Which Norinco ammo is the steel core stuff?

[tk421]

Local shop has a bunch of Norinco ammo in boxes. Box colors are yellow, dark green, light green, half white/half green, and IIRC half silver/half green or dark blue (I didnt get a good look at that one).

I looked at a few of the boxes one time I was there but none of them said anything about being steel core.

[JA]

Check the AK ammo id page of my web page.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jfreeman246/index.htm
My web page lists ways to identifly bullet type by headstamp or case sealer. Unless the box says steel core or lead core it is a toss up as to what type bullets the ammo is loaded with. I have bought many cases of yellow box Norinco ammo. The last case I bought was a couple years ago from a want ad in the newspaper. It is not marked on the box as to what type bullet but pulling the bullet from a cartridge it turned out to be steel core. It is headstamped 71/92 which means it was mfg. by factory 71 in 1992. The strange part is that I have bought cases of ammo with the same headstamp that has lead core bullets. So the only sure way on boxes that are not marked as to what type bullet is to buy one box and pull a bullet from a cartridge.
As you can see from the pic on my web page steel core bullets are easy to tell from lead core bullets.

[Packrat]

I THINK '92 and earlier are steel core; the brown lacquer cases almost certainly. '92 and later are lead core; they had the copper-washed cases. '92 copper-washed are a toss-up; boxes from the same case, and I believe cartridges from the same box, could go either way. (I sold almost a case of it, and had to refund the money and eat shipping across the country each way on that.)

I don't understand the fascination with steel-core ammo; in tests (using Norinco ammo) I saw little more penetration in a steel plate than lead-core FMJ, which was onlt a little better than Russian HP. Martin Fackler tested both in gelatin, and found that steel-core penetrated about 10" before tumbling, while lead-core FMJ only penetrated about 4" before tumbling. Faster tumbling is important for live targets (hunting).

[hickman]

guess I got lucky then 2 boxes headstanped 71 92 for $3.50 a box :D