Ammo Performance

[ozarkmac]

Having only fired 125gr SP 7.62 x 39 I am not familiar with the performance of "higher quality" 7.62 x 39.

Is there a noticeable difference in higher quality ammo in the SKS?

HP vs FMJ?

Better brands?

Interested to see what more experienced SKS shooters prefer. Thanks!

[Loose}{Cannon]

X39 is "minute of man", so if it goes bang..... I shoot it.   

[Dannyboy53]

Pretty much what LC said, don't expect a whole lot out of this caliber compared to common calibers made in America! But for me, black box Wolf works very well.

[ozarkmac]

Well alrighty then. This goes back to my original reason for buying an AK and now an SKS, "Cheap ammo!" Thanks friends!

[Greasemonkey]

The difference between all of them is negotiable, find one that works and stick with it. Just remember it's an SKS.. not a M70 Winchester, a M96 Swede, a K31 Swiss or a M39 Mosin.

Some will swear on the good book with the domestic stuff like it is 'da bomb, that fine if you reload or are deathly afraid of corrosive primers. One has nothing to fear from corrosive primers, just clean it right.

Yugo m67 and Golden Tiger are toted as the best or at least a favorite, I like the Yugo, it has strippers usually, and it's corrosive. About the closest you can find to match ammo, would be, I guess Lapua, very difficult to find, and it's holy crap expensive when you do find it.

The Wolfs, Bears, Norinco, MFS, Red Army Standard, Barnual, WPA, Poly Performance, Arsenal, S&B, Fiocchi, Prvi, will all go bang, and cut a .310 hole in the target.

Find one you particular rifle likes, and practice.

[ozarkmac]

Thanks for all the detailed advice GreaseMonkey. I use corrosive in my Mosin and generally poor boiling hot water down the barrel afterwards.

If I can't clean it right away, I spray Windex down it.

Am I safe to assume this applies to a chrome-lined SKS?

[Dannyboy53]

AK & SKS are a lot of fun to shoot but both make a good survival/SHTF and self defense carbine. You will never be disappointed in either of them as long as you recognize their capabilities & limitations...the same with any firearm of course!

[Greasemonkey]

Thanks for all the detailed advice GreaseMonkey. I use corrosive in my Mosin and generally poor boiling hot water down the barrel afterwards.

If I can't clean it right away, I spray Windex down it.

Am I safe to assume this applies to a chrome-lined SKS?

I've gone a day or two on my PSL after a few mags of Czech x54r, even a day or so on my Mak-90 after Yugo ammo, even a Mosin, but, the biggest most important thing is clean it, clean the gas system, the bolt and everything else, it's not gonna rot away and turn to dust in a day, much less two days, just remember to clean it. Windex, hot water, even cold water, tear it down and shower with the action, whatever you choose, just do something to remove the primer salts before the red dusty fuzz grows. Chrome lined barrels are great, but remember, your gas port ain't chrome lined, your gas block guts ain't chromed, nor is the inside of the gas tube. One reason I despise shooting my SVT, all them fricken pieces and parts, it's pretty to look at, thats all I gotta say about that.

[ozarkmac]

Makes sense.

[running-man]

I'll put in another vote for Golden Tiger.  Clean burning, relatively cheap, extremely reliable, and (usually) readily available.  Maybe a cent or two more per round than Tulammo, but the quality control is head and shoulders above that stuff.  Not so much of a difference between it and the Wolfs/Bears/Red Army standards.  The boat tail bullet is also not liked by certain firearms at all.

Only place that consistently has it is SGAmmo: http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammo-sale/762x39-ammo

I did just get an email from Classic that they had M67 in stock (not the cheapest stuff in the world): https://www.classicfirearms.com/yugo-igman-m67-762x39-ammo-40-round-box

J&G has had their M67 for a long long time too: http://www.jgsales.com/7.62x39-yugo-military-surplus-ammo,-124gr,-fmj,-40rd-box,-on-stripper-clips.-p-71125.html

I suspect that Century will have quite a bit for sale once they go through all the Samco bankruptcy inventory...

[ozarkmac]

Thank you Running-Man!

[Phosphorus32]

I use mostly GT and Wolf, but have some Red Army Standard, Chinese and a bunch of M67 as well.  Sportsman's Guide is the only place I see somewhat reasonably priced M67; ~$0.30 per round if you get them during one of their free shipping periods. The excellent stripper clips on those are worth picking up at least a few boxes. I hate the NC Star hit or miss strippers.