Is this 7.62 X 54R cartridge FMJ ?

[ekohler]

I finally purchased a Mosin-Nagant after looking at them for a while. I then went to the local gun show last week and bought a few 20 round, paper bundles of military surplus ammo for it. The ammo was supposed to have come from his stock of spam cans that he was selling that were labeled being made in Russia in the mid 80’s.

I want to make sure I know what I have purchased before I shoot it in the rifle this week for the first time or go back next week to the gun show and buy a full spam can of it from him.

The only writing on the bottom of the cartridge case is 188 and 74.

By looking at the photo, especially the silver metal tip, can anyone tell me if it would be considered FMJ and anything else good or bad about it? Some of the local ranges do not allow FMJ and I want to know what it is before I buy some more.

The full 440 round can is going for $84.95 + tax which is as cheap as I see it sold for locally.

Thanks for any comments and feedback.

 

[robmkivseries70]

Good Day,
The reference is here http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmoID.htm
I suspect the bullet is copper jacketed / steel core. Still good blasting ammo where it is acceptable.
Best,
Rob

 

[Deus Machina]

Yes, it's full metal jacket. Any surplus will be.

IMO, ranges have no good reason to ban FMJ. They can have reason to ban steel-jacketed ammunition, which much x54r is. Hold a magnet to the bullet. If the jacket sticks, it's steel-jacketed. IIRC, silvertip is.

 

[Onmilo]

I can't remember the actual factory but I remember the 188 code and the silver tip on the bullet.
That stuff is Russian Match grade sniper ammunition made for shooting in Dragunov sniper rifles.
It is some of the best surplus on the market.
It is still corrosive so clean your rifle.

 

[Cosmoline]

Looks like those are light ball Soviet from the 1970's with a soft steel core. They're not AP, just standard light ball. Should be good ammo, but the real test is how it works in your Mosin. Most like light ball, some don't.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmoID01.htm#Klimov

 

[Shadow 7D]

Actually, you need the box/paper, if it's the 188 sniper stuff, the paper should be pink or brown with a word that starts with ch, not ch, but thats what it looks like, google Russian sniper ammo 7.62x54r and you should find some pic,

otherwise it looks like older LPS, the newer stuff is just brass washed, where the older stuff

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo030.htm

 

[fireman 9731]

I thought the sniper ammo was 7N1 or something like that...

 

[Hatterasguy]

That tip is kind of oddball, I have 188-77 and its totally copper washed. I suspect they might have screwed the copper washing process up a bit.

 

[Onmilo]

7N1 is another sniper or match grade round.
I think it came after the 188 marked stuff.

 

[Cosmoline]

188 is code for the factory at Novosibirsk. It does not mean sniper ammo--it only means the ammo was made at Novosibirsk. They made regular old light ball too.

As Ted points out here, you can't tell the 7N1 from the standard stuff by sight.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo030.htm

Pull a bullet and get a weight. 152 grain was the weight for the special 7n1 ammo. 148 is standard light ball.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Yes you can, if you have the wrapper, the wrapper says something like sniper ammo or accurate ammo on it, and is included in the link

 

[Cosmoline]

I mean by sight of the cartridge, which is all the OP attached. If he has the package it should say "снайперские" if it's the sniper grade.

ekohler--grab that wrapper out of the trash if it's not too late.