6.5x55 - ammo question

timandkimandshea

timandkimandshea

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Just getting an AG42b, was looking for input regarding suitability of commercial ammo for proper function, I assume they were designed for military rounds, and have no adjustable gas system. I was hoping off the shelf, 140 grain SP would be fine.
Thx
T
 
timandkimandshea said:
Just getting an AG42b, was looking for input regarding suitability of commercial ammo for proper function, I assume they were designed for military rounds, and have no adjustable gas system. I was hoping off the shelf, 140 grain SP would be fine.
Thx
T
Click to expand...

I've read everything from "off the shelf is fine", to "OMG don't do it, you will blow up your gun". I got a couple of boxes of S & B 140grs and some PRVI 139grs to shoot with mine. Am I worried? Nope. Not in the least.
 
Just make sure your firing pin isn't protruding to far and retracts all the way. There have been issues with firing out of battery. Military primers are usually harder but there was a good reason some of these rifles were issued/sold with parts kits including a firing pin protrusion gauge and spare firing pins/extractors.
 
Ejection is "sharp" and the cycling will eat your digits if you absent mindedly feed them. The later version they sold to Egypt had a visible gas key or a triangular adjustment nut on the top handguard. The gas system is dog bone simple - gas port, gas tube and expansion chamber in bolt carrier. Several fine guns use it to great success.

Commercial ammo should be OK, but watch the mouths for dents and the rims for tears.
 
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Do not shoot Federal ammo, I had a out of battery detonation with that ammo due to the sensitive primers. Highly recommended to reload, especially after I had one partially disassemble itself well shooting.
 
I've had several AGs, and reloaded for them. I always reloaded "down(low power?)" for them. The brass stayed in the same area code, and they were VERY accurate.
 
I've only ever reloaded for mine, starting with the minimum loads for 6.5 × 55 in the Hornady manual. They operated the action just fine and flung the brass about 15 or 20 feet away. I think that if minimum handloads will cycle the action then commercial ammo will work as well.

I tried upping the powder -- still within the range of the loads in the Hornady manual -- and once got a problem with the safety lever not being able to be rotated. I'm not sure if the more powerful round put more stress on the action and moved some parts out of alignment or if the safety sticking was just a fluke.

I described this in another thread here: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...ngman-ag42?p=13682004&viewfull=1#post13682004

And Goose762 pointed out that the powder I was using might not be suitable (even though it was listed in the Hornady book): https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...ngman-ag42?p=13700285&viewfull=1#post13700285
 
FredSKS said:
I've had several AGs, and reloaded for them. I always reloaded "down(low power?)" for them. The brass stayed in the same area code, and they were VERY accurate.
Click to expand...

This ^^^ - I don't take chances , including #34 cci primers .
The thing is just because 1- 100 or more shots work doesn't mean that somethings not being stressed more than wanted . And dirty chambers and other contributing factors are worth being aware and cautious of.
I avoid as many possible issues as I can .
 
Something else to think about is that more than a few of these rifles were rebarreled to chamber 7.62x51 Nato by people that wanted to take advantage of the cheap ammo. The action itself is plenty strong enough for this BUT there are other issues that need to be addressed during the conversions. The action isn't that different from an FNFAL in many respects. YES, there are a lot of differences but the principle and strengths are similar.

Firing pin protrusion is "critical." This is something many owners of these rifles don't know.
 
At the moment I am not set up to reload. I was thinking of Hornady 160 gr RN Interlock. If it flings the brass thats fine, just want to shoot, possibly hunt with confidence
Thx
 
Part of the problem with these rifles was it was designed to use two different types of ammo at two different pressures with no adjustable gas system. Because it had to function with the lighter load, it was violent with the higher end loading (which is what most commercial ammo was based off of). Some solutions in Swedish service were things like oiling the cartridges (always a bad idea, basically a make it work solution, which doesn't solve your problem and makes others).
 
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