XM80C 7.62 x 51 mm from Palmetto State Armory NOT MAGENTIC

ascorb · Feb 12, 2018

I read a lot online that the XM80C is magnetic and would fail the magnet test our indoor ranges do. I ordered 400 rounds of XM80C before reading this and got depressed, so I decided to order a giant earth magnet to test it out. I found out that it is NOT magnetic and no more suffering from buyers regret. STUPID INTERNET.

I made a video of me testing it with the Winchester 7.62 x 51 {which was magnetic) and the Federal tactical bonded cartridges (which was not). If I tested incorrectly please tell me. FYI i used "DIYMAG Super Strong Neodymium Fishing Magnets, 148 LBS(67 KG) Pulling Force Rare Earth Magnet" from Amazon.

smdub · Feb 12, 2018

1) Yes you are doing it right. Clearly you don't have steel core.
2) I ordered a metric crap-ton of it when it went on sale at PSA last month. I pulled a couple boxes from each case and it ALL tested magnetic. Mine are LC16 brass. Yours? I don't mind that it is actually steel but it doesn't say much for Federal's consistency! :sad20:

Racer Doug14 · Feb 13, 2018

I checked mine. It is magnetic. I noted it when I was looking at how ugly the brass was. Could they be mixing it up when packing it for civ'ies?

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

ahh wtf really? This means I'll have to test all 20 boxes. I'll check the stampings and report back later today.

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

Racer Doug14 said:
I checked mine. It is magnetic. I noted it when I was looking at how ugly the brass was. Could they be mixing it up when packing it for civ'ies?

How ugly are we talking about? My brass looks pretty ugly too.

Ski169 · Feb 13, 2018

Not that it matters as far as indoor range use, but remember that the steel in these rounds is from the bi-metal jacket. They are not “steel core”. Just in case there’s a possibility that it could make a difference somewhere, it might be helpful to know.

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

Ski169 said:
Not that it matters as far as indoor range use, but remember that the steel in these rounds is from the bi-metal jacket. They are not “steel core”. Just in case there’s a possibility that it could make a difference somewhere, it might be helpful to know.

I wonder though, if my lot has bi-metal jackets because it was not magnetic at all.

Racer Doug14 · Feb 13, 2018

ascorb said:
How ugly are we talking about? My brass looks pretty ugly too.

It's blem, that makes it not pass QC for DOD.

Vile Shadow · Feb 13, 2018

Ski169 said:
Not that it matters as far as indoor range use, but remember that the steel in these rounds is from the bi-metal jacket. They are not “steel core”. Just in case there’s a possibility that it could make a difference somewhere, it might be helpful to know.

You can shoot that caliber on Thursdays at Freestate, but expect that distinction to be made there.

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

I want to confirm all 20 boxes I bought are not magnetic. My brass is labeled LC 15

lazarus · Feb 13, 2018

As in you are asking us? Or you are telling us? I’ve onky bought one box of federal xm80 and it has a bimetallic jacket. Most M80 stuff is, which is why I normally don’t buy Surplus ammo. Only .308 I have is a Sako Forester and I really don’t want to feed it stuff that is going to wear out the lands that much faster.

Once I build my AR-10 I’ll care a lot less about replacing a $200 Barrel. Replacing a $400-600 Barrel that is also likely to cost me another 150-200 for a smith to do the job...on a rifle with a ton of sentimental value to me that shoots 3/4” MOA...

Nope.

So I feed it mostly PPU M80, of which all of it is gilded jacketing and I can often find for $10-12 per box of 20 if I don’t mind waiting for a sale. Pretty accurate stuff too (no 3/4” MOA, but it’ll group under 2 MOA out of the Sako).

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

Sling Blade said:
You can shoot that caliber on Thursdays at Freestate, but expect that distinction to be made there.

Freestate does the magnet test, his LC16 would fail and they would not let him shoot it =[

ascorb · Feb 13, 2018

lazarus said:
As in you are asking us? Or you are telling us? I’ve onky bought one box of federal xm80 and it has a bimetallic jacket. Most M80 stuff is, which is why I normally don’t buy Surplus ammo. Only .308 I have is a Sako Forester and I really don’t want to feed it stuff that is going to wear out the lands that much faster.

Once I build my AR-10 I’ll care a lot less about replacing a $200 Barrel. Replacing a $400-600 Barrel that is also likely to cost me another 150-200 for a smith to do the job...on a rifle with a ton of sentimental value to me that shoots 3/4” MOA...

Nope.

So I feed it mostly PPU M80, of which all of it is gilded jacketing and I can often find for $10-12 per box of 20 if I don’t mind waiting for a sale. Pretty accurate stuff too (no 3/4” MOA, but it’ll group under 2 MOA out of the Sako).

I was more telling, this box is 9.99 with free ship. Is PPU consistently 10-12 dollars? I would love to stock up.

lazarus · Feb 13, 2018

ascorb said:
I was more telling, this box is 9.99 with free ship. Is PPU consistently 10-12 dollars? I would love to stock up.

Not always always. Aim Surplus has it for $9.99 right no IIRC, but not free shipping. SGAmmo I think has it for $11 a box. Cabela’s occasionally has it on sale for around $11.50 and I’ll buy it with free shipping and discounted gift cards.

j_h_smith · Feb 14, 2018

All M80 ammo is metallic. If not, it wouldn't be M80 ammo. please recheck your ammo OR your magnet.

lazarus · Feb 15, 2018

j_h_smith said:
All M80 ammo is metallic. If not, it wouldn't be M80 ammo. please recheck your ammo OR your magnet.

Technically yes. However several manufacturers make “M80” ammunition that does not have a bimetallic jacket, but otherwise meets M80 specs. PPU, IIRC PMC and a couple of others. IMI makes a 150gr 7.62x51mm cartridge with bullet and primer sealing, but they don’t label it M80. Early batches were under powered, but they apparently changed it a year or two so so you are getting roughly the MV that real M80 gets (instead of loaded 100FPS or so slower)

lazarus · Feb 15, 2018

Also rememebr it is XM80, not M80. Federal’s stuff is surf that fails at least one of the milspec criteria for acceptance. It could be they produced a batch with 147gr FMJ bullets that were not bimetallic because they had a bunch left over from something else so they assembled the cartridges and sold them civie as xm80

ericoak · Feb 15, 2018

lazarus said:
As in you are asking us? Or you are telling us? I’ve onky bought one box of federal xm80 and it has a bimetallic jacket. Most M80 stuff is, which is why I normally don’t buy Surplus ammo. Only .308 I have is a Sako Forester and I really don’t want to feed it stuff that is going to wear out the lands that much faster.

Once I build my AR-10 I’ll care a lot less about replacing a $200 Barrel. Replacing a $400-600 Barrel that is also likely to cost me another 150-200 for a smith to do the job...on a rifle with a ton of sentimental value to me that shoots 3/4” MOA...

Nope.

So I feed it mostly PPU M80, of which all of it is gilded jacketing and I can often find for $10-12 per box of 20 if I don’t mind waiting for a sale. Pretty accurate stuff too (no 3/4” MOA, but it’ll group under 2 MOA out of the Sako).

I'm not expert, but what I read online says the steel is deep enough inside the rounds that is doesn't ever touch the lands and therefore shouldn't wear any faster. Unlike Russian type bi-metal jackets.

lazarus · Feb 15, 2018

ericoak said:
I'm not expert, but what I read online says the steel is deep enough inside the rounds that is doesn't ever touch the lands and therefore shouldn't wear any faster. Unlike Russian type bi-metal jackets.

Oh. Interesting. I’ll have to try to do a little more research on that. I wouldn’t mind picking up 200rnds for $100 and shipped free if PSA has that deal again later. Not hurting for ammo right now, but I like to keep my options open.

I am focusing most of my budget on guns rather than ammo or accessories right now. Though I do need to buy a metric ton of 9mm now that I am finishing a G17 build (I don’t have anything in 9mm). Won’t go crazy right now. I’ll wait till BF for a deal to really stock up. Just a box or two of a number of things to see what shoots well in it.

And I’ll need to pick up a few boxes of .30-06 when I get a Garand later this spring. Trying to keep it light though so I can try to budget a third gun this calendar year.

CGrant726 · Feb 15, 2018

Showing out of stock now, I was going to get more. It was on sale up until yesterday or day before- the sale was on for over a month. I picked up 700 rds. Couldn’t beat it at that price

XM80C 7.62 x 51 mm from Palmetto State Armory NOT MAGENTIC

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