[chw2021]

As part of the purchase mentioned in an earlier post re. 7mm, we got some 30-06.

This is US surplus (will post headstamp later) that is linked and packed 2 belts in a corroded can. Surprisingly, tha ammo is clean and fresh. My questions are this, the ammo has 4 black tip (a/p) rounds and 1 red tip (tracer???) and is (from memory) late 40's early 50's production with a red sealant ring around the primers. Is this , as I believe, corrosive primed? My rule of thumb is that the red sealant indicates corrosive primers; am I correct for US ammo?

What would be a fair price range for this type of ammo? Is linked ammo "more desirable" (as in higher priced than loose rounds?) for re-sale.

 

[Ronbo6]

The sealant color isn't indicative of anything significant.

The date varies a bit with which ammo manufacturer was making it, but the U.S. STARTED phasing out the FA #70 primer and started loading non-corrosive primers in their .30-06 somewhere around 1957.

If you have any headstamp on the case earlier than 1957, it is going to be corrosive. The next couple of years of production are pretty much a toss-up.

To make a long story short, you can be SURE the U.S. surplus .30-06 you have is non-corrosive only if it was loaded in 1960 or later.

The only non-corrosive primers you will find loaded for the US military prior to 1957 is the ENTIRE production of .30 Carbine ammunition.

EDIT. I see from later posts that my recollection of the conversion dates were off by a few years. My apologies. I was going from memory off 30-year-old information that I evidently didn't remember correctly.

 

[me26245]

I would agree with Ronbo6 that most likley your 30-06 ammunition will be corrossive.
As to it's value it's a sellers market so you can get whatever someone will pay.
Myself I wouldn't pay over 25 cents a round for it.
Being that it's on links you can delink it and sell the links for a couple cents apiece, but when you delink it you chance scratching the cartridge cases which might cause cosmetic flaws.
Being WWII era ammunition I don't think there is a lot of collectability for it, but then I don't really collect ammunition except to use it.
You say it is black/red tipped which would indicate it is AP/tracer.
AP ammunition will sell for a higher price that standard ball. I've seen where it will go for $1.00 a round.

 

[chw2021]

Your opinions match mine fairly closely, thanks for the date info Ronbo. I am not a cartridge collector in any way, beyond collecting what I can fire. I did end up on a purchase from an estate and will be selling some ammo, I want to be fair and be able to represent the ammo adequately; I don't often sell such things.
I am certain that this stuff is corrosive, and while I may fire some in a bolt gun I probably won't fire any thru a Garand as I am too lazy to clean it that completely.

I have seen almost everything older than 10 years described as "vintage" or "collectible", and so on; the prices surprise me as I am a cheap old bugger according to my kids.

 

[Meinander]

Value is about $1 per round when sold in small quantities. Probably $0.75-0.80 per round in belts IMO.

Corrosive or not dependent on headstamp and lot nos. which should be stenciled on can. See link http://www.odcmp.org/1101/USGI.pdf

 

[ammolab]

Guys there is PLENTY of USGI 30-06 that is NONcorrosive going back to 1953. You can find a US Army Ammo Tech pamphlet published chart here. A very handy thing to save in your computer for future reference.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=5821

 

[falm16]

at 25 cents a round, you'd be giving it away. 30-06 is desirable.

 

[GFL775]

Not wanting to hijack,but is there any value in the frangible 30-06 rounds with the green and white striped bullets.I believe they were used to fire at the armored P39s during live fire exercises.

 

[jonny c.]

The US switch for corrosive and non-corrosive .30-06 took place between 1951 and 1955, it all depends on the factory and loading. Ammolab's link should tell you what you've got.
As to the value of WWII .30-06......it's no more valuable than shooting ammo.

 

[medalguy]

But remember many places you can't shoot tracer ammo. It will start brush fires.

And it's corrosive, so a lot of folks won't want it. But around a buck for AP in small quantities is a good price for the seller, less in quantity.

 

[SAWMan]

Guys there is PLENTY of USGI 30-06 that is NONcorrosive going back to 1953. You can find a US Army Ammo Tech pamphlet published chart here. A very handy thing to save in your computer for future reference.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=5821

1953 was the corrosive cutoff date I've always heard.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Match & National Match 30.06 was corrosive primed into the early 60s before changing over the N/C primers.

 

[Ray Meketa]

Manufacture of Cal .30 Match was re-started in 1957 and all of it was non-corrosive. There was some International Match (both Cal .30 and 7.62mm) loaded as late as 1956 that was corrosive primed but that's it. Corrosive primers were thought to be more accurate.

Ray