What ammo is used by the Russian Army?

They mostly use 5.45x39 7N10 and it is my understanding it is not imported into the USA as of this time. The older 5.45x39 7N6 is currently imported as surplus.

Yes, everything in common use there, particularly 7.62x39 and 5.45x39, is a steel case with some kind of coating.

Sorry, didn't answer that one. It is described as "brown-lacquered steel case" My understanding is that newer Wolf is polymer coated, maybe for the American market only?

I'm pretty sure the "poly" coating on Wolf was in response to the US market melting lacquer myth...

This crap, they just surplus the ammo to us that no longer meets there spec.

Copper washed steel case ammo has a copper/brass color to it, so don't let that fool you. Copper washed cases have a copper coating.
case in point (no punt intended)
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=A76254R
Notice the two tone effect but that is not always the case (no punt intended again)
You'll find steel cases having this brass color to it as well as silver in addition to the grey you may be used to seeing.

The picture posted above is a can of 7.62x54r rounds with copper-washed steel cases. You can see the kind of two tone to the washed steel cases if you look closely at the pictured rounds.

Military 7.62x39 is steel cased as well, as is the 5.45x39 military round.

All military-issue rifle ammo here is steel cased, either lacquered (5,45x39 and 7,62x39) or copper-washed (some 7,62x54R)

Again I'm goping to go on a limb here and say the Russian Army uses Russian ammo,,,,:banghead:

I know Russian civilian shooters can buy ammunition that is brass cased and made in Serbia, the Czech Republic, and America.

I'm sure the Russian Military uses a wide range of small arms cartridges, some brass cased and probably the majority being steel cased.

I have seen pictures of the new Russian 9mm Parabellum high penetration round and it was done up with a brass case.

max popenker said:

All military-issue rifle ammo here is steel cased, either lacquered (5,45x39 and 7,62x39) or copper-washed (some 7,62x54R)

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There you go....straight from the floor, folks Thanks Max.

ny32182.....I think you might have it there.

Some of their issue ammo IS made by Wolf, which is simply Tula ammo rebranded and sometimes with minor changes in the specifications (like the poly coating). Other plants that churn out Russian military small arms ammunition include Barnaul (the Bear ammo manufacturer), Ulyanovsk (Sapsan and formerly Wolf Mil. Classic), Vympel (Golden Tiger), and Novosibirsk (LVE ammunition). The first two (exclusive of Tula, which hasn't performed that great IME) tend to make the best Russian small arms ammunition IME, but most all of it works satisfactory (at least in Russian arms).

Speaking of other arsenals...anyone know where I can procure a few boxes of 8M3 "Sapsan" ammo? The new poly coated Wolf Mil. Classic HP is no longer using this formidable load, and old Uly. has become scarce in the marketplace.

For which gun?

Max et al.

How to does one distinguish corrosive from non-corrosive 5.45?

Hatterasguy said:

This crap, they just surplus the ammo to us that no longer meets there spec.

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But Ak will eat most things, and the price is usually right.

How to does one distinguish corrosive from non-corrosive 5.45?

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I would think the only way would be to know the manufacturing details so that you knew what primers and powder were used, i'm not well read on my russian head stamps.

How to does one distinguish corrosive from non-corrosive 5.45?

All commercial 5.45x39 ammo is non-corrosive.

All available military surplus 5.45x39 ammo is corrosive. This includes Polish, Bulgarian, and the current Soviet era import.