Lake City Cartridge, Caliber .30, M2, Ball

I just came into possession of several thousand rounds of Cartridge, Caliber .30, M2, Ball made at Lake City. The ammunition was purchased from the CMP about ten (10) years ago. It is in 20 round boxes and I believe it was made in the late 1960's (I have not open a box to see when it was made). In the back of my mind I have this vague memory of reading something about this ammunition. That it was not "REAL" M2 ammunition. Meaning that it was not loaded to M2 specifications. I find it hard to believe (or maybe I shouldn't) that the government would say it is M2 ammnition when it really isn't up to specifications. Anyone have the straight story on this stuff?

I think that referred to some Carbine ammo that was Chinese (?) made and was marked LC. Even was marked with the year if I recall...

Lake City made a ton of M2 in 1969 as this is what most of what you find is. I have shot a good deal of LC69 and noticed that it chronos a bit on the slow side compared to the official Ordnance specs of 2740fps @ 78 feet from the muzzle. The equates to about 2805 fps muzzle velocity. The limited amount of LC69 that I've chronoed has come in a bit under 2700fps.
If one were to speculate, here are two possibilities.

The powder degraded in storage over the last 40+ years.

LC down loaded the ammo intentionally, as at the time, most of it was going to the ARVN's and the full power stuff was probably a bit much for them to handle.

Obviously, to prove either point would require any many different lots as possible to see if a pattern emerges.

If it helps, I can tell you that LC Lot# 42188 is head stamped LC 69

CMP sold a lot of it that was boxed. Some was boxed at LC. A lot of it was taken out of machinegun belts and boxed just before it was sold. If it was originally belted, it left very indistinct colors on the cartridge case. None of it shoots very well. Out of several accurized M1 rifles, it will hold the 9 ring at 200 yards on the standard NRA SR target.

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Originally Posted by NuJudge

CMP sold a lot of it that was boxed. Some was boxed at LC. A lot of it was taken out of machinegun belts and boxed just before it was sold. If it was originally belted, it left very indistinct colors on the cartridge case. None of it shoots very well. Out of several accurized M1 rifles, it will hold the 9 ring at 200 yards on the standard NRA SR target.

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I had several boxes of LC 67 that was delinked and in plain white boxes of 20. Is that the way it was sold by the CMP? - Bob

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Originally Posted by NuJudge

CMP sold a lot of it that was boxed. Some was boxed at LC. A lot of it was taken out of machinegun belts and boxed just before it was sold. If it was originally belted, it left very indistinct colors on the cartridge case. None of it shoots very well. Out of several accurized M1 rifles, it will hold the 9 ring at 200 yards on the standard NRA SR target.

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I have several cans in bulk that was giving to us by the old DCM now CMP. Definity delinked.

I have a couple 400rd cans( lot #42201) dated 1966 in the original LC boxes along with 3 192rd cans in clips (lot #42383) dated 1967 that came from the CMP about 10 years ago. No signs of any of it being linked.
About the same time I picked up another 400rd can of loose LC M2 showing various dates of manufacture. About half was 1969 and the rest in the 50's. I've shot it in an accurized 1942 M1, a fake USMC/Unertl sniper built on a bubba'd 1903 NM and a 1964 Remington 760 and the 50's stuff shoots a whole lot better that the 69 dated rounds. I Have heard from a few old timers that the machinery at Frankford Arsenal was so worn by the late 60's that the quality of 7.62 match ammo had degraded to the point that it wasn't much better than standard M80 ball. Perhaps this was the case at Lake City as well.

The LC boxes were brown, and if I remember correctly the delinked and boxed was also in brown boxes, with the logo of the company that delinked it for CMP.

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Originally Posted by nujudge

the lc boxes were brown, and if i remember correctly the delinked and boxed was also in brown boxes, with the logo of the company that delinked it for cmp.

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talon

Just about all of the '69 M2 LC ammo I've fired has run ~2500 fps over the chronograph. Accuracy has been barely tolerable to OK, nothing all that good.