Surplus ammo what kind?

[CLT65]

I remember that stuff from the 1980's, some of the first centerfire ammo I ever fired. It's actually pretty good stuff, but yes absolutely corrosive.

It was banned from importation decades ago, as "armor piercing" because of the steel core. It's not armor piercing in any practical sense, just standard, Soviet-style M43 ammo. They used mild steel (or maybe just iron) in the bullet, probably because it was cheaper than lead.

I've seen it being sold over the years for a premium because it is technically, legally "armor piercing". As I recall, in addition to being illegal to import, it's also illegal for licensed dealers to sell, but I see them do it all the time on a small scale, probably out of ignorance.

Oh yeah, almost forgot- armor piercing rifle ammo is not illegal (federally at least). M43 ammo was outlawed because they decided that it's actually armor piercing handgun ammo! It was coming in by the container ship full back in the day, from China and Eastern Europe, for scrap metal prices. Somebody apparently decided that it was way too plentiful and way too cheap, so they turned off the spigot. If M43 was never banned, we'd probably still be getting cheap surplus 7.62x39.

added - the restrictions apply to importers and licensed dealers. In most places this ammo is perfectly legal to own and use.

 

[ar man]

Love how they classified steel core as ap. Tungsten core or uranium tip sure now your talking lol

 

[fstdraw]

Good shooting stuff. Will nearly "clover leaf" if you do your part. I have bunches of it and I hoard it.

 

[quneur]

Apparently, you can make an outer steel projectile, "...the new bullet had a core made of lead wrapped in low-carbon steel." -Wiki article on the 7.62x39mm, under history, third paragraph

Imagine the steel shavings 'welding' itself to the barrel.

 

[RVTECH]

No 'dog in the fight' as I do NOT own anything in this caliber BUT with as much talk as there is about where it's made, the color, strange bullet design and materials (IE Steel?) I would probably equate this ammo similarly to that of unknown reloads and NOT use it.

 

[CLT65]

It may be a bit strange to those unfamiliar with it, but it's actually a very well known entity. It's definitely one of the most used cartridge designs of the 20th century. The Eastern Bloc produced untold billions of them.
I shot thousands of them back in the day when they were cheap and plentiful, less than a nickel per round.

There's nothing scary or iffy about them at all, perfectly good ammo so long as you don't mind corrosive primers.

 

[JackFrost]

It may be a bit strange to those unfamiliar with it, but it's actually a very well known entity. It's definitely one of the most used cartridge designs of the 20th century. The Eastern Bloc produced untold billions of them.
I shot thousands of them back in the day when they were cheap and plentiful, less than a nickel per round.

There's nothing scary or iffy about them at all, perfectly good ammo so long as you don't mind corrosive primers.

I was talking to a buddy last night about this topic and he was telling me about when he used to go to gun shows back in the late 80's early 90's and Russian/chicom surplus ammo was $50 for 1000 rnds and there would be pallets of the stuff. My how things have changed.

 

[CLT65]

I remember going to a gun show back in the mid 90's, where I bought my first AK. A guy was carrying around an Egyptian AK with what looked like a plywood thumbhole stock and a sign saying $250.

I asked to look at it and he said he'd take $210. While I was handing him the money, he said he had a box of ammo that goes with it. I followed him out to his truck and he pulled a wooden crate of 1,440 rounds of that Chinese ammo out of the back. I was pretty excited that day; my first AK and a whole crate of ammo for a couple hundred bucks!

 

[Mikej]

Love how they classified steel core as ap. Tungsten core or uranium tip sure now your talking lol

In my my readings I believe this kind of ammo has been mentioned, NOT to be "Armor Piercing", but more likely to do a better job of piercing steel, than lead/copper jacketed rounds. AND, a big No-No at ranges with steel backstops, and on outdoor ranges where fire danger is an issue. Seeing as it's more likely to throw sparks from hitting rocks at an outdoor range.

 

[nehalemguy]

I shot and sold pallets of this stuff in the 90's during my gun store days. It is slightly corrosive.

If it seats, it yeets!

-E-

 

[30Govt06]

Smells like cream of sum Yung guy!

I'm not familiar with that scent.