Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Reloading and any ammunition discussions are here.
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cleanneon98
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Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by cleanneon98 »

Hey guys so I have a 1943 Finn M39 SK.Y that I love, shoots really well. I understand these were designed around a heavier bullet and would likely shoot those better, my barrel is not D marked but as I understand, all of the M39 have the D barrel regardless of stamping. Here are some of the different ammos I have gathered up to test out of the rifle later this week but wonder if there's been a certain load you have found particularly accurate out of your M39

Surplus 174gr
Sellier and Bellot 180gr FMJ
PPU 182gr FMJ
PPU Match 182gr FMJ BT

I know there is a round out there called the D166 but it seems like its not sold anywhere ready made and had to be reloaded. I don't reload or have access to anyone who loads 54r. Is there anywhere to buy this ammo pre loaded?

Thanks all!
1943 SAKO M39 SK.Y #505023
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Junk Yard Dog
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Junk Yard Dog »

At this point it's whatever the hell I can find. Albanian, the nasty green crud brass 50's Czech, Chinese, Mystery stuff, whatever. Favorite would be the Yugo brass case light ball, commercial grade stuff, loved it, can't find it anymore unless I rob a bank first so I can pay for it. My M39's shot everything I put in them well, I never had ammo issues with them.
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Rongo »

my M39s' like everything.
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TnBuckeye
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by TnBuckeye »

I have had really good results with both the PPU products you mention, but I haven’t had BAD results with anything as long as I held up my end of the deal.


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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by M39 Shooter »

Silver bear 203gr. soft point. Deer medicine.
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by steelbuttplate »

M39 Shooter wrote:Silver bear 203gr. soft point. Deer medicine.
I've shot probably 800 rounds of Silver bear, never a problem, the Bulgarian heavy ball is fine too.
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Longcolt44 »

Mine still like the Czech Silver tip from 1968.
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by SA1911a1 »

I have never worried about the fine points of the ammo because all of it shoots better than I do. Try as I might, I am just an average, at best, shooter and would not make a pimple on a rifle "shooters" ass. I still enjoy assaulting paper. My favorite is the stuff that came preloaded on stripper clips. (because I am lazy.) ;)
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Junk Yard Dog »

SA1911a1 wrote:I have never worried about the fine points of the ammo because all of it shoots better than I do. Try as I might, I am just an average, at best, shooter and would not make a pimple on a rifle "shooters" ass. I still enjoy assaulting paper. My favorite is the stuff that came preloaded on stripper clips. (because I am lazy.) ;)
I don't know Steve, I watched my friend go from can't hit shit shooter to Olympic marksman in two minutes with his Colt 1911. He got up from the bench, walked over until he was a couple feet from the target and shot it. Perfect grouping.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Bufford »

Anything I can find to reload with at the time, PPU is pretty good and the brass is ok to reload, I have shot everything from 123 grn and up, have 3 M39's and all shoot better then I can do with them, if buying then maybe PPU would be my suggestion other then reloading to get the sweet spot for each rifle. Been a busy reloading winter so far! ;)
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by SA1911a1 »

Junk Yard Dog wrote:
SA1911a1 wrote:I have never worried about the fine points of the ammo because all of it shoots better than I do. Try as I might, I am just an average, at best, shooter and would not make a pimple on a rifle "shooters" ass. I still enjoy assaulting paper. My favorite is the stuff that came preloaded on stripper clips. (because I am lazy.) ;)
I don't know Steve, I watched my friend go from can't hit shit shooter to Olympic marksman in two minutes with his Colt 1911. He got up from the bench, walked over until he was a couple feet from the target and shot it. Perfect grouping.
When I was doing my train the trainer class to be a certified pistol instructor, one of the drills was shooting a target from about 12". It was hard not to flinch even though I knew it was only paper with a 40 yards of air behind it. I did not group it as well as you might think either. The point was to indicate all of the errors you were making. It didn't help that the rest of the class was critiquing your every move....
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Longcolt44 »

Did any of the class tell you how to respond to a thread over a year old?? :wink:
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Junk Yard Dog »

SA1911a1 wrote:
Junk Yard Dog wrote:
SA1911a1 wrote:I have never worried about the fine points of the ammo because all of it shoots better than I do. Try as I might, I am just an average, at best, shooter and would not make a pimple on a rifle "shooters" ass. I still enjoy assaulting paper. My favorite is the stuff that came preloaded on stripper clips. (because I am lazy.) ;)
I don't know Steve, I watched my friend go from can't hit shit shooter to Olympic marksman in two minutes with his Colt 1911. He got up from the bench, walked over until he was a couple feet from the target and shot it. Perfect grouping.
When I was doing my train the trainer class to be a certified pistol instructor, one of the drills was shooting a target from about 12". It was hard not to flinch even though I knew it was only paper with a 40 yards of air behind it. I did not group it as well as you might think either. The point was to indicate all of the errors you were making. It didn't help that the rest of the class was critiquing your every move....
He's an experienced shooter, the trouble was traced to the steel case cheap ammo he was using, the pistol just didn't like it, and it caused sticky bolt. I had great fun explaining that one to him, I had suggested he not be a cheap fuck and buy the Winchester/Remington/Federal type ammo he usually bought.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
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Fledge
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Re: Your Favorite M39 Ammo?

Post by Fledge »

As the others have stated. My M39's like everything. As far as commercial ammo..... S&B and PPU shot well for me.
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