Romanian 8x57 ammo - SADU 13

[Hinnerk]

Not sure if this is the right forum (unless C&R food is on topic) ...

A while ago I purchased some bagged Romanian 8x57 ammo at a gun show. Seller had boxes that looked like this (http://www.southernohiogun.com/ammo/...roduction.htmlhttp://www.southernohiogun.com/ammo/...roduction.html) and bags of 100 rounds that he said was the same stuff (which I don't doubt). Getting home I noted that the cartridges were stamped 'SADU 13' (said to be 2013 production). I was alarmed and dismayed to read reports of problems chambering this ammo (see, for example: http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=132385http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=132385).

The overall length of the round is less than 'typical' 8x57 but I could find no significant differences in the cartridge dimensions with my caliper.

I finally tried out this ammo today and found it completely serviceable, albeit dirty. No problems cycling in my M48BO. Was I lucky or were the reports just peculiar anecdotal instances? Anyone else have any experience with said ammo? I did load them from stripper clips.

[watt79]

I read the same reports on that ammo so I have never bothered trying it out for myself. Maybe they just sent a bad batch?

[tyler.imperato]

Not sure if this is the right forum (unless C&R food is on topic) ...

A while ago I purchased some bagged Romanian 8x57 ammo at a gun show. Seller had boxes that looked like this (http://www.southernohiogun.com/ammo/...roduction.htmlhttp://www.southernohiogun.com/ammo/...roduction.html) and bags of 100 rounds that he said was the same stuff (which I don't doubt). Getting home I noted that the cartridges were stamped 'SADU 13' (said to be 2013 production). I was alarmed and dismayed to read reports of problems chambering this ammo (see, for example: http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=132385http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=132385).

The overall length of the round is less than 'typical' 8x57 but I could find no significant differences in the cartridge dimensions with my caliper.

I finally tried out this ammo today and found it completely serviceable, albeit dirty. No problems cycling in my M48BO. Was I lucky or were the reports just peculiar anecdotal instances? Anyone else have any experience with said ammo? I did load them from stripper clips.

I know this is old, but I just bought 100 rounds and cannot chamber them at all..the bolt will not come down..I have a Turkish mauser k kale and the bore is .323. All other commercial 8mm chambers however this wont..any one have any idea why it won't work? Spent 40 bucks for nothing. This kills me

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[emcon5]

Some folks have reported these are oversized, and had problems clambering them, I know a guy who bought a couple cases to run in his MG34 and they wouldn't chamber, same stuff ran fine in a MG42. The reviews of the HotShot on SGAmmo reflect this. Some people have problems, some don't.

Variation is chamber from rifle to rifle means it may work, or it may not.

On edit, looks like SG Ammo stopped carrying it, so you can't see the reviews any more.

[lankytwoswaywardangel]

Bought the same stuff from SG Ammo. SADU 13. Won't chamber in my Yugo Mauser. On closer inspection and comparison with PPU 8mm, realized it's probably slight variation in the width of the cartridge extractor groove. Question is- what to do with this ammo.

[emcon5]

Bought the same stuff from SG Ammo. SADU 13. Won't chamber in my Yugo Mauser. On closer inspection and comparison with PPU 8mm, realized it's probably slight variation in the width of the cartridge extractor groove. Question is- what to do with this ammo.

Keep buying more rifles until you find one that will chamber it....

[tyler.imperato]

Bought the same stuff from SG Ammo. SADU 13. Won't chamber in my Yugo Mauser. On closer inspection and comparison with PPU 8mm, realized it's probably slight variation in the width of the cartridge extractor groove. Question is- what to do with this ammo.

Do you think the projectile can be pulled and the shoulders touched up? Idk what to do either.

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[TRAP55]

Lacquered steel case in a sizing die, and you're going to have a really bad day. It was made out of spec, the shoulder area is where the problem is.
I would get some reloadable ammo or brass, pull the bullets from the Romanian, weigh the powder charges, average those, and use the powder and bullets in reloads.

[emcon5]

Lacquered steel case in a sizing die, and you're going to have a really bad day. It was made out of spec, the shoulder area is where the problem is.
I would get some reloadable ammo or brass, pull the bullets from the Romanian, weigh the powder charges, average those, and use the powder and bullets in reloads.

Yeah, you could do that, but I like my solution better...

[TRAP55]

Yeah, your better half will never see through that smokescreen.

[watt79]

I ended up getting some of this stuff accidently back in November (figured after all these years it would be off the market). It works fine in my Gew.98. Not tried it in any of my other rifles.

[TRAP55]

Watt, Romanian milsurp is good ammo, dirty, but reliable and the lowest pressure 8mm surplus. Good ammo for GEW 88's, and especially 8mm semi autos like the Hakim and FN-49.
Thats where the demand started, and that started the prices climbing. When it dried up, the prices got even higher. The Romanians saw an opportunity, and started making it again, only without the same quality control.
The military surplus has the same green colored lacquered case, but with red bullet and primer sealer. The headstamp will be the factory code of "22" and 180 degrees from the that, a two digit production date.
SADU 13 has a bright green sealer, the headstamp I've seen is "R S D 14" over "L 7.92x57.

[DoctorCheney223]

I am about a month late on this but after going through some of our ammo inventory, I found that we still have approximately 30,000 rounds of this ammo.

That being said, could a military 7.92x57mm chamber be reamed to use this ammo? I have a few 98K's that need rebarreling and a few MG42 barrels (we switched over to .308 for our MG42's) that could be put back into service to burn up the ammo.

V/R
Ron