Decoding Russian milsurp spam cans

drypowder

drypowder

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What do the markings on the can say about the 7.62 x 54R ammo contained therein?

I think the 72 on 4 of the cans refers to 1972 year of manufacture (the can on the left side would be 1980 manufacture).

P1020965.jpg
 
The silver paint means silver tip ammo, I think.

And I'd say that the K 21 - 72 is the batch number.
 
The can on the far left is also Bulgarian 54r as marked by the circled 10 not much difference between it and the Russian ammo made in 72. One thing of note is that not all LB ammo will have the silver tip.

Russian specification
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo025.htm

Bulgarian Specification I have some of the 80's ammo as well and it pretty much matches this ammo.
http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo036.htm

A good site for decoding ammo.
http://www.m1-garand-rifle.com/mil-surplus-ammo.php
 
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I picked this one up last weekend for $30. The guy sold his Mosins and ammo off a few years back, but forgot all about this one can in the bottom of his closet. I told him he was way too light on his pricing, but he told me he only paid $30 for it back in the day and he just wanted his money back - and no more. I tried to pay him more, but he just would not budge. He would only accept $30. So I gave him $30.

spam.jpg
 
East of Here said:
I picked this one up last weekend for $30. The guy sold his Mosins and ammo off a few years back, but forgot all about this one can in the bottom of his closet. I told him he was way too light on his pricing, but he told me he only paid $30 for it back in the day and he just wanted his money back - and no more. I tried to pay him more, but he just would not budge. He would only accept $30. So I gave him $30.

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That's about the price of most .22lr these days! Thief! j/k VERY nice snag!
 
East of Here said:
I picked this one up last weekend for $30. The guy sold his Mosins and ammo off a few years back, but forgot all about this one can in the bottom of his closet. I told him he was way too light on his pricing, but he told me he only paid $30 for it back in the day and he just wanted his money back - and no more. I tried to pay him more, but he just would not budge. He would only accept $30. So I gave him $30.

View attachment 3475
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I give you your 30 back
 
As far as identification goes, I am told that this particular can is Hungarian light ball. I had just assumed it was light ball due to the silver stripe. I was thinking it might be Bulgarian, but apparently it is Hungarian.
 
East of Here said:
I picked this one up last weekend for $30. The guy sold his Mosins and ammo off a few years back, but forgot all about this one can in the bottom of his closet. I told him he was way too light on his pricing, but he told me he only paid $30 for it back in the day and he just wanted his money back - and no more. I tried to pay him more, but he just would not budge. He would only accept $30. So I gave him $30.

View attachment 3475
Click to expand...

Appears to be a tin of Hungarian LB made in 1978 I think. It's probably the lacquered gray steel case ammo. If so just make sure your chamber is clean as the lacquer can cause extraction problems in dirty chambers.
 
As has been said, the silver stripe on the can means it is light ball. Several countries used this convention, not just the Czechs. You will see it in Russian, Czech, Hungarian, Bulgarian, East German, etc cans. And sometimes you won't. They didn't always denote light ball cans with the stripe. Sometimes they used letter codes.
 
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