7.62 NATO ammo question

[375rum]

I have some 7.62x51 nato ammo I would like to know if corrosive.
Box is square ish light brown ammo is packed 4 rows of 5, Box reads
20 cartuchos CAL.-7.62x51 below is NATO ESPANOL. Front of box
Cargados en 1980. Sold by Century Arms . It is SxB marked on box
and headstamp is SB80.I have read many opinions. Brass case blue
primer or green hard to tell frj bullet.
Regards 375rum

 

[Light Infantry]

Pics or is it the same stuff being auctioned at landsborough.

 

[redbirddog]

the S&B is Santa Barbara not Seller and Bellot.

I have a bunch I got from a gun show 2 weeks ago for a steel. I have not fired it yet. But there is some info out there from shooters that it shot well and was clean.

Im trying to upload some pics to share, but its hard a heck.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

As above - Santa Barbara arsenal. The important detail will be if there is a circled cross on the headstamp. That is the NATO spec symbol.

I have no experience with Spanish ammo, but a while back I had a Spanish FR-8 rifle. There was/is a lot of internet bun fighting about whether those rifles were 7.62 CETME or 7.62 NATO. Since I fired the rifle a lot and never experienced any malfunctions, I'll say the FR-8 was NATO specification made to shoot ammo just like yours.

 

[PSE]

I used to shoot a lot of that ammo out of my HK-91 and it worked flawlessly.

It is Spanish ball and as far as I know it is non corrosive. I still have a case of it and I believe the outside wood box stenciling has the Nato circled cross which means it is Nato spec which should be 147 grains at approx 2700 fps.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

.... Box reads
20 cartuchos CAL.-7.62x51 below is NATO ESPANOL. Front of box
Cargados en 1980. Sold by Century Arms. It is SxB marked on box
and headstamp is SB80. ...

There was something about the date that made me hesitate. Spain joined NATO in 1982 and the population ratified the decision in 1986. Therefore, I think this ammunition was made to NATO specification but for export.

 

[375rum]

Sorry I am not able to do pics with this old comp.

 

[375rum]

I have the SB80 box with me now. Redbirddog is right I believe. There is a crest on the SB80 box onw whole side .
Looks like a gear with a sword pointed straight down on either side of the blade is a large stylized S on the other
side of the blade is a stylized B. Santa Barbara? I also have some 7.62 in a standard cartridge box light green/blue
ish marked 20 cartridges Ball 7.62m/m Rimless. Lower on box ZV on side front of box 1970. Headstamp reads 7.62
ZV70. Is this corrosive? Thanks for all the help

 

[BattleRife]

I bought a case of the Santa Barbra stuff in the early 90s, I don't remember taking any special care when shooting it. And, it would be strange for a western European country to be loading ammo with corrosive primers that late. It was rumoured to be loaded light but I don't believe it was corrosive.

I also have some 7.62 in a standard cartridge box light green/blue
ish marked 20 cartridges Ball 7.62m/m Rimless. Lower on box ZV on side front of box 1970. Headstamp reads 7.62
ZV70. Is this corrosive? Thanks for all the help

This sounds like Czech ammo. Black primers? Definitely corrosive.

 

[Potashminer]

Pictures from OP - I think this is the second type that he has - light green box - 7.62. Headstamp not really clear on picture, but head stamp appears to say "ZV" then "70", around top as shown - then 7.62 around bottom - Primer appears to have a red coloured sealant around it. My apologies - both pictures went sideways - I do not know how to fix that ...

 

[Potashminer]

This is the SB logo in the first type of ammo that he asked about: It, also, apparently went sideways when I posted it...

 

[Potashminer]

Again from OP - appears to be stamp on end of box with the SB logo. For third time it went sideways on me!!

 

[Potashminer]

This appears to be head of those SB logo cartridges - I see three crimps and blackish sealant on these - you will likely have to zoom in to make out what the actual head stamp might say. Perhaps OP can tell us the letters or numbers shown??

 

[Potashminer]

These two pictures from redbirddog from Post #3 - not the OP - and again the damn sideways thing for the second picture, but not the first!!!

 

[Potashminer]

My comment - I note that neither of the batches shown above have the little "+" in a circle, which would indicate meeting NATO spec?? I have and have had various batches of Hirtenberger 7.62 ammo which seemed fine - but also no NATO mark, which is actually not surprising, because I do not think even today that Austria is a NATO member ...

 

[zupermann]

IIRC, the Santa Barbara ammo didnt have the NATO crossmark as this ammo was lower pressure than NATO spec.
I had a case at one point and "mexican matched" most of it with excellent results in a wide variety of firearms. Too bad the supply has dried up.

 

[375rum]

I have the same ammo as redbirddog headstamp is SB80 is the only difference

 

[big bear]

This is the SB logo in the first type of ammo that he asked about: It, also, apparently went sideways when I posted it...

View attachment 589487

Finishing off a case now. Not corrosive. Not as hot as Nato spec. More accurate than Hirtenberg and easier on my 308 Garand.