Norinco Red box 7.62x39
- Thread starter HChammer
- Start date
I was buying it everytime it came on sale. Seemed like everytime I went in they had a sale. I have shot it in multiple rifles and purposely left my SKS to see if it went rusty. No rust. Red box Norinco is dirty so decided to see how many rounds without cleaning it would keep working. At 900 I cleaned as the mess bothered me. I sprayed it with oil acouple times when it got dry
That's when i tend to shoot the corrosive ammo i have still kicking around, when it's already dirty enough that i am going to fully tear it down anyway.
If it's just to bring along to the range and plink a few rounds it's easier to use the non corrosive
My experience...
311 / 19 red box is GOOD (shot over 3000+ rounds)
311 / 20 red box is GOOD (shot over 3600+ rounds)
311 / 14 white box is GOOD (shot about 1200-1400 rounds)
Avoid 311 / 18 if you find it. I have seen it in red box and white box. I have encountered corrosive mixed rounds with it. Not many, but enough for me to not trust that that batch is reliable, and I won't buy any boxes with rounds bearing those headstamps. These 311 / 18 batches is what is causing some of these very bad reviews online. The problem is the look of the box doesn't change over lot years - so you can't tell a red box 18 or 19 or 20 by just looking at the box - there are no lot numbers. You have to look at the headstamp.
From what I can gather, the recent stuff from Cabela's has all been 311 / 20, BUT several years ago they carried the 311 / 18. The problem is people who saw red/white box with "noncorrosive" got burned with mixed corrosive rounds and some swore off Norinco ever since - the see the same picture of the same box they bought and they will go ape-poo. It is understandable but I (and likely many others here) can attest, 311 19 and 311 20 red box is good to go. For me, this is based on shooting it through my SKSes, all of which are collector's grade. Still, I check the gas tube, piston rod, chamber, barrel, etc. every once in a while just out of habit.
Any other years / colour boxes (yellow, silver), I have no idea since I haven't shot them yet.
311 / 19 red box is GOOD (shot over 3000+ rounds)
311 / 20 red box is GOOD (shot over 3600+ rounds)
311 / 14 white box is GOOD (shot about 1200-1400 rounds)
Avoid 311 / 18 if you find it. I have seen it in red box and white box. I have encountered corrosive mixed rounds with it. Not many, but enough for me to not trust that that batch is reliable, and I won't buy any boxes with rounds bearing those headstamps. These 311 / 18 batches is what is causing some of these very bad reviews online. The problem is the look of the box doesn't change over lot years - so you can't tell a red box 18 or 19 or 20 by just looking at the box - there are no lot numbers. You have to look at the headstamp.
From what I can gather, the recent stuff from Cabela's has all been 311 / 20, BUT several years ago they carried the 311 / 18. The problem is people who saw red/white box with "noncorrosive" got burned with mixed corrosive rounds and some swore off Norinco ever since - the see the same picture of the same box they bought and they will go ape-poo. It is understandable but I (and likely many others here) can attest, 311 19 and 311 20 red box is good to go. For me, this is based on shooting it through my SKSes, all of which are collector's grade. Still, I check the gas tube, piston rod, chamber, barrel, etc. every once in a while just out of habit.
Any other years / colour boxes (yellow, silver), I have no idea since I haven't shot them yet.
thegazelle - That's good info. I'll keep that in my Range-2024 folder ;-) I still watch for the prices to go back down - It was $9.99 around the past Holidays - Still 0.58c for me w/tax in NB. I've got about 2K of the Chinese to use up but if I can avoid "deep cleans", esp on my Ruger - a 'good thing'.
No problem glad to help. I have ordered the red box multiple times from Cabela's online and have gone multiple times to the Bass Pro locally to buy the same (while I'm picking up some fishing stuff) and it's all been the good stuff 311 / 20, as of late.
Thanks for the feedback thegazelle, much appreciated!! I have half a dozen boxes of Norinco White Box with the 311 / 18 headstamp; I marked them up as potentially corrosive on the boxes and will clean accordingly. Fortunately, the balance of my non corrosive stash consists of Norinco Red Box with the later stamps, and some Barnaul. I am looking forward to the latter becoming available again, but not keeping my hopes high…
I want to make sure I emphasize I am not saying that all 311 18 is corrosive, but of all the lots I have shot and tested, I have found corrosive rounds mixed in with 311 18. I don't think it's just me that had this experience as in doing some online research, others have reported the same. Most people don't consider the fact that there are headstamp lot differences and just write off the entire Norinco line.
Since Barnaul was mentioned...just in case there are some who read this who may not be aware....if you see "MFS" ammo listed on the secondary market, grab it. It is rebadged Barnaul - exactly the same stuff. ZERO CORROSIVE
Also, periodically you will see "Dominion" brand on the secondary market - that stuff is from the Ukraine if I remember correct and imported by a Canadian company (maybe Canammo, I don't remember) - it's also good stuff too. ZERO CORROSIVE.
