I have 5 or 6 boxes of german steel core, 7.62x39, and am wondering what this stuff is worth nowadays.  Any thoughts?

Markins on the box are:

20 Stuck
7,62 mm Patr. M 43
Lfg.: 713 / 66

On the side of the box is:

1 17/92

Maybe we could work out a trade for some good AR-15 mags.

MG

This sounds like the German ammo that came in the country several years ago.  It was quite common for a good while.

I am not aware of any steel core AP type ammo comming in. There is metal in the bullet and it will stick to a magnet like most Com-Bloc 7.62 X 39.

I will look into the designation though.  There might have been some steel core ammo in small quantities.

If it is real steel core, about 50 cents to $1 a round, otherwise no more than Wolf of Barnaul.

I have been shooting the German ammo almost exclusively at local plate shoots lately just to use it up.  Regular ammo has little value.

I forgot to mention the boxes have two red stripes on them, bit no designation on the bullets (other than a headstamp of 04  66)

MG

That does not sound like the boxes the regular "ball" ammo came in, they were plain white with later batches having black writing in English saying what it was.

I honestly have no idea what the red stripes designate.  I will check if it is in any of my books.

I would still put the price in the $1 - $1.50 a round range if it is steel core. A little more if it is another type of round.

Me again - -

Several years ago, maybe 1992 or so, I bought TEN cases of this stuff  ! !  1440 rounds per case.  Put a group buy together and I think I/we paid something like $90 per case .  The UPS driver would not unload the cases -- told me I had to do it  ! !  Good stuff  ! !

Anyway, some of it came in 10 round "blister packs" and some came in 20 round little brown boxes.  All of it was headstamped in the "1960's".  I pull several bullets and cut them in half.  All pulled bullets were steel core. (If you check the box, and it says "M-43", it's steel core.  Most 7.62 X 39 is marked "M-67", which is lead core").  This E. German ammo is loaded "hot" and runs like a dream in my AKs or a SKS. Bet it would be great for steel plate shoots  ! !

Still have about 3K of this stuff left.  Saved it for "a rainy day".  Like I said, really good stuff  ! !  

10 years ago I was in Europe, so I don't remember seeing any.

I wouldn't blow it away on plate shoots.  I am sure you could resell it for a good profit. people always want steel core ammo.

I would put it up for sale on one of the auction sites.  Watch how much you get out of it!

Warning!

I got a phone call about this ammo about 8 years ago from the ATF. I bought a few cases of this ammo, East German surplus military ball.

ATF said that because some a**hole had made a derringer in 7.62 X 39, it was now considered a "pistol" round, and Warsaw Pact MilSpec ball, most of which was the East german stuff, was considered to be "Armor Piercing" ammunition under the law. They said they were going to "grandfather" anyone who had it, but there were only a few things one could do with it:

1) Shoot it;
2) Store it;
3) Store it;
4) Surrender it to ATF;
5) Sell it to a licensed FFL.

Selling it, trading it or giving it away were all verboten.

Natez, it has been a while, but the letter we got from the ATF said this applied for FFL's and licensed dealers.

IIRC, it had to do with Olympic arms making a pistol type AR in this caliber.

Maybe they were just being mean. I was in the process of getting an FFL at that time, and got stuck in Komrade Klinton's Krackdown on FFL applications. I got denied because I was a college student living in an apartment. It was also the ONLY negative experience I have ever had with the ATF, not counting the lady at NFA who hung up on me when I was trying to an audit of my agencies listings in the National Firearms Registry (and she wasn't an agent).

Regardless, I religously obeyed their instructions, shot some of it off, and still have the remainder in one of those nifty wood and metal ammo boxes, sitting in the garage.