7.62x39 metal content question

[Willie D]

I finally found a nice range where I can bring my own ammo. Only catch is the bullet cannot attract a magnet. I neglected to ask if steel case cartridges were banned outright; hopefully they can tell weather it is the "brass" or the actual bullet doing the attracting.

My question is, are the projectiles in the major cheapo brands (Wolf varieties, Golden Tiger, Brown Bear, Silver Bear, etc.) non-magnetic/steel free?

Thanks.

 

[Jason_G]

Alot of ranges will ban ammo outright if a magnet is attracted to any part of the cartridge, be it case or bullet. Makes shooting commie surplus rifles a bit tough. I think Fiocchi makes some ammo that'll pass the magnet test, and seems like Selliet & Bellot does too. It'll be more expensive than Wolf obviously, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do, I guess.

Jason

 

[tINY]

Where are you shooting a rifle that they care about steel core ammo?

That seems weird.



-tINY

 

[Jason_G]

That seems weird.

Not all that weird. Alot of ranges ban it. There's an increased chance of ricochets with steel core if there's a metal trap or something at the end of the range. Also, some ranges ban steel cased ammo because they pick up the brass to sell, and they don't want to have to weed the steel from the brass.

Jason

 

[Dfariswheel]

As far as I know all the cheaper brand Russian made ammo is steel jacketed, most with a lead core.

Since Wolf, Golden Tiger, Brown Bear, Silver Bear etc is all made in factories that produced or still produces military ammo, they simply use the same materials as used for the military ammo.
That means ammo with a mild steel jacket.

If you want non-steel bulleted ammo, you'll have to go with S&B or other higher priced stuff.

 

[Gewehr98]

Not weird at all.

Many of the outdoor ranges in high desert country ban steel cored/steel jacketed ammo.

When they hit rocks, they spark. As a range officer in Northern Kalifornia, I've had to shut down the range and call the fire department to put out the resulting grass fires. We banned the stuff shortly afterwards.

A magnet will pick up steel core ammo, steel jacketed ammo, and steel cased ammo.

Steel core and steel jacket ammo is a spark/fire risk. Steel core also raises hell with indoor range backstops.

For ranges that recycle their brass, steel cased empty shells are a pain in the posterior to weed out of the mix.

 

[Willie D]

The range is part of a state run "Hunter Education Center". The reason they told me was that they were worried about stuff going thru the backstop or posibly ricocheting towards the neighbor's houses (which I can't say how far from or friendly to the range they were).

When I told the Range Officer I was shooting an SKS he said "you might not be able to shoot that" but the brass cased FMJs on strippers that I got at a gunshow passed the magnet test so I was given the go ahead. I wasn't allowed to shoot my .30 M2 ball (magnetic) but my European cheapie 30.06 soft point passed.


If I can't shoot any of that surplus stuff I don't really know where else to look. Not sure where the strippers came from originally. Does Walmart sell 7.62x39?

 

[Jason_G]

Does Walmart sell 7.62x39?

Not sure, they may have the Remington brand or something similar, but you'll pay alot more for it than the other stuff. I would go to someplace that sells Fiocchi and Sellier & Bellot. Those will be your two cheapest options for passing a magnet test I think.

Jason

 

[oldbillthundercheif]

Walmart sells Winchester 7.62x39, but it's obviously more expensive than Wolf and the others. It's nice ammo, though, and has no steel components as far as I know.

 

[chris in va]

I broke out the Golden Tiger and Wolf black box x39 and both are magnetic at the bullet. So is my 54r.

Frankly that's an eye opener. I didn't know x39 was steel core.

 

[tINY]

I guess that I'm just used to hills for backstops and wood target frames on rifle ranges....

I still have some Chineese steel-core 7.62x39, but all of the stuff imported since the mid 90's has been copper and lead bullets.



-tINY

 

[Gewehr98]

It's probably not steel core.

Frankly that's an eye opener. I didn't know x39 was steel core.

There's steel core, which was banned from importation by the BATF a while ago when Olympic Arms tried to market an AR-15 pistol in 7.62x39.

Then there's steel jacket, which has a lead core. A magnet will still pull strongly on the bullet. However, it's not considered armor-piercing by the BATF and is quite legal to import and purchase.

I'd wager your magnet found steel jacketed ammo.

 

[Dfariswheel]

"I'd wager your magnet found steel jacketed ammo"

Exactly.
The Russians long ago discovered that they could save critical copper by making their bullets (and cases) from a mild steel.

Virtually ALL Russian or former Communist countries ammo, both rifle and pistol has a steel jacket with either a harder steel or lead core.
Since virtually all the "commercial" ammo from these countries is made in factories that made or still make military ammo, they simply continue to make the bullets with the same mild steel jacket.

 

[Jason_G]

Exactly.
The Russians long ago discovered that they could save critical copper by making their bullets (and cases) from a mild steel.

Virtually ALL Russian or former Communist countries ammo, both rifle and pistol has a steel jacket with either a harder steel or lead core.
Since virtually all the "commercial" ammo from these countries is made in factories that made or still make military ammo, they simply continue to make the bullets with the same mild steel jacket.

Yeah, steel is a heck of a lot cheaper than copper, and these are countries that have/had bread lines now or not too long ago.

Jason

 

[chris in va]

Alright, you guys piqued my interest.

I cut the nose off one of my Wolf black box x39 FMJ.

I wouldn't even call that copper jacketed, more like plated. And it's HOLLOW! You can see the lead core down inside. Interestingly the inside of the steel jacket is copper plated too.

 

[Jason_G]

Interestingly the inside of the steel jacket is copper plated too.

I'm willing to bet that they just dunk those hollow steel jackets in a solution and electroplate them with copper. Cheap, fast, and they only use the minimum amount of copper necessary to prevent rust and look good. Just a guess, I could be wrong.

Jason

 

[Gewehr98]

Is it just me...

Or would that modified round as it's pictured make an absolutely evil defensive round. It would have to be the one in the chamber, since it probably wouldn't negotiate a feedramp with the nose gone...

 

[kozak6]

Absolutely not.

Such a round would be extremely dangerous to fire.

Chances are, the lead core would be blasted right through the jacket, leaving the jacket stuck in your chamber or bore.

It would be better just to buy a softpoint or hollowpoint to begin with.

The hollow nose is intended to promote tumbling after it hits the target.

 

[Dfariswheel]

"Such a round would be extremely dangerous to fire"

Exactly.
For years people have tried to make hunting or defense ammo by cutting the tip off military full metal jacketed rounds.

What happens sooner, rather than later, is the lead or steel core "sheds" the jacket inside the bore. leaving the jacket stuck there.
Unless you look you have no way of knowing it's in there, and the next round blows a bulge in the barrel at a minimum and possibly blows the gun UP, right in your face.

 

[Gewehr98]

Ok, how's the core going to come squirting out the front...

If it's a Totally Full Metal Jacketed bullet?

IOW, as opposed to an open base bullet with exposed core. Obviously, with the latter, the lead core can get pushed through the jacket.

The last batch of milsurp ammo and bulk milsurp bullets I bought had jacketed bases, no exposed lead.

I'd agree with Kozak and DFaris, if we're talking open base.

I strongly disagree if it's TFMJ, because then it's not really different than defensive handgun hollow point ammo. Or did you guys forget about that aspect?