A buddy of mine dropped this off to me today. A green wooden handmade crate nailed shut. A partial sticker on the side that says, 'Norinco Cartridge Small Arms' and 'China', and 7.6...... I am familiar with Norinco ammo, and this is 7.62x39 ammo.

I pried opened the lid and inside the crate are 2 metal cans with what appears to be maybe (probably) Chinese writing on them. Also 2 metal 'keys' that are used to pull the wires to open the lids on the ammo cans. There are 550 rounds per can in individual 10 rd. stripper clips and 30 rds. (3 stripper clips) per pack wrapped in brown paper.

I'm also thinking that this crate/ammo is from 1968/69.

Unfortunately, I don't have any firearm chambered in 7.62x39.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I had time to do a little more checking and found out that these are steel core rounds since they hang from a magnet. The headstamp has 31 above 69. So, I think it's safe to assume that these are 1969 vintage 7.62x39.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

This stuff was plentiful and very cheap thirty or more years ago. They advertised it as having "mildly" corrosive priming, but mildly corrosive is corrosive. If you shoot this ammo, clean with an appropriate solution immediately after firing.

I sold countless cases and spam cans of this in the 90's...The suggestion to clean thoroughly after shooting is sound advice......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

No better reason to go get yourself a AK.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Back in the day, when this stuff started coming in, about $100.00 got you that case of steel core 7.62x39 and an SKS.
As Archie Bunker sang……those were the days

This stuff is on the "no more may be imported" list. Seems like millions of rounds of it were imported back in the day and sold for cheap. Definitively corrosive primed.

Nice gift!

That's Vietnam era ammo that was sold surplus in the US. 20 round packs bring $10 - $15. I'd carefully put the lid back on. The full case would probably bring $500 - $600 here in Michigan. It might bring more online. It's been banned from importation since around 1984. Yes, it has mildly corrosive priming, but people still want it.

That might be a good reason to buy an SKS or an AK...

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"I also cook."

Is that the stuff that was 1.5 MOA from a Chinese SKS?

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Release the Kraken

Good ammo on sks stripper clips. Besides AK clones and sks's, these rounds will work great in appropriately chambered ARs, Ruger Ranch bolts and autos. Easy to trade off also if your not into 7.62x39.

Seriously??!! Hmmmmmmmm....

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

Hard to imagine why anyone would pay such a price for second-rate FMJ corrosive ammo. You can make far better and more accurate ammo that's not corrosive primed, maybe even for less money.

I have some of this ammo. It is corrosive primed which requires a water-based or alkaline cleaning solution to mitigate the salts left in the bore. Otherwise, it is quality ammo with good performance.

That is some good stuff if you own an SKS!

About 6 years ago I sold my nondescript SKS and two cases of that ammo for $800. I’d had it for years and never got very interested in it.

I had a bunch of it way back when I got my first NOS SKS. Problem is that the gas system parts also have to be thoroughly cleaned. More trouble than just cleaning the bore. When non corrosive Norinco ammo started coming in in the late 80s I sold my old ammo to a local GS and stocked up on the new stuff. Some time in the early 90s it became unimportable due to "Slick Willy". The non corrosive ammo today is considered to be very desirable and costly when seen on GB.

That ammo was plentiful and cheap well into the 1990's. I shot it in my SKS and yes, it is corrosive. "Mildly corrosive" is like "slightly pregnant", it is a case of it is or it is not and this ammo definitely used corrosive primers.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

As I am finding out with my "new to me" Stag Arms AR-15 (M16 Clone) none of the local ranges I frequent will allow steel core ammo. In fact, they will not allow you on the range without first going through the ammo inspection lane where they have a magnet to check your rounds, whether bulk, boxed, or bagged.

No preloaded mags allowed. No tracer or AP ammo allowed either.

I do not know whether this is a legal, safety, target frame destruction issue or what but it is new to me. Never had my M1 Garand ammo checked but haven't had that old girl out for a while either.

Must be different in Michigan if steel core is bringing good bucks.

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	M1 Garand -1.jpg (221.5 KB, 14 views)
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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

I would try a different range. If yours is inspecting ammunition that's not a place I want to shoot. Those stripper clips are for SKS.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

It's quite common on ranges out west where there is lots of dry brush. Indoor ranges do it so you don't destroy the bullet trap. Some ranges don't like steel or aluminum cased ammo because they only want to recycle brass.

As for no preloaded mags, I know of at least one member on here who's head is exploding right now.

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Release the Kraken

I had a shop in the 90s.
After the North Hollywood Shootout, ATF sent a memo to all FFL dealers stating that ammo was now illegal to sell in normal commercial channels. It could only be sold to Gov't or Police agencies, or exported. I bet that left some importers with full warehouses scrambling!
You may remember that battle. 12 cops and 8 civilians were wounded. The two robbers wore homemade body armor that stopped NUMEROUS hits from 9mm and even 223. They also fought like hell! Most of the cops were pinned down behind their cars. The robbers had several weapons each, but used two AKs with that steel core ammo to great effect. Several of the cops accounts stated they were hunkered down behind their cars watching bullets zip through the car like it was a beer can. Unless they were behind the engine, the cars were not effective cover. Now we all know that any rifle bullet is likely to shoot through a modern car, but this ammo was outlawed anyway.
As far as I know, it is still legal to possess, but cannot be sold.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Which should not be a significant concern if the gun has been thoroughly cleaned with water shortly after firing. Corrosive primer residue is very soluble in water. Not so with normal bore cleaners.

I guess it is different in Michigan than it is here. Here we never have to have someone inspect the ammo - no one cares. Indoor, outdoor - it just is not a concern.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824