Hornady Coming Out With AK 47 & 74 Ammo In 2010

Hornady coming out with V-Max bullet on steel cases for the AK-47 and AK-74 in 2010! Finally some down to business ammo for our rifles.
steel core.


http://www.hornady.com/store/5.45X39-60-gr-V-MAX-Steel-Case/

Yippee - none for me thanks

They've already had a limited run on 7.62x39 V-Max with steel case. I have some but haven't gotten to shoot it yet. Even if you don't want to buy it, it is good to hear that a U.S. company is interested in 5.45x39, even if they are still using Russian cases.

They've already had a limited run on 7.62x39 V-Max with steel case. I have some but haven't gotten to shoot it yet. Even if you don't want to buy it, it is good to hear that a U.S. company is interested in 5.45x39, even if they are still using Russian cases.
It goes a little bit further than that . . .


Hornady is basically shipping bullets (just the projectile) and powder over to one of the former commie ammo plants, and that plant is producing the ammo for Hornady and shipping complete cartridges back to the USA.

Sounds like the V Max would make a great self defense round.

sounds like its gonna be 500 bucks a case... any time american companies get involved, the price shoots through the roof no pun intended.

The 123 gr. .310 V-MAX bullet has been available for a couple years I bought a 500 bulk pak. from Graf & Sons there the only ones that carry them. Then you can load your own,they shoot pretty good out of the Yugo and Chinese SKS only tested them out at 50 yds.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/Rifles044.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/4198.jpg

Just looked up the VMax At Graf and it is $17. a 100 fmj heads are more?
Might have to try some!
Lehigh...

Now they just need to start loading the Interlock sp, and with brass cases.

Unless you've got lots of extra $$ to blow, why pay a buck a round for this? A hit from from a FMJ will yield the same result as a hit from this fancy plastic tip bullet. Dead is dead.

It goes a little bit further than that . . .


Hornady is basically shipping bullets (just the projectile) and powder over to one of the former commie ammo plants, and that plant is producing the ammo for Hornady and shipping complete cartridges back to the USA.


That isn't what Hornady is claiming.


"....Hornady is pleased to offer both the 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 cartridges for 2010.

Both the 7.62x39 and the 5.45x39 feature high-quality, lacquer-coated steel cases with non-corrosive berdan primers. Each cartridge is loaded with Hornady V-MAX bullets and carefully chosen propellants, and all loading will be done at the Hornady factory.

Collectors and practical rifle enthusiasts will appreciate these high-quality, affordably-priced offerings from Hornady – two fantastic additions that will compliment new and traditional rifles chambered for these two storied cartridges.

Depending on the caliber, Custom ammo is loaded with Hornady SST, InterBond, InterLock or V-MAX bullets....."

Unless you've got lots of extra $$ to blow, why pay a buck a round for this? A hit from from a FMJ will yield the same result as a hit from this fancy plastic tip bullet. Dead is dead.


I can tell you have never shot anything that was actually alive. You have just made a very ignorant statement. A FMJ with no expansion has a vastly inferior wound channel to an expanding bullet. The only time an FMJ is any advantage is against armor.

The only reason the military uses FMJ is because they are required to by the Geneva convention.

It is also the reason why hunting with FMJ ammo is illegal in most states.

Also the 5.45 is 50rds per box so the price is 50 cents per round.

Yeah, M43 based 7.62x39 such as Chinese Steel Core, has a very bad terminal performance reputation. They tend not to tumble inside a body reulring in a very simple wound like pistol FMJ. Later designed FMJ like Yugo and 8m2 bullets tumble more quickly and is a better choice. I prefer Uly Sapsan 8M3 that is what was Wolf Military Classic 124gr HP, it fragments and/or expands well and is cheap. I just don't know where to get it now since it seems the latest imports of it are the same a the Tula loaded Wolf Black Box. I think the Hornday V-Max will be a good option, it is really more like .60-.75 cents a round which isn't bad. I just heard that this load is a little slow at 2150 out of a 16" AK.

One of the best guides on 7.62x39 terminal performance is DocGKR's (Dr. Gary Roberts):
In discussing 7.62x39 mm FMJ, the question is always which one, as their characteristics are highly variable.

In fact, there is a bit of a controversy brewing in some of the AAR’s coming in from OCONUS on the effectiveness of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition. Initially, this appears somewhat strange, as there may be more forensic data available regarding wounds caused by the Russian 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ than for any other rifle cartridge. The original 7.62 x 39 mm Russian M43 Type PS 120.5 gr FMJ boat-tail bullet has a copper-plated steel jacket covering a large steel core and a typical muzzle velocity of 2340 f/s. In tissue, it typically travels approximately 9.8 to 10.6" point forward before beginning significant yaw. Most uncomplicated wounds of the torso and extremities have small punctate entrance and exit wounds and exhibit minimal internal tissue disruption since the bullet does not deform or fragment and usually exits before yaw occurs. Total penetration is around 29.1”. WDMET (Wound Data and Munitions Effectiveness Team) collected extensive forensic data on over 700 7.62 x 39 mm gunshot wounds during the Viet Nam war. The predominant feature of this cartridge is the MINIMAL amount of damage it produces in soft tissue wounds, on par with FMJ handgun wounds such as those produced by 9 mm M882 ball. We also have extensive law enforcement data, as this cartridge has been used extensively in illicit activity. For example, in the 17 January 1988 Stockton school shooting, 30 of 35 kids who were shot lived. Of the five that died, all were shot in critical structure--head, heart, spine, aorta and none had damage to any organ not directly hit by a bullet.

However, not all 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ bullets are of the original steel core construction. Significantly increased tissue damage is produced by the early yaw seen with several 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ lead core bullets, including:

-- Yugoslavian M67 124 gr FMJ, flat based, copper-jacketed, lead core bullet which travels only 3.5" in tissue before yawing

-- Chinese (PRC) 7.62 x 39 mm 123 gr FMJ, copper-jacketed, lead core bullets which begin their yaw after only 2 to 2.5" of travel in tissue.

-- Czech and several types of Western commercially produced lead core 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ yaw within the first 2 to 3 inches of travel in tissue.

In both uncomplicated extremity and torso wounds, the very early yaw of these lead core 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ bullets allow the projectiles to travel sideways through the body, substantially increasing permanent tissue destruction and temporary cavitation effects compared to the standard 7.62 x 39 mm Russian M43 Type PS 120.5 gr FMJ. These early yawing lead core 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ bullets cause wounds very similar to the 5.45 x 39 mm Russian M74 53 gr FMJ bullets, however, the larger size of the 7.62 x 39 mm bullets results in a bigger permanent cavity compared to 5.45 x 39 mm bullets.

The differences in terminal effects seen in recent combat with 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ wounds can likely be explained by the different terminal effects caused by the various types of FMJ construction.

When one moves to a expanding/fragmenting design in 7.62 x 39 mm, terminal performance is significantly enhanced. The best 7.62 x 39 mm loads we have tested to date are the Winchester 123 gr JSP (X76239) and the Lapua 125 gr JSP. Out of a 16” barrel they perform somewhat like lightweight .30-30 loads:

Lap 125 gr JSP
Bare Gelatin: vel=2316 f/s, pen=17.3”, RD=.62”, RL=.43”, RW=122.6 gr
Car Windshield: vel=2323 f/s, pen=14.8”, RD=.60”, RL=.40”, RW=110.6 gr

Win 123 gr JSP
Bare Gel: vel=2253 f/s, pen=14.4”, rd=0.56”, rw=90.1gr
Pretty much the same results when going through car windshields.

Of note, most of the “cheap” Russian JHP/JSP ammunition offers poor terminal performance. The one that seems to work is the 7.62x39mm Saspan 124 gr JHP (Ulyanovsk Machinery Plant; 8M3 bullet); from a 16” AKMS the data is:

BG: vel=2297 f/s, pen=15.0”, Max TC=10cm@18cm, RD=0.63”, RW=100.5gr"

Because of the larger permanent cavity and greater bullet mass, the 7.62 x 39 mm JSP’s offer somewhat better performance than the .223 bonded JSP’s, like the Trophy Bonded Bearclaw use in the Federal Tactical loads. These 7.62 x 39 mm JSP loads are a good choice for use against car windows and should also be outstanding for hunting deer and other similar size game.

I'm hoping some other manufacturers follow suite if the sales justify it. It would be nice to see this go well and get some domestic brass and reloading dies for the 5.45x39.
My hunting rifles are a little large to be considered varmint guns so it would be nice to see some expanding 5.45x39 rounds on the market if I wanted to try shooting some varmints without using my deer rifles.

Unless you've got lots of extra $$ to blow, why pay a buck a round for this? A hit from from a FMJ will yield the same result as a hit from this fancy plastic tip bullet. Dead is dead.

The fancy plastic bullet is called a ballistic tip it aids in aerodynamics which increases the ballistic coefficient of the bullet which allow it to fly faster straighter with less air resistance,it also aids in expansion which is far superior to any of the Russian ammo on the market when handloaded to the same velocity,which mine are actually a little faster close to 2400 fps on the chrono.

The V-MAX is designed to expand readily even at lower velocities and designed to impart more shock to the intended target keeping all the energy withing the target unlike a FMJ which often just passes through. The V-MAX bullet is also used in the Hornady TAP (Tactical Application Police) or FPD (For Personal Defense) rifle ammo use by some LEO's and available to the general public when over penetration by SP of FMJ ammo can be a problem. Excessive penetration and high ricochet potential are the last things you need in a defensive cartridge.

As far as the 7.62 and 5.45 X 39 being expensive for what it is it's not a bad price for 50 rds. of course if you handload you can cut that in half with no problems,100 rds of V-MAX X39 ammo cost me about $28 per 100 to loads and there a lot more accurate and cleaner and effective than any Russian ammo. FMJ have there place but like anything else,no one bullet will serve every purpose.

Loading 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm with berdan primed steel cases, eh?

Where do they hire their market research people?

Just sayin'...

Forrest

"the Geneva convention"----> Never heard of that!!!???

"the Geneva convention"----> Never heard of that!!!???

I'm sure that you have a point, but I don't know what it is...

We're talking about Hornady loading ammo for the US commercial market here, you know.

Forrest