7.62x54R question

[stitchnicklas]

is all surplus 7.62x54R ammo(bulgarian,russian,yugo,Romanian) steel core??

i know new production is "normal",but what about the surplus??

[Flyin Brian]

The only surplus that is not steel core is the Yugo, which is beautiful brass cased ammo but it's Berdan primed so not really worth reloading.

[Haggar85]

yugo is good stuff.

[Amarvin250]

There is other surplus ammo that is not steel core, however I believe the yugo is the only surplus that is non-magnetic. The other surplus ammo usually has a bimetal jacket over the lead core. Here is a good guide for the different surplus ammo around. Also remember all the surplus ammo is corrosive. http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo.htm

[Dr. Pepper]

The only surplus that is not steel core is the Yugo, which is beautiful brass cased ammo but it's Berdan primed so not really worth reloading.

I bought a can of that stuff, and it was great. It's Clean, shoots well, and I think I only had maybe one dud out of the whole batch. But be sure to give you gun the corrosive treatment when you are finished.

[laika]

Alas, it's getting harder and harder to find. If you can, grab a case or two!

[6mmintl]

The older Bulgarian hyellow tip heavy ball is brass cased lead core from the 50's, great shooting stuff if you can find some.

[sfoan]

Alas, it's getting harder and harder to find. If you can, grab a case or two!

I agree. I can't seem to find the yugo ammo.

[Volksgrenadier]

Bulgar ammo is indeed lead core with a bimetal jacket. However, quality control can be lacking. I had a bullet dislodge from the case in the magazine of my M38 from recoil. Gunpowder spilling all over the place...

Also accuracy was inconsistant; some rounds were noticeably weaker than others.

The Yugoslavian ammo is pretty much top notch for milsurp ammo.

[Flyin Brian]

There is other surplus ammo that is not steel core, however I believe the yugo is the only surplus that is non-magnetic. The other surplus ammo usually has a bimetal jacket over the lead core. Here is a good guide for the different surplus ammo around. Also remember all the surplus ammo is corrosive. http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo.htm

I was incorrect in saying the "only" surplus is steel core. I should have said the only stuff that I have seen available lately is steel core, other than the Yugo.

I did buy 300 rounds of Yugo yesterday from Miwall at the Vallejo fun show, so it is available still but not always in stock. It was interesting that they had it labeled as "light ball Yugo 150gr" so I asked if I could take a look at a round and it was exactly like the heavy ball I have been shooting for the last year. I asked the guy and he said "my boss said that's what it is and he's the smartest guy when it comes to ammunition" so I just pulled one apart and sure enough it is 180 gr.

[rojocorsa]

Well, if we want to get specific, it's really 182+/- grs. [The Yugo FMJBT]

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo010.htm

[Quinc]

The only surplus that is not steel core is the Yugo, which is beautiful brass cased ammo but it's Berdan primed so not really worth reloading.

What about the Egyptian rounds with the brass case?

[rojocorsa]

Oh, then there's the Albanian brass case stuff too. I actually did not mind shooting that, though I only have a few rounds of it left. It did smell kinda funky though.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo014.htm

I picked up 40 rounds at a show when I first got my Mosin. I would buy it again.

[Blitzburgh]

It did smell kinda funky though.

So did my ex-wife, but she always got the job done.

[Flyin Brian]

Oh, then there's the Albanian brass case stuff too. I actually did not mind shooting that, though I only have a few rounds of it left. It did smell kinda funky though.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo014.htm

I picked up 40 rounds at a show when I first got my Mosin. I would buy it again.

Albanian is Steel Core