SAMCO has Portuguese 7.62x51

[chenny]

$0.40/round is probably the cheapest on the market. Only concern is the possibility of corroded cases. Ordered 500 rounds so we'll see.

https://www.samcoglobal.com/Ammo-308-win.html

 

[TapRackBang]

That's a good price. I bought two sealed battle packs of Portuguese for $0.50/round last year at a show and thought that was a good deal.

 

[tomandjerry00]

Stupid berdan primers


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[chenny]

Stupid berdan primers


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Not that I have the tools to do so anyhow, but it's my understanding that you can reload Berdan brass. Its a more involved process, necessitates special tools and the right sized primer (of which there are many) but it can be done and there are many people who do. Graf's even sells some Berdan primers.

 

[Jerry M]

Not that I have the tools to do so anyhow, but it's my understanding that you can reload Berdan brass. Its a more involved process, necessitates special tools and the right sized primer (of which there are many) but it can be done and there are many people who do. Graf's even sells some Berdan primers.

IMHO the only reason to reload Berdan brass, unless you have unlimited time to spend at the reloading bench, is for exotic calibers where boxer primed brass is not readily available. Many like myself have buckets of once fired brass.

The advantage of this ammo is, buy it cheap, fire it and let the brass lay or throw it in the brass bucket for recycling.

Years ago Widners had this brass available as primmed brass. I reloaded a few thousand cases with match bullets, with good results. BUT I used the existing live primer, weighed powder and added a SMK and shot. Fired brass went into a brass bucket, which will bring you about $60 for a 5 gallon bucket, depending on the caliber.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[chenny]

IMHO the only reason to reload Berdan brass, unless you have unlimited time to spend at the reloading bench, is for exotic calibers where boxer primed brass is not readily available. Many like myself have buckets of once fired brass.

The advantage of this ammo is, buy it cheap, fire it and let the brass lay or throw it in the brass bucket for recycling.

Years ago Widners had this brass available as primmed brass. I reloaded a few thousand cases with match bullets, with good results. BUT I used the existing live primer, weighed powder and added a SMK and shot. Fired brass went into a brass bucket, which will bring you about $60 for a 5 gallon bucket, depending on the caliber.

Good luck

Jerry

Interesting, I never even thought about keeping the brass that couldn't be reloaded. 60 bucks in my pocket is better than leaving it for the range to cash in.

 

[Ragnar]

Good deal. Thanks, OP.

 

[erwos]

Went in for 500 rounds. Need some more ammo to test out my FAL and PTR-91.

 

[Catch-10-22]

I bought a bunch of this stuff from Samco about 4 or 5 years ago. About 1/3 was corroded, 1/3 was tarnished, and 1/3 was great. The battle packs were sealed but compromised in some way that ruined some of the ammo and left the rest ok.

Just something to think about, even at that price. Maybe this will be a better batch. Good luck.

 

[chenny]

Apparently the corrosion/tarnish is due to the acidic cardboard used to pack several lots of this ammo. I'm sure thats why the Portuguese got rid of it.

 

[tomandjerry00]

I bought a bunch of this stuff from Samco about 4 or 5 years ago. About 1/3 was corroded, 1/3 was tarnished, and 1/3 was great. The battle packs were sealed but compromised in some way that ruined some of the ammo and left the rest ok.

Just something to think about, even at that price. Maybe this will be a better batch. Good luck.

Thanks for the good advice, so was 2/3 of it shoot able? More? Less? I'm about to pull the trigger on 500.




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[Pinecone]

If it has green or brown discoloration, it can be used.

If it has pink corrosion, DO NOT FIRE IT.

There are some pictures only when someone cut apart a case with pink corrosion, and it had eaten THROUGH THE CASE WALL.

 

[tomandjerry00]

If it has green or brown discoloration, it can be used.

If it has pink corrosion, DO NOT FIRE IT.

There are some pictures only when someone cut apart a case with pink corrosion, and it had eaten THROUGH THE CASE WALL.

Thanks for the advice, that is exactly what I wanted to know.


Anyone have a shipping quote to MD from them? I'm nervous buying and finding out shipping is a ton.

Think I'm about ready to pull the trigger though. I need some junk ammo to get my RFB's gas system dialed in. I've destroyed two boxes of Federal brass already...

 

[Scott7891]

Went in for 500 rounds. Need some more ammo to test out my FAL and PTR-91.

You got them to ship to Montgomery County? They still say on their site they won't do it.

 

[erwos]

You got them to ship to Montgomery County? They still say on their site they won't do it.

They just tried to deny me. I have responded with the PDF of the BATFE manual showing that our specific regulation was invalidated in a court case. We'll see if I can change their minds. This should really be a no-brainer.

Note that the manual DOES NOT show Annapolis as invalidated, even though they are. *shrugs*

Worst case scenario, I'll have them ship it to my folks in Baltimore County.

 

[Catch-10-22]

If it has green or brown discoloration, it can be used.

If it has pink corrosion, DO NOT FIRE IT.

There are some pictures only when someone cut apart a case with pink corrosion, and it had eaten THROUGH THE CASE WALL.

Agree on the brown/black discoloration. However, some of the green-ish corrosion rounds were to the point where the case was slightly bulged and I would not want to try to chamber it, much less shoot it. If you disagree, I am glad to give you the rounds I won't use. I know I was pretty picky as I sorted but I didn't think it worth the worry. I'll go take a few pics and post them in a bit.

Heck, if you are looking for cheap 308/7.62, I have 900 rounds of corrosive Sellier and Bellot on the shelf I got a few years ago that I would sell for a good price. Didn't realize it was corrosive when I bought it and it is not worth the hassle to me.

More in a bit.

 

[Catch-10-22]

The Good Stuff - again, about 2/3 of the case (some tarnished but fine)

The Corroded Stuff - about 1/3 of the case

The Pink Corrosion mentioned

And the S&B stuff that is cheaper but corrosive. Is corrosive better than corroded?

 

[Pinecone]

However, some of the green-ish corrosion rounds were to the point where the case was slightly bulged and I would not want to try to chamber it, much less shoot it.

If bulged, I agree, it is NOT usable.

 

[Pinecone]

The Corroded Stuff - about 1/3 of the case

The Pink Corrosion mentioned

And the S&B stuff that is cheaper but corrosive. Is corrosive better than corroded?

I would try to remove the corrosion with some steel or bronze wool, or tumble the rounds, or both. I do notice that the ad says that the rounds have been tumbled, so I wonder if they took care of ones like these.

Yeap, that is the nasty pink corrosion, those are toast.

I prefer non-corrosive, but it depends on the final price. Taking into account those rounds that are not usable.

 

[Catch-10-22]

I should try the steel wool - I don't have a tumbler. I got both sets pretty cheap years ago before prices went up - probably $0.30 a round or less. So it wasn't a terrible loss. But still frustrating because good ammo was also pretty cheap.