Not saying when and where and please don't if you know, but I saw firsthand some Korean surplus M2 dangerously fail and cause facial injury. 3 or 4 rounds of 20 failed, with splits in the case wall and ruptured heads- all the way through and stopping at the primer on one side. Original box appeared to be very well preserved- better than what I've seen for a lot of Greek HXP packaging. Shooter of course didn't notice the first failures until the worst one that caused injury. He was OK as was his 1903 Springfield, at least at a quick glance.
Here's an article regarding problems with the Korean surplus M2. According to the author, the problem was improper annealing of the brass.
Danger in Using Korean .30 M2 Ammo
Another forum had this pic of the typical failures:
Cross posting for reference below what I found in the CMP forums. This is not a comprehensive list and some lots not listed as dangerous may just be lacking info. Apparantly Midway was selling this stuff a few years back, though I'm sure there were other sources. Personally, I'll never shoot the stuff based on what I witnessed and because there are better alternatives at same or better pricing.
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There are a very bad, dangerous lots of PS headstamp
Here is a list of known bad lots. Just because a particluar lot isnt listed as bad doesnt mean it isnt as list is inclusive
PS 2-033 (Bad - one report - unspecified problem)
PS 2-035
PS 2-088
PS 2-090
PS 2-093
PS 2-094
PS 2-097
PS 2-098
PS 2-100
PS 2-101
PS 2-104 (one positive report based on very few rounds fired)
PS 2-105 (one positive report based on a few hundred rounds)
PS 2-122
PS 2-124
PS 2-127
PS 2-128
PS 2-135
PS 2-144
PS 2-145
PS 2-146
PS 2-147
PS 2-148
PS 2-149
PS 2-151 (Maybe OK - based on VERY limited information)
PS 2-152 (VERY Bad - numerous reports of ruptured heads!)
PS 2-154 (Some positive reports / negative report [splits] based on sketchy info)
PS 2-155 (Bad - one report of splits 2 out of 250 rds)
PS 2-156 (??? - there are reports it's fine - one report of splits)
PS 2-157
PS 2-161
PS 2-165
PS 2-169
PS 2-171 (one negative report of blown primers)
PS 2-173
PS 2-177
PS 2-181
PS 2-183
PS 2-184
PS 2-185 (One negative report but only on hearsay)
PS 2-186
PS 2-187
PS 2-192
PS 2-193 (??? - some of this lot badly corroded)
PS 2-194
PS 2-195
PS 2-198
PS 2-204
PS 2-205
PS 2-152 (VERY BAD - DANGER - numerous reports of ruptured heads!)
PS 2-154 (VERY BAD - DANGER - multiple negative reports splits and ruptured head)
PS 2-155 (VERY BAD - DANGER - multiple negative reports splits and ruptured head)
PS 2-156 (BAD - multiple reports of serious splits)
PS 2-158 (VERY BAD - DANGER - Nasty split cases...all the way to the head of the case)
PS 2-161 (reports of leaking primers, one blown)
PS 2-165 (Bad – multiple reports of leaking primers and one report of serious split case from mid-case into head, but not through rim)
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Here's an article regarding problems with the Korean surplus M2. According to the author, the problem was improper annealing of the brass.
Danger in Using Korean .30 M2 Ammo
Another forum had this pic of the typical failures:
Cross posting for reference below what I found in the CMP forums. This is not a comprehensive list and some lots not listed as dangerous may just be lacking info. Apparantly Midway was selling this stuff a few years back, though I'm sure there were other sources. Personally, I'll never shoot the stuff based on what I witnessed and because there are better alternatives at same or better pricing.
********* ********** *********
There are a very bad, dangerous lots of PS headstamp
Here is a list of known bad lots. Just because a particluar lot isnt listed as bad doesnt mean it isnt as list is inclusive
PS 2-033 (Bad - one report - unspecified problem)
PS 2-035
PS 2-088
PS 2-090
PS 2-093
PS 2-094
PS 2-097
PS 2-098
PS 2-100
PS 2-101
PS 2-104 (one positive report based on very few rounds fired)
PS 2-105 (one positive report based on a few hundred rounds)
PS 2-122
PS 2-124
PS 2-127
PS 2-128
PS 2-135
PS 2-144
PS 2-145
PS 2-146
PS 2-147
PS 2-148
PS 2-149
PS 2-151 (Maybe OK - based on VERY limited information)
PS 2-152 (VERY Bad - numerous reports of ruptured heads!)
PS 2-154 (Some positive reports / negative report [splits] based on sketchy info)
PS 2-155 (Bad - one report of splits 2 out of 250 rds)
PS 2-156 (??? - there are reports it's fine - one report of splits)
PS 2-157
PS 2-161
PS 2-165
PS 2-169
PS 2-171 (one negative report of blown primers)
PS 2-173
PS 2-177
PS 2-181
PS 2-183
PS 2-184
PS 2-185 (One negative report but only on hearsay)
PS 2-186
PS 2-187
PS 2-192
PS 2-193 (??? - some of this lot badly corroded)
PS 2-194
PS 2-195
PS 2-198
PS 2-204
PS 2-205
PS 2-152 (VERY BAD - DANGER - numerous reports of ruptured heads!)
PS 2-154 (VERY BAD - DANGER - multiple negative reports splits and ruptured head)
PS 2-155 (VERY BAD - DANGER - multiple negative reports splits and ruptured head)
PS 2-156 (BAD - multiple reports of serious splits)
PS 2-158 (VERY BAD - DANGER - Nasty split cases...all the way to the head of the case)
PS 2-161 (reports of leaking primers, one blown)
PS 2-165 (Bad – multiple reports of leaking primers and one report of serious split case from mid-case into head, but not through rim)
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