7.62 NATO ammo identification

[DarkD]

I was trying to do some research last night on a lot of ammo I received in a trade and most importantly, find out if it is corrosive or not....

Box is marked as:

AB 22
20
PATRONE 7,62 mm x 51
DM 41 Weichkern
Los: F N M 87-59

So far, it appears that the ammo is from the Fábrica Nacional de Municiones, Santa Fe, México (near Mexico City) or Fábrica Nacional de Munições de Armas Ligeiras, Chelas, Portugal and was either made in 1987 or 1959 (not sure which way to read that). Anyone know any more specifics on this ammo and more imprtantly if it is corrosive?

 

[FLIGHT762]

Portuguese 7.62X51 made in 1987. It's non corrosive, berdan primed and is good ammo. Your boxes are marked with German nomenclature, but if the headstamp on the brass is "FNM 87-59" it is Portuguese mfg. German would be "DAG" or "MEN".

 

[DarkD]

Thanks for the information. I was a little hesitant to use the ammo from what I had read on a few sites, saying it was most likely made in '59 and corrosive, not something one wants to hear. Thanks again.

 

[FLIGHT762]

There is some 7.62X51 out there made by the Czech's that is corrosive primed. the head stamps will be "NNY" "PPU" and "ZV". The Chinese imported a lot of copper washed, steel cased 7.62X51 in the 80' before they banned the importation. I would not trust ANY of the Chinese 7.62X51 ammo as being non corrosive primed even if it reads non corrosive on the boxes. Any eastern com bloc ammo such as the earlier (prior to the 1990's) Czech and Yugo stuff I would suspect it to be corrosive primed.

I have some early Chinese imported 7.62X51 ammo with the copper washed cases. The head stamp is an exact copy of a British L2A2 1960 Radway Green cartridge with a NATO cross on it.

All regular, NATO approved 7.62X51, with the NATO cross on it should all be non corrosive primed.

 

[AXEMAN]

here you go
http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes

 

[Mike_Honcho]

here you go
http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=headstampcodes

Nice find. Thank you for this.


Good luck