7.62x51 NATO...but prove it!

R

Roamin_Wade

Moderator
As an ammunition collector, I thought it would be good for posterity if I were to not just have a 223 and a 308, but to also have a 5.56 and a 7.62 right beside each other. I have many hundreds of rounds of the 308/7.62 but I bet I don’t have 5 rounds of the 223/5.56. I looked and all the 223’s I have say 223 on the rim. No 5.56. I looked at the many different brands of the 308 and 7.62 and found all the ones labeled on the box as 308 to have 308 on the rim but none of the brands of 7.62 have 7.62 stamped on the rim. Why is this the case? Does ammunition exist that is marked as 5.56 or 7.62? And if so, where can I find some?
 
If there's no 'cross in a circle' on the head stamp, it's not NATO spec.
"...marked as 5.56 or 7.62..." Both are nothing more than metric designations without the 'cross in a circle'.
Rummage around here. There's a fairly complete head stamp code list on the Reference page.
http://cartridgecollectors.org/
"...also have a 5.56 and a 7.62..." They look identical.
 
For more than the past century, ammo made for military use has not had the civilian or military cartridge name on it. US and all the other nations I can think of us a letter code (such as LC or TW, or WCC, etc) for the maker (whether civilian or govt arsenal) and the year of manufacture.
 
Ok. The reason I was thinking that head stamps marked with 7.62 or 5.56 is because I have the 30/40 Krag where one says 30/40 Krag and 30 USA. Thanks for everyone’s input...
 
Does ammunition exist that is marked as 5.56 or 7.62?
Click to expand...

My nephew recently bought some ammo marketed as "mil surp" 7.62 in small white boxes. The rims are marked "PPU 18 7.62 x 51". I'm not sure where he got it, I only know he ordered it online. He likes to use ammo finder to see who's cheap.

When I get a little time, I'm going to weigh those case and check the internal capacity. If they are mil spec it should be evident when compared to 308 cases I have on hand.

BTW I have some old(`80s) PMC on hand. The boxes are labeled "PMC 308B NATO 7.62 MM Ball M80" but the rims are headstamped "308 Win".
 
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Check out the ppu m80 at Natchez ss, that could be it. I'd ask my nephew for you but he's out in the boondocks for awhile.
 
PPU is Privi Partisan ammo from Serbia. Reasonable quality, usually among the cheaper brass cased, lead/copper "surplus" ammo available.

Older PPU can be Berdan primed + corrosive.
 
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