Caliber history: 7.62x39 mm. Great domestic patron

Caliber history: 7.62x39 mm. Great domestic patron

How the ammunition was created, which became one of the weapon symbols of the second half of the 20th century

Nowadays, the 7.62x39 mm cartridge is found in almost every corner of the planet. But its creation during the war years was not such an easy task. And it didn’t even take on the look we were used to right away - the first cartridges of the ’34 model were a couple of millimeters longer.

First steps

In the 20th century, the Russian, then still imperial, army entered the war with the 7.62x54 mm cartridge as its main rifle and machine-gun ammunition. Adopted into service relatively recently, this cartridge then fully corresponded to its tasks and in terms of characteristics was at the level of foreign analogues.

But technological progress did not stand still. The work that began on the next generation of small arms – self-loading and automatic rifles – quickly showed that the “three-line” cartridge for them is not optimal in a number of parameters, in particular in power. Designer Vladimir Fedorov, who was involved in the development of an automatic rifle, soon came to the conclusion that a significant part of the problems would be eliminated by developing not just a rifle, but a “weapon-cartridge” complex. The result of his research was the 6.5x57 mm cartridge. However, in terms of its characteristics it was more like a rifle, although it was inferior in power to its “three-line” predecessor.

At that moment, these works remained experimental. Already during the First World War, Fedorov adapted his machine gun to use Japanese 6.5x50 mm rifle cartridges for the Arisaka rifle. They were not only supplied to Russia along with weapons, but they even set up production at the Petrograd Cartridge Plant.

The issue of a new cartridge began to be considered by the new government soon after the end of the Civil War. The same Fedorov and his assistant Degtyarev developed a number of new types of automatic weapons of 6.5 mm caliber. Other options were also considered, for example, in Tula they designed a submachine gun chambered for the .351WSL cartridge, used in the American Winchester Model 1907 self-loading rifles. But at that moment they still did not dare to change the main rifle cartridge.

Two parents

Interest in the cartridge, which is between rifle and pistol in power, arose again during the Great Patriotic War. The reason for it was first information about a competition held in the United States for a “light rifle” to arm “second-line” military personnel. The result, as we know, was the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, or M1 - a very successful weapon for its time. It is noteworthy that its .30 Carbine cartridge (7.62×33 mm) was a further development of cartridges for early self-loading hard drives - figuratively speaking, the nephew of the same .351WSL, which was previously considered in the USSR.

American soldiers with M1 Carbine

Soviet designers followed new trends in the field of small arms quite closely. In 1942, even before receiving the M1 under Lend-Lease, several light self-loading carbines were created - but, alas, for the 7.62x25 mm pistol ammunition produced. On the one hand, this was understandable - in the conditions of the second war year, the loss of a significant part of the industry, evacuation, bombing, and so on, it was unlikely that anyone would have agreed to launch the production of new ammunition. On the other hand, with a pistol cartridge, even a long carbine barrel did not provide a proportional advantage in effective firing range compared to a submachine gun. As a result, the Sudaev PP was considered the most promising weapon.

German soldier with StG 44

Everything changed in the summer of 1943, when the Soviet troops received an unusual trophy. MaschinenKarabiner-42 (Haenel) (MKb42(H)) for the German “Kurzpatron” 7.92x33 mm. Already in the preliminary report, Soviet testers noted:

"1. The MKb42(H) carbine is interesting as a new type of weapon, quite light (4,500 kg - a weight corresponding to the weight of a self-loading rifle) and, at the same time, relatively powerful, apparently capable of creating quite intense and effective fire at distances up to 600 meters, which far exceeds the distances available for a submachine gun.

The small dimensions and weight of the cartridge allow you to have a reserve of cartridges with a carbine, approximately 1.5-1.8 times more than with a light machine gun. In terms of practical rate of fire, the MKb42(H) carbine should be closer to a submachine gun. The saturation of troops with a type of weapon can be much greater than the saturation with light machine guns.

Therefore, it is necessary to conduct full field tests of the MKb42(H) carbine and its cartridges.

2. The main feature of the MKb42(H) carbine is its cartridge, which, according to its characteristics, occupies a middle place between a rifle and a pistol. Noteworthy is the varnishing of the iron sleeve instead of plating and the iron capsule cup.

The production of such a cartridge was approved by the Germans quite successfully, because The basis is a standard screw chuck, strengthened and re-compressed.

3. From a design point of view, the MKb42(H) carbine is most similar to a light machine gun. It is interesting, like the original stamped design of the weapon. Particularly noteworthy is the high quality of shaped stamping, the use of spot welding and the quality of rolling the receiver into a stamped box.”

GAU KA specialists also noted that the experience of the Great Patriotic War - and by the summer of 1943 there was enough of it - showed that infantry had to fire at a distance of up to 500-800 meters. Long-range shooting was ineffective even from the DP light machine gun.

The result of the research and discussion was the decision to create both our own “intermediate” cartridge and weapons for it. And since the Germans were the main enemy (and few doubted their ability to relatively quickly saturate the troops with a fairly simple stamped design), the main task became “catch up and overtake.”

First pancake

New weapons, as it was believed at that moment, needed to be given to the front as soon as possible. Therefore, the creation of cartridges and weapons for it was carried out almost simultaneously. This was also the reason for abandoning some long-term studies - for example, on the choice of caliber. Although it was originally intended that the 5.6 mm and 6.5 mm cartridges would also be explored, it was decided to focus efforts on the 7.62. The benefits of such a solution were evidenced both by foreign experience - both the Germans and Americans, when creating their “intermediate” ones, retained the rifle caliber - and purely economic considerations of compatibility with existing equipment.

The development of the cartridge was carried out at the “ammunition” OKB-44 by designers Elizarov, Ryazanov and Semin. The total length of the resulting cartridge was 56 mm, the length of the sleeve was taken to be 41 mm - thus, the resulting cartridge should have been called 7.62x41 mm.

The first batch of new cartridges was manufactured in the second half of 1943. True, as one might expect, its quality left much to be desired. The test report stated that “the external appearance of the cartridges and their elements is unsatisfactory. The cartridges have folds and deep scratches, the bullets and primer are set askew.”

The gunpowder in the first cartridges was mortar gunpowder, and, as was established at the shooting range, with a large overestimation of pressure.

It’s interesting that even in the production of the first batches of the new cartridge, ... lend-lease supplies played a significant role. The technical correspondence indicates that the capsule caps were made of American brass.

Sudaev AS-44 assault rifle

But even the not-so-successful first rounds were in dire need. In 1943, only about 10,000 cartridges were manufactured, while 300,000 were required just for debugging and factory testing of prototype weapons. Here, the developers of the test site themselves were in a better position, whose prototypes were used for testing cartridges - so at the beginning of 1944 for To achieve this, “heavy machine guns” designed by Sudaev and Kuzmishchev were used.

You don't have to rush

It was possible to launch a more or less large-scale production of new cartridges and test the weapons created for it by the spring of 1944. And if the situation at the front had demanded it, the Red Army could already begin to receive Sudaev and Kuzmishchev machine guns, Simonov and Rukavishnikov carbines, Degtyarev and Afanasyev light machine guns. However, the grandiose battles that unfolded in the summer of 1944 happened without them. The German defense was swept away not by bursts of machine guns, but by “two hundred guns per kilometer,” after which tank armies rushed into the breakthrough. And the newest German Sturmgewehrs, along with Panzerschrecks and other achievements of the Third Reich, increasingly found themselves in a roadside ditch - while their former owners wandered east with their hands up.

Soviet developers of weapons and cartridges were able to calmly “fine-tune” a new cartridge and weapons for it, without regard to reports. The result of their work was the 7.62x39 mm cartridge in the form we now know. Like the Kalashnikov assault rifle created for it, it is deservedly considered one of the symbols of the USSR in the second half of the 20th century. And, despite the emergence of newer and more advanced types of ammunition, it is clearly not going to retire.

Main characteristics of this cartridge

Before deciding which 7.62x39 cartridges are better, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic characteristics of this cartridge.

These characteristics include the following:

1. The bullet energy is about 2200 J. Ideal for use in military service. But experts do not recommend hunting animals due to the fact that one bullet cannot finish off the animal (that is, it is necessary to shoot at it several times).
2. This cartridge is produced with SP, FMJ, HP bullets.
3. The weight of the cartridge can vary from 16.2 to 20 g, and its length is 55.5 mm.
4. The weight of the bullet can be 6.6 g, or even 12.6 g.
5. The initial bullet speed varies from 293 to 760 m/s.
6. This cartridge is ideal for conversion weapons.
7. In addition, the arsenal is suitable for rifles that have a bolt action.

Due to the fact that this ammunition has a fairly wide penetration effect, it is capable of penetrating body armor, a steel helmet, dry pine beams, brickwork and even high-strength steel armor.

The logic of special forces

However, it is too early for supporters of the “six and a half” to lose heart. In 2017, the American special operations command USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) decided to switch from the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge in light machine guns and sniper rifles to the new 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge (6.5x49). The ammunition was developed for high-precision shooting. It uses high aspect ratio bullets with high lateral load and low drag. With a bullet mass comparable to 7.62x51 NATO or slightly less, it retains energy along the trajectory much better, providing a noticeably greater effective firing range with a reduced ammunition weight.

6.5 mm "Creedmoor"

In terms of energy, this newest cartridge, which accelerates an eight-gram bullet to 830 m/s, is close to the Fedorov cartridge of the 1913 model (8.5 grams, 850 m/s from a rifle barrel) or to the Swedish veteran 6.5x55 - in the variant 1941, it accelerated a pointed sniper bullet weighing 9.1 grams to 800 m/s. Moreover, the logic of the American special forces completely coincides with the logic of the Norwegians and Swedes, who chose the 6.5 mm caliber cartridge in 1892-93, since in comparison with the 7.65 mm caliber cartridge it gave approximately ten percent greater range of a direct shot at a tall target with less felt recoil and cartridge weight.

American special forces do not need to fire machine guns at long ranges, and there is no particular need to fight aircraft and armored vehicles. This means that such a “return to the past” to work on “two-legged goals” is quite possible.

Features of the 7.62×39-10 ammunition with jacket and expansion bullets

These ammunition supplies were manufactured by the Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant. They were developed specifically to avoid lead contamination of the environment. Therefore, new sporting ammunition began to be produced without a lead core, that is, “environmentally friendly cartridges,” as well as hunting cartridges that have a metal and plastic plate at the base of the shell ammunition. 10 is added to the marking of 7.62x39 cartridges.

As for the environmental purity of these military supplies, it lies in the fact that they contain:

• 19% paraffin mixture.
• 4.9% turpentine.
• 76.1% sand, chalk and sifted cement.

The creators planned to use this type of cartridge at various sports and recreational shooting ranges, as well as in shooting ranges.

Main characteristics of the 7.62x39 cartridge:

1. Development speed – 726 m/s.
2. Muzzle energy – 1054 J.
3. The maximum pressure of powder gases is 274.6 MPa.

All hunting ammunition bullets have lead cores.

For example, 7.62x3-8M2 cartridges have a jacketed bullet, the core of which is covered with a pan.

All 7.62x39 hunting cartridges have quite good characteristics: both weight and developing speed. In addition, it is worth noting that such ammunition has lead cores.

The main advantages and disadvantages of this ammunition

Very often, many hunters are interested in the question, which 7.62x39 cartridges are better? In order to answer this question, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the main advantages of this ammunition.

Thanks to the following qualities, this arsenal is very familiar to many Russian hunters:

1. Relatively low price. That is, it is easy and simple to find in many stores.
2. Ideal for training. Quite often this arsenal is used for sports shooting.
3. Slight cartridge recoil.
4. This ammunition has a fairly stable flight through various obstacles. For example, through bushes.

But, despite the fact that this arsenal is in demand, it also has disadvantages. These include the following:

1. The arsenal's ballistics are noticeably poor.
2. This cartridge is not particularly effective against large animals.
3. It happens that the quality of the cartridge can fail at the most inopportune moment.

However, there are situations when hunters still managed to kill large animals, such as a bear, with one arsenal. But, as experts note, this is just a matter of luck. If we consider this cartridge as a whole, then this ammunition is good, but in its own way.

Feature of ammunition with an ordinary bullet 7.62 PS (57-N-231)

This ammunition is ideal for defeating manpower. The 7.62 mm cartridge of the 1943 model has a steel core. Since 1984, spherical grained gunpowder began to be used. Previously, they used rifle pyroxylin powder.

The ammunition mass is 7.9 g. They are capable of penetrating a steel helmet at a distance of 900 m.

Since 1989, they began to use a heat-strengthened core of increased hardness specifically in order to increase the penetrating effect of the bullet. And it is worth noting that the manufacturers managed to do this; the penetrating effect of ammunition with the new core on solid obstacles increased by about 1.5, or even 2 times.

This ammunition does not have any distinctive coloring, that is, to distinguish it, you need to pay attention to the year of manufacture.