KA 73 Ammo - Disasembly

[308Jeff]

I bought a Garand a few years ago (actually traded it straight across for Glock 22!) and it came with about 200 rounds of KA 73 ammo. I tried to sell it, but nobody (including myself) was interested in corrosive ammo.

Was going through stuff today and found the ammo in a can.

What I'm thinking about doing is pulling it apart and using the projos in my 300 BLK. What about the powder? Worth saving? I don't have the Garand or any other 30-06 anymore, so what about the brass? I was thinking about running it through the wet tumbler to kill the primers, decapping it, and selling the brass, but I guess I could sell the primed brass just as easily? What's a fair price for the brass, primed or decapped?

[LAGS]

Why is everyone so shy about Corrsive Primed Ammo.
Just clean your gun.
How many rounds of that stuff were pumped thru Garands and Springfields, and you can buy the rifles still with halfway decent bores.
The powder is probably 4895

[JSnover]

That's a Korean headstamp, don't know if their powder was produced locally or supplied by us.
I sold my mid '50s H&R Garand years ago. Bought it with an imperfect bore but it shot just fine with all the MilSurp I could get my hands on, corrosive or not.
Simplest fix would be to find another Garand owner who's not afraid of those primers, it's really not a big deal.

[frkelly74]

I remember Sportsman's Warehouse advertising that ammo as Mildly corrosive. Shoot it all up in one day and clean like the wind. I'd be glad to help out but for the distance involved.

[walltube]

I had several 100 rounds of this stuff and disassembled every piece. The bullet\case mouth bitumen sealant is a bear. Best way to break the seal is to push the bullet a bit into the case. Then you pull the projectile by whatever means suit you.

Primer removal was an adventure. The crimp is robust. So robust that I managed to light off some or pierce the primer. Yes the primers are corrosive, use an inexpensive Lee. The Lee displayed a lovely patina of rust in days.

Put a magnet to the bullets; I discovered more than a few hiding a steel core. A most pleasant and unexpected surprise was bullet weight conformity. Better than most mail order 'bulk deals'.

My humble opinion? This is quality stuff.

Be of good cheer,
Wt.

[308Jeff]

Thanks, all.

Walltube, thank you for sharing your experience. I had read these have a strong crimp, which is why I wasn't looking forward to decapping 'em. I figured my outcome would end up being like yours. I'm hoping the trip through the wet tumbler will kill 'em.

I don't think I could get much selling the ammo. The projos are valuable to me, and I've read that lots of folks like reloading the KA brass. Kind of like an old vehicle, these will be better parted out.

Thanks again for the replies, all.

[walltube]

Thanks, all.

Walltube, thank you for sharing your experience. I had read these have a strong crimp, which is why I wasn't looking forward to decapping 'em. I figured my outcome would end up being like yours. I'm hoping the trip through the wet tumbler will kill 'em.

I don't think I could get much selling the ammo. The projos are valuable to me, and I've read that lots of folks like reloading the KA brass. Kind of like an old vehicle, these will be better parted out.

Thanks again for the replies, all.

You are welcome.
About "neutering" those live primers, don't count on the wet tumbler. There has\have been many 1000 words discussion here on that same subject. Military primers are the most durable type. They must be. Do as you will, but (IMHO) you are wasting time soaking them. Punch them out and get on with making pretty re-loads to your specification.

About my KA brass, as unfired:
After final primer pocket prep and a trip through the tumbler, I plunked approx two (maybe 3) doz. randomly selected unsized cases into a Wilson .30\'06 cartridge gauge. For mil-spec brass, the uniformity was amazing.


Good luck, good shooting..
Wt.