I remember reading (on CGN) that there was some question about this ammo being non-corrosive in spite of how it's labelled. Anyone remember that conversation or the outcome?
I do not
Up until a few years, ago Norinco had a bad batch of white box, headstamp 311 18, that said it was non-corrosive, but it contained rounds that were corrosive.
Since 2019, when it was switched to red box, the headstamps 311 19 and 311 20 are absolutely NOT CORROSIVE. I have shot literally thousands (1446 of 311 19 and 1902 of 311 20) of rounds and not cleaned my piston tube, rod, breech, barrel, etc. for weeks No corrosion.
Here is where Cabela's fell down a bit. Until very recently (like now), they were selling the red box, but the stock photo in the ad was white box. So all those people who bought white box 311 18 were incensed to see that Cabela's was supposedly selling the same rounds that they bought that had some corrosive mixed in. I am glad Cabela's changed the photo, but there will still always be people who wonder based on bad experiences.
The biggest thing is not to mix and match. If you only shoot 311 20 (which I believe is what Cabela's now carries) in red box, you will be fine. Don't shoot anything else with it. Some have done that - mixed in a bunch of Norinco copper washed including some older corrosive rounds from boxes that say otherwise, and they think the newer stuff is corrosive.
I can't speak to the really old yellow and silver box stuff. The white box I have shot that is absolutely non corrosive is 311 14. Other than that, I don't know about any other white box except 311 18, which stores don't sell anymore, but be careful buying it off the secondary market.
Now, any Chinese 7.62x39 from a spam can, I can almost guarantee it is corrosive. At the very least presume it is.
For those who can find it, the Russian Barnaul / MFS, Tulammo brands are all non corrosive but they will cost more and you can't find it in retail channels commonly anymore (the 7.62x39 Barnaul that is). If you can find some older Dominion branded ones - those are good too and also come in soft points if you can find them.
