The 7.62x39mm cartridge was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1940s for the AK-47 rifle. It spread quickly across the communist bloc and into guerrilla forces worldwide, and many countries built their own production lines for it. Use this guide to identify who made your ammo, by headstamp or by country.
Cartridge7.62×39mm
OriginSoviet Union, 1940s
RiflesAK-47, AKM, SKS, RPD
Typical bullet122 to 125 grain
Russian Ammo Headstamps
The number stamped on the base of the case identifies the factory.
| Headstamp | Factory | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ulyanovsk | Machinery Plant |
| 7 | Vympel | State Production Association |
| 17 | Barnaul | Machine Tool Plant |
| 60 | Frunze | State Factory, Kirgisia (now Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) |
| 270 | Lugansk | Cartridge factory, Ukraine |
| 539 | Tula | Tula Cartridge Plant |
| 711 | Klimovsk | State Ammunition Factory |
7.62×39 Ammo by Country
RussianChineseBulgarianYugoslavianGermanHungarianPolishRomanianKoreanIsraeliFinnishUnited States
Browse 7.62×39 Ammo
7.62×39The main 7.62×39 reference page7.62×39 mmCartridge overview7.62×39 Steel CaseSteel-cased ammo7.62×39 WolfWolf brand7.62×39 Soft TipSoft tip loads7.62×39 RaufusRaufus brand
Factories That Produced 7.62x39mm
Some of the notable factories that have produced 7.62x39mm ammunition in the past include:
- Izhevsk Mechanical Plant – Russia:
This factory produced the original AK-47 rifles and 7.62x39mm ammunition for the Soviet Union in the late 1940s. The plant has since been modernized and continues to produce ammunition today, including 7.62x39mm rounds for the Russian military and export markets.
It is difficult to estimate the exact quantity of 7.62x39mm produced by this factory over the years, but it is likely to be in the billions. - Tula Cartridge Plant – Russia:
This is another major ammunition factory in Russia that has produced 7.62x39mm ammunition since the 1950s. The plant has gone through several upgrades and modernizations over the years and continues to produce ammunition today.
It is estimated that the plant has produced tens of billions of 7.62x39mm rounds over the years. - Cugir Plant – Romania:
This factory started producing 7.62x39mm ammunition for the Romanian military and export markets in the 1960s. After the fall of communism, the plant was privatized and continues to produce ammunition today, including 7.62x39mm rounds.
The exact quantity produced over the years is unknown, but it is likely to be in the billions. - Zastava Arms – Serbia:
This factory has been producing 7.62x39mm ammunition since the 1970s for the Yugoslavian military and export markets. Today, the plant is known as Zastava Arms and continues to produce small arms ammunition, including 7.62x39mm rounds.
The exact quantity produced over the years is unknown. - Norinco – China:
This state-owned factory has been producing 7.62x39mm ammunition for the Chinese military and export markets since the 1970s.
The factory has gone through several upgrades and expansions over the years and continues to produce a wide variety of small arms ammunition, including 7.62x39mm rounds.
The exact quantity produced over the years is unknown, but it is likely to be in the billions. - Barnaul Cartridge Plant – Russia:
This factory started producing 7.62x39mm ammunition in the 1980s for the Soviet Union and export markets.
Today, the factory is owned by the Barnaul Machine Tool Plant and continues to produce small arms ammunition, including 7.62x39mm rounds.
The exact quantity produced over the years is unknown.
