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Home > 7.62 x 39 mm M43


 

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.

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.

1 Weapons using the M43 round

2 Specifications

3 See also

Pistol and rifle cartridges

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