The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

Sarge · February 10, 2013, 09:12 PM

I have an affinity for the 7.62×39 cartridge and the rifles that shoot it. The cartridge is model of design efficiency that gives near 30-30 performance in a compact, easy-feeding package. For decades, it was widely available at prices so low that reloading was out of the question. I can clearly recall buying 20 round boxes of Norinco Chinese FMJ for under a dime a shot; softpoint was marginally more, but still ridiculously cheap. As a wider variety of FMJ and hunting loads became available the price climbed a little. After the 2009 insanity, the price climbed more and in late 2012 I paid $4.99 for Tula FMJ and grumbled, but only a little because it held under 2 MOA in my Romanian AK clone.

At this moment, you can’t find 7.63×39 Tula locally or online. In January I saw Tula FMJ at the Stover, MO Gun Show priced at TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS per box. I’ve seen Tapco AK mags, which I paid $9.00 for in November, priced at FORTY FIVE DOLLARS each at a stocking retailer in the same area. I love the gun and cartridge, but I will not pay scalper prices to keep shooting it. When the ammo becomes as expensive as 30-30 ammo, I’ll go right back to using my Model 94 for everything.

The Gun & Ammo Famine of 2013

February 10, 2013, 09:12 PM	#3
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I have an affinity for the 7.62×39 cartridge and the rifles that shoot it. The cartridge is model of design efficiency that gives near 30-30 performance in a compact, easy-feeding package. For decades, it was widely available at prices so low that reloading was out of the question. I can clearly recall buying 20 round boxes of Norinco Chinese FMJ for under a dime a shot; softpoint was marginally more, but still ridiculously cheap. As a wider variety of FMJ and hunting loads became available the price climbed a little. After the 2009 insanity, the price climbed more and in late 2012 I paid $4.99 for Tula FMJ and grumbled, but only a little because it held under 2 MOA in my Romanian AK clone. At this moment, you can’t find 7.63×39 Tula locally or online. In January I saw Tula FMJ at the Stover, MO Gun Show priced at TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS per box. I’ve seen Tapco AK mags, which I paid $9.00 for in November, priced at FORTY FIVE DOLLARS each at a stocking retailer in the same area. I love the gun and cartridge, but I will not pay scalper prices to keep shooting it. When the ammo becomes as expensive as 30-30 ammo, I’ll go right back to using my Model 94 for everything. The Gun & Ammo Famine of 2013 __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.