Norinco 5.56 ammo smell.

[Icontractor82]

So this might be a stupid question but I've never purchased norinco ammo before. Anyways as I opened the crate dated 1995. Out came this extremely strong smell of moth balls or mould and there was this weird white powder all over the cans. I'm wondering is this normal

 

[sspike]

Ammo is cheap, but the stank is free. Pretty much par for the course on that stuff. It doesn't affect the rounds just offensive to the senses.

 

[Bile]

same here. 1995 white box. it seems normal. i also had a similar but not identicle smell from czhech 7.62x39. the norinco stuff routinely missfires. two per 20 average. its not accurate. this ammo is junk. it should cost 1/4 that it usually sells for.

 

[Wormald1995]

I have opened 2 cans of that ammo it does stink, its hard yo get off your hands! i have had no problems with it.

 

[Canada tail]

Really hot ammo for sure. Leave em in the garage for a week. The smell will go away

 

[Mister Donut]

same here. 1995 white box. it seems normal. i also had a similar but not identicle smell from czhech 7.62x39. the norinco stuff routinely missfires. two per 20 average. its not accurate. this ammo is junk. it should cost 1/4 that it usually sells for.

That's bad luck man, I've gone through a thousand and they all went off, not incredibly accurate, but decent enough.

 

[bluearmy]

That's bad luck man, I've gone through a thousand and they all went off, not incredibly accurate, but decent enough.

same im about to open another crate this weekend last case was sep 1995 no powder lil smell and all fired fine

 

[Jonny_Cannon]

Smells like.....victory

Cannon

 

[timandkimandshea]

I've shot a trillion, with hardly a misfire. Must be an unlucky bad batch, or the firearm itself.
T

same here. 1995 white box. it seems normal. i also had a similar but not identicle smell from czhech 7.62x39. the norinco stuff routinely missfires. two per 20 average. its not accurate. this ammo is junk. it should cost 1/4 that it usually sells for.

 

[Simonw]

That white powder is cancer causing lead based. Get rid of it quick!!!! Send them to me I will dispose them for you free of charge.

 

[Lastgun]

Have only opened one can...No white powder but a strong odor of what I would describe as turpentine, smell dissipated in a day or two after opening...Maybe applied as long term storage preservative...1995 vintage lot#33...All went bang so far and are hot, chronograph at 3150 outta 14.5 inch barrel and group around 2 MOA...I want more!

 

[Phat Eagle]

That's bad luck man, I've gone through a thousand and they all went off, not incredibly accurate, but decent enough.

X2... I've gone through 4 crates in the past 18 months with only TWO duds. Apparently there are a few bad lots, but seems that mine have not been part of them. I know the same ammo is NOT GOOD in my father-in-laws bolt gun.

 

[saskcop]

Love that ammo, kinda gotten used to the smell too. Can't say they smell much better after shooting them either.

 

[Smcx]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i did .80 MOA last week with a savage 25

Other than a few light primer strikes, the gun seems to like that stuff well enough.

 

[Ganderite]

same here. 1995 white box. it seems normal. i also had a similar but not identical smell from czhech 7.62x39. the norinco stuff routinely missfires. two per 20 average. its not accurate. this ammo is junk. it should cost 1/4 that it usually sells for.

I know the same ammo is NOT GOOD in my father-in-laws bolt gun.

This probably because the ammo uses a military type (hard cup) primer. On some rifles I have had to switch to a stronger firing pin/hammer spring to get reliable ignition.

It is a gun issue, not an ammo issue.

 

[CV32]

If you don't mind the occasional split case or bad primer, and the random accuracy, or the crappy brass quality, its not terrible.

 

[5440fight]

The Russian 7.62x54r stuff smells like tiger balm when you open it, the Czech x39 smells like old books and solder, the Chinese a little like moth balls... here, smell my finger and guess what I've been handling. I'll give you a hint: It has a box, is more than 30 years old, goes bang every time I unwrap it, and I'm never more than an inch off target.

 

[Bile]

This probably because the ammo uses a military type (hard cup) primer. On some rifles I have had to switch to a stronger firing pin/hammer spring to get reliable ignition.

It is a gun issue, not an ammo issue.

id agree with you if it ran better in either my ar or rem700. it fails in both. its the ammo.

 

[Sporkman]

Well, it stinks but it makes the appropriate noise when fed to my AR (no misfires so far), strange thing though is from 2 cases, each of the 4 cans was a different lot number. The cases appeared to be factory sealed, no sign of being opened, so maybe a factory repack?

 

[sigrunes]

It does stink when you open it big time, the white powder is anthrax, no biggie, lol.