Imperial ammo (ivi)

MANDOG

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Has any one have experience with old ammo ( Imperial ammo )

I ended up with 10 boxes of 30/06 Sprg 150gr sabretip ammo
amy good for hunting ???
 
Particularly if it has been stored in cool, dry conditions, then it should work just fine. If it's been in the trunk of Granddad's car for the past 50 years, probably not.
 
The older "Dominion" ammo from CIL was very good ammo indeed.
When Valcartier industies took over, it remained high quality for some time. [IVI]
In the last 2-3 years before they shut down the commercial arm of their operations, the quality deteriorated somewhat. [mostly the brass quality]
However, That Sabretip ammo was good stuff, as was the CPE and the old "Kling-Kor"
Soft points.
Shoot it with confidence. Eagleye.
 
I got an apology and a replacement box when i sent back some failed ammo for them to research in the 70's. (I think 5 out of 20 failed to fire)

The ammunition should be ok, however they did have some issues with older equipment. Some .30-06 cases were short, and didn't seat well; the firing pin didn't strike the primer hard, and they would not fire.
 
With all due respect to the above posters I beg to differ on the subject of sabretips as far as hunting is concerned. My experience with that bullet was that it failed to expand, at least when used on game.

Using a .303 Lee Enfield and 180 gr. Imperial ammo I shot a deer through both lungs with it (in the late 1960's??) at a distance of about 75 yards --- entry hole and exit hole were about the same size. Not at all like, for example, SP or PSP. The small deer never faltered and ran about 400 yards and was subsequently dumped by another hunter. I was swinging for a 2nd shot when a red hat belonging to the other hunter appeared in my peep sight way out beyond the deer and I held my fire. The guy was a member of another hunting party and neither party knew the other party was around. I went over to examine the animal because I thought I must have missed although I couldn't see how as it was a standing shot. I had not! I blame the poor sabretip ammo performance for a nightmarish close call that I have never forgotten.

Later that same year I shot a mature cow elk (admittedly elk are tough to kill) twice, running at about 75 yards. One bullet went right through her shoulder blades and lodged in the hide on the opposite side. It was fully intact, still pointy and just slightly bent. The other bullet went right through the cow a bit further back as I recall.

In my opinion the nylon-tipped sabretips performed along the line of steel jacket ammo, did not create a good wound channel and were dangerous in the field. I quit using that ammo immediately and went back to CPE (Copper Point Expanders) which I had personally observed to be superior. Unfortunately they seem to be extinct, mercifully along with the sabretip.

I reported my experiences with sabretips to the local CIL rep. Needless to say he denied the possibility that the then-new to the market ammo was a poor performer but I noticed it disappeared from the market before very long.

If I were the OP I'd burn up the sabretips on the range with a good berm.
 
I agree with most of lex's post regarding the SabreTip bullets.

I've found the 30 caliber 180 grainers are pretty inconsistant on deer.
They either behave like a solid or blow up like a Ballistic Tip varmint bullet with no in between ground.

I'm still hanging on to a couple minty boxes of .308 Winchester and .300 Win Mag but only as curiousity pieces.
They were years ahead of their time and one can only wonder what could have been, had IVI done a little more R&D back in the 1970's.
 
Thanks for all the input on the ammo. I think it is going to the range and be tested on some wet newpapper to see how it performs. And not take it deer hunting.
 
Thanks for all the input on the ammo. I think it is going to the range and be tested on some wet newpapper to see how it performs. And not take it deer hunting.

Good choices MANDOG IMHO. However, I have always wondered WTF CIL (aka IVI) tested it on. Maybe it was wet newspapers???;)
 
My ammo cupboard has a bunch of the Saber tips in it as I hated to shot anything with it anymore. Every animal I shot with it had half of it blood shot. It would hit a bone and blow up like a hand grenade on them. I took out the whole side of a sheep once and that was both the front and hind quarter.
 
Thing of old canadian made ammo. Was Gevolet ammo made in canada to back in the day. What is happing to are country nothing nothing is made here any more.
 
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