WTK: comments on surplus 762x25 ammo

[OZ]

Been reading many warnings on several batches of Bulgarian surplus 762x25 at Tuco's. One CZ-52 pistol was destroyed shooting these ammo. The test showed that these ammo was extremely hot, even too hot for a strong CZ52 to handle. The CZ52 ended up with a cracked barrel and chamber. Good thing the shooter was not hurt and he wore glasses.

So for CZ52 shooters out there, what ammo do you shoot? Does any of you shoot surplus ammo? Country of origin? Batches?

TIA
oz

[Viking Warrior]

Some of that surplus was made for russian machine guns,Very hard primers, if its on a stripper clip avoid it.
I use the Sellior &Bellot, works great in my CZ.

[Red4]

Ditto on the S&B

[OZ]

Dope!! ... I just bought a few boxes of surplus 762x25 that comes in strippers (40 rounds/box). I have read that the Bulgarian ammo uses Russian characters in the box (naturally the Russian one does too). Well this one uses latin characters (I can read some of it, and there is a word "pistola" ... so I thought shouldbe OK for handgun ... crappola, this could mean "machine pistola" ??). Czech perhaps ?? I know the Czech uses latin characters. I guess I will chrono them first before doing much shooting on the CZ52.

S&B, who has the best deal ?? Cheaperthandirt has it for $7.50/box I think, but if I remember right, they like to slam you on shipping charges. Any other places ?

[ February 11, 2002: Message edited by: OZ ]

[MRickenback]

You mean THIS stuff?????

http://smile303.bravepages.com/images/cz52/czammo.jpg

I have shoot a few hundred rounds through my CZ with no problems...yet.

Is this the KABOOOM ammo you were refering too?

-SMiLE303

[FWRA]

Originally posted by OZ:
<STRONG>Been reading many warnings on several batches of Bulgarian surplus 762x25 at Tuco's. One CZ-52 pistol was destroyed shooting these ammo. The test showed that these ammo was extremely hot, even too hot for a strong CZ52 to handle. The CZ52 ended up with a cracked barrel and chamber. Good thing the shooter was not hurt and he wore glasses.

So for CZ52 shooters out there, what ammo do you shoot? Does any of you shoot surplus ammo? Country of origin? Batches?

TIA
oz</STRONG>

Regarding this "KB Bulgarian ammo" see my comments in the "I need firing pin" post above. That corrosive Bulgarian KB ammo comes in 16rd paper packs, not on stripper clips.

FWRA

[OZ]

Thanks for the info Mark!

I havent shot the CZ52 yet, but will be watchful for the firing pin breakage.

I was thinking about ordering the Bulgie ammo from Century. But I dont need that many and I was worried that this is the same bad Bulgie ammo posted here (http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/4653/bad.htm)

I bought the surplus ammo at a gunshow last weekend. Out of 400 rounds, I found 4 rounds that look suspicious. One has a piece of brass missing from the case mouth area, one has a vertical hairline crack starting at the case mouth going down for about 3/8", one is corroded, and another one has a big dent on the case.

Smile303, what is the headstamp on your ammo ? My ammo is brass cased, not steel. And I think the bad bulgarian ammo is also brass cased. I would not mind shooting the steel cased surplus ammo, since the steel case is stronger than brass.

Where did you get yours ? How much ?

I guess I'd better buy a couple boxes of S&B for home defense.

Where can I find spare mags for the CZ52 ? What is the going price for them ?

[FWRA]

Originally posted by OZ:
<STRONG>Thanks for the info Mark!

I havent shot the CZ52 yet, but will be watchful for the firing pin breakage.

I was thinking about ordering the Bulgie ammo from Century. But I dont need that many and I was worried that this is the same bad Bulgie ammo posted here (http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/4653/bad.htm)

I bought the surplus ammo at a gunshow last weekend. Out of 400 rounds, I found 4 rounds that look suspicious. One has a piece of brass missing from the case mouth area, one has a vertical hairline crack starting at the case mouth going down for about 3/8", one is corroded, and another one has a big dent on the case.

Smile303, what is the headstamp on your ammo ? My ammo is brass cased, not steel. And I think the bad bulgarian ammo is also brass cased. I would not mind shooting the steel cased surplus ammo, since the steel case is stronger than brass.

Where did you get yours ? How much ?

I guess I'd better buy a couple boxes of S&B for home defense.

Where can I find spare mags for the CZ52 ? What is the going price for them ?</STRONG>

Aim had new ones reasonably priced. Check them. CDNN advertises new ones too but I'm a bit skeptical about those. "Fit all countries" claims etc.

Century sells them too I believe.

Regarding your comment on "inspecting" your surplus ammo that's darn good advice. Some does have cracked cases so look 'em ALL over carefully before shooting.

HTH

FWRA

[Wrangler100]

Wrong! The Bulgarian ammo comes in little paper packages tied up with string 800 rounds to a sealed tin can. The brass is brittle and there are three crimping dimples at the neck. Many of the cases are cracked and most split part way upon firing. I had only 2/800 that needed a second strike to fire, all the rest went boob first try.
IIRC, the ammo that went kaboom was in pink (faded red?) paper, brass cased and head stamped, *-10-53-3 (starting at 12:00 and going clockwise).
I have three CZ-52's (stock and custom) and I shoot exclusively the brass cased ammo on stripper clips. I don't recall where it was manufactured, but it was not Bulgaria. I have yet to shoot the S&B because the other is so inexpensive and I LIKE IT hot! No failure to fire, no split cases, etc. I by it by the case from AIM Inc.

[OZ]

Thanks Wrangler, feel much more confident about the surplus ammo I just bought. I guess I should assume these ammo to be corrosive ?

AIM does not list at 762x25 surplus on their website. Are you sure they still have some ? How much?

oz

[Viking Warrior]

Check out this link.
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/4653/bad.htm
And this one as far as how HOT 762x25 really is.
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/4653/x25ammo.htm

[Wrangler100]

Originally posted by OZ:
<STRONG>Thanks Wrangler, feel much more confident about the surplus ammo I just bought. I guess I should assume these ammo to be corrosive ?

AIM does not list at 762x25 surplus on their website. Are you sure they still have some ? How much?

oz</STRONG>

I'm not sure if AIM still has it, I got mine a couple of weeks ago and it was $210 for over 2k rds shipped. Yes, it's corrosive. I just pull the barrel out and squirt a shot of Windex in it and clean regularly when I get home.
From all the research I've done, the CZ-52 was designed to use the hot ammo. The Czech's wanted a pistol and a subgun that would use the same round. Sure, shooting milsurp from a former eastern bloc country is a crap shoot in any weapon, but I doubt you'll ever see a catastrophic failure in a CZ-52. If you're squemish, shoot the new S&B, it's supposed to be good stuff.
I haven't shot the milsurp steel cased stuff, so I can't say anything about it.

[masman]

the best advice is to check out the above link and compare the headstamps and stay away from the bad stuff.other than that you should be fine.
the story i was told was that the czechs resented being told by the russians that they had to have the same ammo that the other communist block countries had so they over desighned the cz-52 so it would take thier special loading of the 7.62x25 round.a us army manual stated not to use czech ammo in a tokerev pistol because it was loaded so hot.
btw i use polish surplus and s&b commercial.

[Viking Warrior]

Here is another link for parts and info on the CZ-52.
http://makarov.com/cz52/ http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/shootingsoldier.gif