The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Box had the description in the title but the headstamps are nny (PPU) and 7.62x54R. No year. Neither the case nor bullet are attracted by a magnet. Flap on box also indicates 185 grain bullets. Very clean brass ammo. Looks like new ammo. I'm just curious if ammo is corrosive primed? If corrosive, I might pull the bullets and reload with modern primers since these cases are boxer primed. Would like to know about corrosive primers before I start taking them apart.

Or you could just shoot it and clean the rifle correctly.

If the cases are Boxer primed, the primer compound probably isn't corrosive. Most primers with corrosive primer compound are Berdan. PPU ammo should be non corrosive, so I wouldn't worry. Just shoot the ammo and clean it properly immediately afterwards.

It is probably corrosive.

An old war bird deserves the respect of being cleaned immediately after firing anyway. Do that and it will be fine.

If you do not know for sure, then it is corrosive. Treat it that way.

I think what you may have is this surplus ammo. It is Yugoslav produced by PPU in the 1980's. I have 300 rounds of the stuff; it comes in 15-round boxes like the one pictured. If this is what you have, it is Berdan corrosive primed and will require appropriate cleaning techniques.

tjtM38 wrote:I think what you may have is this surplus ammo. It is Yugoslav produced by PPU in the 1980's. I have 300 rounds of the stuff; it comes in 15-round boxes like the one pictured. If this is what you have, it is Berdan corrosive primed and will require appropriate cleaning techniques.

Oh yeah. I have several boxes of that exact stuff. Yugoslavian heavy ball, lead core, produced 1985. Pretty much the only surplus that is brass cased.

It is pretty safe to assume that anything with a Berdan primer is corrosive, since the primer itself is what creates the corrosive salts that damage the weapon if left unchecked for a decent length of time. If your ammo is this PPU surplus, then it is definitely corrosive.

Just pulled the bullet and here is what I found.
My ammo is BOXER primed that is the reason I asked the question about being corrosive. I have never heard of corrosive boxer primed ammo.
Bullet is 180 grain lead core boat tail FMJ (open base), powder charge is 47.5 grains of a short stick powder.
Definitely NOT berdan.
I know this is PPU made ammo.
Just wanted to give an update.
Thanks for all the replies.

260 Striker wrote:Just pulled the bullet and here is what I found.
My ammo is BOXER primed that is the reason I asked the question about being corrosive. I have never heard of corrosive boxer primed ammo.
Bullet is 180 grain lead core boat tail FMJ (open base), powder charge is 47.5 grains of a short stick powder.
Definitely NOT berdan.
I know this is PPU made ammo.
Just wanted to give an update.
Thanks for all the replies.

Thanks for your post. I still say you should consider it corrosive primed and clean accordingly. It is the only way to make sure your rifle does not become a rust bucket. Why take a chance?

Better safe than sorry, a little cleaning at the range beats a lot of cleaning later which may or may not work!