FNM brass

[TQB]

Hi,

I have a moderate quantity of FNM Target .308 brass.
Does anybody know of them? How do they compare to Norma or Lapua brass?

Thank you,
Tiago Cunha

 

[nicholst55]

The Cartridge Collector's website identifies that as 'Unknown factory, Mexico.' My guess is that your FNM brass is of much lower quality and desirability than Lapua or Norma brass.

http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes#F

 

[riflewoman]

IAC lists two possible places. Mexico, which in my experience is less likely, and Portugal.

Fábrica Nacional de Munições de Armas Ligeiras, Chelas, Portugal

https://www.cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes?page=headstampcodes#F

at some point some of their production was made by PrvibPartisan.

 

[Jackal2016]

I had some 6.5x55 that I purchased back in the mid 90's that is from Portugal and also acquired some 223 FNM from a friend, that is also from Portugal.

From wikipedia: ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fábrica_Nacional_de_Munições_de_Armas_Ligeiras

The brass that I have seems like it would be fine for reloading. Not sure how it would compare as I haven't reloaded any of them yet to check them out.
I only have a small sample of the 223, 40 pieces I think. 6.5x55 maybe 120 pieces after all the factory loads are spent.

 

[Kurz]

FNM Fábrica Nacional de Municiones, Santa Fe, México (near Mexico City)

FNM Fábrica Nacional de Munições de Armas Ligeiras, Chelas, Portugal

 

[Hawkeye100]

We got hold of a supply of ex-Portuguese military FNM ammo, stopped shooting them when we found out they had steel jackets.

 

[Laurie]

Surplus FNM 8X57 military heavy ball that was common in the UK some 25, 30 years ago was definitely of Portuguese origin. (Portugal adopted the 7.92X57mm sS round in the 1930s alongside K98k rifles purchased from Nazi Germany, also reboring and rechambering her old 6.5X58P M1904 rifles.)

Then somewhat later, a range of FNM 'target' ammo became available in Europe for common (and some not so common) historic military rifles - 303, 7.92, 6.5X55, 7.5mm (both Swiss and French MAS versions), 7.62X54R among others as well as 5.56 M193 and 7.62mm FMJs. They came in flimsy blue and white 20-round cardboard cartons and were very reasonably priced. I shot a lot of these factory rounds and reloaded a great number more using the brass that provided.

I believe that when these first appeared they were still made in Portugal, but that later changed. I suspect that when @riflewoman says that PPU took over she has it right. Certainly when the FNM brand disappeared, the same cartridges with same weight bullets soon arrived under the PPU name.

 

[riflewoman]

FNM Fábrica Nacional de Municiones, Santa Fe, México (near Mexico City)

FNM Fábrica Nacional de Munições de Armas Ligeiras, Chelas, Portugal

according to this these were made in Portugal..https://sites.google.com/site/britmilammo/7-62mm/7-62mm-nato-ball

 

[Kurz]

It's merely a pictorial example of the headstamp FNM, nothing more or less. I have a couple hundred pictures of headstamp variations from a selection of manufacturers.

 

[GotRDid]

I bought and shot most of 7 cases of the FNM 7.62X51 NATO Portuguese ammo when it first hit the US back in the early 2000s. 146 gr FMJ GMCS constructed bullets were no different than most commercially available bulk M80 bullets from Winchester; the exception being that the ammo was quite accurate. Price point began at $135 per K delivered, and the last case I bought was $165 at a show. I started buying the Danish AMA M2 Ball ammo about that time, so stopped looking for more FNM.
All of the cases from my lots were Berdan primed, so simply scrapped the brass. All of my lots would hold the X ring on an SR2 target from a rest with my .308 IHC Garand and kept me sharp for the JCG Matches with my .30-06 IHC SG at Ft. Knox.
A local fellow Garand Collector recently excavated his stash and found a case, but I was too late on the draw for it.
GotRDid.