M2 ball vs M80 ball

[daschnoz]

The M2 price at GI brass ($75) is slightly better then the M80 price at Poly Gun Bag ($90). (price per 1000 as of 2007-06-25)

They're both around 150gr, so there's nothing there that's different enough to matter.

I'm planning to load a bunch of 308 with FMJ 150gr (ish) bullets and only save them for when they are absolutely necessary.

I know the M80 has a better B.C. than the M2, but is that enough to justify the added $15 cost?

[ftierson]

The M2 bullet is 150 grains and is flat based...

The M80 bullet is 147 grains and is boat-tailed...

The cannelure is positioned differently on the two bullets. To meet the cartridge OAL (around 2.800") when using the M2 bullet in .308, you'll have to seat the M2 bullet deeper into the case than it was designed for and the cannelure will not be usable...

Having said that, I have loaded and fired a lot of .30-06 M2 Ball and M2 AP bullets in .308 Win. with complete satisfaction...

For what it's worth...

Forrest

[kycrawler]

the m 2 bullets from jeff bartlett look like new i bought about 20 k of the mixed lot ones when he had them for 50 per k and they are nice bullets the last bullets i got from pgb and hi tech were mixed bag they had tracers and 173 gr bullets mixed in with m 80 ball and about 50% had cut marks on the bullets

[daschnoz]

I have also loaded M2 ball in 308. They did what they were supposed to do... they made a hole. I don't remember exactly how accurate they were, but minute of bad guy is good enough for this loading.

I bought some M61's from PGB and had a few "surprises" in the bag. Search the ammunition forum for the post about taking a torch to a bullet :D I don't think I want any more surprises like that.

M2 ball from Jeff it is. Thanks folks.

[W.E.G.]

Sierra MatchKing bullets have no cannelure at all. Nobody is complaining about Sierra bullets in their semi-autos.

Unless your resizing-die expander-ball is too large, the friction of the case-neck on the bullet should be all the tension you need for reliable function of ammo not crimped on a cannelure in a semi-auto that otherwise feeds properly.

If you doubt this, extract some of your chambered rounds and measure them. If everything else is in order with the rifle, you will see that the bullet has NOT been driven back into the case at all during feeding.

The most frequent issue seems to come with custom bolt guns, where the chamber thoat is so short, and the bullet is seated so long, that people drive the bullet into the rifling during chambering. Then they try to extract the live round, and end up dumping 44 grains of powder into the breech and trigger group as the bullet stays stuck in the rifling while the case is extracted. Crimping the bullet on a cannelure (or not) would make no difference in this messy situation.

[Greensborobob]

Do you have a link to Poly Gun Bag?

Thanks

[W.E.G.]

http://polygunbag.com/