Russian VS Finnish cartridges

[H Wally]

In the ammo section there's a post about 7.72x53R ammo. It specifically refers to needing brass for a finnish m27. Also, in a later post it mentions that using 7.62x54R in a finnish rifle could be dangerous. I tried getting this solved in that post, but so far it's being ignored....

I was until now under the impression the finnish rifles were chambered in 7.62x54R. I have an M39 that I thought was in 54R, but I also was unaware the finns had any other kind of ammo. All of my other sources list the finnish cartridge of the time as being 7.62x54R, but then there's the occasional reference to 7.72x53R.

What the heck is going on? Is this finnish cartridge specific only to some of the finnish rifles? I'm both intrigued and worried...



Edit - seems the best way to solve my own question is to post on here. Instantly I'll find the answer myself:


http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/The-Finnish-M27.asp

This "D" stamping denotes that the rifles chamber has been altered to accept the Finnish D-166 heavy ball bullet. This change was done to accommodate a chamber size that would be able to use all types of 7.62x54R ammunition. The Finnish forces had captured vast quantities of Russian ammunition and it often was not useable in the m/27 due to the Finnish rifles tighter chamber tolerances. This alteration solved that problem and enabled the use of all captured ammunition as well as the new D-166 ball ammo and MG cartridges of the Finnish weapons of the day. It is very uncommon to find a Finnish rifle of any kind that has not been marked with this "D" stamping to indicate this modification. One of the most puzzling markings commonly found on the m/27 is the capitol letter "F" found over the date of the rifle on the barrel shank. This letter was erroneously thought by others to be the designation of Swedish Fägestra steel used in the fabrication of the barrel production. This is not the correct meaning of the "F" marking. In actuality the "F" marking is one of three that were used. The trial rifles of the m/27 series were marked with an "A" to denote the shape and contuor of the neck area of the chamber. The Finnish army had been experimenting with different bullet loads and shell casing measurements to determine the optimum cartridge to achieve the greatest accuracy out of the m/27. The first shell designation with a modified casing measurements in the neck area-that was made with a much steeper shoulder than the normal Finnish 7.62x53R cartridge, was the "A" cartridge designation. This shell was not adopted for wide spread use and the marking was dropped. No known m/27 that I am aware of are found with this "A" chamber shape marking. (The author would be glad to offer a great trade should one pop up!)

 

[purple]

I've been using Lapua brass marked 7.62 x53.The only difference is that the brass is 1mm shorter than the x54 in the neck.It works just fine in my Finnish M27.

 

[dan belisle]

7.72 is most likely a typo. The Finns did call their ammo 7.62x53R though (same thing basically as the Russian's 7.62x54R, just better quality), I recall seeing boxes and boxes of Lapua made stuff a couple of decades ago. - dan

 

[H Wally]

Hmmm. I had wondered about that. Couldn't dig up a lot of info on that, but assumed it was a vague cartridge with little info on it...

 

[mbogo3]

Isn't most of the Finn barrels/ammo .308" bore as opposed to the Soviet .310"+ ? Harold