150, 168, 180 grain for the M305. Plenty of questions!

1leggeddog

1leggeddog

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I'll admit i'm a bit lost here people.

I'm going on my first Range Day this weekend on my brand new M305 and i just bought 2 packs of ammo, 150 and 180 grain. I could of bought a pack of 168 but it was twice more expensive so i decided to hold off.

I don't know much about ammunition so i asked the clerk who luckily was an avid shooter and has multiple guns in multiple calibers and he recommended i try both.

Now, i'm reading some contradictory stuff on the net and i'd like some clarification.

  • If i run 180 grain, am i really gonna bend my op rod?
  • If i run 180 grain, do i open up the gas system more or less when i do run it?
  • 168 grain ammo at twice the price, thats "match" ammo right? It's tighter quality control on it thus, more consistant per shot?
  • 7.62 ammo is still good to run? But i've read that depends on your headspace.

Thank you for enlightening me.
 
The 180 grain is too heavy for your M-14 gas system , you can shut off the gas system and #### it each time manually if you still want to fire it.
7.62 will be fine .
Federal powershock 150 grain at Crappytire ( comes in a blue box and works well for store bought ammo ).
 
not only the 180 grain is to much pressure for your gas system but it can bend your op-rod especially with the norinco op-rod.
Nothing more than 168 grain in semi-auto.
But as chalkriver says you can shoot heavy load if you close the valve of the gas system.
I have used 168 gr hornady match and they work really well.
 
The rifle is designed for 147 gr(minimum) to 174gr max
There are parts availlable in US to enable shooting heavier bullets but involves a complete gas system replacement.
 
1leggeddog said:
I'll admit i'm a bit lost here people.


  • If i run 180 grain, am i really gonna bend my op rod?
  • If i run 180 grain, do i open up the gas system more or less when i do run it?

Thank you for enlightening me.
Click to expand...

The M14 gas system is a self regulating system and is all on, or all off if your spindle valve is in the 90 degree position. So as mentioned you can shut it off for heavy ammo or grenades by design, but there isnt any designed method to "turn it up or down".

I stick with the 150 gr as much as i can. But I do run the 168 SMK for matches. Your right though! When it comes to finding ammo that is exactly designed to function a semi auto, there is a lot of questions.
Cheers
 
The USMC Teams back in 1996 and 1997 discovered their op rods were getting battered and broken from shooting the 175 gr Sierra MK boooolit. :D Nobody's #### fell off thankfully. :)

Just stick to the lighter boolits and have fun! :nest:

Cheers,
Barney
 
if you really want to shoot heavy bullet buy a sadlack grooved piston(made for heavier bullet) , install a Wolf enchanced power recoil spring, a forged op-rod and an adjustable gas plug.

Have you think reloading? I use lapua 155 scenar with great results especially since i have my JAE-100 stock
 
My intention was not to try and shoot everything possible through the weapon.

I just wanted to find a particular ammo which works correctly and i can buy locally.

Quebec City does not have a ton of places to buy weapons/ammo from.

So far, everyone is telling me to go 150 so i guess that is what i will try. As for the 180 grain, i think i will mothball it at the bottom of my ammo can with a note.
 
Yeah thats where i got my M305.

There used to be quite a few more in the city but they've all disappeared over the last decade. :(
 
1leggeddog said:
My intention was not to try and shoot everything possible through the weapon.

I just wanted to find a particular ammo which works correctly and i can buy locally.

Quebec City does not have a ton of places to buy weapons/ammo from.

So far, everyone is telling me to go 150 so i guess that is what i will try. As for the 180 grain, i think i will mothball it at the bottom of my ammo can with a note.
Click to expand...

Les Amants de la nature in quebec have norinco crate in stock they will shoot . If i remember they sell it for 500 $ for a full crate of 1000
 
1leggeddog said:
My intention was not to try and shoot everything possible through the weapon.

I just wanted to find a particular ammo which works correctly and i can buy locally.

Quebec City does not have a ton of places to buy weapons/ammo from.

So far, everyone is telling me to go 150 so i guess that is what i will try. As for the 180 grain, i think i will mothball it at the bottom of my ammo can with a note.
Click to expand...

canadaammo.com you can buy a create of 7.62nato for 399 free shipping then you can blast all day long with no worries
 
"...Quebec City..." Put that in your profile.
"...reading some contradictory stuff on the net..." Yep, and most of it is nonsense. I've never seen nor heard of any rifle being damaged by the ammo prior to there being an Internet. Never saw anything in writing about it either.
"...can bend your op-rod..." The same thing is said about M1 Rifles and over 180 grain bullets. Neither 180's nor 220's bothered mine in the least.
"..."match" ammo..." Maybe. 168's tend to be match bullets, but you don't have a match grade barrel, so don't bother with 'em.
"...7.62 ammo is still good..." Yes.
"...open up the gas system..." It's not adjustable.
Think in terms of 150 for fun shooting and a 165 hunting bullet.
 
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