[josey88]

Well... I know that surplus ammo is made (or was made), the same way as the match grade ammo , in factory mechanized machines that produce them all exactly the same size and characteristics ... the powder is measured to be exactly the same quantity by machines , so why is it so much difference between match ammo and regular or surplus ammo , accuracy related ? Is it just quality control issue or machinery that doesn`t meet tolerance standards ? hard to believe , because this whole industry is based on accuracy results ...
I would like to understand this issue better , so if anybody have knowledge on this, please , explain

 

[mike radford]

I am not sure which factory match ammo you are talking about but typically everything is tighened up when making match ammo. The cases are more precise, the bullets more precise(US factory match ammo has a different bullet all together), primers are often different, charges are more precise, quality control more tight, etc..

 

[Stalin's Ghost]

As Mike says, for true match grade ammo each bullet is individually weighed to greater precision standards and checked dimensionally, bullet design is different (most surplus is steel core, good for shooting through doors and cars,) charges are carefully measured and powder is often different, primers may be different and brass is checked for proper dimensions. In match ammo tiny differences make a big difference.
Surplus ammo for Mosins currently sold is often only machine gun ammo, not made with much precision. The industry has different tolerances for different grades and types of ammo based on purpose, cost and speed of production.

 

[josey88]

As Mike says, for true match grade ammo each bullet is individually weighed to greater precision standards and checked dimensionally, bullet design is different (most surplus is steel core, good for shooting through doors and cars,) charges are carefully measured and powder is often different, primers may be different and brass is checked for proper dimensions. In match ammo tiny differences make a big difference.
Surplus ammo for Mosins currently sold is often only machine gun ammo, not made with much precision.

So, match ammo is essentially hand made and checked and with better components ... I see . Surplus ammo is made by the ton and it is not screened ... got it . The idea came to me because I was looking at some rds of surplus 54r and even thou I tried to discern any obvious differences in between the rds or weight , I cut not find any ... they all look exactly the same , so maybe the powder charge is not exactly equal on every rd and that is why there is such a different result in accuracy ...

 

[craig61a]

What they said... Many times surplus ammo will have a 'match' quality precision and accuracy to it. The RUAG Swiss surplus comes to mind, and the Swedish service ammo that dried up a few years back. I have some various types of ammo squirreled away that I take out to shoot when I'm too lazy to build up some handloads...

Doesn't describe the differences in the manufacturing process so much, but here's a good read on match ammo history.

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/04/history-us-national-match-ammunition.html

 

[P. Greaney]

U.S. manufactured match grade ammunition is not hand made. It is mass produced, as Mr. Radford states. Lake City Army Ammunition Plant makes the 7.62 with the Sierra 175gr HPBT (M118LR) it is the current sniper round and is also issued to military shooters at EIC matches. Black Hills makes the 5.56 with the 77gr HPBT M262 mod 0 and mod1. The parameters for acceptable performance (MILSPEC) are much more stringent than for the typical "ball" type.