indian .308

[shaneman153a 39]

In all my LGS's, everything has dried up except indian .308. I can get it in 50 round badoliers for 12.00. The girl selling it says that she read up on it and the 70's stuff is safe, not 80's or 60's. Suprisingly, this is a girl I trust, she knows her shit. Opinions?

[nalioth 405]

Just make sure you look at the headstamps. Lots of vendors are selling that nasty blow-up-your-gun-swept-up-off-the-floor Indian ammo as 'safe 70s' production, and your friend might only know what she's told. http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=617

[HEADHUNTER 0]

Just make sure you look at the headstamps. Lots of vendors are selling that nasty blow-up-your-gun-swept-up-off-the-floor Indian ammo as 'safe 70s' production, and your friend might only know what she's told. http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=617

 

 

Yeah check the headstamp and make sure it's 70's date range. I have some left and it works fine, I did have to adjust my FAL's gas system to allow less bleed off though because it wouldn't cycle on the same settting as other Mil-surp ammo would. I remember when a 1000 round case of 70's Indian ammo was $35.

[quinci956 1]

In all my LGS's, everything has dried up except indian .308. I can get it in 50 round badoliers for 12.00. The girl selling it says that she read up on it and the 70's stuff is safe, not 80's or 60's. Suprisingly, this is a girl I trust, she knows her shit. Opinions?

Does the Indian 308 use the corrosive primers? That is the problem I was having with my 303 British a few years ago. I was looking at the Indian stuff but the dealer couldn't tell me anything about it.

[ArcFault 4]

Be careful, I had a near catastrophic malfunction while bumpfiring my FAL a couple of years ago because of Indian ammo. I hadn't heard the warnings yet so I didn't know. One round was loaded only with its squib and no powder. It left the cartridge and went about 1/4" down the barrel, not far, but this is why it was near catastrophic and not catastrophic. I thought it was odd when the case didnt eject, but it was obvious that something was really wrong when the bolt wouldnt close up on the next round. Imagine if the primer had been powerful enough to push the slug a little further down the barrel and stupid me had managed to chamber another round.

 

Just make sure you know what you are shooting.

 

Madmilo, I always treated the Indian as if it were corrosive, for some reason it always smelled strongly of ammonia when fired. I don't know what this means, but its the only ammo I have ever fired that smells this way. Clean the gun, it will thank you.

Edited July 21, 2007 by ArcFault

[HEADHUNTER 0]

The 70's production is NOT corrosive, it doesn't shoot very clean. +1 on the stinky ammonia smell, but it is good ammo to have a day at the range with. I save my good stuff for home defense / hunting.

[Tokageko 8]

All of the KB's I've heard of involved people continuing to pull the trigger after a squib (even going so far as to eject the "stubborn" case first). So, I have to commend you on your gun safety ArcFault. There's a reason they say to check the barrel if the shot doesn't sound right.

 

I recently used some '74 headstammped Indian to sight in my S-308. I noticed some high-pressure signs, but nothing too bad (and I'm using reloads now that it's sighted in).

[ArcFault 4]

All of the KB's I've heard of involved people continuing to pull the trigger after a squib (even going so far as to eject the "stubborn" case first). So, I have to commend you on your gun safety ArcFault. There's a reason they say to check the barrel if the shot doesn't sound right.

 

Thanks, I think. Honestly I didn't feel all that safe at the time, just lucky. If I hadn't been bumpfiring I would have known what had happened imediately, but as it was I lost track and thought it was a failure to eject.

 

I think of it now as one of those little reminders that when you relax and think you know it all, accidents happen.

[Tokageko 8]

Lucky or not, you still did the right thing by checking the bore.

 

I had a very animated discussion on the subject with Perro over at CetmeRifles.com a while ago. In the end, I told him that I thought "bump-firing" was a dumb thing to do in the first place - on principle. To me it falls under the category of "trying to make a tool do something it wasn't intended to do". <shrugs> I won't shake my finger at people for it. I just don't do it myself and I don't advocate it.

 

If I want to shoot full-auto, I'll either buy or build a gun that does it.

[texlurch 0]

Say what you will about bump firing, but in this case I would blame the ammo. Indian has been proven over and over to be iffy at best. I myself would not use it in anything I own, even as a last resort.

 

And just about all the rifles we as a group play with, be it an AK, CETME, AR.. were all designed to be FA from the get go. So bumping them for fun is not that big of deal.

[sggrosso 0]

I'd rather shoot wolf steelcase ammo at twice the price than any indian made stuff. AIM has Igman right now, not as cheap, but still great plinking ammo for less than $10 a box.

[Tokageko 8]

Tex: In that case, I'd certainly say it's fine to bump-fire modern ammunition of good manufacture using any formly FA rifle in good repair. As everything has it's place, consider then that Indian manufactered surplus 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition of a nineteen-seventies vintage has a place in plinking and short range sighting in of new rifles. This would certainly fit its demonstrated capabilities and be safe within its known limitations, there-by making it not completely useless.

 

Respectfully,

Tokageko

 

[shaneman153a 39]

I'm out of options here, my LGS just got a shipment of serbian ammo, and they're selling it for $149 per battle pack (200 rounds). I love Killeen

 

SERIOUSLY thinking about reloading. Or turning into one of those elitist Match-ammo-only-bench-shooters

 

Like I need another hobby.

[ArcFault 4]

I'm out of options here, my LGS just got a shipment of serbian ammo, and they're selling it for $149 per battle pack (200 rounds). I love Killeen

 

SERIOUSLY thinking about reloading. Or turning into one of those elitist Match-ammo-only-bench-shooters

 

Like I need another hobby.

 

I saved all of my old Lake City brass for just this reason.

 

For $150 you can get 500 rds of Silver Bear from ammunitiontogo.com, aside from the fact that it's not exactly reloadable, I don't understand why you wouldn't buy this stuff over surplus for now. I know its still more expensive than what we all used to pay a few years ago for American surplus, but it is what it is.

 

So does the Silver Bear ammo blow goats, or do you just really want brass?

 

BTW, they also have lithuanian BPs for $110

[shaneman153a 39]

Actually I just ran across that silver bear stuff last night, I think I'm gonna order some come payday. Has anyone used it?

[kresk 10,063]

Actually I just ran across that silver bear stuff last night, I think I'm gonna order some come payday. Has anyone used it?

Used some for plinkin'--no particular problems with it.

[aka108 0]

Bought some Indian that was later than 70's. Had a few rounds that just did not sound right so now only use it in a 1909 Mauser that sports a 308 barrel. Not too worried about it but don't use it in any semi auto.

[keyser223 0]

Actually I just ran across that silver bear stuff last night, I think I'm gonna order some come payday. Has anyone used it?

 

 

I used Silver Bear in my 16" at the range a few weeks ago, I don't remember what the grain weight was unfortunately, but every round was keyholing the target at 100 yards. I had several fte's with it as well, but that could have been the 20 rounders fault. Didn't have any problems with the South African but it has become a bit ridiculous too. Bought the last couple battlepacks for $55 each and 140 rounds of Norinco for $50. LGS has alot of the Indian, so I'm glad I read this before shooting any. They have a bunch of Radway Green too, but it's $50 per 100.