Need Help with Surplus Ammo

[breastman]

I need ammo for my M39, I have Russian Surplus Ammo (brass cased, corrosive) but the bolt does not close with most of the rounds of this stuff. Wolf works very good, but is twice the price of surplus. Is there any good Surplus ammo for these rifles? How about Albanian, Romanian, or CZech ammo? Or How about the Steel cased ammo advertised to be 200gr lead core? If anyone has used any of the ammo listed above, please let me know your experience. Is this a common problem for M39s or other Nagants?Thank You very much for your responses, I appreciate your help.


P.S. I don't mind if the ammo is corrosive, as long as its reliable, and safe.

[Richard Simmons]

I have fed my M-39 both various Russian ammo, (never seen any brass cased Russian surplus) and the Albanian. The only problem I have had with the ammo chambering was with the Albanian. About 1 in 7 wouldn't let the bolt close. The same round worked fine in my M-44. Perhaps this is the ammo you are actually using. The M-39 rifles are known to have better tolerances than most Mosin Nagants. Your's may be right on the edge of the specs. Try www.aimsurplus.com www.midwayusa.com or www.classicarms.org for some steel cased, 147gr ammo.

[number_6]

Does your bolt match? I have never had any trouble whatsoever chambering any 54R in my M39 (1896 receiver, 1944 Finn re-arsenal). Well, that is before I sold it. :( Sounds like you may have a headspace problem.

Be seeing you.

[Schuetzenman]

The brass cased 54R surplus is Albanian / Russian. Romanian steel cased should be fine as well as Czech silver tipped 54R. AIM has or had some of this the last time I checked with them a week ago.

The rims are very thick on the brass ammo, they don't have the usual bevel on the bottom of the case, the angle is less. I think most can't close on them because of thight extractors not able to get over the rim. I saw this on an M44 with the brass ammo. Steel cases have a greater angle and a thinner rim at the edge. Anyway these are my observation.

[Richard Simmons]

See if you can find the ammo your using here. http://www.mosin-nagant.net/i3tro4.htm

To not chamber a round would require your headspace to be too tight. This condition would be something of a rarity in a Mosin Nagant. Could happen but I'm going with the ammo on this and not the rifle.

[REDSTAR]

I just picked up 500 rounds of the new (2000) production Russian ammo from www.centerfiresystems.com . Cost of ammo was $59.95 plus $15 shipping to my state. It's copper washed (steel I think). I haven't shot it yet but it's supposed to be match grade. Has a 'mildly' corrosive primer; I never could understand the term 'mildly' corrosive, either it is or it isn't. Supposedly the corrosive primers were placed in the ammo accidently, thus your great savings! :rolleyes: It's in 20 round trays, 100 rounds sealed in plastic. I don't think its Wolf.

Don't know anything else about it but it's brand new at least. The box doesn't list a manufacturer. Just a triangle 450, made in Russia, small arms ammunition, 7.62 x 54R.

[Poodleshooter]

My brother in law had the same problem with headspacing/rim thickness using Albanian ammo. As Schuetz said, the rims are fucked up. Run your ammo through the rifle and sort out the stuff that won't cycle normally. You can load this stuff single shot style by manually hooking it under the extractor. Slow, but if you really want to get rid of it.....
So what if we're cheap bastards :)

[number_6]

As an aside about the Albanian spamcan ammo:

Led and I have been firing through a can and have had two ruptured cases so far. I had one today and he had one last time we went to the range. This one may be an odd lot, because the can had 1988 and the headstamp had another date... I suppose the date on the can was just when it was packed. However, wear glasses just in case.

Be seeing you.

[breastman]

Thanks for he great info everybody, its good to know about the different ammo choices out there. I guess I'll try some of the steel cased ammo and see how it works. As far as the surplus ammo I have now, I purchased it from AIM about six months ago, and I was told that its Russian; I guess I have to sort it out at the range and keep the rest around until I find a Nagant that can chamber them all.




Later.

[breastman]

Originally posted by Richard Simmons
See if you can find the ammo your using here. http://www.mosin-nagant.net/i3tro4.htm



:confused:
mmmmm interesting......
Thanks a lot for that link RS, I checked it and I found out that in fact my ammo is Albanian (Factory 3, date 89) the stamp matches exact with the picture samples listed in the link above. I'll definetely use that link next time I buy surplus ammo, and I'll stay way from Albanian for my M39.

Later.