AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Barnual manufactures a wide range of 5.45x39mm, 7.62x39mm and 7.62x54mm ammunition for AK-platform firearms. The Golden Bear line has brass-plated steel cases, the Silver Bear line has zinc-plated steel cases and the Brown Bear line has two different coated cases—lacquered steel or polymer coated. The Golden Bear 7.62x39mm ammo is offered in 123-grain HPs and FMJs and a 125-grain SP. Silver Bear offers projectiles in all three calibers. In 7.62x39mm, Silver Bear ammo uses the same bullets as the Golden Bear. Silver Bear ammo in 7.62x54R gives the shooter a choice of a 203-grain SP or a 174-grain FMJ and a 5.45x39mm 60-grain FMJ load. Barnual’s Brown Bear 7.62x39mm lines offer 123-grain FMJ and SP loads and a 125-grain HP load. The company also offers 174-grain FMJs and 203-grain JSPs in 7.62x54R.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
CorBon Ammunition makes two loads for the 7.62x39mm, a 123-grain load with an all-copper, deep-penetration, expanding DPX bullet and a 150-grain JSP. Both loads have a muzzle velocity of 2,300 fps. The 150-grain JSP is quite powerful and delivers 1,762 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Federal Premium Ammunition, a company known for producing quality ammo, offers three loads in 7.62x39mm. They contain either a 123-grain JSP, a 124-grain FMJ or a 123-grain Fusion bullet. All are loaded to a muzzle velocity of 2,350 fps and produce just over 1,500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Fiocchi of Italy is a well-known and respected name in the ammo business, and offers a 7.62x39mm round with a brass case and a 124-grain FMJ bullet. The brass case is Boxer primed. The round’s muzzle velocity is 2,375 fps and muzzle energy is 1,540 foot-pounds.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Hornady produces ammunition in all three Soviet AK calibers. The 7.62x39mm load has a polymer-coated, steel-cased round that features a 123-grain, polymer-tipped SST bullet. The company’s 5.45x39mm load also has a polymer-coated steel case and is topped with Hornady’s polymer-tipped 60-grain V-MAX varmint bullet. The controlled penetration V-MAX penetrates 10 inches in 10-percent ballistic gelatin and reduces the possibility of collateral damage. Finally, Hornady produces a 7.62x54R steel-cased load with a 150-grain SST bullet exclusively for Cabela’s.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Red Army Standard and Red Army Elite Ammunition are currently importing new production non-corrosive ammunition from former ComBloc countries. Red Army Standard (RAS) imports both polymer coated steel case and brass case 7.62x39mm loads. RAS also has a 5.45x39mm load and two 7.62x54R loads. In addition to rifle calibers, RAS is offering pistol calibers in brass-case 9x18mm Makarov and steel-case 7.62x25mm Tokarev.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Remington is known for its quality ammunition products, and it currently offers two brass-cased loads in 7.62x39mm. The first is a 125-grain Core-Lokt JSP hunting load that exits the muzzle at 2,365 fps and develops 1,552 foot-pounds of energy. The second option from Remington is a 123-grain FMJ practice load.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Sellier & Bellot manufactures its ammunition in the Czech Republic and offers brass-cased, Boxer-primed FMJ and JSP
ammo in 7.62X39mm and 7.62X54R. The 7.62X39mm is available with 123-grain FMJ and SP bullets. The 7.62X54R offerings include 180-grain FMJs and SPs, and a 174-grain BTHP Match load.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Tula ammunition is produced at the Tula and Ulyanovsk cartridge factories in Russia, with Polycoated steel cartridge cases and non-corrosive Berdan primers being used. Tula produces bimetal-jacketed, 60-grain FMJ and HP loads in 5.45x39mm. In 7.62x39mm, it offers ammo with 122- and 124-grain FMJ and JHP bullets, and a 154-grain, copper-jacketed SP load. Finally, its 7.62x54R load is a 148-grain FMJ.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Winchester, a respected ammunition producer, offers 123-grain FMJ and Power-Point SP ammo in 7.62x39mm. It also produces a 120-grain Defender load in this caliber, which has a split core that has a bonded base for weight retention. In 7.62x54R, Winchester offers 180-grain FMJ and SP ammo. All Winchester loads have brass cases and Boxer priming.
AK Ammo: 11 Top Loads For Your Kalashnikov
Wolf has three separate product lines that contain Soviet-caliber rifle ammunition. The Gold line has brass-cased, Boxer-primed 7.62x54R ammunition loaded with copper-jacketed 150-grain FMJ and 180-grain SP bullets. The Military Classic 5.45x39mm load has 60-grain, FMJ, bimetal-jacketed bullets and also 55-grain HP and SP bimetal-jacketed bullets. The company’s Military Classic 7.62x39mm ammo has 124-grain FMJ, HP and SP bimetal-jacketed bullets, while the 7.62x54R Military Classic ammo has 151-grain FMJ, 148 grain-SP and 200-grain FMJ bimetal-jacketed bullets. There’s even a 200-grain copper-jacketed Military Classic target load. Wolf’s PolyFormance ammo has Berdan primers and polymer-coated steel cases.
