[elpitirre]

I was using Russian surplus ammo with my Polish M-44 (exc. condition) and one of the brass cracked. Someone told me that either the ammo was to hot or the chamber was too tight. I believe that is the quality of the brass. I stopped shooting and decided to ask other people for their opinion. Your comments are very well appreciated.

[makdaddy03]

I have had some of the russian surplus stuff crack and i have even seen the bullet fall out of the brass case before.

[Stinger]

My$ is on weak brass. Old milsurp is sometimes iffy.


Stinger

[No4Mk1*]

Much of the Albanian ammo (marked Made in Russia) has ugly folds in the brass around the shoulder and a few will crack where the bullet was crimped into place. I have never had a bad experience with this ammo as all the cracks are in the front 10% of the case and no gas escapes to the rear. It is sure fire and inexpensive. If it scares you then give it to someone like me who will enjoy it.

[foghornl]

I had some of the Albanian ammo of 1988/89 vintage with the folds in the case you describe. Some of those folds were as long as 3/4". I pulled those bullets, salvaged the powder, and fired the primers, then tossed the brass. Not easily reloadable, anyway. Maybe the ammo was OK, but I decided not to let loose a 30,000+ PSI monster next to my face in questionable containers. Those with small cracks around the bullet base I fired.

[RON in PA]

If it was Russian brass it was probably a copper plated steel case and splits in the neck or shoulder are common and not dangerous.

If it was really brass it was probably Albanian (unless Chinese from the 50s). Neck or shoulder splits are not dangerous, splits lower down on the case can cause you major problems.

[MonkeyMan]

I haven't had that happen with my M-N's yet but it's a fairly common occurence with Turkish surplus 8mm. I ordered 700 rounds from CAI last year and some of it had cracked necks before shooting. While a cracked case neck can raise your pucker factor a bit unless there's other signs of high pressure I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Steel]

The Albanian 7.62 cracked on a few rounds for me too.

Buy the Czech stuff or the true Russian stuff


http://www.mosin-nagant.net/i3tro4.htm

[jjmorgan64]

I've never had a problem with the cracked cases, about a third of the old 8mm mauser ammo I picked up was cracked

Make sure that the bullet's arn't loose however, if the bullet get pushed back into the neck while chambering this could raise pressures.

[elpitirre]

The ammo had no cracks before firing. This happened after firing and the crack extends from the shoulder until almost the rim. I had problems with the extraction but the primer presents no signs of overpressure.



m44c

[cracked butt]

I've seen 7.62x54 brass with huge dents in the shoulder, the necks folded over themselves, and loose bullets. Shows what communism does to pride in one's work.:D