You mean the Black Box stuff?
I sent the following question to Federal/ATK regarding the XM193C: “I have the same question regarding your XM193C product: Does it have a #41 mil-spec small rifle primer or a Federal #205 Small Rifle Primer?”
Here is the response:
Mil Spec as it is produced by Lake City Arsenal.
Prodserv <Prodserv@ATK.COM>
Yes, demigod, the black box stuff. If only I had some money…
Compare with the answer to this: What primer is used in the XM80 round being sold by Natchez Shooting Supplies: 308 NATO 150 GR FMJ 500/BOX, Product Number: FAXM762D?
It is loaded with a # 210 large rifle primer.
Prodserv <Prodserv@ATK.COM>
Well I went to my dealer today and we looked up the ammo via his puter. The system said that by 1330 EST the ammo was sold out. So he called to verify and indeed, they were sold out. But here is the problem. The stuff we were looking at was marked 63gr, not 55gr. Im assuming that we were looking at the wrong ammo? If so, is there any more descriptive info that we can use to find it? On a slightly related note Im assuming that I would have a better chance of finding an honest man than M855, 62 gr?
I picked 500 rounds of xm193c at a local gun shop this morning. I was surprised to see a new black box instead of the old brown ones and the cases are marked 07.
That’s the stuff I got. The price is tough to take, so I just bought 500 rounds of it.
i can attest to that… i had picked up 1000rds of loose pack XM193PD a few years back for like $180.
out of 1000rds i had about 20-30 rounds that i deemed “unsafe to fire”… the brass was definitely not as clean and shiny as the XM193 in 20rd boxes… i just took my time and inspected each round while loading up mags…
most of the “not safe” ammo had dings in the case neck… i had one or two split cases… a handful were seated too deep…
when we took it out shooting, i noticed that the PD was nowhere near as consistent in loads as the boxed XM193… at least a couple shots per mag were either underpowered (felt like the gun didn’t even fire) or overpowered (felt like a 12ga shotgun)… 
I paid $225 for 500rds at my local shop. That was the best price I could find.
Are you guys saying the the black box xm193 is better than the brown box? I just bought 1k of brown box.
I don’t know if that’s the case or not! Either way… any of the XM193 is very good ammo.
It’s the XM855 PD that I’d be cautious with.
Word from my rep is that it was made for a contract that folded up. I dont think there is anything wrong with the brown box either.
Yeah im sure, but that just kills me with my OCD about this kinda stuff. So the brown box xm193 has commercial primers and the black has milspec primers and is hotter 1st tier ext?
M193 is a military designation for a specification of ammunition. XM193 is the same as M193 in those terms. I dont believe that XM193 is 2nds in any way.
I am 99% sure XM193 is second tier.
I know about the LC M855 with the M855PD(Pull Downs) being 2nds but havent found anything to show that XM193 is 2nd tier including conversations with my Federal rep. If you find anything I would like to read it.
I am going on what I have read in two forums over 5 years, and a dealer in TX that I order from in bulk mentioned that as well. I trust 95% of what I read here and now only about 65% of what I read at TOS, so that leaves some room for error I suppose.
No, I am not absolutely positive. Where is Demigod when you need him?
99% of what is posted on XM193 is repeated by masturbators who read nonsense written by booger eating goofballs.
(the tier talk must stop now before we start to sound like TOS 
)
Since none of us know with 100% certainty what the full scoop is on XM193, we can only work with facts.
First off… XM193 is produced with NATO headstamped brass. M193 is not NATO ammo. So before the ammo was ever assembled it was designated for the X line. How could something be rejected (or tier 87) before it’s even made??? :eek:
Thus, we can guess that IF there was some spec issue, it’d have to be with the primed brass… i.e. incomplete primer sealant, etc. Something that wouldn’t affect the performance of the ammo.
Now you can NOT tell me that LC produced millions and millions of out of spec 5.56 mil primed brass over the last 8 years without correcting the production problem. I’m not buying it!
My personal theory is that Fed/ATK produced the ammo with overrun components back in 01 (or whenever XM193 first leaked into civy hands). Then they found out what a great demand there was for it, AND how profitable it is.
Perhaps a stupid question, but how does this Federal Black Box compare to PRVI M193?
XM193c is superior to PRIV m193 in my opinion. Priv is a good round, but I’d pick XM193 over it for a defensive/fighting round. If you’re just looking for practice ammo, buy whatever is cheaper.
One of our members here informally tested the Priv M193, and it didn’t frag too well at point blank range out of a 20 inch barrel.
Thanks for the answer, that makes sense to me. I am sure the Serbians don’t have the manufacturing technology available to them that Lake City/Federal must.
I think the velocity is there on the PRIV, but the jacket of the bullet might be thicker or something.