The surplus 5.45 on the market now is Ukrainian, not Russian...

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - The surplus 5.45 on the market now is Ukrainian, not Russian...

Posted: 9/22/2008 9:31:25 PM EDT

Every website listed their 5.45 for sale as Russian. However, factory 270 is the Soviet State Factory at Lugansk, Ukraine.

Ukraine was one of the republics of the USSR, but it wasn't "Russian;" heck Russia was its own republic in the USSR. What am I missing here?

I also would like to know if this ammo was surplussed and exported from Russia or the Ukraine?

Posted: 9/23/2008 2:18:52 AM EDT

[#1]

Not to split hairs here, but all of the military surplus 5.45 (except for the Bulgarian, Polish and East German) is not Russian, it was made in the Soviet Union. The fact that some of it was made at the Soviet run factory in Ukraine is irrelevant. No matter where the ammo was made in the Soviet Union, it was all made to the same specifications. To think that ammo was only stored and used in the republic that it was manufactured in makes no sense. All of the Soviet factory codes in 5.45 have turned up in Afghanistan (7, 17, 60, 270 and 539), including the "270 76" code on the currently available surplus. The real question is why has only "270" and "539" ammo from 1976 turned up so far as surplus?

D.D.

Posted: 9/23/2008 10:42:09 PM EDT

[#2]

Thats a question I was wondering when this ammo started to be bought, and posted on forums. All I have seen has been the 270, and 539 as noted.

Posted: 9/24/2008 5:51:19 AM EDT

[#3]

I'm not totally sure, but I think I have 17.

Posted: 9/24/2008 4:33:02 PM EDT

[#4]

"17" would be Barnaul production. I'd like to see a picture of the can if you have one.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I saw or heard about some "17" surplus 5.45 but am not 100% sure.

D.D.

Posted: 9/25/2008 8:03:07 AM EDT

[#5]

Took one just for you

I don't really know how to decipher these other than the mfg. year, so I'm probably just wrong.

Posted: 9/25/2008 5:13:48 PM EDT

[#6]

Awesome! Thanks!

D.D.

Posted: 9/26/2008 2:18:09 PM EDT

[#7]

No problem man.
So is it from Plant 17? Also, can anyone tell me what the stuff on the cardboard says?

Posted: 9/26/2008 2:39:29 PM EDT

[#8]

Yes, factory 17 (Barnaul) lot b-32 made in 1977. The stuff on the cardboard basicly says who filled the paper packets, who put the packets into the can, who sealed the can, who weighed and inspected the filled and sealed can. I had a Russian guy translate one of these for me a while back, but I don't have the exact translation handy. He said that the suffix used on some of the words indicated the feminine case, suggesting that much of this work was done by women. My cardboard insert is more "wordy" than yours. Where mine might be saying "worker who fills the can" yours just says "filler". Very interesting variation to add to my reference material!

D.D.

Posted: 9/26/2008 6:31:51 PM EDT

[#9]

Thanks for the info D.D.

Posted: 9/27/2008 11:45:56 PM EDT

[#10]

The crate on the bottom is Barnaul. I've got a few more crates at my cousins, now I'm curious to see what they are...

Posted: 9/29/2008 8:46:31 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

I also would like to know if this ammo was surplussed and exported from Russia or the Ukraine?

Ukraine is certainly selling military equipment from the former Soviet Army. A ship with about 30 T 72s that Ukraine sold to Kenya was hijacked by Somali pirates. They're holding it for ransom.

Posted: 10/19/2008 1:38:28 PM EDT

[#12]

I've got two crates: One 1976-mfr. from factory 539 (Tula) and a 1977 from factory 60 (Frunze) just like my 1986-mfr. 7.62x54r Russian ammo.

So maybe there will be more factory codes turning up as more ammo is imported.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - The surplus 5.45 on the market now is Ukrainian, not Russian...

AK-47 » Ammunition

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