Need some info on my first centerfire rifle

[7.62x39_Boy]

Hey all,

I've been searching for answers for a few weeks to some simple questions I have.

I recently picked up a Norinco JW-103, I've been buying the 7.62x39 rounds which all come on stripper clips, the bolt action rifle came with a 5rd magazine and I was wondering if it was possible to purchase a 10, or 20rd magazine for it.

I'm assuming that all magazines, regardless of the fact that they are made to hold 7.62x39 rds are not plug and play. I've noticed there are tons of mags for AK's and SKS's but haven't came across any for a bolt action rifle that are larger than a 5rd capacity. Is it possible to use magazines for AK's etc. or modify them to work in my rifle?

If someone could let me know if I'm barking up the wrong tree, or if I'm stuck using a multiple 5rd clips in order to avoid the hassle of stopping to reload during target practice.

Also, I've been unable to figure out if there is much of a selection for ammo, the metric measurement throws me off a little, this is my first centerfire, things like .22's and .22 mags are the only other rifles I've had experience with. And the information I've read confuses me further, things leading me to believe it's possible to shoot slightly different calibre ammo in a gun chambered for 7.62x39 rifles, and the metric/non-metric thing adds to the problem.

Am I wrong in assuming that a 7.62x39 is somewhere around a .30 calibre?

Please excuse my ignorance, I'm developing quite an interest in this hobby but it's hard for me to get my feet wet as a lot of things fly over my head.

It seems there are some very knowledgeable people here and hopefully someone can point me to a good site, or give me an idea of how to absorb some of this great info more effectively.

Thanks in advance, I appreciate any help I can get

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Remember that 30 caliber is a bore measurement, and that there are many different 30 caliber cartridges.

I'm not familiar with the model rifle you purchased, but if it is chambered for 7.62x39mm then that is the only cartidge you can safely shoot in the rifle.

Safe cartridges : 7.62x39 (aka 7.62x39 Soviet)

Other 30 caliber cartridges but that you cannot shoot in your rifle:

7.62x54r Russian
30-06 Springfield
308 Winchester
7.62x51 NATO
30 carbine
300 Winchester Magnum
300 Weatherby Magnum
300 Remington Ultra Magnum
and some others too numberous to list. . .

To repeat, not all 30 caliber ammo is the same. Enjoy your rifle and remember to shoot safely.

 

[arcticap]

The 7.62X39 is a Russian round. There is a law in Russia that their military guns must only chamber Russian designed cartridges, so that no NATO style army can capture the guns and use them against their own forces during battle. Therefore, no other round should ever fit into a true Russian military caliber gun's chamber.

 

[BamBam-31]

Your bolt action rifle seems to have only the 5 round detachable magazine available. As you suspected, the magazines for AK's and SKS's will not work in your rifle, even though they also use the 7.62x39mm cartridge. I doubt they can be made to work reliably in your rifle.

7.62mm and .30 cal are measurements of a bullet's diameter (and the two are roughly the same). The second measurement in 7.62x39mm is the length of the overall cartridge (in this case 39mm). Thus, 7.62x39mm is NOT the same as 7.62x51mm. They are NOT interchangeable, even though the diameters of the bullets (7.62mm) are the same. In the same way, .30-06 and .308 are NOT the same, even though the diameters of the bullets (.30 in.) are the same.

Your rifle is 7.62x39mm ONLY. Look only for ammo that has that printed on the box. It's a caliber that is readily available and very affordable. Wolf is a very inexpensive and popular brand for that particular caliber, as is Silver Bear.

There are calibers that are roughly equivalent and can often be fired from the same weapon (.223 and 5.56x45mm, .308 and 7.62x51mm), but they're the exceptions. If your weapon says a certain caliber (usually stamped clearly on the barrel), fire only that caliber ammo through it.

 

[7.62x39_Boy]

Thanks everyone for the info, it cleared things up pretty nicely. I assumed this was the case, but all the information I had read kind of confused me a little.

I have been shooting 7.62x39 rounds that are stamped "bxn 72", and they seem to work quite well, the norinco jw-103 which I have is what you'd call a budget rifle but it seems to do the job pretty well shooting paper targets at a couple hundred yards and that's it's main purpose for me.

The rifle is stamped 7.62x39 as well.
http://www.marstar.ca/Norinco/images/JW-103.jpg
Here is the rifle, although mine got refinished in flat black

 

[arcticap]

understanding the headstamp codes

According to ak-47.net the headstamp bxn is from Czecheslovakia. Often, on military (and mil. type) ammo when there is a second set of numbers in addition to the letters and/or numbers that make up the factory code, that often refers to the year of mfg. For further 7.62x39mm headstamp info, check
the following website:
http://www.ak-47.net/ammo/headstamps.html

 

[litman252]

Nothing wrong with a bolt 7.62x39. You did good there, Where did you get it???

Tony

 

[gaston_45]

It gets even more confusing actually. Not all 7.62 mm diameters are the same either. NATO 7.62 mm is .308 diameter, soviet block 7.62 mm is actually .311.

Not a big difference but enough to potentially ruin your accuracy if loading nato bullets into comblock cartridges and enough to ruin your day if loading comblock bullets in NATO cartriges! But that is once you start reloading, for now just buy a lot of wolf or silver bear ammo and be happy!

It is a good first purchase, the comblock ammo is cheap to practice with, and if you get some good soft point ammo it has the same ballistics as the 30-30 so it is a good deer rifle to boot.

 

[RoyG]

Must be in Canada.

Norinco JW-103 'Bush Ranger' Rifle

 

[gmoz]

I too own a JW-103 and I could not be more happy with it . It's light weight and very good as a bush gun. I have done research on the gun and found that you can only purchase the 5-round mags. And that Marstar.com is a good site to find them. If your're looking for spare clips.
I have tried many diffrent rounds through my gun and found that Czech. ammo gives me the tightest grouping at 50 yards( gray shell casing,green pack of twenty with stripper clips)
I've also found that replacing the steel jacket with soft tips does not affect the accuracy that much. The bullet is not a .308 caliber bullet but a .310 caliber bullet. And most reloading stores have spesific bullets for the 7.62x39.
Just remember to tell them it's a Norinco made gun.

 

[rangerruck]

that is correct about the rounds. You wanna stay with 762 rounds made by foreign countries, as they are specked out to fit better in the bore of your foreign made rifle. Now you can use American made 762, but it is a tad smaller in diameter. Chances are, it will not group as good down range as typical european or russian 762.

 

[MachIVshooter]

And the information I've read confuses me further, things leading me to believe it's possible to shoot slightly different calibre ammo in a gun chambered for 7.62x39 rifles, and the metric/non-metric thing adds to the problem.

Though it has been informally referred to as the ".30 Russian", there has never been an SAE designation given to the 7.62x39mm soviet cartridge.

Nominal bullet diameter for the 7.62x39mm is .311", bore diameters measured land-to-land are generally .303"-.305". While .308" diameter bullets (NOT to be confused with the .308 Winchester cartridge) can be safely used in guns designed for .311" bullets, accuracy usually suffers.

Fortunately, 7.62x39mm caliber rifles will not physically chamber any other 7.62mm/.30 caliber cartridge. Though one could probably force a 7.92x33mm German cartridge into the 7.62x39mm chamber, this ammunition is scarce and highly unlikely to be encountered.

Just remember, when in doubt, check first. Most military cartridges are headstamped only with manufacture and date, rather than caliber. This is further complicated by the fact that much of the 7.62x39mm surplus ammo is in boxes with Eastern European labels. Until you become more familiar with various firearm cartridges, I would stick to commercial ammo in clearly marked packaging. Wolf, Silver Bear, Brown Bear, etc. are all labeled in English. Federal, Winchester and Remington also manufacture 7.62x39mm, though it is fairly expensive.