M305 Ammo question

Miles Teg

CGN Regular
Rating - 97.5%
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I'm sure this has been covered but I can't find it anywhere.I have ordered an M305 and expect it next tues or wed.I want to shoot factory 308 hunting ammo out of it, is this safe? Do I need to get the head space checked first? I'm not going to reload so I don't care if the cases get stretched, just don't want it blowing up in my face, thanks.
 
Factory ammo is fine. Usually people stick with 150 gr stuff and below. Headspace check a new M305 would be a good idea. Oh and some people have seen feeding problems with some soft tip rounds like Winchesters Silver tip, but I didn't notice anything, some are just picky.
 
From what I have read here, the gas system is made to handle the 147g. bullets and people have used the 168g. BTHP with no problems. Firing the 180g. bullets is considered bad for the gas system in the long run. This seems to be the general consensus.

I have only fired the milsurp 147g. bullets in mine. I may load up some 168g. but I don't think my M305 will ever see 180g. bullets.

I have never heard of the controversy that rages between .223/5.56 applying to .308/7.62 but maybe someone will step in and correct me.

If you are concerned about the rifle blowing up, sandbag it and pull the trigger with a string. Examine the results. You can't get any safer than that aside from leaving the rifle in the locker forever.

Ripstop
 
well then you are all chicken thats all i use in my M-305 is 180 grs and ive shot about 500 rounds with out the slightest problem and a get very good groups about 1.5" with my new scope on it :D
ive been useing 180 gr silver tips, fail safes, and power points all winchester made.
talk to ya all later.
Riley
 
death-junky said:
well then you are all chicken thats all i use in my M-305 is 180 grs and ive shot about 500 rounds with out the slightest problem and a get very good groups about 1.5" with my new scope on it :D
ive been useing 180 gr silver tips, fail safes, and power points all winchester made.
talk to ya all later.
Riley
it's a well known fact that 180's are hard on the gas system- 500 rounds is nothing- ask sklby or hungry( fellows that have forgotten more about the 14 than most of us will ever know) and they will tell you to not go any heavier than 168 for target, 165 for hunting- unless you have a rifle set up for 175 smks and even then reports from the sandbox are reporting trigger pin failures, hammer failures, and other problems- and these are purpose built lrbs, not norinco 305s
 
well then you are all chicken

Yep! I have more than $400.00 plus tax into mine and I read what everyone has to say and form my own opinion.

Hopefully (and I do wish you well) you will never post one of those 'What happened?' questions.

Respectfully,
Ripstop

BTW - I recall people saying that a few 180g. rounds here and there will not harm your rifle but not to feed it a steady diet of these.
 
Ripstop said:
well then you are all chicken

Yep! I have more than $400.00 plus tax into mine and I read what everyone has to say and form my own opinion.

Hopefully (and I do wish you well) you will never post one of those 'What happened?' questions.

Respectfully,
Ripstop

BTW - I recall people saying that a few 180g. rounds here and there will not harm your rifle but not to feed it a steady diet of these.
- only 400?- heck you ain't halfway done yet- 400 is like a arms mount and a usgi fiberglas stock-i used to use 180s set up like the m118 slr until i got on this board , the m14 board, and the old battle rifles board- then i found out better- that extra 15 grains just isn't worth the wear, tear, and worry - besides, how many of us need to be good out to 1k yards- the 168s are supposed to be good to 600, and that's plenty for the 308- hunting, you lose too much to go much beyond 3-4, both in elevation and whump if you're a responsible hunter- that's why they make magnums- and my 180s are reserved for my savage 99 and remington- guns designed to handle them
 
like ive said i havent had a problem everything is holding togeter and is nice and shiney everything works as new maby i got a stronger M-305 then???????
talk to ya all later
Riley
P.S.
i only hunt so the extra 15 grains matters when im blasting at that big bear or moose.
 
- only 400?- heck you ain't halfway done yet
More than $400.00 - I was implying the cost of the basic rifle.

Add -
Fulton Armory NM barrel
TRW bolt
NR-H trigger group
Springfield gas system
Rooster33 NM op. rod guide & USGI spring
USGI fiberglass stock

With the barrel, bolt and gas system, everything is tight!

I figure that I have about $1200.00 total into it. The barrel hasn't even been broken in yet so I don't really know just how good it shoots. Unfortunately I work midnight shift and sleep during the day. All I know is that with this investment I won't be shooting 180's :)

Ripstop
 
i've left most of mine basic norc- it's one of those "angled" receivers so there's no point it going the full dressed route unless i get a new norc- what moron that did the angle trick should be shot- other than that, it's a real good gun- if i want to hunt dangerous or big, i've got a 338 bar- that usually answers most questions with authority- if you're going to go 15 over, you might as well go 65 or better - big animals require big league- i've still got 50 of 275 grain stuff they don't make anymore
 
As for bullet weight, many shooters in America that have written about the M14 agree that anything above 170 - 175 is risky as it is hard on the system. Being lucky enough to not have damage after less than 1000 rounds is great, but from those of use that shoot 100+ any time we visit the range, I would not risk 180 grain bullets.

I find that 168 and 165 grain bullets performed very well in my M-305. I am now experimenting with 150 grain bullets. So far so good.
 
does anyone know what the grain # is on the Norinco non-corrosive ammo sold by lever arm is? I looked all over the packaging but could not see any information pertaining to grain #.

The ammo comes in cases of 520 rounds and the individual packages say "China North Industries Corporation 7.62x51 non-corrosive 20 cartridges"

thanks.
 
with all the concerns about using 180 grain ammo, what would be the tell tale signs of using such ammo on a used m 305? I'm asking specifics, which parts in the rifle would show signs of excessive wear.
 
op rod, hammer, pins in the trigger group- there's a list somewhere- bottom line is don't do it
 
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