Surplus Ammo and Match Grade Barrels?

[patchmasterdoom]

I've been plotting on reloading for a minute now. I've decided I'm going to buy a press when I get back from Afghanistan. I went and downloaded "The ABC's of Reloading", on my Nook to start reading up. I read something in there that caught my attention: The author was talking about putting military rounds through a match grade barrel and the results being a permanent loss of accuracy. The author noted that this was with a WWII era rifle. Is this still true with modern match barrels and modern non match ammo?

*I did a couple of google searches and found the exact quotes from the book, but no answer to the question posed. However, I haven't been able to do a more exhausting search due to 28kps Haji-net.

Thanks for the help!

 

[FLIGHT762]

"Surplus Ammo" can mean a few things. Firing Military bullets with gilding metal jackets are not necessarily going to hurt a match grade barrel, however, there are some Military jacketed ammo that the jackets are made from mild steel. Notably, US Military Specification M-80 7.62 NATO ball has a mild steel jacket. Most of the Russian manufactured ammo that is imported here also has a mild steel jacket.

A steady diet of steel jacketed ammo will wear a barrel a bit more than gilding metal jackets will.

This is a good read (a bit lengthy) on barrel wear using steel jacketed ammo and gilding metal jackets in an AR-15 platform rifle. http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/

I don't run steel jacketed ammo through my precision rifle barrels. I do shoot them through my M1-A's, Garands, FAL's and H/K 91's.

 

[patchmasterdoom]

Thanks for the link!

From what said book (above posted) stated, it sounded like the shooter put a small number (less than 100 rounds) of non match through his match rifle and then went back to match and noted a significant increase in group size.

What I'm taking from this is typical off the shelf ammo (brass/copper) wont ruin a match barrel, but stay away from steel.
I haven't touched Wolf (with the exception of my AK) since I got tempted by some 200gr .308 and had to kick the action open on my FAL after each shot.

 

[Thump_rrr]

I reload all of my own ammo with the exception of a bit of surplus when it comes my way at a very low cost.
My test for any surplus is if a magnet is attracted to the bullet it doesn't get shot in any of my guns.
The only exception to that rule is the SS109 with the steel penetrators.

If I can afford to buy high quality stainless match barrels I can afford to put proper ammo through them.

 

[former naval person]

That is one of several reasons the AK's use chrome lined barrels. One other is the Soviet Blok still uses corrosive primers. Not exclusively, but no way I know of to tell until your barrel rusts. Or bolt,firing pin and springs. Or all together.