Thread: Has anybody replaced 7.62x39 steel core FMJ's with SP's ?

I have Norinco steel case,steel core 7.62x39 ammo that I'd rather possess legally, so am wondering about replacing the FMJ's with equivalent weight and diameter SP's.

I'm wondering if the case will need to be crimped again after everything's back together.

I have crimped mine. Done hundreds over the years.

You might want to wait and see if there is any clarity.

According to the definition the govt gave:

Enhanced-penetration ammunition Projectiles that have a steel or tungsten carbide penetrator intended to achieve better penetration

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) Schedule Ammunition declared prohibited ammunition – New Zealand Legislation

Milisurplus steel core ammo is generally not hardened, nor designed to achieve better penetration, its just mild steel and mostly was done as cost savings during manufacturing.
I would not call it a steel penetrator to achieve better penetration.

Originally Posted by Nugget connaisseur

You might want to wait and see if there is any clarity.

According to the definition the govt gave:

Enhanced-penetration ammunition Projectiles that have a steel or tungsten carbide penetrator intended to achieve better penetration

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) Schedule Ammunition declared prohibited ammunition – New Zealand Legislation

Milisurplus steel core ammo is generally not hardened, nor designed to achieve better penetration, its just mild steel and mostly was done as cost savings during manufacturing.
I would not call it a steel penetrator to achieve better penetration.

Yep, not in any hurry, just keeping it as an option.

However, John Herbert, one of the people tasked with valuing firearms to assist KPMG queried police not long ago about the ammo in question.

Not re specialist AP, specifically steel cored FMJ.

According to the reply he recieved, the police want that turned in as well.

Originally Posted by Nugget connaisseur

You might want to wait and see if there is any clarity.

According to the definition the govt gave:

Enhanced-penetration ammunition Projectiles that have a steel or tungsten carbide penetrator intended to achieve better penetration

Arms (Prohibited Ammunition) Order 2019 (LI 2019/137) Schedule Ammunition declared prohibited ammunition – New Zealand Legislation

Milisurplus steel core ammo is generally not hardened, nor designed to achieve better penetration, its just mild steel and mostly was done as cost savings during manufacturing.
I would not call it a steel penetrator to achieve better penetration.

Yep, not in any hurry, just keeping it as an option.

However, John Herbert, one of the people tasked with valuing firearms to assist KPMG queried police not long ago about the ammo in question.

Not re specialist AP, specifically steel cored FMJ.

According to the reply he recieved, the police want that turned in as well.

I'd rather save case, primer, and powder if need be, and use them with a different pill.

What about the likes of Barnes bullets and Winchester Fail Safe bullets , not FMJ but are designed for better penetration?

Originally Posted by Mooseman

What about the likes of Barnes bullets and Winchester Fail Safe bullets , not FMJ but are designed for better penetration?

They do not have a steel core intended to provide enhanced penetration, so OK.

Likewise FMJ with mild steel cores are not INTENDED for better penetration - actually they are rather designed to tumble on impact!
@Max Headroom, open your bullets and look at the steel core. If you can easily saw through the core with a hacksaw it is not hardened tool steel and OK. The steel cores in old surplus eastern block ammo are mild steel, the newer stuff tool steel enhanced penetrators.

As for plod saying they want mild steel core ammo handed in too, they are entitled to have misquided wishes and New Zealanders are entitled to know their laws better.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

According to the reply he recieved, the police want that turned in as well.

I want 2 uinicorns and the Koh I Noor

just have a big weekend and use it all

What do they think is at risk from extra penetration?
The cops wear stab vests, and if they wore actual bullet proof vests, most fmj ammo would still go through em.
Do they plan on rolling out APC's through the ghetto and dont want to get shot up?

Ban is such a red neck thing to do.
they should try embrace and hug the ammo and guns, a real nice little cuddle and some pine cone tea.
Maybe smoke a legal joint and dance in the rain with us shooters to show us there is a better way to live.

Im gonna start with a little good will towards our soft headed friends.
Starting tomorrow I will avoid soap and remove all toilet paper from the house. I mean from the yurt.
Peace brothers and sisters.

I used to replace them with SP for hunting goats and personally found crimping made no difference. Just seat them as you would any projectile. We found steel core was almost indistinguishable from lead when used on steel plates.

I am still waiting for someone to tell me why they banned tracer...

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

I am still waiting for someone to tell me why they banned tracer...

Too much fun.

Originally Posted by 40mm

What do they think is at risk from extra penetration?
The cops wear stab vests, and if they wore actual bullet proof vests, most fmj ammo would still go through em.
Do they plan on rolling out APC's through the ghetto and dont want to get shot up?

Ban is such a red neck thing to do.
they should try embrace and hug the ammo and guns, a real nice little cuddle and some pine cone tea.
Maybe smoke a legal joint and dance in the rain with us shooters to show us there is a better way to live.

Im gonna start with a little good will towards our soft headed friends.
Starting tomorrow I will avoid soap and remove all toilet paper from the house. I mean from the yurt.
Peace brothers and sisters.

Congratulations. You just became Neil.

Originally Posted by berg243

well if they do start rolling through the ghetto in a apc i think even nosler partitions will penetrate so best hand them in too.

Paradoxically, even more so if the bullets are fired backwards. Things sometimes don't work the way you'd expect them to.

Not 7.62x39, but I did a similar thing for a mate with a batch of military surplus .308 with 155 grain FMJs. Bumped the projectile pretty hard with an old seating die to loosen it as they were bonded in place, before pulling them. Then I just neck sized and seated 150 NBTs leaving the original powder charge. They went really well for closeish woodland stalking and cost almost nothing, but couldn’t be reloaded as they had Berdan primers.