What 7.63x39 to stock up on

[mkmckinley]

Lets say someone wanted to buy a bunch of 7.62x39 for his new AK for plinking and realistic training (with maybe a little left over in case SHTF). What would you recommend he get?

There are a lot of brands that are in the $0.25/round range such as Yugo M67, Tula, Wolf, Wolf Black Box, Wolf military Classic, and Ulyanovsk to name a few. What do you like? Are any of those more accurate, more reliable, cleaner shooting etc? Are any known to be underloaded "plinker" rounds (I seem to remember hearing that wolf was loaded weak but can't remember which kind)? Does anyone know which, if any, are close to mil-spec?

[TOrrock]

Yugo M67 is my choice for an ammo stash, it's typically pretty damn accurate and the copper jacketed flat base bullet tends to do more to a target than the boat tail steel jacketed Russian or Chinese stuff that's out there.

Having said that, Yugo is corrosive, which is not a big deal as long as you clean your rifle after you get home. You don't need special voodoo for corrosive clean up, I like a 10% Ballistol/90% water solution, which dissolves the corrosive residue and the Ballistol will then clean and protect the metal, but standard cleaning agents work just fine, just use them.

If that's more than you want to mess with, any of the Russian steel cased stuff works just fine.

I prefer Barnaul/Brown Bear, and Golden Tiger (Vympel), although Wolf/Tula works just fine too.

[TOrrock]

http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=12644&highlight=barnaul

http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=13603&highlight=barnaul

[d90king]

I prefer Golden Tiger or 124gr Wolf (camo box)...

[FN in MT]

Another vote for the Yugoslavian M-67. Comes in both 30 rd boxes and I've also seen it on stripper clips in a box. 1260 rds to a crate. The wooden crates are heavy duty, with the ammo sealed in a zinc or some sort of galvanized metal liner in the box.

Yeah the corrosive primers ARE a PITA but that mixture also allows for VERY long primer life. And the clean up is not all that big a deal.

7.62x39 prices are starting to come down. I'd suggest waiting a few more months.

FN in MT

[buckshot1220]

I've found Golden Tiger to be very good.

[rob_s]

I was thinking of adding a couple of cases of this stuff (http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Tula_Catridge_Works_7.62x39_122grn_FMJ.html), which I have been told is Wolf is a different box.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/aw76239tula.jpg

[d90king]

I was thinking of adding a couple of cases of this stuff (http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Tula_Catridge_Works_7.62x39_122grn_FMJ.html), which I have been told is Wolf is a different box.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/aw76239tula.jpg



I have found that 122gr black box to be dirtier than most... I have no explanation why, but have noticed a difference none the less... I have found that GT and the 124gr HP Wolf a bit more accurate and more consistent for whatever reason.

[rob_s]

I have found that 122gr black box to be dirtier than most... I have no explanation why, but have noticed a difference none the less... I have found that GT and the 124gr HP Wolf a bit more accurate and more consistent for whatever reason.
Thanks for that. I'm not sure that the person that recommended it would know the difference.

[Treehopr]

I tried to run Yugo M67 through my Arsenal SLR95 a few years ago at a Pat Rogers AK class and had problems with the rounds feeding correctly.

Not exactly sure how to describe it but the feed ramp(?) angle of the AK caused the neck of the brass case to catch and would cause malfunctions.

I switched to steel case Wolf ammo and had no problems afterward.

I've shot Golden Tiger ammo as well with no issues.

[Dave_M]

I was thinking of adding a couple of cases of this stuff (http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Tula_Catridge_Works_7.62x39_122grn_FMJ.html), which I have been told is Wolf is a different box.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/aw76239tula.jpg

Yes indeed, it's just Wolf in a different box. The head stamp even says, "WOLF" on it.