Cheap but reliable 7.62x39mm ammo

[psi_radar]

I just brought a SAR 1 home, bought some ammo at the local Walmart and realized REAL fast that's not the best way to do it. I spent about $30 on 60 rounds--enough to fill two magazines.

I saw some alternatives on a few internet outlets. On Ammunitionstore.com I found some Silver Bear ammo (1000 rds for 79.99) as well as some Wolf for even cheaper. I've heard Wolf is junk, and Bear is pretty good (match grade by a Russian company Barnault). I've also seen Golden Tiger and a few others. Any thoughts on these brands or other options? Thanks,

Pete

 

[Cryozombie]

I just brought a SAR 1 home, bought some ammo at the local Walmart and realized REAL fast that's not the best way to do it. I spent about $30 on 60 rounds--enough to fill two magazines.

I saw some alternatives on a few internet outlets. On Ammunitionstore.com I found some Silver Bear ammo (1000 rds for 79.99) as well as some Wolf for even cheaper. I've heard Wolf is junk, and Bear is pretty good (match grade by a Russian company Barnault). I've also seen Golden Tiger and a few others. Any thoughts on these brands or other options? Thanks,

Pete

I throw wolf downrange out of my Romainian AK, and have had no problems with any of it yet. Its cheap and makes good range ammo IMO.

 

[psi_radar]

I'm more concerned with misfires than anything else. The wolf ammo does ok in this regard?

 

[Cryozombie]

I'm more concerned with misfires than anything else. The wolf ammo does ok in this regard?

I put 'bout 500 rounds of wolf thru my AK last time out with no misfires or jams...

 

[dearnis.com]

www.ammoman.com is a good source of cheap ammo.

Almost any east-block surplus will be reliable; the only real concern is corrosive ammo. If in doubt, be prepared to spend some extra time cleaning. I'm still burning off stocks of Chinese 7.62x39 from 12 years ago; no mis-fires in hundreds of rounds through various rifles. Also working through some russian hollow-point stuff (not wolf brand); horribly corrosive though. (again, not an issue, just requires more thourough and immediate cleaning.

 

[ABN]

Check out www.cheaperthandirt.com you should find a wide range of things to choose from. I have used Wolf and have never had any problems with it.

andy

 

[Cryozombie]

www.ammoman.com is a good source of cheap ammo.

Almost any east-block surplus will be reliable; the only real concern is corrosive ammo. If in doubt, be prepared to spend some extra time cleaning. I'm still burning off stocks of Chinese 7.62x39 from 12 years ago; no mis-fires in hundreds of rounds through various rifles. Also working through some russian hollow-point stuff (not wolf brand); horribly corrosive though. (again, not an issue, just requires more thourough and immediate cleaning.

The guy at the gunshop in Ohio who sold me the Wolf ammo when I was out there told me its pretty corrosive and to pay extra attention to the little hole in the gas chamber where the gas tube connects to the barrel when I cleaned it...

 

[KenpoTex]

These guys have pretty much covered everything I would have said. I shot a lot of Wolf when I had a SKS, never had a problem with it. I have however had problems with Silver Bear. Not in 7.62 but in 9mm so I steer clear of it but I'm sure it's not all bad.

 

[psi_radar]

Silver Bear and Wolf are similar in price everywhere I looked. Ironically, Cheaper than Dirt's prices are a bit higher than others. At the prices advertised, I'm tempted to get a selection of both and see what I like more.

Technopunk, the guy I bought the AK from said to blow out the gas chamber with compressed air to ensure all material was removed. That's funny about Wolf, they bill themselves as non-corrosive. Guess not, huh?

Nobody's shot Golden Tiger? I'll have to look around for military surplus. Most I've seen is manufactured in the 70's. I personally have never shot anything that old, I suppose it's all in how it's stored.

 

[dearnis.com]

I have no issues shooting steel cased east block ammo in guns designed around it. I have put 1000 or so rounds of Wolf .45 through my kimber, and while no problems really arose, the accuracy isnt there.
For cleaning a cheap trick is to spray everything down with windex while still at the range; in neutralizes the corrosive salts nicely and leaves the carbon softer when you get home.

 

[Spookey]

Dear Shooters,

WOLF ammo has my vote as well. Every holiday it is tradition for the males (and some of the females) to go shooting. Among the revolvers and semi-auto pistols; I generally drag along my two SKS's, one Romanian AK, and my Ruger Mini-30.

Firing on average 2000 rounds between the four that are chambered in 7.62x39, I have fired two manufacturers, WOLF and Winchester.

WOLF...over 10,000 rounds fired in the last two years...NOT ONE SINGLE MIS-FIRE!

I purchase all my ammo from www.cheaperthandirt.com

God Bless,
Spookey

I do incourage you to pay special attention to your gas port as the build up will be there (more so with the WOLF than the WINCHESTER), but after a few hundred rounds you should be cleaning the gas port anyhow. Anytime you clean your auto loader (gas blow back system) you should be cleaning the gas port!

 

[punisher73]

Wolf is a russian brand as just about everyone has said. The problem that people do have with Wolf is the russians like to use lacquer on things including their bullets, so if you put alot of them downrange and the insides heat up it can cause the lacquer to become sticky and then jam and cause a build up in your gun.

 

[dearnis.com]

I wouldn't worry about it in an Eastern Bloc or Chicom weapon; it is also what they issued for military use in those weapons. I would not feed a something like a mini-30 a steady diet of Wolf, and I would be hard pressed before running it through, say, one of my ARs. On the other hand, when we started the transition to rifles at work the first two familiarization shoots were using Wolf 5.56 ammo; there were no significant malfuctions that I'm aware of. (that would be in excess of 42K rounds through about a dozen and a half weapons). I still wouldn't feed it to mine, and the purse strings seem to have loosened a bit at work to allow brass-cased practice rounds as well.

 

[punisher73]

An update, I was at a show this weekend and the new Wolf ammo is advertised as having a different polymer coating instead of the lacquer that people used to have trouble with. So it sounds like they might have fixed any problems they have had with it.

 

[AC_Pilot]

You guys are probabaly gonna hate me but I still have tons of the steel core, steel jacketed mildly corrosive Chinese ammo in galvanized tins, it's totally reliable and will go thru most vehicles front to back if it misses the block


My 7.62 x 39 weapons are Chinese pre ban M56S folders with multiple top cover optics, red dot, NV, illuminated scopes and multiple IR Streamlight lights on each weapon. They are my night-time defense rifles for my rural home..

 

[Cruentus]

You guys are probabaly gonna hate me but I still have tons of the steel core, steel jacketed mildly corrosive Chinese ammo in galvanized tins, it's totally reliable and will go thru most vehicles front to back if it misses the block


My 7.62 x 39 weapons are Chinese pre ban M56S folders with multiple top cover optics, red dot, NV, illuminated scopes and multiple IR Streamlight lights on each weapon. They are my night-time defense rifles for my rural home..

Tee hee...I could admit the same myself...maybe...but I plead the fifth on owning the old armor piercers on a public forum...

 

[psi_radar]

I took delivery on 1000 rds. of Wolf over the holidays, as well as a new american-made fire control group for my AK. Merry Christmas!

If anyone is interested, I was going to do a little blow-by-blow pictorial on the replacement of the crappy standard FCG (which has relentless trigger slap) with the new two-stage model. I can post it here if you've got a spot for it, Tulisan.

 

[Blindside]

Just thought I'd mention that Wolf .45 feeds like crap through my P90, the round head on those gets jammed when feeding out of the mag. It isn't like the P90 is a picky gun, I've fed lots of cheap ammo through it. It just doesn't like Wolf. I've got a box of 450 rounds free if anyone is passing through Wyoming.

Lamont

 

[AC_Pilot]

Tulisan,


It's legal to own the ammo as with any other "grandfathered" item, relax and enjoy, my friend

Just not legal to import or manufacture it. [which is unconstitutional of course]