Milsurp Ammo Headstamp ID

[SwedeSteve]

This is meant to be a quick reference to assist you in identifying milsurplus ammo by the headstamp. The information is arranged by country, then country code/year of production. Then a brief description, followed by the bullet diameter. For a much more detailed analysis you can take a look at:
7.62x54r Ammunition Evaluations

USSR/Russia
60/86 Steel Core, Light Ball .311
188/71 Sivertip Steel Core, Light Ball .311
Misc copper wash, Lead Core, Light Ball .310
188/97 7N1 Sniper, Copper wash .311
Czech
bxn/63 Silvertip Steel Core, Light Ball .310
bxn/87 Steel Core, Light Ball .311
aym/53 Yellowtip Lead Core, Light Ball .310
bxn/64 Whitetip Hollow Core, Short Range .311
Hungary
21/87 Steel Core, Light Ball .311
21/51 Yellowtip Lead Core, Light Ball .310
21/69 Lead Core, Light Ball .310
21/75 Silver/Yellowtip Steel Core, Heavy Ball .311
21/70 Silver/Yellowtip Steel Core, Heavy Ball .310
21/51 Yellowtip Lead Core, Heavy Ball .311
21/69 Whitetip Etalon Lead Core, Light Ball .311
47/50 " "
22/52 " "
21/52 " "
22/54 " "
Albania
3/86 steel Core, Light Ball .311
3/87 Steel Core, Light Ball .310
Poland
21/72(inverted) Silvertip Steel Core, Light Ball .310
21/86(inverted) Steel Core, Light Ball .311
Bulgaria
10/55 Lead Core, Light Ball .311
10/87 Steel Core, Light Ball .311
10/55 Yellowtip Lead Core, Heavy Ball .311
China
61/66 Steel Core, Light Ball .310
321/539 Lead Core, Light Ball .311
Yugoslavia
nny/1976 Lead Core, Heavy Ball .311
21/83 Entire Cartridge is Black, Short Range Training .311

[Geo M44]

Under Bulgaria heavy ball add "brass cartridge" as it is one of the few in the 7.62x54R MilSurp world.

Thanks for the quick reference. I still like looking at the ballistic data though.

[marion57]

Originally Posted by Geo M44

Under Bulgaria heavy ball add "brass cartridge" as it is one of the few in the 7.62x54R MilSurp world.

Thanks for the quick reference. I still like looking at the ballistic data though.

+1Geo

[SwedeSteve]

Again, this is to bring the basic info home to our forum, so they have it right here. Not to recreate something already done.

[marion57]

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

Again, this is to bring the basic info home to our forum, so they have it right here. Not to recreate something already done.

I am slow but I get it swede LOL

[Geo M44]

Originally Posted by SwedeSteve

Again, this is to bring the basic info home to our forum, so they have it right here. Not to recreate something already done.

Yup, you have put togethter a great summary of ammo identifiers and attributes.

Just thinking that brass case is a major basic attribute for people wondering what type of MilSurp to buy.

[jack007]

thanks for the list. it's helpful

[just_a_car]

I agree that "brass case", "copper-washed steel case" and "lacquered steel case" should all be included, as they are very important identifiers. Sometimes a round has the exact same headstamp, bullet weight and tip color, but the case is different and, thus, ends up being a different type of round (such as maybe it has a different type of powder and thus, shoots differently; or maybe the headstamp is technically inverted 55/72 versus 72/55 and the difference in the case is the only way to tell if it's one country's or the other).

[gandog56]

I notice all the milsurp is .310-.311. No .308 there!

[R5CYA]

1980 bulgarian is copper-washed steel. my 1954 bulgarian was brass though.

[jimkim]

Hey steve you wouldnt have a similar list for mausers would you? I have some Chilean ammo that is suposed to be loaded for a machine gun but I havent been able to find any info on it. It is 7x57mm and the primers have VERY heavy triangular crimp marks.

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

Hey Steve can you post pics of each cartridge.

[Espresso]

I see 60/86 Soviet steel-core light ball, but what is 60/84? Is that a Russian round? It's a brass case with a full metal jacket (i think copper)

[R5CYA]

if your ammo is stamped 60 on top and 84 on the bottom looking at the primer end, it's 1984 russian ammo. 60 is the country code and 84 is the year. was there any paint on the bullet? silver tip should indicate steel core, yellow tip is heavy. stick a fridge magnet or better to it and see. it might be copper washed steel case and plated steel jacket over lead and steel core. it's tricky sometimes to determine just what you got. there's some really neat color combinations and collecting them all can be a hobby in itself!

[cremley]

I have some Bulgarian Surplus with a head stamp of 10 and underneath it, 80. I am guessing that it is the copper washed steel, 149g, 1980 production ammo. Am I right in my guess?

[TinCan Assasin]

Yep. I have some of that stuff too.

Shoots mostly good, but I've had about 1 out of every 50 not fire.


TCA

[bulletsneverlie]

Don't forget my love, the 80's production m30j. Yugoslavian, marked "nny" on top, then the date at the bottom. 182 grain, .311, Brass Cased.

[Scioneer]

My two alleged Albanian shells have 3/85 as their head stamp.

[RetiredFed]

This might be of some help when IDing headstamps.

Headstamp Ammunition Codes

[fatngrze]

I recently purchased some 7.62x54r ammo, that is supposed to be bulgarian,182 gr.fmj, heavy ball--- the head stamp has a 19 left of center, a 48 right of center, what looks like a chinese symbol top of center and what looks to be a B with an O with a slash thru it bottom of center. I wonder if anyone out there can tell me anything about this ammo,I'm guessing it was made in 1948 but am not sure, I bought it over internet, seller had it advertised as being from the 50's, I have been having a problem with getting the bolt to close all the way on my wifes 1943, 91/30 Mosin Nagant(yeah thats right I said my wifes Mosin Nagant, she has decided to start collecting old military surplus weapons), we have also purchased a small amount of new russian hunting ammo and a small amount of some com block ammo made in 1977 they both work fine in the gun,(oh, the rim does appear to be just a little bit thicker on the older ammo) so I don't think its a problem with the rifle, although I have given it a super cleaning(about 3 times) and slightly filed down and buffed the extractor on the bolt which helped some, now it cambers about 50 to 60% of the time instead of 30% of the time. If anyone out there could give me some advise I would surely appreciate it. Thanks,fatngrze