M91/30 and LVE SP ammo (your thoughts?)

Riflechair

Riflechair

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Hello everyone.

LVE 7.62X54R 200gr / Soft Point Spitzer bullets (2380 fps).
I’ve decided to do a video review of this ammunition for hunting applications.
Just purchased 500 rounds of it and intend to conduct a formulation evaluation then a field evaluation.
I have numerous tests to put it through

I’ll likely hunt with it as well.
However, before I get started:

1. Does anyone here have a hands on practical opinion of this ammunition? Please Share...
2. Do you have any suggestions on what you think I should pay special attention to?

Thanks

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I just got some myself, but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. From what i have read it is made in the same place as wolf ammo that they have down south, so it "should" have similar ballistics etc as the wolf 7.62x54r for reference.
 
I like the consistency of the ammo. On some other surplus ammo my SVT-40 wouldnt cycle properly on setting 3 on the occasional round. This one shoots consistently. Went through 150 rounds so far with no issues (not 1 dud!). Havent hunted with them yet, but I imagine they would be half decent. If I were to buy ammo again for my SVT or mosin it would be a mix up between this, MFS or Privi. Id end up getting whatever is the best deal/on sale.
 
I have always wanted to try this - but one box.
I'd like to know how my PU likes it before buying 500 rounds.

If you can, compare it head to head with PRVI ammo. I know all of mosins (an there are a few of them) prefer the PRVI over any other ammo (three kinds of surplus and commercial S&B).

I'm anxious to see this stuff perform and wish I could try a box myself.

If you are near the GTA I'll trade you box for box of my PRVI commercial to compare?

****never mind I see you are from BC***
 
A year or two ago I picked up 250 rounds of LVE 203gr SP, and 250 rounds of MFS 203gr SP from Westrifle. I've hunted and shot in my Mosins, M44, and SVT40. Both grouped well and will bang flop a deer with a single shot. The LVE grouped slightly better in almost every gun. My East German M44 really loves shooting the LVE but it can kick pretty good and breaths flames like a dragon.

I've had no failures or ejection problems so far and they are great for iron sight shooting as a bush round under 200 yards. I think its every bit as good or superior to North American commercial made hunting rounds.
 
Finally had the chance to look at the whole video, very well done, all information and little bull####e. It was very interesting on the results of the 100 meter groups verses the 200 meter groups. Although I've fired at plenty of 200 meter gongs, I've only shot open irons and wouldn't conclude any paper groups to be accurate results. I'm glad someone else did it for me. The bullet is slightly narrower than you would expect, but its also longer to make up the 203 grains. Another interesting observation was cold barrel vs warm barrel shooting. Warm barrel shooting is good for match grouping where cold barrel shots in reality are the hunting shots. No matter how you slice it cold or otherwise, you would drop any animal to 200 meters.


Westrifle also had various soft point and FMJ loads listed on their website one or two seasons ago in 308, and 30.06. I never had the opportunity to fire these rounds and they are no longer listed on the Westrifle web site, but from what I've seen with the X54r loads, they would be well worth it. The cases are not reloadable, but at just over 60 cents per round, who cares? They shoot as good or better than any commercial hunting loads made in North America at half the cost. As Riflechair pointed out, you couldn't reload for that price if you wanted to.

For the 300 bucks for a case of 500 rounds, is a pretty good deal considering its is less than half price of equal shooting American hunting rounds. Perhaps the economic advantage is in the dollar exchange between our countries, but in my opinion this ammunition is one of the best kept secrets in the Canadian ammunition market.

If anyone local to Edmonton wants to split a case, I'd be up for taking half a case.
 
ghostntheshell said:
I like and appreciate the review.
Perhaps 5 shot groups instead of 3 would provide a better idea if the accuracy.

Again, thanks for the review.
Click to expand...

I agree...
The 200m grouping was merely to ascertain bullet drop. I wasn't really looking to assess for group size when I did it. I'd like to spend more time at 200, 300 and 400m to see what this ammo is really capable of. This review is more of a first look than a serious evaluation.

fiddler said:
Another interesting observation was cold barrel vs warm barrel shooting. Warm barrel shooting is good for match grouping where cold barrel shots in reality are the hunting shots. No matter how you slice it cold or otherwise, you would drop any animal to 200 meters.
Click to expand...

Hi Fiddler.
Generally I agree however I set my rifle up differently before I go hunting than I did for this test.

I hadn't established a zero when I shot that first grouping. I did make a sight adjustment for the second group. The first group was from a 100% clean bore (no copper fouling at all) and the rifle still had minor solvent residue in the bore and chamber. There was absolutely no copper fouling in the bore when I started so essentially the first group was for the purpose of fouling the rifle. As you know once your zero is set you don't remove the copper fouling until your match or hunting trip is over.

I will say though that this non-corrosive ammo sure is dirty and the copper jackets seem overly malleable. After filming & editing I pulled a lot of black & blue fouled patches out of the bore. I only put about 30 rounds through the rifle.

Thanks for the positive comments folks.

 
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Yeah well, we're basically splitting hairs here, but on the same team regardless. As for hunting loads, they stay together reasonably well on a good hit. For a medium size deer, it usually goes straight through with good expansion. Haven't shot a moose or elk yet.
 
I'm seriously considering putting the Tikka T3 Battue away and taking the M91/30 Sniper hunting this year. Either way the Moose and Elk better watch out!
 
Still one of the best kept soft point ammunition secrets. I'll split a case with someone from Edmonton who wants some.
 
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