Varying information on headstamp information; AK wizards would be greatly appreciated.

[shooter_mcgavin]

One place says corrosive, another says non corrosive; one says it has high(er) value) another says not. Can someone please give me some objective information on this ammo and what exactly I have? All 7.62x39


Headstamp 31 92, FMJ, copper colored case, only bullet appears to have sealant


Headstamp 9121 73, FMJ, copper colored case only bullet appears to have sealant


Headstamp 311 92, FMJ, copper colored case, no visible sealant


Headstamp 71 93, FMJ, brown case, primer has sealant


Headstamp 711 93, HP, Dark green case, No visible sealant


Headstamp 04 65, FMJ, Steel grey case, No visible sealant

Also, i have 3 other very similar, almost identical ones to this with headstamp 04 66, 04 67, and 04 69. I assume the last two digits are the year of manufacture. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jim2024bob]

Top 3 look like corrosive Norinco. First two remind me of the “AP” military stuff.

4th reminds me of Golden Tiger

5/6 look like commercial Russian sport loadings.

Hate to go dig out my ammo and compare. X39 is the worst…

 

[Kalashnicarolina]

The 71/93 dark colored case is non corrosive. I have a good bit of it. Mine is 71/92. Red sealant.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Top 3 look like corrosive Norinco. First two remind me of the “AP” military stuff.

4th reminds me of Golden Tiger

5/6 look like commercial Russian sport loadings.

Hate to go dig out my ammo and compare. X39 is the worst…

You dont have to do that buddy, I just posted to see if anyone knew right off hand. I appreciate you though!

 

[herr_cobblermachen]

As stated, those first 3 are definitely chinese, haven't seen any of that since the norinco ban. I have some floating around here still on a stripper clip.

Maybe 15 or 20 years ago there was a very good website on IDing these, but looks like it slong gone and all became forum-ized. Nevertheless, this looks right up our alley and lines up pretty well with what I know. https://cartridgecollectors.org/headstamp-codes/

31 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
9121 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
311 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
71 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
711 - Russian State Ammunition Factory at Podolsk, Russia
4 - Volkseigene Betrieb (VEB) Mechanische Werkstätten Königswartha, East Germany

And yep, the other digits there are the year.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

As stated, those first 3 are definitely chinese, haven't seen any of that since the norinco ban. I have some floating around here still on a stripper clip.

Maybe 15 or 20 years ago there was a very good website on IDing these, but looks like it slong gone and all became forum-ized. Nevertheless, this looks right up our alley and lines up pretty well with what I know. https://cartridgecollectors.org/headstamp-codes/

31 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
9121 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
311 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
71 - Unknown Factory, Peoples Republic of China
711 - Russian State Ammunition Factory at Podolsk, Russia
4 - Volkseigene Betrieb (VEB) Mechanische Werkstätten Königswartha, East Germany

And yep, the other digits there are the year.

I know nothing about norinco. Is it any good or just regular ammo? A ban doesn't necessarily mean anything to me.

 

[herr_cobblermachen]

I know nothing about norinco. Is it any good or just regular ammo? A ban doesn't necessarily mean anything to me.

In the 90s China (Norinco) got busted for selling machine guns or something like that in California they said. After that time, the US govt slapped a ban on weapons and ammo from China. At the time, the mak90 was kinda the brand standard of AK -this is before saigas, and century, and everyone else got in on the ak game. Polytech/Norinco AKs have continued to go up in price because they're wellmade and havent been imported in decades now. Chinese x39 isn't anything exceptional ammo-wise (very few x39 is). It is steel core, but MILD steel core, so no like, awesome AP jazz. Being "(mild) steel core" and no longer imported gives it an elevated value to buyers. Is it more valuable than Wolf? Well yeah! is it worth $3 a shot? no. Would I mag dump it? No. -not unless you're in Canada or something where it still flows like doctors and cigars in Cuba (so much Norinco goodness wasn't banned in Canada like in the USA. Polytech M14s can still be had there)

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

In the 90s China (Norinco) got busted for selling machine guns or something like that in California they said. After that time, the US govt slapped a ban on weapons and ammo from China. At the time, the mak90 was kinda the brand standard of AK -this is before saigas, and century, and everyone else got in on the ak game. Polytech/Norinco AKs have continued to go up in price because they're wellmade and havent been imported in decades now. Chinese x39 isn't anything exceptional ammo-wise (very few x39 is). It is steel core, but MILD steel core, so no like, awesome AP jazz. Being "(mild) steel core" and no longer imported gives it an elevated value to buyers. Is it more valuable than Wolf? Well yeah! is it worth $3 a shot? no. Would I mag dump it? No. -not unless you're in Canada or something where it still flows like doctors and cigars in Cuba (so much Norinco goodness wasn't banned there like in the USA. Polytech M14s can still be had there)

Nice, good info. I've got probably a 50 cal can of the first 3 altogether. I'll hold onto it for now. Thank you again for the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[herr_cobblermachen]

If that last batch there really is east german, id put that back somewhere. Its probably the most valuable of it all.
Americans are crazy about german surplus (except DDR uniforms never really caught on). It always commands a premium. I think there was far far less of it made than Russia/China.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

If that last batch there really is east german, id put that back somewhere. Its probably the most valuable of it all.
Americans are crazy about german surplus (except DDR uniforms never really caught on). It always commands a premium. I think there was far far less of it made than Russia/China.

So the last one you see like I said have 04 65, 04 66, 04 67, and 04 69. Does the 65, 66, 67 and 69 denote the year? Or something else entirely

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Never mind, you answered that already. My bad

 

[Toprudder]

Reading about the Chinese ammo reminded me of some counterfeit 30 carbine ammo with LC 52 headstamps that I stumbled across. They were corrosive Berdan primed.