Range Report Ammo ID: 30-06 Match 175 grain bullet

[sandsleep]

A friend ran across some ammo that appears to be unique. I need some help finding more information on the ammo. Below are some pics:
This is the box:

This is a close up of the box:

The serial number on the lid of the box:

The head stamp reads 67 LC Match:


I am told that this is not the same TALON that was made in the mid 80's and more recently (However the logo is the same!?). Supposedly this ammo was manufactured for use in the sniper rifles in Vietnam but have found nothing to back this up. Any additional information would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[Two Shoes]

Re: Ammo ID: 30-06 Match 175 grain bullet

I call BS, there WERE NO 175 gr bullets in that era.
I notice it does not say 175 HP..........so, my bet is their loaded w/ M118 bullets.......Ball.
and they weigh from 173-174-175..................due to poor mfg controls.
It's the same Talon................

 

[Grump]

Re: Ammo ID: 30-06 Match 175 grain bullet

M118 bullets were never in regular "Ball" ammo (there was a huge time lag-decades-between 173-gr M1 Ball and resurrection of that bullet for use in .30-06 M72 Match). As Uncle Sugar gave up on loading real M118 Match in decent Match brass, they switched the LC production lines to making a sometime-poor imitation of match called "Special Ball", which still had an M118 number on it. The stuff used regular ball brass and apparently was given very little "special" attention regarding charge weights or accuracy requirements.

Look at the meplats. If they're tiny HPs, you could expect some good accuracy from it. If FMJ, it will depend. The old M118 shot great when the plant supervisors were allowed to keep all projectiles from each line segregated into separate lots of ammo. Some genius reportedly made them dump bullets from all 4 production lines into one big batch for loading Match ammo sometime shortly before Special Ball came out, with predictable results.

 

[Two Shoes]

Re: Ammo ID: 30-06 Match 175 grain bullet

Grump, did not say it was sir...............

the M118 Bullet is a ball(FMJ) bullet.

 

[Grump]

Re: Ammo ID: 30-06 Match 175 grain bullet

Nopey-nope, Two Shoes.

"Ball" is a military term for what could be called the ordinary ammo. A historical holdover from the round ball days, in fact.

M118-type bullets were never loaded into "Ball" ammo. The closest, M1 Ball from the .30-06 (not -03) ammo for the Springfield rifle, was 173-gr FMJBT but had a cannelure or crimping groove. M2 Ball was also .30-06, but that Ball bullet was the 152-gr flat-base.

M80 Ball in 7.62 NATO was the 147-gr FMJBT.

M72 was Match ammo, not Ball, and used the 173-gr FMJBT. No cannelure.

M118 was Match ammo, not Ball, and used the same 173-gr FMJBT.

M118 "Special Ball" was described above.

Plenty of OTHER FMJ bullets, with and without BTs, were also NOT BALL.

"Ball" is what we call a "defined term". Non-standard weight for an otherwise-similar FMJ bullet keeps it from being Ball.