Who misses $.15 7.62x54R prices?

[veprdude]

I guess at this point that's never coming back.

Used to be fun to take my x54 VEPR out and blast 15 cent ammo. That was 8 years ago.

[FrankenMauser]

I don't miss corrosive ammo. ...Unless you want to go back nearly 30 years, to when 7.62x39mm was occasionally on sale for $39 per crate (1,440).
Then it was worth it.

A crate of ammo and a six-pack of diet Coke were all you needed for a good time.
The Coke wasn't for drinking. It was for a sugar-free douching of the rifle after firing the corrosive ammo.

[zukiphile]

I don't miss corrosive ammo. ...Unless you want to go back nearly 30 years, to when 7.62x39mm was occasionally on sale for $39 per crate (1,440).

That's impressive. I think mine from SOG were closer to $100. They were used in my $75 SKS. If I recall the dates on the tins correctly, they were from the early 1960s.

Apparently Mao's plan was to starve and slaughter tens of millions of people while storing excellent ammunition to sell to struggling students who would grow up to buy Chinese junk on ebay in the future. What a visionary.

[T. O'Heir]

"...per crate..." Haven't seen crates of anything for eons. And 30 years ago, $39 was more money than it is now.

[FrankenMauser]

"...per crate..." Haven't seen crates of anything for eons. And 30 years ago, $39 was more money than it is now.

Especially for you Canuckistanis!

[OldNick]

I think it was in 2012 or so that I purchased a 1930 Izzy 91/30, with 2 crates (880 rds each) of 50's lead core ammo. Total was about $260, give or take.

18 months ago I sold one untouched crate for $225, then sold a tin (440 rds) out if the other crate for $125.

I got the rifle free, and I'll probably never shoot the remainder of the opened tin.

I certainly don't miss the ammo, but I do miss the opportunity to make money.

[kozak6]

My Mosin is borderline unshootable junk, and an acquaintance's M44 was downright miserable to shoot.

I wish I had picked up a Vepr or PSL when they were still cheap. That would have made cheap 7.62x54r worthwhile.

[ThomasT]

I looked at but never want wanted a MN rifle so I don't miss the cheap ammo. But I do miss the less than $100 SKS rifles and $80 cases of steel core Norinco ammo that had 1200 rounds per case. I'm glad I have a few thousand rounds and two Norinco SKS rifles to shoot it with.

[TruthTellers]

The ammo price is what will kill the interest in the Mosin rifles, that and the prices Mosins are going for and have been going for the past 5 years will do it.

The best milsurp rifles available today that are good quality and a low price are Arisaka's. Main reason being that factory ammo is rare, expensive, and not good. Handloading it isn't a challenge like some other cartridges, so it's not like they're paperweights.

[Scorch]

Who misses $.15 7.62x54R prices?

Not me.

I don't miss corrosive ammo.

Yep!

There have been lots of rifles ruined by corrosive ammo. Back in the 70s and 80s, people were still around to teach the newbies about corrosive ammo and cleaning rifles after shooting. Since US military ammo hasn't been loaded with corrosive primers since the 1950s, people forget about corrosive ammo. I can't tell you the number of times a teary-eyed new shooter has come in with his milsurp treasure that has grown rust crystals out of the bore since the last time he shot it. Almost makes me want to cry. Unless it's a Mosin. I don't cry over Mosins, I just try not to laugh.