[David Murvihill]

It's time to buy another tin of 7.62. The last tin I bought was copper-washed and I had problems with the gun going off with the bottom of the round exposed. Can anyone recommend something?

Thanks

 

[ncreptile]

My SVT prefers the 40s Russian lightball and 80s bulgy silvertip.

 

[samnev2]

My SVT prefers the 40s Russian lightball and 80s bulgy silvertip.

The best 7.62X54R I have found in all my Russian Firearms, Mosin's, 1910 Maxim, SVT etc bar none is the Czech light ball silvertip.

 

[ncreptile]

Which is expensive now and I do not suggest unless you are firing in a scoped weapon at long range such as a PSL,Dragunov or SVT.
It works well, but so does 90% of other lightball 54r.

Czech Silvertip is known for its accuracy, all current incoming 54r is known for its reliability.

The best 7.62X54R I have found in all my Russian Firearms, Mosin's, 1910 Maxim, SVT etc bar none is the Czech light ball silvertip.

 

[samnev2]

Which is expensive now and I do not suggest unless you are firing in a scoped weapon at long range such as a PSL,Dragunov or SVT.
It works well, but so does 90% of other lightball 54r.

Czech Silvertip is known for its accuracy, all current incoming 54r is known for its reliability.

As is the Czech silver tip. I have fired many thousands of rounds out of my 1910 Maxim and RP 46 and except for a rare dead primer has functioned flawlessly.

 

[ncreptile]

54r in general is reliable.. There are some not reliable but most are. Czech is not an exception, it is very reliable.

I am saying I do not suggest it(as I said in my darn post..) is because it is EXPENSIVE, and unless you are shooting for better groupings/extreme accuracy there are much better choices for your wallet that the svt40 will still love to eat.

If you would like to discuss czech st more, I can bring up the 3 PSL's, Dragunov and countless other semi auto 54r's I have owned in which case yes, I will agree with you it is one of the best rounds. But because it is the best out there surplus wise.. it is Expensive compared with bulgarian silver tip or other similar fairly accurate light ball.

THANK YOU

 

[cherokee_140]

For me....my own reloads. Buy a few boxes of Partizan for the brass and start hand loading. You will be amazed how much better you do with good reloads.

Also don't have to worry about that corrosive ammo. Anymore the only thing that gets corrosive are the bolt rifles....all the autoloaders get reloads.

 

[samnev2]

Same here only hand loads for my SVT's and Czech silver tip for everything else.

 

[Stalin's Ghost]

I shoot new non-corrosive Novosibirsk light ball, bought in white boxes. This is marked "11 LVE" headstamp and I look for it from several sources. It is what our government buys from the Russians to supply to Afghan troops, who use Russian weapons. It is sometimes marked as Wolf in listings but is different from the usual Wolf ammo, which also works and is non-corrosive.
As said above, good old silvertip Russian light ball milsurp works great, but is dirty. the best of all the milsurp in my opinion is 1970s "188" Novosibirsk which shoots superbly in my Mosins and in the SVT and my SVD as well, but needs quick cleaning.

 

[Poot]

I'd recommend NOT shooting the Bulgarian LB from 1953 (I think...). It made mine barf up the extractor, after ejecting cases that had split down to the head.

Pat

 

[mat!_SW]

I'd recommend NOT shooting the Bulgarian LB from 1953 (I think...). It made mine barf up the extractor, after ejecting cases that had split down to the head.

Pat

Do you remember the headstamp and case type? I've had really good luck with Bulgarian heavy ball from that year. Marked 10 * 53 Brass case.

 

[David Murvihill]

Thanks guys, any of our sponsors carry any of this?

 

[mat!_SW]

Thanks guys, any of our sponsors carry any of this?

Here is a link to all of the sponsors: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?5187-Sponsors-links-for-gunboards-sponsors

You tell us.....

 

[daveccarlson]

Once upon a time, my SVT-40 would only function properly with Polish light ball made in 1975.
After the installation of the new stainless gas piston and valve/cup it works flawlessly, and pretty accurate too, with ex-Soviet 188 Ulyanovsk light ball silver tip made in 1977.

I've got bxn Czech (Sellier & Bellot) light ball from 1986, but I tend to reserve it for my Finns.

 

[Poot]

Do you remember the headstamp and case type? I've had really good luck with Bulgarian heavy ball from that year. Marked 10 * 53 Brass case.

Oops, sorry. I got the type wrong, it's Polish LB, not Bulgarian LB:
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?326572-Fugly

The Barnaul 203 grain rounds from about 2002 are very accurate in my '41 Tula.
Pat

 

[Stalin's Ghost]

As Poot says, be careful with some of the more unusual milsurp. He shows split cases, but questionable excess pressure is also possible with some.

I'd add be careful with some of the modern ammo as occasionally I have hit batches of what must have been intended for machine guns only, very hot heavy ball that locked up the bolt on Mosins and had a heck of a kick. Hot loads, sold as civilian rounds by ammo-shortage suppliers in a variety of labels. If it was so hot that I had to beat the Mosin bolt open, it sure couldn't have been good for other rifles.

Try anything you wonder about first in a Mosin before feeding your expensive SVT-40. SVTs shoot all kinds of ammo, but are expensive to fix.

 

[Iron_Colonel]

I have shot Bulgarian light ball out of mine with no issues, and good accuracy. I don't shoot it every day, a couple times a year maybe. But it's never had any issues cycling, or extracting.

 

[Markratz1]

Non-corrosive Russian Wolf, pain in the butt to take apart and clean everything properly. So took the path of least resistance.
BTW, I also have one of those aftermarket stainless steel gas piston and cups that a Forum member makes or made. Excellent!!

 

[mike radford]

Good ammo is good ammo in most anything. I am a bit concerned about using heavy ball or even heavier bullets in an SVT. Some say do not do it. I would not use 203gr bullets in one. Non-corrosive makes some sense but I am used to cleaning them so no big deal if I want to use it.

 

[armenjs]

Same here Mike, came up with funnel idea and clear vinyl tubing 5/16OD-- 3/16ID that now I can place inside of the bore guide and run it down to chamber and pour water down without fear of getting the stock wet. Best part if you do it at the range the cleaning time is cut of half.