Crate of Norinco 7.62x39 FMJ steel case value?

[chris.jackson]

I have a 1200 round wooden crate of Norinco 7.62x39 FMJ steel case ammo.
It was not in spam cans in the crate.
Anyone know the value today? I mean is it a collectible or?

My camera lens is messed up and shows spots on all pics, the actual ammo is fine.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

I saved a few boxes of these back from the early 90s. But I wouldn't pay much more to get a case quantity of them. I saw a batch of this ammo for sale at a gun store in Canton last year and I think they only wanted something like $320 for a case of nearly 1000 rounds, so while it was a little more expensive than cheap plinking ammo it didn't have much of a premium.

I would think the collectors market isn't interested in this yet. Give a 20 more years for that. Right now survivalists & preppers would probably be your best market. I can confirm that even though the steel core is mild hardness, it does penetrate better than lead core. I shot up some old car parts with it; I even set a differential on fire when the steel core of the bullets sparked with the steel of the drivetrain and ignited the oil and grease.

 

[hikingthehills]

I saved a few boxes of these back from the early 90s. But I wouldn't pay much more to get a case quantity of them. I saw a batch of this ammo for sale at a gun store in Canton last year and I think they only wanted something like $320 for a case of nearly 1000 rounds, so while it was a little more expensive than cheap plinking ammo it didn't have much of a premium.

I would think the collectors market isn't interested in this yet. Give a 20 more years for that. Right now survivalists & preppers would probably be your best market. I can confirm that even though the steel core is mild hardness, it does penetrate better than lead core. I shot up some old car parts with it; I even set a differential on fire when the steel core of the bullets sparked with the steel of the drivetrain and ignited the oil and grease.

I split a case with a member on here a couple of years ago and I think we paid around $300. jimipanic That sounds about right doesn't it.

 

[ReganR6]

@sovietak474u

 

[jimipanic]

I split a case with a member on here a couple of years ago and I think we paid around $300. jimipanic That sounds about right doesn't it.

Yessir we did. I actually picked up another crate about 6 months later. Did you buy a rifle to shoot it with ?

I saved a few boxes of these back from the early 90s. But I wouldn't pay much more to get a case quantity of them. I saw a batch of this ammo for sale at a gun store in Canton last year and I think they only wanted something like $320 for a case of nearly 1000 rounds, so while it was a little more expensive than cheap plinking ammo it didn't have much of a premium.

I would think the collectors market isn't interested in this yet. Give a 20 more years for that. Right now survivalists & preppers would probably be your best market. I can confirm that even though the steel core is mild hardness, it does penetrate better than lead core. I shot up some old car parts with it; I even set a differential on fire when the steel core of the bullets sparked with the steel of the drivetrain and ignited the oil and grease.

I concur. I bought some Chinese steel core from the late 60s/early 70s and although it’s a harder steel core, it’s still no true AP. I’ve heard that some years had better production runs. By better I mean harder steel cores. Nasty stuff and still harder than stuff out on the market now.
Do love those wooden carry crates for the ammo though....

 

[BH-ATL]

I am curious on how you know it is steel core?

 

[staggerwing42]

Sub'd

 

[glockfan]

This ammo was banned back in the early 90's when all the other firearm related items were banned from China. The price on these is a little higher than standard 7.62x39 do to the fact it has a mild steel core and is no longer available. I have watched the price of this ammo over the last few decades and the price goes up during every gun panic, more so than other ammo. The highest I have actualy seen it sell for as in money changing hands for this ammo is $1.00 per round. That was back when the Assault weapon ban expired and their was a push to renew it permanently.

I have two spam cans in the crate from the 70's in storage.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

How do you know it's steel core?? Well if those yellow boxes don't say so, and you won't accept the fact that it's common knowledge among people who were active gun owners and enthusiast back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, then you can always take a sample cartridge, put it in the bench vice, and try to hacksaw thru the bullet. Or hold the bullet tip to a bench grinder's wheel and you'll find out very quickly what the core is made of.

i've done this with a number of communist made rounds over the years and even some World War I and World War II era mil-surp ammo .

 

[BH-ATL]

Those say steel case. These say steel core. That is why I asked.