How do you say "7.62 X 39"?

[Chris Pinkleton]

...I usually say "seven-point-six-two by thirty-nine" and get strange looks at gun shops...is there a better way to refer to this round?

 

[hksw]

For me, 'seven sixty-two by thirty-nine'. I've also heard it called 'thirty Russian' (.30 Russian), but, IMO, this is not a good description as 7.62 X 54R could also be called .30 Russian.

I think what you're calling it is correct and would be understood by most gun enthusiasts. It's interesting that the employees at the shops near you don't know what you are saying. What do they call the cartridge? I'm guessing something like, "the round the AK fires" or "the AK round".

 

[OEF_VET]

seven six two by thirty nine

 

[Chris Pinkleton]

hksw--

They know what I'm referring to, but they just seem to think it's a strange way to refer to it...I imagine they would call it something like the "AK round." Folks seem to be nervous about using long-winded (if correct) terminology. Being a lifelong nerd (and English major to boot), I have no such compunctions.

".30 Russian" is really too imprecise...maybe ".30 Kurtz?" Nahhh....what's Russian for "short"?

 

[nemesis]

We always just referred to our ammo as "seven-six-two" and specified Soviet ammo as "seven-six-two ComBloc" or "seven-six-two Soviet".

 

[Gewehr98]

It's funny, when you hear young kids in slammed Hondas with big tailpipes...

Refer to the round as "7.62". Which makes me wonder what they call the full-power 7.62x51 NATO round.

 

[Navy joe]

I usually say seven six two by thirty-nine or fifty-four R as the case may be. Sometimes I refer to them as seven six two Russian short or long. When I really want to see their brain implode I ask for 7.62x51 and watch the random box grabbing begin.

 

[BusMaster007]

Like OEF_VET: "seven six two by thirty nine"

I also call 5.56x45 ".223 NATO", which is REALLY wrong, but I like it!

 

[Benton]

I usually go with "seven six two by thirty-nine." I have an old reloading manual that refers to this round as "7.62 Soviet" and the 7.62x54R as "7.62 Russian." I suppose the logic relates to the government for which the cartridges were developed. I like these designations, but because most people seem to refer to all people that were citizens of the USSR as "Russians" and continue to call present day Russians "commies," I have received nothing but confused looks when I employ these cartridge names.

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

7.62 commie, usually.

or seven six two three nine.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I call it "seven six two by thirty nine." Most books call it 7.62 Soviet.

 

[Gabe]

Call it "30 Short Russian"

 

[Midnight]

like most others "seven six two by thirty nine"

 

[Sactown]

I call it the ammo that comes outta the SKS.

 

[chetrogers]

seven point six two by thirty nine

 

[MAKOwner]

I say it exactly like you, "seven-point-six-two by thirty-nine"

 

[Sir Galahad]

Just say---Best Intermediate Caliber in the World.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

What about cheap Wolf centerfire round?!

I say seven six two by thirty nine... thank goodness more say it like that.

 

[igor]

"seitsemän-kuuskaks kertaa kolmeysi", literally.

 

[Kharn]

On occasion: "That shiney, smelly green stuff that fits in my SKSs and AK and goes bang."
More often: 'seven six two by thirty nine"

Kharn

 

[Deadman]

I find I have a similar problem as Benton. To me 7.62Soviet and 7.62Russian should be fairly obvious. However gun shop owners never seem to get it, and considering that I have rifles chambered in both 7.62x39 and 7.62x54 all I can say is that I really hate saying ' seven point six.... etc' every freakin' time I want to buy ammo.

rant off

 

[cslinger]

Uhh, I want that box of cheap ammo in the back. Thank you very much.

Actually I usually say seven point six two by thirty-nine or just six two by thirty-nine as shorthand.

Chris

 

[Cosmoline]

"Seven six two Soviet" or "seven six two AK" as opposed to "seven six two Russian" or "Seven six two Mosin"

 

[uglygun]

How about 30 Short and Weak.....

or

7.62 Short and Weak.....



After all, gotta diferentiate it from the 7.62x51mm some how. EVERY time I ever tell somebody I'm gonna take my 7.62 out for a bit of shooting I always get "oh, 7.62x39mm?".

 

[Devonai]

Maybe it's all the fresh Massachusetts air, but I always say "seven six two by three nine."