What Surplus 7.62 x 54R should I get?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What Surplus 7.62 x 54R should I get?

Posted: 3/10/2006 6:42:33 AM EDT

I am about to buy my first Mosin 91/30. What surplus ammo should I get and what should I stay away from? Any links would be helpful.

Is the ammo at the bottom of this page (440 round case item#AMO-76254C) look like a good buy? It doesnt say what country but it is non corrosive.

Thanks.

Posted: 3/10/2006 1:39:47 PM EDT

[#1]

I like the Polish. I've got lots of the hungarian yellow tip and some other stuff I've picked up on sale, but haven't tried any of it yet.

Posted: 3/10/2006 1:50:26 PM EDT

[#2]

For the mosin's I don't think you can find a better shooting cleaner surplus than the 80's production brass cased Yugo. Some have claimed it's close to match grade as surplus can get. I noticed a difference in group size shooting it out of my 91/30 then my other nationalities of surplus. Ammunitionstore.com has some now, $115 for 500 rounds I believe. It's good stuff. and it's non-corrosive.

Posted: 3/10/2006 2:15:01 PM EDT

[#3]

For the mosin's I don't think you can find a better shooting cleaner surplus than the 80's production brass cased Yugo. Some have claimed it's close to match grade as surplus can get. I noticed a difference in group size shooting it out of my 91/30 then my other nationalities of surplus. Ammunitionstore.com has some now, $115 for 500 rounds I believe. It's good stuff. and it's non-corrosive.

+1

if your looking for smaller quantites I bought some on gunbroker.com awhile ago, 500 rounds for a bolt action gun was a bit much for how often I shoot it, and it wouldn't be my first go to gun if we got invaded so....

Posted: 3/10/2006 4:02:16 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

if your looking for smaller quantites I bought some on gunbroker.com awhile ago, 500 rounds for a bolt action gun was a bit much for how often I shoot it, and it wouldn't be my first go to gun if we got invaded so....

agreed. But that's not why I stock up on surplus. I stock up because in all honesty, surplus will eventually be dried up. And no one can predict when that will be. Yes there will by then be new production ammo, but not at the price and quantity we can now get surplus.

Posted: 3/10/2006 4:19:11 PM EDT

[#5]

Are you positive it is non-corrosive?

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted:
For the mosin's I don't think you can find a better shooting cleaner surplus than the 80's production brass cased Yugo. Some have claimed it's close to match grade as surplus can get. I noticed a difference in group size shooting it out of my 91/30 then my other nationalities of surplus. Ammunitionstore.com has some now, $115 for 500 rounds I believe. It's good stuff. and it's non-corrosive.

Posted: 3/10/2006 6:36:47 PM EDT

[#6]

Yugo isn't

Posted: 3/10/2006 8:07:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I like the Polish. I've got lots of the hungarian yellow tip and some other stuff I've picked up on sale, but haven't tried any of it yet.

My 91/30 likes the yellow tip. My M44 seems to shoot the same with yellow or silver tip.

Posted: 3/10/2006 9:50:38 PM EDT

[#8]

Go with the Yugo, it is great stuff.

Posted: 3/11/2006 7:13:18 PM EDT

[#9]

Yeah, but which brand makes the biggest fireball at the range?

Posted: 3/11/2006 8:12:12 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Yeah, but which brand makes the biggest fireball at the range?

M44 and yellow tip. Wear a pad.

Posted: 3/13/2006 6:13:35 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Are you positive it is non-corrosive?

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted:
For the mosin's I don't think you can find a better shooting cleaner surplus than the 80's production brass cased Yugo. Some have claimed it's close to match grade as surplus can get. I noticed a difference in group size shooting it out of my 91/30 then my other nationalities of surplus. Ammunitionstore.com has some now, $115 for 500 rounds I believe. It's good stuff. and it's non-corrosive.

Am I positive wolf is non-corrosive? no, but I assume it is, clean regularly and have never had a problem with it rusting any of my AR's and AK's but then again I'm a cleaning freak. I don't know for 100% sure if the 80's yugo is non-corrosive it seems that way to me after firing and cleaning (not cleaning as if it's corrosive), but I'm guessing you know for sure?

Posted: 3/13/2006 8:33:56 AM EDT

[#12]

I am very suspicious of any east block SURPLUS ammo. There is a test for this.

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted:
Quoted:
Are you positive it is non-corrosive?

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted:
For the mosin's I don't think you can find a better shooting cleaner surplus than the 80's production brass cased Yugo. Some have claimed it's close to match grade as surplus can get. I noticed a difference in group size shooting it out of my 91/30 then my other nationalities of surplus. Ammunitionstore.com has some now, $115 for 500 rounds I believe. It's good stuff. and it's non-corrosive.

Am I positive wolf is non-corrosive? no, but I assume it is, clean regularly and have never had a problem with it rusting any of my AR's and AK's but then again I'm a cleaning freak. I don't know for 100% sure if the 80's yugo is non-corrosive it seems that way to me after firing and cleaning (not cleaning as if it's corrosive), but I'm guessing you know for sure?

Posted: 3/13/2006 8:45:41 AM EDT

[#13]

my 91/30 loves brown bear 203gr SP

Posted: 3/13/2006 8:51:13 AM EDT

[#14]

I just bought 440 rounds of the Polish 1980s Non-Corrosive. For 30 bucks I just couldnt find a reason not to buy it. I dont need match grade for what I am doing so this should do fine. I will give a range report when I get the ammo and my gun in.

Posted: 3/13/2006 10:12:04 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
I am very suspicious of any east block SURPLUS ammo. There is a test for this.

Dennis Jenkins

and the test is.....

you love doing that don't you.

Posted: 3/13/2006 11:14:03 AM EDT

[#16]

Hello Big-Will,

Now I don't want to sound like a smart-a$$ but you must understand one very important thing: All surplus 7.62 X 54r ammo WILL BE CORROSIVE ! ! And I just don't care what the dealer tells you ! !

And this DOES NOT need to be a problem either ! Just clean the rifle right after you shoot it and you'll be fine. Remember: ALL nations used corrosive ammo at one time and the rifles are still here.

It's corrosive primes, not powder. Some type of a mercury compound in the primer.

The ammo you have listed is 1970-1980 production Polish "light ball" ammo. 148-150 grain bullet. Picked up two full cases a month ago or so and I am very pleased with this ammo. No problems with it in any way in the three rifles that I have shot it through.

Go over to www.7.62x54r.net for some REALLY great info on 7.62 ammo and the rifles that shoot it.

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:08:55 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Hello Big-Will,

Now I don't want to sound like a smart-a$$ but you must understand one very important thing: All surplus 7.62 X 54r ammo WILL BE CORROSIVE ! ! And I just don't care what the dealer tells you ! !

And this DOES NOT need to be a problem either ! Just clean the rifle right after you shoot it and you'll be fine. Remember: ALL nations used corrosive ammo at one time and the rifles are still here.

It's corrosive primes, not powder. Some type of a mercury compound in the primer.

The ammo you have listed is 1970-1980 production Polish "light ball" ammo. 148-150 grain bullet. Picked up two full cases a month ago or so and I am very pleased with this ammo. No problems with it in any way in the three rifles that I have shot it through.

Go over to www.7.62x54r.net for some REALLY great info on 7.62 ammo and the rifles that shoot it.

Wow. So SOG just lied on the listing? Either way it is not a big issue for me. I am a clean freak anyway when it comes to my guns. But for when I shoot the corrosive stuff I am going to clean the bore and bolt face with some windex (because of the ammonia) and then do my normal cleaning routine.

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:16:41 PM EDT

[#18]

This is how weird this hobby is, the Windex thing has even been said to not do anything special by some!

Some swear by it, some say it does nothing...

I guess take everything with a grain of salt, except the idea of cleaning it. It must be cleaned.

Hot water "seems" (and I say seems from experience) to work best after scrubbing with whatever cleaning solvent/solution you use.

-mark

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:21:43 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
This is how weird this hobby is, the Windex thing has even been said to not do anything special by some!

Some swear by it, some say it does nothing...

I guess take everything with a grain of salt, except the idea of cleaning it. It must be cleaned.

Hot water "seems" (and I say seems from experience) to work best after scrubbing with whatever cleaning solvent/solution you use.

-mark

Well a friend of mine who has a few C&R guns has been using either windex or an ammonia based cleaning solution on his guns for years. He just runs a few patches through, wipes the chamber and bolt down, and then sprays the whole damn thing down with WD-40. Thats right I said WD-40. If he can do that and have no problems then I can do my routine and everything should be fine.

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:41:39 PM EDT

[#20]

The reason Ammonia works is because it neutralizes the salts in corrosive primers. A fellow over on gunboards.com found a chemist to explain why ammonia does this and how, I'm sure a search would turn up the thread.
As far as SOG lying about corrosive, being non-corrosive it's not the first time. If you call them on it, they'll tell you that the outside of the ammo is'nt corroded.

As far as which is the best, my M/N's love the Hungarian yellow tip, heavy ball. The Czech, silver tip LPS (light ball), is'nt too bad either. Best thing is it's cheap!

Posted: 3/13/2006 2:42:06 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
This is how weird this hobby is, the Windex thing has even been said to not do anything special by some!

Some swear by it, some say it does nothing...

I guess take everything with a grain of salt, except the idea of cleaning it. It must be cleaned.

Hot water "seems" (and I say seems from experience) to work best after scrubbing with whatever cleaning solvent/solution you use.

-mark

Well a friend of mine who has a few C&R guns has been using either windex or an ammonia based cleaning solution on his guns for years. He just runs a few patches through, wipes the chamber and bolt down, and then sprays the whole damn thing down with WD-40. Thats right I said WD-40. If he can do that and have no problems then I can do my routine and everything should be fine.

Basically you just want to wash those corrosive salts out of the rifle. If you use a windex solution it will wash it out. If you use hot soap and water mix it will also work. Frankly I have used all of them and have never had an issue. Right now I just keep a can of WD-40 in my pack and hose the bolt face and bore down right after shooting. It washes the salts out while keeping moisture away.

Posted: 3/13/2006 4:29:38 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
This is how weird this hobby is, the Windex thing has even been said to not do anything special by some!

Some swear by it, some say it does nothing...

I guess take everything with a grain of salt, except the idea of cleaning it. It must be cleaned.

Hot water "seems" (and I say seems from experience) to work best after scrubbing with whatever cleaning solvent/solution you use.

-mark

Pretty much anything that desolves salt will work with water probably being the easiest and cheapest. Water is all I use now. I bring a milk jug full and a thin funnel with me to the range. After shooting I remove the bolt, insert funnel and pour water until it comes out of the barrel in a stream then pour some across the olt face. I do this right after firing a couple of rounds so the hot barrel will evaporate the water quickly. One pass with a CLP soaked patch is all they need until they get a full cleaning later. I surely wouldn't leave ammonia sitting in a rifle barrel for very long if that's the way you choose to go.

Posted: 3/13/2006 4:37:23 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Is the ammo at the bottom of this page (440 round case item#AMO-76254C) look like a good buy? It doesnt say what country but it is non corrosive.

Thanks.

I believe all 8mm surplus is corrosive. Hell, if I'm wrong and it's not I haven't lost anything but a little cleaning time.

The ammo looks like the steel cased, light ball (silver tip) that just about everybody is selling now for about the same price. I like it, especially out of my M44. My 91/30 is more accurate with the yellow tip like what's shown at the top of the page you linked.

Posted: 3/13/2006 7:23:51 PM EDT

[#24]

Leaving ammonia in the barrel will cause the steel to "craze", which is micro-scopic pitting caused by the ammonia attacking the steel. It also neutralizes the salts, not just wash it away.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What Surplus 7.62 x 54R should I get?

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