What do I have here. I picked up some today at a flea market. Sealed in cardboard boxes marked Lot LC-20-15 and M118. Also boxes are marked with a large eagle and Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. Was this surplused out? Thanks, Dave
7.62MM NATO Match....
- Thread starter Dantforth
- Start date
Thanks Ganderite. I didn't get many replies here ...but...I did get a few PM's from folks who thought it was worthless surplus ammo and would be happy to take it off my hands. Beautiful new boxes. I have to wonder what the going price would be. I am keeping it but I am nosey. Sierra bullets eh?
It is rare stuff nowadays. I'd hold onto it if I were you.
Lake City Match has gone thru 3 iterations I know of. First was loaded with their 173 FMJ bullet. Canada bought a batch of this for our sniper use a long time ago.
The 173 varried in quality, depending on lot number and who loaded it. The Lake City plant is operated by civilian contractors. When Olin (Winchester) won the contract, the ammo was loaded with ball powder. When Remington won the contract, the ammo was loaded with extruded (IMR) power. I preferred the Remington flavour.
Then they switched over to the Sierra 168. A lot of military match shooters were pulling the 173 and substituting the 168, so the decision was made to load a better bullet, the Sierra 168 match.
The 168 was designed as a 300 yard bullet with a short boattail. Long range performance, especially in a 308, was poor. The Army then asked Sierra if they could have a better bullet that matched the 173 ballistics.
Sierra made them up a batch of 175's. Basically a 168 with a longer boattail and then this became the new Lake City match ammo. It will work well up to 1000 yards out of a M14.
I recall getting a sample of the Army 175 bullets, and I recall getting a case of the M118. If my memory is correct, the timing of those aquasitions suggests the M118 is the 168 Sierra ammo. You can pull one and verify which you have.
I don't recall the nomaclature of the new match ammo with the 175's.
The 173 varried in quality, depending on lot number and who loaded it. The Lake City plant is operated by civilian contractors. When Olin (Winchester) won the contract, the ammo was loaded with ball powder. When Remington won the contract, the ammo was loaded with extruded (IMR) power. I preferred the Remington flavour.
Then they switched over to the Sierra 168. A lot of military match shooters were pulling the 173 and substituting the 168, so the decision was made to load a better bullet, the Sierra 168 match.
The 168 was designed as a 300 yard bullet with a short boattail. Long range performance, especially in a 308, was poor. The Army then asked Sierra if they could have a better bullet that matched the 173 ballistics.
Sierra made them up a batch of 175's. Basically a 168 with a longer boattail and then this became the new Lake City match ammo. It will work well up to 1000 yards out of a M14.
I recall getting a sample of the Army 175 bullets, and I recall getting a case of the M118. If my memory is correct, the timing of those aquasitions suggests the M118 is the 168 Sierra ammo. You can pull one and verify which you have.
I don't recall the nomaclature of the new match ammo with the 175's.
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I have fifteen of the boxes...all the same lot number in front of me. It states on the white package "Bullet 173 Grains, velocity 2550 FPS". It also came in the original army green metal case, also marked 7.62MM Nato Match. M118, 19/2 Cartons, Lot LC -20-15....460 cartridges. The history of this particular ammo points to it being used by the RCMP. Dave
As I recall the last really good lots of the older LC Match ammo were the LC-69 dated stuff--the early to mid 1970's stuff had really poor consistancy supposedly due to the Vietnam war's pressure on ammo resources.
Would bve interesting to see how it compared to the new stuff.
44Bore
Would bve interesting to see how it compared to the new stuff.
44Bore
My recollection of the history is correct, but I got the numbers wrong. M118 is the same ammo as the old LC Match (173 gr FMJ bullet) but with out the "Match" label. The last lots of the Match were dubious.
The 168 Match ammo is the M852 and I think it, too is in a browm box. I seem to recall they had some warning about being for match only, not combat.
I have not seen any loaded ammo with the 175 Sierra.
Here are some pictures of what we are talking about.
The Palma ammo is 308 loaded with the Sierra 155 match bullet. In a 30" barrel it is about 2900 - 2950 fps.
The 168 Match ammo is the M852 and I think it, too is in a browm box. I seem to recall they had some warning about being for match only, not combat.
I have not seen any loaded ammo with the 175 Sierra.
Here are some pictures of what we are talking about.
The Palma ammo is 308 loaded with the Sierra 155 match bullet. In a 30" barrel it is about 2900 - 2950 fps.
