the developing situation on Military Surplus both domestically and globally with an eye on staying more than one step ahead of those who are striving to end all Military Surplus once and for all times.

When they are near reaching the elimination or cut-off of one segment or another buy it before the supply is cut-off, the supply starts to shrink, and price go sky rocketing off to the stratosphere.

Our enemies are giving us plenty of warning.
 
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#2 ·
So what do we do?
The answer is obvious, but it requires the development of the skill set known as reloading. I am constantly amazed at the number of shooters who are either ignorant or lazy, and put themselves in an untenable position, should their source of ammo go away. Reloading with quality components produces ammo that is more accurate and cheaper (in most cases) than military ball ammo. Below is a target shot at 100 yards using military brass and surplus military powder. Get off your duff, guys.

Don
 
#5 ·
"I thought that the "green" ammo had been put on hold, besides, it was going to be used for training purposes on bases from what I understood in the first place, so regular stuff was still going to be made."
*********************

Yeah, the "green stuff" was found to contaminate the water table.

As it turns out, it's bad for the environment.

Priceless!
 
#7 ·
Fxntime said:
Hmmmm, those cans look suspiciously like SA 7.62x51 surplus containers.
You GOT me!!! I'm busted!!GI6

I want to pretend that the SA isn't really there!! But, each open range day finds me reaching into the "forbidden stash"!!GI8

So, I guess I have a total of 36 battle packs.Of the original shipment of 70. If the shipping weren't so expensive I would have more! I got those when they were $154.00 (remember??) per 7 bp Case (can)

But living 3000 miles from any Mainland adds to the shipping quite a bit!! $ 154.00!! ( another case dangit!!)GI9

The cans double as great furniture!!GI1

I think that there will soon come another source of surplus!!
Don't ask me when or from where!! I don't know!! I am just trying to be optimistic!!GI6
 
#9 ·
Mil-Surp ammo

Yup, fellas,

pretty dee-pressing thoughts about our mil-surp ammo drying up.

Gotta hope for the best , but plan for the worst, and get back to ree-loadin!

Shoot! we already have had our first coupla inches of the white stuff flying around here already, and this long, cold Winter, rather than be glued to thre "boob-tube," I'll be at my bench cranking out reloads, singing along country/western on my radio/cd player next to my press.

"Time's a-wastin!"
 
#10 ·
Ohio47Woodsman said:
Yup, fellas,

pretty dee-pressing thoughts about our mil-surp ammo drying up.

Gotta hope for the best , but plan for the worst, and get back to ree-loadin!

Shoot! we already have had our first coupla inches of the white stuff flying around here already, and this long, cold Winter, rather than be glued to thre "boob-tube," I'll be at my bench cranking out reloads, singing along country/western on my radio/cd player next to my press.

"Time's a-wastin!"
You got any recommendations for some good books that tell a fellow what all is needed and how to go about reloading?
 
#12 ·
FWIW Midway now has their "Grade I" once fired .308 brass in stock again . . .it's an on-again/off-again thing but I picked up a load and will spend the winter trimming. :( I figure I can keep my stash of SA and just reload what I need for shooting. On the good news front my .45 ACP conversion kit for the Dillion 550 will work for .308 with the addition of a new powder funnel so it's pretty cheap for me to start reloading this stuff, just my time.

Have a good one,
Dave
 
#13 ·
Ammo and Reloading.

As "cheap" MILSURP dries up, so will cheap componants....if you aren't buying brass and bullets (getting harder to find) and powder WITHOUT TAGGANT (yup, the dems are in), reloading will be just as hard a way to keep shooting as relying on milsurp. I am shooting reloadable brass when I can pick it up, and Berdan-primed milsurp when I can't.
 
#14 ·
re-load manuals

Yup!

I got started by using Lyman's Reloading Handbook. I am cheap as hell. Check out your local library for one. Mine has them.

Believe me, it ain't all that hard. A dummy like me does it.

Go to the next fun-show, buy a used single stage press like RCBS, Lyman, or Hornady, (you really can't beat up a heavy press much--used is fine), a .308Win/7.62mm die set, 1000 primers, some ball powder (there is a zillion brands--I favor Accurate) some 147 gr FMJ bullets, and used brass.

To measure out the proper charge of powder, buy a "dipper" set of pre-measured spoons, or a mechanical measurer which "throws" a pre-measured weight of powder per cartridge.

Find a decent dial caliper. I bought one at Harbor Freight Tools (they are also on-line) for $10 to measure cases for length and total overall length of loaded cartridges.

Bingo! You get great reloads for pennies. Re use the spent brass. Get a tumbler and shine up the old brass after firing.

Best thing is, if you also shoot pistol, you can just buy a die set (like .45ACP), and all your other stuff works with it!
 
#17 ·
So you resurrected a 13 year old thread to tell us that you're still trying to hawk your ammo?
 
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