Chinese 7.62x39mm Ammo Cache

[Phosphorus32]

Got a friend's price on a 3/4 crate of Chinese ammo.  It was one of those reverse-negotiation type of situations    The crate has 43 boxes (860 rounds) of 1992 vintage factory 71 Green box Chinese 7.62x39mm (actually, one box is factory 61).

128gr copper-coated steel-jacketed lead-core bullet (not sure that's the proper terminology but that's what it looks like).

I read that it's considered good stuff. Correct?  At about $0.20 per round I'm happy regardless.

[running-man]

You stole that one Jon!  (or depending on your point of view, you tossed away a buck fifty on something you'll never use!  )

You'd think that by 92 it would have been non-corrosive (as indicated on the boxes) but I'd be a bit careful with your first session just in case.  Maybe a nail test is warranted using the primer from the round you pulled?

Did it actually come in a crate with Chinese markings on the cover?  If so, does it have the XXXX-XX-XX(Y) lot-date-factory code on it?

[Stoned_Oli]

Hell of a deal... gun shows ask up to $10 per box for that stuff... 

[Power Surge]

I got some of that stuff from a buddy who collects Chinese ammo. Same green box, but mine is 1992 ammo from factory 31.

Shoots about the same as other steel cased ammo in my guns.

[Phosphorus32]

Did it actually come in a crate with Chinese markings on the cover?  If so, does it have the XXXX-XX-XX(Y) lot-date-factory code on it?

It came in the crate, but missing the top cover.  The stencil on the side is: CJ127-92-16

[Loose}{Cannon]

Nice!

Even got a date code seldom seen....

[Phosphorus32]

Nice!

Even got a date code seldom seen....

Interesting. I had no idea   

Is there a list of codes somewhere?

[running-man]

Here's a good source for you Jon.  71 is known to have made lead core, so you're probably right on with your assessment.

Re-Loading data and dimensions for 7.62 x 39 calibre

[Dannyboy53]

Here's a good source for you Jon.  71 is known to have made lead core, so you're probably right on with your assessment.

Re-Loading data and dimensions for 7.62 x 39 calibre

Very interesting, thanks for the link running-man!

[Greasemonkey]

I wonder, did each factory or grade of ammo have a specific colored box.  The green box 1991 stuff above is primer sealed, while 1991 yellow box has no sealer, black/white 1991 no sealer, I couldn't find the silver box stuff , but, even 1992-'93 .308 no primer seal...   Again, all are from different factorys.

Even 7.62x54 Chinese I have, has no primer sealer, it's 50's dated stuff.

[Phosphorus32]

Here's a good source for you Jon.  71 is known to have made lead core, so you're probably right on with your assessment.

Re-Loading data and dimensions for 7.62 x 39 calibre

RM, yeah, the 71 is definitely lead core.  A file made very quick work of sectioning the bullet and the magnet centered over the steel jacket, not the core of the bullet. Cool link.  The table is funny; full of place holder numbers...6666 fps 

GM, yeah, a lot of different factories and variations. I certainly have no idea about the box color, primer seal, etc. variations since my sample set has an n of 2    Looks like you have a lot of variants in your stash/cache/ammo dump 

[running-man]

Hey Jon,

I was just looking through some old notes I have and noticed that I had "factory 71" singled out as being one of the very few identifiable ones, now called the "Chongqing Chanjiang Electrical Group".  I'll have to figure out exactly where I might have gotten this info from, but I wrote it down from somewhere! 

[Phosphorus32]

Hey Jon,

I was just looking through some old notes I have and noticed that I had "factory 71" singled out as being one of the very few identifiable ones, now called the "Chongqing Chanjiang Electrical Group and Die Yankee Dog Ammunition Factory".  I'll have to figure out exactly where I might have gotten this info from, but I wrote it down from somewhere! 

Cool, fixed it