Online Encyclopedia
7.62 x 39 mm M43
- This article should include material from Soviet M1943
The Soviet 7.62 × 39 mm M43 rifle cartridge was designed during World War II for the SKS carbine. The cartridge was influenced by the late-war German 7.92 mm Kurz ("Kurz" meaning "short" in German). Shortly after the war the world's most (in)famous assault rifle was designed for this cartridge: the AK-47. The cartridge remained the standard Soviet load until the 1970s, and is still by far the most common intermediate rifle cartridge used around the world. Its replacement, the 5.45 × 39 mm cartridge, is less powerful but longer ranged (due to its much higher velocity), is more controllable in full-auto fire (due to the lower recoil) and allows more ammunition to be carried. The change was a response to the NATO switch from the 7.62 mm cartridge to 5.56 mm.
The Soviet/Russian made bullets are usually boat-tail bullet s (which is to say that they're tapered slightly at the rear, like a rowboat, in order to reduce turbulent vacuum drag) with a copper-plated steel jacket, a large steel core, and some lead between the core and the jacket. However, many foreign manufacturers (notably the Yugoslavs in the 1960s and 1970s) prefer a copper jacketed and lead cored design, which makes the bullet short and rear heavy, both of which contribute to the tumbling effect. Chinese military-issue ammunition in this caliber has a solid steel core with a thin jacket of copper or brass.
Also known as a .30 caliber cartridge (pronounced "thirty"). On rare occasions, this ammunition is referred to as 7.62 mm Soviet, 7.62 mm Warsaw Pact rounds, or 7.62 mm ComBloc.
Since approximately 1990 the 7.62x39 mm cartridge has become very popular in the southeastern US for hunting game up to the size of whitetail deer, as it is approximately as powerful as the old .30-30 Winchester Rifles and Shotguns and large numbers of inexpensive imported rifles, like the SKS and semi-auto AK-47 types, are available using it. Inexpensive imported 7.62x39 mm ammunition is also widely available, though not all of it is suitable for hunting.
Weapons using the M43 round
Specifications
- Round length: 55.80 mm
- Case length: 38.65 mm
- Rim diameter: 11.30 mm
- Bullet diameter: 7.90 mm
- Bullet weight: 7.97 g
- Nominal charge: 1.60 g; SSNF 50 powder
- Muzzle velocity: 710 m/s
- Muzzle energy: 2,010 J