Ammo Question

[Gunnerpalace]

I have a D-M4 and was wondering if there was a standard ammo to use or just any new (I noticed in the manual no reloads so I'll stay away from that)
.223/5.56? I was looking at Federal XM193 or Winchester White Box 5.56 but there were so many choice I thought I should ask first.

And would shooting Wolf void the warranty? Because for the price I thought it might be good for plinking.

Thank You.

[Chad H]

Boy, this question opens up a lot of variables...

First question, is what do you plan on using the ammunition for? Is it basic plinking/training ammunition, or are you looking on the other end of the spectrum for duty/defensive use?

Second question is what are you planning for a budget?

The no reloads issue is basically a liability one. CD has absolutely no control over the reloads that someone cooks up and does not want to be held responsible for them. Understandable. On the other hand, I do not know for sure, and perhaps Charles Daly can clarify, but some remanufactured ammunition (I'm thinking of BlackHills specfically) is extremely high quality and I wouldn't hesitate to use it for defensive or duty purposes at all.

Your weapon is chambered for 5.56, which means you can shoot 5.56 or .223. The issue arises when persons with .223 chambers attempt to shoot hot loaded 5.56 military ammunition. Enough persons have experienced malfunctions to be a clue and a trend.

If you're looking for training plinking, Fed or WWB is good but pricey. For the same money Privi Partisian ammunition performs very good as well, and I've heard good reports of the Centurion line that AIM has, but I have not shot it myself.

I don't know if Wolf voids the warranty, and that question will probably get answered from someone of the company shortly. However, if it turns out it does not void the warranty, puchase a case of 250 rounds and start with that just to make sure you don't have issues. Problems came up with some of the older Wolf rounds. There were at least a couple reasons, and some of it is Ford vs Chevy type mentality arguing. A verified issue that was discovered was a primer sealant in older ammunition (That is no longer used because of this.) would heat up from heavy firing and leak out onto the bolt, causing problems. Another issue is also related to firing lots of rounds and heat, and that is cases would get stuck in the chamber if brass rounds was shot right after the Wolf or if the cartridge was left in the chamber as it cooled. Some of the problems could have been from .223 chambers, who knows. Try it if the warranty isn't voided, and if your rifle likes it, great! If you're going to a training class though, buy better quality training ammo to avoid problems.

Hope some of this helps.

[TigerStripe]

You may want to read my review of the D-M4 here (http://www.charlesdalyforum.com/showthread.php?t=150). Bullet performance will be different with the 1:9" twist D-M4 carbine than the 1:7" D-M4 LE.

[McQ68]

Yep, Chad and TS pretty much answered your questions. In a previous discussion with MR K, Wolf ammo doesn't void the warranty, as it is a commercially available ammo. I use it in mine for plinking. But, after zeroing in using Wolf 62 gr and then switching over to Remington UMC 55 gr the zero changed almost 3 inches. Just be aware when jumping around between different ammo, that there's a good chance zero will change due to different specs between brands(and different weight bullets) of ammo.

[DocRod]

I have a D-M4 and was wondering if there was a standard ammo to use or just any new .223/5.56?

I have a new D-M4 also. I have been experimenting with as many brands of ammo that I can to see which ones are best in my rifle. I only used the 55gr. FMJ with either brass or steel cases. I shot all of the rounds at a 100 yard indoor range, so wind was not a factor. The "winners" of this contest were so evenly matched that it was too close to call which one was the best:

Federal 5.56mm XM193
Prvi Partizan 5.56mm M193

All of the different brands I tested worked well, meaning they all went BANG; but these 2 were the most accurate. (for me) I also shot Winchester, Remington UMC, Wolf, CCI, Monarch, PMC, and Brown Bear. In reality, any of these brands would get the job done, but their accuracy was just not as consistent as the Federal or Prvi Partizan. (If I missed a brand that anyone thinks that I should try, just let me know and I'll buy some and try it out also. :))

[Middle Man]

All other considerations notwithstanding, pick one bullet weight, zero your rifle, and stick with that weight. If you want to change to a heavier or lighter bullet re-zero.

If you choose to shoot Wolf, clean your rifle more frequently (there is a trade off for the cheaper purchase price). The steel cases do not expand to the degree that brass cases do with the result being more fouling and unburnt powder blowing back over the case shoulder. The resulting build up can lead to the problems.

[Gunnerpalace]

Thanks for all the input.

I already have some XM193 and as soon as I get to the range I will let everyone know how it went.