Re-Loading data and dimensions for 7.62 x 39 calibre

As a result of massive aid given by USSR to China, the Russians supplied the machinery and technicians to set up arms factories in China. The 7.62x39 mm cartridge and SKS as well as AK-47 were adopted by the Chinese in 1956.

The first Chinese 7.62x39 mm ammunition imported to the USA was military surplus. It was packed in 2 sealed metal tins per wooden case. The ammo intended for the SKS rifle was packed in 550 rounds per tin, 1100 rounds per wooden case. It was on 10 round stripper clips with 2 or 3 stripper clips per 20 round or 30 round paper wrapped bundle. Some bundles were tied with string and some had just paper wrappings.

All the ammunition that is packed in the paper wrapped bundles has steel cored bullets.

Two tins of paper wrapped ammunition with winding keys standing on wooden outer crates.

Another view of the lower crate that shows the wording more clearly.

Chinese surplus ammunition was also packed in 20 round paper wrapped bundles tied with string in tins of 700 or 720.

Two packages of 20 rounds, (right) the lower one with stripper clips

The tins that hold 700 or 720 rounds are packed in pairs in wooden outer cases of 1400 or 1440.

Detecting steel cored bullets

Chinese steel cored ammunition was banned in USA as of February 1994, as all Chinese ammunition uses bullets having a copper plated steel jackets, a magnet is of no use, because it will sticking to the steel bullet jacket and not the steel core. The only way to tell if the round has a steel core is to pull a bullet. Steel cored bullets are over 1" long, have a boat tail, they will also have traces of black sealing compound on them.

In the comparative picture the steel cored bullet is on the left and the lead cored one on the right.

The cartridge in the centre of the group at left, has a steel cored bullet. The others on either side have lead cored bullets except the one on the extreme right that is an experimental round with plastic beads in the nose.

Only Chinese factories numbered 31, 71, 311 and 351 made lead cored ball. (maybe 61 also, but not sure) [Jeff's note]

Any other Chinese factory code will be steel cored bullets.

Russian 7.62 x 99 mm Ammunition

Until the break up of the Soviet Union all arms and ammunition were banned from import to the US. A large amount of steel cored ammunition was imported in late 1993, but due to the re-classifying 7.62x39mm steel cored ammunition as armour piercing in February 1994 very little of it made it into the hands of shooters or collectors. It was packed in unmarked 20 round boxes of plain fibrous cardboard.

The image at right is of a box of 20 rounds with a single round laying on top of it, the inset shows the headstamp.