Got the usual email from the folks at Lucky Gunner for 7.62x39mm ammo (among others), and I want to highlight the product blurb from the manufacturer. Note the highlighted parts:
The big “knocks” against inexpensive “39” ammo are that:
- the steel casing can damage a gun’s action (it doesn’t)
- steel casings can’t be reloaded like brass casings can (true)
- Berdan primers are corrosive (not anymore), and
- a lot of ranges (e.g. the one where I used to shoot) won’t allow steel / alloy-steel bullets because of potential damage to the backstop.
Every single issue is addressed in the copy — nay, not just addressed but trumpeted. As marketing/advertising copy, it’s absolutely brilliant.
I know that 40c/round is expensive compared to the old 15c price bracket, but these are different times we live in. And for AK owners, like I used to be, this looks like a decent bargain.
And who the hell reloads 7.62x39mm anyway?
15 cents? Heck, I remember buying 7.62×39 (Golden Tiger brand) for $79 for a case of 1,000 rounds, to go with my newly acquired Yugo SKS.
I think I have receipts from the CMP for Greek M2 ball that might be $0.25/round. Those were the good old days. Now 30-06 is at least a buck around and more often $1.25-1.50/round.
I had a box of 45acp WWB that I think was about $12/box of 50. Now a box of 50 is much higher.
Someone said buy cheap and stack it deep.
JQ
I remember buying a case of two spam cans and getting a chinese SKS that was loaded with cosmoline for $90 at gun shows. I would buy two and sell one of the SKS’s to a pawn shop for $50 and shoot up the ammo in the back yard range I had on the farm. I still have an unopened case I bought in 90’s. I haven’t fired that SKS in 15 years.
Finding 120 to 130 grain .311 caliber bullets for reloading AK-47 ammo is next to impossible these days.