Dumb question re: Garand Ammo

[Spudd]

I recently was given a box of Garand ammo. Long story.
It appears to be a mix of just 8 round clips, bandoleers, and boxed (some sealed, some open, Frankford Arsenal). The bandoleered ammo has the cardboard "silencers".
Looks authentic to my very untrained eye.
Looking for someone who can look at the lot of it, and give me an honest opinion on what I should do with it.
I have a 30.06. I do not have a Garand.
It seems some is WWII era, and some (maybe most) is post war surplus. But for all I know it has all been reloaded. A few of the clips have ammo with no primers. MFG stamps on the clips are all over the place, as are the stamps on the casings.
Help?

[Garand Hunter]

Garand ammo is fine in most any 30-06 rifle. If you believe some of it is reloaded, maybe break it down for components or dispose of it. The stuff in clips should be fine to shoot if the rounds are complete. Garand military ball (fmj) is loaded lower power than sporting ammo.

Psalm 1

[ojisan]

You can upload pics direct to the site here from your computer but they may come out too small to be of use.
I use Imgur for pic hosting.

[Killer Bee]

look like this? 1942 Frankford



don't quote me but I believe this was all corrosive until the mid 50's

unless you confirm it is definitely non-corrosive, you may want to avoid shooting it unless you're prepared for the neccessary cleaning routine

good luck!

eta - quick search found this When did the U.S. miltary stop using corrosive ammo?

[Spudd]

Useless

You can upload pics direct to the site here from your computer but they may come out too small to be of use.
I use Imgur for pic hosting.

Well aware it it useless without pics. Looking for someone knowledgeable on the topic who can take a look and tell me if I should sell it to collectors or Garand shooters, or just poke holes in paper with the 30.06.
Trying to not waste everyone's time, just the time of someone who is actually interested in the subject.

But thanks for the Imgur tip. I'll keep that in mind if/when I sort this out enough to post pics. As I said, it appears to be a very mixed lot of stuff. I'd guess,without actually counting, there may 150-200 rounds altogether.

[Spudd]

So, should I assume no one, even Garand shooters would want the corrosive ammo? I'll have to try and sort the stuff out by age then.

[Spudd]

Garand ammo is fine in most any 30-06 rifle. If you believe some of it is reloaded, maybe break it down for components or dispose of it. The stuff in clips should be fine to shoot if the rounds are complete. Garand military ball (fmj) is loaded lower power than sporting ammo.

Psalm 1

Thanks. Sorry for my ignorance on the topic. I know it will shoot in a 30.06, just wondering if it is worth trying to sort through all of it and get it to people who might appreciate it, rather than just pop it off at the range in the .06.

[NewbieDave]

Ask in this forum and post with pictures.. you'll get your M2 ball answer.

http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=77

[Rcjackrabbit]

I could be wrong. But, isn't black tip armor piercing and a HUGE no-no?

OP - I would get rid of it ASAP.

[Wlee]

I could be wrong. But, isn't black tip armor piercing and a HUGE no-no?

OP - I would get rid of it ASAP.

Black tip is fine to own, its a rifle round. Manufacturing more black tip on your own I believe is a no no as well as pistol AP.

[Spudd]

Ask in this forum and post with pictures.. you'll get your M2 ball answer.

http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=77

Thank you. Will do.

[M1A Rifleman]

Any 06 ammo from WWII will be corrosive, meaning it will corrode your barrel, bolt, and any part of the rifle residue comes in contact with unless cleaned with water or other means to remove the corrosive fouling. Modern bore solvents, maybe with the exception of Hoppes 9, do not remove corrosive fouling. USGI went non corrosive about 1952/53 and commercial ammo a bit latter I believe.

It it were me, I'd sell it off rather than shoot corrosive stuff in my rifles.

If the ammo was reloaded and you don't know what it was reloaded to, ie the charge, powder type and charge, bullet etc, then destroy as it is dangerous. Some guys old reloads may have worked and been safe in his rifle, but for yours with a slightly different chamber who knows?? Why take the risk as reloading manuals are updated every few years. What was noted as safe in a 1970 manual is not the same today.

[M1A Rifleman]

look like this? 1942 Frankford



[/URL]

The black tip means armor piercing, 42 is the year so this is corrosive.

[M1NM]

I could be wrong. But, isn't black tip armor piercing and a HUGE no-no?

OP - I would get rid of it ASAP.

While black tip 30-06 and green tip 5.56 are known as AP due to their steel cores the ATF has specifically excluded them from the definition of AP ammo. Now if you break that ammo down and make some .308 or .22-250 ammo you have manufactured AP ammo and the Feds can put you in jail.

Different arsenals changed to non corrosive at different times. There used to be a chart on the web but I can't find it again.

[sigstroker]

If you don't want it for your personal stash, sell it. That wartime black tip goes for $2 to $3 per round. Maybe more.

If you have sealed boxes that look old, leave them sealed. They can bring $30 to $50 per box for non-armor piercing.