How is the Korean M2 ball?

[Bhobbs]

I bought 270 rounds of Korean M2 ball from Ammo Bros that is mixed of de-linked KA and some PA head stamped. I have read some people have problems and some don't. Is it ok or crap? Not sure I want to risk my Garand with crappy ammo. If it is, I can pull the bullets and reload them in commercial cases.

[TRICKSTER]

KA is reported to be corrosive and is the one reported to have problems.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I put 100 rounds of it through my Garand and it ran 100%. It did not even seem particularly dirty.

[smle-man]

Some Korean PS headstamp ball rounds have a hairline crack that runs down the side of the case, through the extractor cut and across the base into the primer pocket. When fired the base lets go and will split the stock on an M1 rifle. The crack is visible in bright light so check the rounds carefully.

KA 73 ball is corrosive; I found it out personally when an M1 barrel got pitted from using it and not cleaning with a water based solvent. It had been advertised as non corrosive and I believed the vendor. However KA ball has been the most accurate Korean ball for me and I'd buy more if I could find it at a good price.

PS 80 ball is copper jacketed, the mid and early 70s is steel jacketed at least in my experience.

[Armistice]

I've heard the 30-06 Korean stuff has blown apart a few 1903s

[Mssr. Eleganté]

KA is corrosive. PS is non-corrosive. Less than 5% of the production lots of PS headstamped M2 Ball have reports of bad brass that can let loose. A couple of the lots are really bad. Most of the bad lot numbers are well documented, but there is no way to tell what lot number you are getting with the de-linked ammo. The data for good and bad lots came from the ammo that was packaged in 20 round boxes in 400 round ammo cans from the same lots.

[Orlando]

Personally I wouldnt use it if you gave it to me.
JMO

[2761377]

those 87,000 Garands people were lusting over until our Dear Leader squashed the deal? most assuredly they lived on this ammo during their Korean service.

[Orlando]

Yes any many were certainly ruined, do you feel lucky???????????

http://www.msgunowners.com/t3359-korean-surplus-ammo-danger

[kurac]

6-10 years ago when the market was full of the KA headstamped Korean M2, it was being sold as "mildly corrosive" that was BS, I didn't get any rust on my Garands because I cleaned them well after shooting but I did get a lot of rust on my 30-06 sizing die and shell holder.

As far as shooting goes, I noticed the point of impact was 2" higher and off to one side compared to my handloads. Accuracy was typical 2-3" at 100 yards, the KA brass is good for reloads, if you don't break any decapping pins on the off center flash holes. The PS brass is a little soft at the neck from what I recall.

[pro-nra]

I just don't get why people gamble with Korean ammo that are corrosive and possibly can blow up your gun and might injure you in the process when HXPs are still available from CMP for less than the KA & PS ammo.

[Capybara]

HXP. I shot a few rounds of the Korean, they worked fine but HXP is cheaper and better, plus shooting possibly corrosive in my precious Garand rubs me the wrong way.

[Crunch130]

I don't mind shooting corrosive through a bolt gun, but I personally don't want corrosive stuff all through the gas system of a Garand. Yes, I know the Garand was designed for it, but back in the day no one was trying to accommodate us collectors 70+ years later.

So I don't use the KA, and I have used most of a 1000-rd case of PS-74, from a good lot number, with NO problems.

The PS is not as accurate as some dribs and drabs of 1956-1960 US M2 ball I have, but great for target practice. It's good for 3 inches or so at 100 yards off a sandbag, vs 1.5 to 2 inches for the US stuff.

Crunch

BTW, there is bad ammo out there in every military caliber I have. 8 mm Mauser, 7.62X51 NATO (usually from non-NATO countries), 6.5X55 Swede (some of the Danish stuff), 303 Brit, etc. Surplus ammo comes with NO warranty and all the liability is on YOU. NEVER buy surplus ammo until you do a little internet research and make a list of the bad countries/years/lot numbers/ etc for that caliber.

[sr71brd]

KA is corrosive. PS is non-corrosive. Less than 5% of the production lots of PS headstamped M2 Ball have reports of bad brass that can let loose. A couple of the lots are really bad. Most of the bad lot numbers are well documented, but there is no way to tell what lot number you are getting with the de-linked ammo. The data for good and bad lots came from the ammo that was packaged in 20 round boxes in 400 round ammo cans from the same lots.

+1 The information I have shows the bad lot #'s were headstamped PS75 & PS76. If in doubt, pull the ammo apart, weigh the powder, divide by the # of cases, reduce the starting load by 10%, & reload using the pulled bullets. Toss the suspect cases in your scrap brass bag.

[TRAP55]

KA is extremely corrosive, by far the worse I've ever used. I would never run it through my Garand again, but wouldn't hesitate to shoot it in my bolt guns.