Help identifying 5.56 ammo Please

[Jamie Jackson]

You just never know what you'll find when you go digging around your ammo stores... 

I stumbled across an ammo can containing 2 unopened battle packs and 1 opened, but full, battle pack of the 5.56 ammo pictured below.

iirc I've had this since the early 1990's. I've not had much success locating it on the interwebs. It's 344 A 86 5.56 Ball M1A3 in 300 round battlepacks. South African maybe?

Anyone familiar with this 5.56?

Thanks in advance,

Jamie

 

Edited October 7, 2018 by prag

[Garufa]

I believe that is South African.  86 is the year and 13 is the load identification code used by Pretoria Metal Pressing Ltd Pretoria, RSA.

Edited October 7, 2018 by Garufa

[Omega]

There was a bunch available a few years ago, no issues were reported.  It's boxer primed, non corrosive, and reloadable. Probably a match to Federal XM193 55gr FMJ, not a bad find.

[Jamie Jackson]

Thank you gents. Yep, I'm pleased I stumbled on it Omega. I only wish I had kept the receipt as I know I paid markedly less than current market value LOL.

[GlockSpock]

I saw that pack and immediately thought South African.

[Navy Chief]

Thanks for this thread! I have a few pieces of "range brass" with those markings and that 3 point staking on the primer, wasn't sure what it was and haven't tried to reload it. The brass is almost identical in weight, case capacity, and neck thickness as the LC ('75) I use.