7.62x54 question

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  • colt45er

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    Nov 6, 2008
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    Avon, IN
    Alright, I bougth my Mosin last night and now it is time to buy some surplus ammo. I am looking at the catalog from SOG and from what I understand I can order ammo from them without having a FFL.

    First off if that is incorrect please correct me.

    My question for the ammo is, is there are difference in 7.62x54 and 7.62x54r? Does it have to have the R?

    SOG has 7.62x54r Romanian 300rd Tin for $44.95
    They have 7.62-54R Bulgarian 440 rd for $72.60
    They have 7.62x54 Czech silvertip 440 for $87.78


    Would any of those work in my Mosin? Which are best the silvertips?

    Would the romanian work well?
     

    Disposable Heart

    Grandmaster
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    Apr 18, 2008
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    The R is inconsequential. As far as the best stuff there: If the Romanian is the Hotshot stuff, its pretty darn good. Bulgarian (if the brasscased) is stupid awesome, as the brass does not have laquer on it to gum up after repeated shots and is accurate for milsurp. I would probably go for the Bulgy as it is probably the best of all the aforementioned. I have never like Czech anything, silvertip also.
     

    colt45er

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    i am thinking about staying away form the Czech just because it is more $

    The Romanian jsut says, "Packed in 10Rd. bundles/300rd. Tins. Full megal jacket. #AMO-76254300"

    The Bulgarian says," Bulgarian production, steel core, non-corrosive. #AMO-76254RB"

    Romanian figures down to 14.9 cents per round.

    Bulgarian is 16.5 cents per round

    prices are not including shipping.
     

    Clay

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    Aug 28, 2008
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    One thing to note: Go to the SOG website, fill out their Ammunition Waiver, and fax it w/ a copy of your drivers license to SOG. They will not even talk to you about ammo until they have this in their system. Ask me how I know! ;)
     

    dburkhead

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    If it is listed as steel core, Bulgarian and its in bulk for that cheap, I can guarantee it is corrosive. All that ammo should be treated as such, unless it is new manufacture!!!!11!!:)

    Corrosive is not really a big problem so long as you flushe the barrel with lots of hot water (I use about 2 quarts) every time you shoot it.

    We're not talking about high molar acid here abut about salts that will eat into the metal if left over time.
     

    karlsgunbunker

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    Alright, I bougth my Mosin last night and now it is time to buy some surplus ammo. I am looking at the catalog from SOG and from what I understand I can order ammo from them without having a FFL.

    First off if that is incorrect please correct me.

    My question for the ammo is, is there are difference in 7.62x54 and 7.62x54r? Does it have to have the R?

    SOG has 7.62x54r Romanian 300rd Tin for $44.95
    They have 7.62-54R Bulgarian 440 rd for $72.60
    They have 7.62x54 Czech silvertip 440 for $87.78


    Would any of those work in my Mosin? Which are best the silvertips?

    Would the romanian work well?

    x54 and x54r are the same ammo.
    The r is for Rimmed.

    All of the ammo listed will work well in your Mosin.

    I usually buy the cheapest ammo available.
    Prices vary due to availability.
    When a new shipment comes in it's cheap as it runs out it gets more expensive.

    Czech Silver tip is reputed to be very good.
    I'm still working through my Russian and Bulgarian (open cans), Haven't gotten to the Czech, may take a few years to get to it.
     

    smokingman

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    Nov 11, 2008
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    Corrosive is not really a big problem so long as you flushe the barrel with lots of hot water (I use about 2 quarts) every time you shoot it.

    We're not talking about high molar acid here abut about salts that will eat into the metal if left over time.


    Windex...yes the real stuff you clean your windows with,is what rinse my nagants with before i even leave the range.It is the ammonia that negates the salts.It is much better at preventing the pitting than just water. I do not recall where I got the advise from,but it has worked for 9 years or so.So before you leave the range clean it or use windex...it buys you time(a day or two)before you MUST clean the rifle. Even the non-corrosive powder for any 7.62x54r is corrosive by all modern standards. So even if it says non-corrosive you have to clean/stop the rust. Windex is easy and works until I get time to do a real cleaning.
     

    karlsgunbunker

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    Windex...yes the real stuff you clean your windows with,is what rinse my nagants with before i even leave the range.It is the ammonia that negates the salts.It is much better at preventing the pitting than just water. I do not recall where I got the advise from,but it has worked for 9 years or so.So before you leave the range clean it or use windex...it buys you time(a day or two)before you MUST clean the rifle. Even the non-corrosive powder for any 7.62x54r is corrosive by all modern standards. So even if it says non-corrosive you have to clean/stop the rust. Windex is easy and works until I get time to do a real cleaning.


    It is the WATER that disolves the salts, they are water soluable.
    Ask any Black Powder Shooter.
    Hot Soapy Water works on BP and will work for Corrosive primers also.

    The Ammonia thing has been floating around for years, Urban Legend.
     

    dburkhead

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    Won't the water just contribute to rust in the barrel?

    If you left it dripping wet for a significant time. What I do is run hot water through it, then run a couple of patches through to remove most of the water, then let it air dry while I work on other stuff (like, say, cleaning the bolt).

    Then, I attack the bore with solvents (Hoppes #9 or Hoppes #9 Benchrest depending on the color the patches are coming out--green means benchrest). Once it's all clean, I spray everything down with Break Free, run a dry patch through the bore to distribute the break free and remove any excess, wipe down the outside surfaces with a clean towel, and we're good to go.
     

    colt45er

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    Thanks for the help guys.

    I am not really concerned about cleaning since I am a clean gun freak. I don't like my guns dirty...okay and I love the smell of Break Free:rockwoot:
     

    Wabatuckian

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    The salts, which are mainly potassium chloride, are produced when the primer is ignited. The powder itself is not corrosive. (As an aside, potassium chloride is a salt substitute for those on low sodium diets.)

    The salt does not eat into the barrel. What it does, is it attracts moisture. (Why table salt clumps up in salt shakers.)

    The way I deal with this is I either clean it very well afterward, or I extend the bayonet, stick it in the ground, pull the bolt, and pour boiling water through the barrel. All the salts are then gone.

    Follow up with a bore snake (or shoe string with knots every couple inches) lightly oiled, and you're good to go.

    If you're feeling frisky, you can use some copper solvent when you get home.

    But remember, we Americans tend to make things over complicated. All you really need to maintain one of these rifles, even with corrosive ammo, is a shoestring and canteen cup.

    Josh <><
     

    dburkhead

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    The salt does not eat into the barrel. What it does, is it attracts moisture. (Why table salt clumps up in salt shakers.)

    Yes and no. It's not just the moisture, it's the salty moisture that makes things bad.

    Rust can happen from simple oxidation, but it really gets going as an electrochemical process, free ions in water act as a catalyst allowing it to proceed at a much faster rate than otherwise. Salts, almost by definition, form lots of free ions in water (even the purest of water will have some free ions formed from the water molecule itself) resulting in hastened rusting.
     

    jimbo-indy

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    Old trick learned form a WW2 era marksman: Push a patch (or two to make sure it's tight) on a jag, into the barrel from the chamber and push it to the muzzle but not out. place the muzzle in a pan of hot soapy water. Move the cleaning rod up and down, like a pump. This will draw the cleaning water into the bore without splashing all over. When done, push the patch out through the muzzle and finish cleaning as normal. Very quick and neat.
     

    Clay

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    Just ordered 2 tins of the 300 rd romanian from SOG. I was really surprised that their shipping, unlike most, was very reasonable. $10 shipping. Total was $101 to my door.
     
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