Help identifying m118 168gr 7.62 ammo

[eugevita]

I recently traded for 110 rounds of the below m118 ammo. I thought this was m118lr 175gr hpbt ammo but upon examination it is not.

Wondering what it is? The box says 168 grains, velocity says 2550 or 2650 (it is faded), and the bullets are NOT BTHP. It does say match on back of the box.

Can anyone tell me what it is? I shoot 175gr SMKs in my rem 700 308 which is why I originally purchased these thinking they were 175s.

Appreciate any info? Is this ammo any accurate?

Thanks!

 

[Plinker 73]

What you have is as the box says is M118 special ball . It is the military 173-1175 gr m118 full metal jacket match bullet loaded into standard 7.62 casings. This came into being after the M 118 National Match ammo was discontinued in favor of M852 match with the Sierra 168 gr Mk bullet and before the M 118 LR. Which has a more consistent case.
That is the short story.

 

[eugevita]

What you have is as the box says is M118 special ball . It is the military 173-1175 gr m118 full metal jacket match bullet loaded into standard 7.62 casings. This came into being after the M 118 National Match ammo was discontinued in favor of M852 match with the Sierra 168 gr Mk bullet and before the M 118 LR. Which has a more consistent case.
That is the short story.

Thank you for the info!

Is this decent ammo for shooting at distance?

 

[canezach]

Define "at distance". It's been about 25 years since I shot that ammo, but I recall it being decent, not great. SD and ES out of our M24s were nothing to write home about. Some lots were significantly better than others. We would see one lot that would shoot really well, then the next, our groups would open up. 700 to 750 meters was about the max for reliable impacts, but that was on Ft Hood, so we were only about 1k' above sea level

 

[eugevita]

Define "at distance". It's been about 25 years since I shot that ammo, but I recall it being decent, not great. SD and ES out of our M24s were nothing to write home about. Some lots were significantly better than others. We would see one lot that would shoot really well, then the next, our groups would open up. 700 to 750 meters was about the max for reliable impacts, but that was on Ft Hood, so we were only about 1k' above sea level

I guess at distance to me is out to 1000 as I regularly shoot 175smks to that distance. Ultimately guess, I am trying to decide whether to keep it and shoot it or sell it....I have 110 rounds. Will probably shoot it with focus on positional shooting closer in.

 

[Plinker 73]

Thank you for the info!

Is this decent ammo for shooting at distance?

I only have a few 100 rounds so haven’t shot much of it. I did shoot a couple of moa groups with an M1 A at 100 yd with it zeroing a scope. I have shot a lot of M 118 Match that I’d real well at our local range ( 300 yd)

 

[canezach]

I guess at distance to me is out to 1000 as I regularly shoot 175smks to that distance. Ultimately guess, I am trying to decide whether to keep it and shoot it or sell it....I have 110 rounds. Will probably shoot it with focus on positional shooting closer in.

If I remember correctly, that ammo is loaded with the 168 SMK. I've shot it out to 1080 and had fair results, but this was also at 6000' elevation, so the transonic zone was extended a bit. The issue is the 168 SMK entering the transonic zone. The 175 is better suited for shooting out to 1K

 

[8up]

Like it has been said, it is so so ammo. It's been a while since I have shot this particular stuff, it's ball ammo, no where near match quality.

 

[sinister]

M118 became "Special Ball" when Lake City could no longer produce it to meet "Match" specifications. The USAMU, Guard, and Army Reserve teams pulled M118 bullets and replaced them with 168-grain Sierra Match Kings. Eventually the Army loaded Sierra 168s at Lake City and this became M852 Match. M118 Special Ball remained in system as sniper ammunition because it did not have a hollow tip (M852 cans were stencilled "Not for Combat Use").

Eventually Colonel Hayes Parks wrote the Army Judge Advocate General determination that the hollow tip is an artifact of manufacturing and not specifically designed nor intended to cause undue suffering in violation of the Hague Accords, and M118 Long Range (loaded with Sierra 175 Match Kings) was US military-approved.

 

[eugevita]

Is this ammo semi valuable from a collectors standpoint? I have 110 rounds...


Thank you for all the input!

 

[sinister]

It's practice ammo. It'll go bang.

 

[pmclaine]

I'll give you .85/round shipping included.

That's a hard data price.

You may find more higher or lower.

Just trying to keep an M1A fed.

 

[eugevita]

I'll give you .85/round shipping included.

That's a hard data price.

You may find more higher or lower.

Just trying to keep an M1A fed.

Thanks but ill pass. I paid a bit more than that for it and not worth it to me to ship.

 

[eugevita]

Can i safely fire this ammo in rem 700 308?

Others have mentioned 7.62 brass may expand and get stuck in my chamber?

 

[pmclaine]

Yes you can fire it in a .308.

It would better fired in my .308 though.

These lessons on economics "offer" and "offer rejected" are invaluable.

A short trip through the PX shows many are not as smart as you and I.