Interesting News!

[John Kepler]

I was over at the CMP last week, and heard a VERY interesting tid-bit regarding the Games Matches at the Nationals. The "issue" ammo for the Garand and Springfield Matches this year will NOT be that crummy HXP, but rather new-production Federal!

Maybe I will shoot them again!

Information

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[Bob S]

Interesting ... since CMP announced some time ago that the ammunition would be made by Hornady (not Federal), and O. Michaels has more recently announced that none had been received yet.

?

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[John Kepler]

Yep....and the Federal part was the "new" part! Could be real, could be Memorex...but it was a level or two above the "Three-for-a-quarter" level rumor.

[Cass]

Wasn't it Federal ammo that they had such a problem with 4 or 5 years ago?

Cass

[Bob S]

Now that is interesting. I thought the Federal stuff from a few years ago was perfectly adequate to the task, and more in keeping with the spirit of "as issued". I bought a case of it when it was still available.

The stuff that Hornady is hawking as "M1 Garand ammo" seems to be more of a M72 Match wanna-be, and priced like it. Not sure if that's what CMP has/had ordered, but Mr. Michaels did say it woud be more than a buck a round. I'll pass on that .....

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Calif-Steve]

I was happy about the Hornandy brand. Federal is OK, but the bullet they used was a 7.62mm bullet. It was not a .30-'06 bullet. The ammo ran very nicely.

[Maury Krupp]

That the issue .30-'06 ammo would be commercial not surplus was first announced with the National Matches Program.

Likely it was a combo of dwindling supplies and complaints about HXP that brought the change.

As to the issue ammo being Federal vs Hornady, a lot depends on who was saying what, in what context, and what environment? I suspect it was either someone having a flashback to the days of Federal "Garand Match" ammo who misspoke (seems most likely) or Hornady couldn't meet the contract delivery date or quantity and Federal has been brought in to take over/make up the difference.

Either way I'll be very surprised if it's the 168gr Garand "Match" ammo Hornady has been hawking for the last year or so. I expect it will be a 150gr FMJ going around 2600fps. Plenty good for the SR at 200yd.

Maury

[tmm1956]

I might just shoot the Garand match this year after all!

www.m1buddy.com

[Rick B]

Wasn't it Federal ammo that they had such a problem with 4 or 5 years ago?

Cass

YES and I still have the boxes. Everyone of my boxes had different color brass in it. I figured it was left over or returns they slapped back in boxes. Something wasn't right and that is for sure.

In prone I shot 7 shots in 10 ring with four bulls. Then one two targets over which was found when the spotter two over said he had 11 . There was something wrong with that bullet as I was locked in tight and rocking real nice. No way I shot that by accident. The next one was low out of rings and a left 6 . We stripped the Garand and found nothing wrong nor loose. Not sure what in the world went wrong but many were complaining of multiple issues even damage to op rods and more.

I have bought Federal Match ammo and it shot perfect so I feel they pawned off junk to the CMP instead of taking a lose on bad ammo that year. Rick B

[John Kepler]

YES and I still have the boxes. Everyone of my boxes had different color brass in it. I figured it was left over or returns they slapped back in boxes. Something wasn't right and that is for sure.

Beats the hell outta the hang-fires and squibs we've had with the HXP!

FWIW, there were some issues with the FIRST year of Federal ammo (allegedly loaded with a 20+ year-old lot of reject powder provided to Federal by the CMP/DOD to reduce cost)....the next stuff that was shot for the next 2-3 years loaded 100% by Federal was darn decent stuff!