Kings Mill WW II .30 Carbine ammo: Anybody ever shoot this stuff?

[imarangemaster]

I have 5 boxes of WW II vintage Kings Mill (Peters Cartridge) .30 carbine ammo that I picked up. I only want to hang on to two boxes for my Iwo Jima display with my dad's stuff. Have any of you shot this old WW II ammo in you carbines? Is it as accurate as modern factory ammo?

I have about 1,300 rounds of RP and WCC factory ammo, and the components for reloading about 1,000 more. With only one carbine, I don't really need it for shooting ammo, though it might be a kick to shoot it in the old Winchester. While I realize it was loaded warmer than todays's factory ammo, I wouldn't want to "depend on it" as defense ammo with it being that old.

I have thought of selling it to collector types, but not being a collector, I really don't know if it is desirable. One box for sale on Gunbroker is at $40. Do you collectors out there think it is worth putting in classifieds or gunbroker? I hate to just blast it plinking if there is a legitimate market for it.

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[Bruce McAskill]

The market value is about what a new box of ammo goes for. What they ask for on the auctions sights is over priced and most of the time it doesn't sell. The ammo itself is excellent shooting and accurate. The newly made ammo in general is loaded to the same specs as the military WW2 ammo was. A good soft point or hollow point that feeds well in your carbine is a better defensive round then military FMJ.

[USGI]

I've got some Kings Mills that I paid $15/box for about 5 years ago. My local Walmart is now selling RP FMJ for nearly $31 - so I wouldn't sell it for any less than that. I think it would shoot just fine. I've read that the bullet shape on the WWII vintage ammo is not quite as accurate as later issue, but I can't tell any difference in the "plinking" that I've done with it. - Bob

[imarangemaster]

Thanks. That's about what I was thinking. The Gunbroker one has two bids at $40 now with two days to go. My Winchester is dialed in with the RP factory and the copper plated 110s over 15 grains of 296 loads, so I probably won't bother with shooting it. I will probably just sell it as 3 boxes/$100 plus actually UPS shipping. Give someone else a chance to have it to go with their carbine. The boxes are actually pretty cool. They are steeply taperd from bottom to top, not symmetrical like more recent USGI Lake City boxes, etc.

[USGI]

In my area UPS won't ship ammo unless you're a dealer - don't know about where you are. - Bob

[imarangemaster]

I have a UPS shipper account I have had for years (from when I was a dealer). They still let me ship. Recently when raising money for Alaska, I shipped several cases of 5.56 that was in the original cases. Didn't bother them a bit. You do have to go to the actual UPS depot location, NOT the UPS stores. They won't ship guns or ammo - even if you are a dealer!!!!

[imarangemaster]

Found another box. Listed 4 boxes, @$30 each, in Milsurps secure Classifieds. I will list on Gunbroker if it doesn't sell there.

[imarangemaster]

I haven't had any serious bites on the ammo. I think I will shoot up some of it in a couple weeks when I take the Winchester on a shooting outing in the So Cal desert with my son. Be cool to shoot some WW II vintage ammo in my un-messed with 1944 Winchester Carbine. Hmmm... Instead of the surroundings being like Iwo Jima where my dad carried a carbine, it will be more like North Africa where an distant uncle carried one in his half track.

[imarangemaster]

As far as the upcoming watermelon demolition derby in So-Cal with my son and his fireman buddies, I better load a bunch of ammo for the Carbine. My son and his buddies all have fancy ARs, AKs, M1As, etc, all modern stuff. The 70 year old Carbine war horse is sure to be popular. Probably better load my cheap rounds... 115 Bear Creek lead with 2400 powder! I'll save the Kings Mills stuff for me and my sone to shoot, since we will appreciate the significance of shooting a carbine and ammo the same vintage my dad shot on Iwo Jima.

[USGI]

Did you ever get the problem figured out with the earlier batch of reloads, or did it turn out to be just with that one particular carbine? - Bob