I was just sorting through some old 7.62x39 ammo and discovered some potential 8M3 ammo.

But it’s getting harder to find definitive info online anymore, mostly due to clutter from the more recent reintroduction of 8M3 ammo by Tulammo. Does anyone have a link to reliable and definitive headstamp ID info for the older Uly stuff?

I have some 3 element Uly with the Uly symbol, “7.62x39” and “98”. Lacquered green cases with no sealant at the primer or case mouth.

Also some 2 element Uly with “3” and “97”. Lacquered green with no sealants.

Also some 3 element Uly with the Uly symbol, “7.62x39” and “97”. Polymer coated (?) gray cases with no sealants.

A couple of confusing issues:

1. I see both ‘96 and ‘97 listed as the changeover year from 8HP to 8M3. So I am pretty sure my 3 element “98” stuff is 8M3. But I’ve seen my 2 element ammo from ‘97 described both as “certainly 8M3” and “either 8HP or 8M3”.

2. Was Uly doing a polymer in ‘97? Seems odd that there would be polymer in ‘97 but then back to lacquer in ‘98?

So do I really have any 8M3 in the bunch? All 3 bullets are indistinguishable from each other insofar as visual inspection is concerned. All have a similar depth of void in the nose (3.4mm) and all 3 have the pre-fail cuts in the jacket.

Any ideas?

You will probably have to pull a bullet.

The old 8HP has a plastic plug in the base.

The newer 8M3 is a shorter bullet with no plastic plug and and exposed lead base.

This will be the only definitive way to know which ammo you have.