Any cheap range-safe Russian-spec 7.62x39 ammo??

S

superlative

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
46   0   0
Location
Calgary
My frustration with red rifles is that they're only really useful when you buy the cheaper ammo. If I have to pay $20/20 (American Eagle), then I might as well shoot 308 which I can get cheaper. Furthermore, I can't shoot at the range because of the steel core!

So question: is there some Russian spec 7.62x39 (.310 or .311 radius, not the .308 American stuff) that is not steel core and that is cheap? (around $0.50 a round)??

Thanks!!
 
superlative said:
My frustration with red rifles is that they're only really useful when you buy the cheaper ammo. If I have to pay $20/20 (American Eagle), then I might as well shoot 308 which I can get cheaper. Furthermore, I can't shoot at the range because of the steel core!

So question: is there some Russian spec 7.62x39 (.310 or .311 radius, not the .308 American stuff) that is not steel core and that is cheap? (around $0.50 a round)??

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

wait.. what??
 
Look for the Barnaul ammo. Usually goes for less than $10/20 box, FMJ lead core, steel cased, non-corrosive.

Whether you can actually use it at the range is another matter altogether. One range here in town won't allow anything with any steel in it, anywhere, even if its just the case and not the bullet. If the metal detector goes "Boop!" they call security while yelling "Outcast! Unclean!"

The other range in town was actually built right and could care less what you bring in so long as it is under .50BMJ

http://www.theammosource.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_40_447&products_id=608
http://www.tradeexcanada.com/content/762x39-barnaul-ammunition-123gr-fmj-out-stock

Wholesale Sports in Calgary usually stocks it as well, usually has a couple pallets of it sitting on the floor.

Search around, someone usually has a few pallets of it in stock at any given point in time. Keeps the cost to the $0.50/round or less range.

The other nice thing about it is that ballistically, it is a near perfect match for the MilSurp stuff. Absolutely zero difference in point of impact at 100 yards (have tried it at the outdoor public range) vs. the Czech surplus stuff. I find the Hornady SST rounds tend to hit about 6" high at 100 yards compared to milsurp. No idea if it is a hotter load or just better aerodynamics of the bullet.
 
Speaking of shooting the steel core ammo: is there a place close to Edmonton where you can do it? Last time we had to drive almost 2 hours to the Crown Land to have some fun. I can see there are quite a few folks from Edmonton here, so please share your secret spots.....
 
I belong to the range in Camrose, and last year they were still allowing it. I sure hope they don't change their policy! The Sherwood Park range is not allowing any FMJ (let alone steel core) as of this year. They are afraid of fly-aways. Apparently there have been some problems ...

What we need is for some enterprising individual to buy an old hockey arena, riding arena, or some other big building and set up a 100 + meter indoor range with a sand berm backstop, and good ventilation so that people could shoot whatever they want. If you think about it, people would probably pay a higher membership fee if the tradeoff was that they could shoot cheap ammo.
 
superlative said:
which range in Calgary?? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Calgary Shooting Center, down off MacLeod Tr. by Fabricland. At least, that's what they said when I was down there on Sunday. Downside is that it's only a 25yard(err, meter?) range.

The Shooter's Edge is fully non-steele, but they have a 50yard rifle range.

I have a case of Barnaul and the bullet sticks to a magnet.
Click to expand...

The bullet or the case? Every batch of Barnaul I've gotten the bullets are lead core. Who knows, i mighta just gotten lucky, the stuff is coming out of Russia, and the packaging isn't clear either way - probably so they can go with whatever's cheapest at the time.
 
the11 said:
...What we need is for some enterprising individual to buy an old hockey arena, riding arena, or some other big building and set up a 100 + meter indoor range with a sand berm backstop, and good ventilation so that people could shoot whatever they want. If you think about it, people would probably pay a higher membership fee if the tradeoff was that they could shoot cheap ammo...
Click to expand...


Amen brotha. But with the price of Real Estate in Calgary, who the heck could afford to sink the kind of capital into that project and not go broke?
 
My indoor range has banned steel core/jacket as well. (Colby in Waterloo)
I believe the excuse was sparks could start a fire.
MFS, Barmaul and all milsurp is banned essentially. (PPU/PRIVI is fine)
 
Yukon1911 said:
Our range is not indoor for rifle however, outside only....
Click to expand...

It is usually the indoor ranges that have issues with steel core and steel jacketed ammo, due to baffle damage and the fire hazard. The only outdoor ranges I have seen that ban it are run by fudds and it is an attempt to drive away the SKS/milsurp shooters that annoy the fudds.


TyK said:
I believe the excuse was sparks could start a fire.
Click to expand...

This is not just an excuse, it is a very real concern with steel baffles and steel core/jacketed ammo. The steel core tends to really beat the crap out of the baffles as well.


Mark
 
mmattockx said:
[...]
This is not just an excuse, it is a very real concern with steel baffles and steel core/jacketed ammo. The steel core tends to really beat the crap out of the baffles as well.


Mark
Click to expand...

Not saying it is a bad excuse, we had someone fire off a steel cored round and it practically showered the back in sparks. Kinda cool but I'd be afraid of a fire in such an oxygen rich / contained environment.
 
TyK said:
Not saying it is a bad excuse, we had someone fire off a steel cored round and it practically showered the back in sparks. Kinda cool but I'd be afraid of a fire in such an oxygen rich / contained environment.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I just wanted to point out that the fire hazard is very real. The backstop gets showered in confetti from paper targets being shot up and it can accumulate into a nice tinder pile if not regularly cleaned out. Then you get sparks as you saw and poof, up it goes.

Along with the noise and air contamination inherent to indoor ranges, this is another one of the reasons I really prefer shooting outdoors.


Mark
 
grelmar said:
Calgary Shooting Center, down off MacLeod Tr. by Fabricland. At least, that's what they said when I was down there on Sunday. Downside is that it's only a 25yard(err, meter?) range.

The Shooter's Edge is fully non-steele, but they have a 50yard rifle range.



The bullet or the case? Every batch of Barnaul I've gotten the bullets are lead core. Who knows, i mighta just gotten lucky, the stuff is coming out of Russia, and the packaging isn't clear either way - probably so they can go with whatever's cheapest at the time.
Click to expand...

Yeah CSC only has 25 yards. And yes the Barnaul bullet stuck to the magnet. Obviously I wouldn't be placing the magnet on the casing. I was really disappointed :-(
 
superlative said:
Yeah CSC only has 25 yards. And yes the Barnaul bullet stuck to the magnet. Obviously I wouldn't be placing the magnet on the casing. I was really disappointed :-(
Click to expand...

Heh, no insult intended, just caught me by surprise.

If you can wait for spring, there's always the Homestead range, it's both free and goes out to 100yds. And kind of a dump, and some of the yahoos who go out there are a little unclear on the meaning of "Range Safety."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom