AK Rifles banner

comparison of 7.62x39 available ammo types- the good and bad aspects we should know

48K views 134 replies 30 participants last post by  Ivy_Runner 
#1 · (Edited)
its getting to be like a minefield out there these days trying to find an ammo brand that has less bad features or all the right ones your happy and shoot best with. wouldn't it be great if all the info on all brands was posted in one spot? if theres a forum like that somewhere feel free to post a link. it would be great to add all the info we can get on all brands over the decades and keep piling on that info until were in the know when we see something. I know ive been craving info on the ammo I often buy and go to shoot as all to often its damaging in different ways or just not up to specs. steel-copper bimetal shavings at case mouth or corrosive primers misadvertized come to mind.
if you've got it post it here with all the box, container, listed contents and ACTUAL when verified if corrosive or not and so on. feel free to jump in with pics, description, paper accuracy target tests anything that explains the dos and donts, the good and bad of each brand and type of 762x39mm ammo so we know which guns like what and all about what ammo we find, buy and hoard. heres some old Hungarian mfs ammo for starters. Microphone
Text Font Technology Electronic device Label
Text Font
if anyone can jump in and say much about this one id like to know. my tests years ago in mid 2000s yielded that its definitely the dirtiest ammo ive ever fired. id like to know if its corrosive. ill take a magnet to the jacket and find out if its bimetal next. so far I see no sealant or case mouth metal shavings. ill disect a rd. and find out if air pocket steel or lead core exists. does anyone here have experience with this? last I had a few cases I shot it up in no time and didn't think much of it.

findings:
corrosive: to be edited
bimetal jacket: to be edited
fmj or fmjbt boat tail: to be verified and edited
lacquered steel case or other: lacquered steel case
primer sealant: no
accuracy: normal/average? to be determined
bimetal shavings stuck or loose on case mouth: to be determined after more close inspection
steel core: lead core iirc on test specimens, to be verified again and edited
air pocket in tip with reduced powder charge: tbd
123gr. as advertised: tbd
clean burning or dirty: dirtiest ammo ever on batch I tested in mid 2000s, this batch looks like the same stuff but came from a later different source.
reliability: reliable
 
See less See more
3
#41 ·
in the last pic here you can see a round of red army standard Romanian with the common shavings of metal stuck in primer sealant one of which I flaked off with finger nail so the camera could catch it better. these are either copper colored or green primer covered and are at case mouth where projectile protrudes from case. century had problems with Romanian 762x54r red army standard also as it was recalled due to boxes stating non corrosive which it was not. Box Packaging and labeling Metal
Pink Magenta Material property Cosmetics
Label
Text Label Badge Emblem
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory
 
#42 · (Edited)
heres a few more quick pics of the copper coated steel ''bimetal'' shavings that present a safety hazard if not wearing eye protection. these are hard to photograph so look closely. if you've ever been shooting an ak without glasses and something comes out of the rear dust cover spring catch hole and burns into the corner of your eye then here ya go. these little shavings usually go into the bottom of the action and mingle with the primer sealant debris if not your cheekbone. very rarely do they go directly into the eyeball I think due to angle they are ejected thru rear topcover catch hole. installing a buffer at rear of recoil assy does nothing to cure the problem. they seem to be thrown at high psi and extremely hot so must be coming from inside the chamber or locking lug area is an educated guess. the bimetal shavings are present in many types but only on rare occasion. this is the direct result of not deburring each case mouth properly at factory before bullets are pressed in. the romy red army standard has them on most individual rounds. see pics. Product Ammunition Pen Fountain pen Lipstick
Finger Pen Nail Fountain pen Hand
Product Finger Nail Ammunition
Finger Nail Cosmetics Material property Hand
 
#43 ·
heres an ammo talked about much lately as best of the best. ive found nothing to dispute that so far. have 2500rds laid out to test from this latest batch that released just this week. notice this newest batch has a 3rd variant box. the product looks the same externally. it likely is. Font
Font Text Signage
Subcompact car
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory
the only problem with this ammo seems to be the demand is ultra high and the importers only bring in a one days supply and only retail it online inbetween it being sold out for a year or so on occasion. in greater quantity this ammo is all the market would need however the Russian military buys it and slows down the production lines and us military and private contractors have been known to buy many types of mil spec or even sub mil spec ammo from the us civilian supply channels. its really hard to say if this ammo will become available in great enough quantities to be a realistic supply. time will tell.
 
#44 ·
so far the golden tiger ammo brand has had almost a decade of great response sales and the supply amounts imported have been ridiculously low. some explaining should be in order but there really isn't any excuse. all I can say is write your congressman and write rand pauls office maybe that would get the ball rolling for us citizens being allowed the affordable ammo we once had unhindered from govt curtailing which is an illegal willful abuse of the 2nd amendment. this stuff should be flooding the market along with several other brands. it otherwise makes no sense.
 
#45 · (Edited)
heres a 4th variant box of golden tiger I just found in my collection from years past while looking for another type to focus in on. this one looks maybe early as in before the extra logos showed up on the back of the box. so far ive found 4 different vympel products being called golden tiger and a 5th product being called tiger which is made at barnaul. Material property Label Packaging and labeling
 
#49 ·
some more of that one above. Label
Hand
Hand Finger
for whatever reason ive only seen one box of this after traveling nationwide gunshows coast to coast over 10 years and collecting since 94. frank included this one in the grim reaper edition 2 simply because its sexy. why this never was a big hit I may never know. the box kind of sells itself. the product looks great but ive never found enough to try it. its the same product as blue box tiger just a different box looks like maybe. maybe blue box tiger was hollow point and this was mil spec but im just grabbing at nothing and guessing by looking at the similarities of box size and flashy colors and the way the stuff was wrapped up nicely. who knows about this stuff! anybody?
 
#50 ·
heres another type of early Romanian 20rd box. fmj ! this stuff must have been okay because the box is completely empty:rolleyes: its been so long since I shot this I don't remember it. many years ago I kept one of each ak item that went thru my hands as a sort of reference collection. some of the ammo in the collection I used up in the last few years around the time early Russian black box wolf dried up I think. I just saved the box for reference in this case unless I find a complete box. still looking. will update findings if I find some.
 
#51 ·
this is pretty low grain stuff. so far ive noticed a variation ranging from 122 gr.,123gr.,124gr.,126gr....and counting...id still like to know how common the bimetal jackets are on some of these. the fmj hollow cavitys too. im wondering why the big variations in bullet weight.
 
#52 · (Edited)
heres one that was supposedly made by santa Barbara in spain for a clandestine contract or something is what I was told by cathy gilronin of j and c sales when I bought some. it was being sold kind of high priced and I don't remember that much about it. the headstamp is 762x39 over 95 with a unique santa Barbara crimp on the primers. heck im not even sure if this is it and the clandestine stuff was exactly like this except devoid of markings on cases also. the boxes and battle packs whatever these came in were devoid of markings.
Ammunition Metal Brass Bullet Circle
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory Brass Metal
Metal Ammunition Brass Office equipment Circle
I think I have some of these with markings on cases and some without actually. ill post the unmarked ones up if I find them. hard to see in pics but these have a super fine green line of primer sealant only, no case mouth sealant.
 
#53 ·
who here can go on about this stuff? some folks love it ive noticed. accurate supposedly. corrosive also. some guns with hollow point/soft point commercial ammo feedramps will do okay but some wont with this ammo was what ive gathered. eventually brass case cracks and separates where bottom of barrel is grooved for commercial ammo. not common but when one out of 2000 bulges it can leave you with a gaping wound in your wrist. that's what kept me from running around in the woods shooting brass case primarily. polish barrels starting in 85 and 87 all have minor feedramps built into the barrel as some 1977 Russian akms do and others much bigger and worse especially if mods were done stateside by ak gunsmiths of varying degrees. check your barrels feedramp if you shoot this stuff constant. other than that ive not known too much about it. pretty much not reloadable brass cased stuff and priced in the brass case realm. id shoot it out of my non chrome lined yugos if it weren't so corrosive but you have to keep checking on it after clean otherwise id try it out more. for now ive focused on fmj laq steel case. Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory Ammunition belt Metal
Ammunition Macro photography
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory Writing implement
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirkDiggler6903
#54 ·
heres a different box of the same stuff im told just no stripper clips/ different era maybe too. Text Font Label
nny I think is now commercial ppu which is a translation im told. this might be more modern or different era. anyway id like to know more about the Yugo ammo types.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DirkDiggler6903
#55 ·
also which is best or favorites for you guys that shoot pre ban Mitchell aks? im not against shooting corrosive at all but I literally don't have the time to go back and check corrosive ammo once every 2 weeks in non chromed barrel pre ban stuff when multiple guns during busy season so ive done all I can from doing such. still looking for that perfect affordable brass case ammo in Yugo but haven't found it. laq steel cased bimetal jkt has kept them running for the mean time. ive heard the new ppu is good but pricey and the corrosive Yugo m67 isn't that corrosive and super accurate but ive not heard more than rumors really while busy buying other ammo off of ammo dealers.
 
#56 · (Edited)
heres another one that must have been decent. its empty! this stuff was always overpriced. grey lacquered steel cases that looked much like polymer cases. shot fine. I remember it just because it was Czech. I collect Czech stuff. Text Technology Label Electronic device
Text Font
Tool accessory Tool
Box
Text Technology Electronic device
update, heres 2 rounds of s and b ammo from this box I located. notice the odd polymer like lacquered steel case. unique to the 762x39 and 556 s and b ammo that imported like this.
 
#106 ·
heres another one that must have been decent. its empty! this stuff was always overpriced. grey lacquered steel cases that looked much like polymer cases. shot fine. I remember it just because it was Czech. I collect Czech stuff. View attachment 20646 View attachment 20647 View attachment 20648 View attachment 20649 View attachment 20650 update, heres 2 rounds of s and b ammo from this box I located. notice the odd polymer like lacquered steel case. unique to the 762x39 and 556 s and b ammo that imported like this.

Had to add a few of my own shots of this old stuff. Don't remember much about it, but I have very few boxes left. That must mean it was a good shooting round. ;)

Box
Box Carton
 
#57 ·
heres a neat one. its not uncommon. the green spam can sealant in this case does not indicate green tracers im told. last pic is the crate it shipped in which is in poor condition I think. it fell thru and snagged me so I put the wooden
Signage Sign
case out of sight.
can anyone here tell me about the contents so I don't have to open the spam cans?
 
#108 ·
heres a neat one. its not uncommon. the green spam can sealant in this case does not indicate green tracers im told. last pic is the crate it shipped in which is in poor condition I think. it fell thru and snagged me so I put the wooden View attachment 20651 View attachment 20652 View attachment 20653 View attachment 20654 case out of sight.
can anyone here tell me about the contents so I don't have to open the spam cans?
See my thread in the field gear & bayonets section on translating the chinese stuff. I have several of the tins in my collection and have been looking out for a complete wooden crate of the stuff at a decent price (not the $700 I keep seeing). Looks like it will be standard steel core ball ammo. wrapped in paper bundles and tied with string, Judging by the 720 round count on the top of the tin. Other tins had 550 round count with all the rounds being on stripper clips and likewise wrapped in paper bundles. The chinese AK were made for this ammo., should also have FMJBT bullet which all my chicoms show a distinct preference for. Most likely corrosive.
 
#58 · (Edited)
heres another. this one I opened. it revealed a 1972 date arsenal 101 in china. 20rd bundles are held together by nothing except other bundles in spam can being so tightly packed. once you remove a few 20rd bundles the other bundles simply fall out loose inside the container. makes it kind of tricky to put the bundles in the side reload pockets in the Chinese chest rigs in use at the time of manufacture I had thought. this stuff and the above spam can are steel cored light ball military spec fmj corrosive by the way. Tin Metal Box Rectangle
Metal Tin Rectangle
Ammunition
Furniture Metal
super fine red primer and case mouth sealant both. this is what used to be the norm before lacquered steel case became standard issue. this is called copperwash steel case. copper is expensive is one obvious reason to switch to lacquered steel case but after studying communist weapons ive learned making a product cheaper vs. more efficient is not often the case for the switch. its sometimes a factor possibly but not always the reason. copperwashed steel case is great by the way. only bad thing about it vs. lacquered steel case I can think of is copper shavings end up inside gun vs. laquer when belt loading tools and fresh new arsenal non worn out weapons are involved. extremely worn out weapons can cause scarring on rounds too. maybe tantal or someone can chime in why the soviets switched from copper coated steel to laq steel cased with other countries following in their footsteps.
 
#59 · (Edited)
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory Metal
Ammunition Fastener Nut Bullet Auto part
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory
finally heres the 2 rounds I was able to locate of the czech commercial s and b ammo empty box above. notice the odd lacquered steel cases that resemble the powdery textured high friction polymer cases. I tried 6 times to add the pics above where they belong but it wouldn't let me add pics there so im putting them here if my computer allows.

casings are headstamped S&B 7.62x39
 
#60 · (Edited)
heres one that's neat. Bulgarian copperwashed steel case fmj corrosive lead core. this came over from Bulgaria many years ago then recently from isreal just a couple years ago. copes I think had some with isreali inventory markings on the sides of spam cans or something. this spam I purchased at a berea ohio gunshow long before the isrerali import stuff came in. arsenal 10 over 94 date. Tin Metal Auto part Rectangle
Rectangle Metal
Text Font Label
Text Font Label
Ammunition Bullet Copper Gun accessory Metal
who can explain if this stuff is good or not? seems okay. I shot maybe 10 rds test group if any.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tnhick
#61 ·
if someone can verify id like to know if more recent batch cans have same date and info on top of can. this stuff is lead core bimetal jacket looks like. Ammunition Auto part Metal
Finger Metal
Text Technology Electronic device
 
#62 · (Edited)
oh man! this stuff is bizarre. some of you guys are going to remember this ammo. Ammunition Brass Bullet Metal Gun accessory
Wallet Rectangle
Ammunition Bullet Gun accessory Metal Brass
east german short range practice ammo. plastic core blackened copper or copperwashed steel jacket. ive heard all kinds or rumors about this stuff being anti terrorist ammo but I doubt it. what do you guys think about this stuff?

looks like they made it right up until about the time the berlin wall fell in 89 and it imported to usa about that time or right after too. I shot a few things with it in my younger days. didn't even know it was plastic cored ammo until I shot an old 50s international dump bed truck with it and recovered some shrapnel.
 
#64 ·
thank you, now donate me all your ammo so I can test it! :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arik
#66 ·
Chinese "steel core" date stamped '88-'93 on 10rd strippers, packed 3 to a package...the last I have from the "good old days"

View attachment 20688
ive got some of that in 2 spam cans. what can you tell us about it. mine is 93 date I think. any split necks, copper shavings at case mouth or problems you can see? accurate? penetration? does it hit high or low compared to hollow cavity reduced charge golden tiger?
 
#67 ·
heres some really early commercial hunting soft tips from vympel, the golden tiger arsenal. inside of box seems to say h-06-00 which might be a born on date. Text Font Label
Text
Text Electric blue Label
Ammunition
Office equipment Circle Metal
 
#68 · (Edited)
Ammunition Bullet Tool accessory Gun accessory
Ammunition Font Bullet Metal
I don't remember ever shooting this stuff. I also don't remember seeing much coming out of vympel except golden tiger over the years. I was surprised to read vympel on the label and much more surprised to see no primer or case mouth sealant and fat soft lead points. headstamp looks identical to modern golden tiger. anybody here try this before? looks okay for ak ammo if it wasn't soft tip. might be great for bolt guns if the soft tips were made more uniform looking with embry cloth.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top