The 7.62x39mm ammunition was developed in the Soviet Union during World War II as a replacement for the 7.62x54mmR round, which was used in the Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifles. The new round was designed for use in the AK-47, a revolutionary new assault rifle that was also being developed at the time.

The 7.62x39mm cartridge was developed in the late 1940s by a team of Soviet engineers led by Mikhail Kalashnikov, who was also the chief designer of the AK-47. The new cartridge was designed to be compact, lightweight, and effective at short to medium ranges. It was also intended to be more controllable in automatic fire than the larger and more powerful 7.62x54mmR round.

The design of the 7.62x39mm cartridge features a bottlenecked case with a tapered shoulder and a rimless base. It uses a 123-grain bullet with a steel core and a lead jacket, which is designed to penetrate body armor and other barriers.

After the development of the 7.62x39mm cartridge, several factories in the Soviet Union began producing the ammunition in large quantities. The Izhevsk Mechanical Plant and the Tula Cartridge Plant were among the first factories to produce the new ammunition. Today, these factories continue to produce 7.62x39mm ammunition for the Russian military and export markets.

7.62×39
7.62×39mm

first used in the RPD machine gun

In addition to the Soviet Union, several other countries have produced 7.62x39mm ammunition over the years. In Romania, the Cugir Plant began producing the ammunition in the 1960s, and today, it continues to produce small arms ammunition, including 7.62x39mm rounds.

In Serbia, the Zastava Arms factory has been producing 7.62x39mm ammunition since the 1970s. The factory also produces a wide range of firearms, including the Zastava M70 rifle, which is chambered for the 7.62x39mm cartridge.

In China, the Norinco factory has been producing 7.62x39mm ammunition since the 1970s. The factory is owned by the Chinese government and produces a wide range of small arms ammunition, including 7.62x39mm rounds.

In the United States, several companies produce 7.62x39mm ammunition for the civilian market, including Federal Premium Ammunition, Hornady, and Winchester. These companies produce a variety of ammunition types, including full metal jacket, soft point, and hollow point rounds.

In conclusion, the 7.62x39mm ammunition was developed in the Soviet Union in the late 1940s as a replacement for the 7.62x54mmR round. Since then, several factories around the world have produced the ammunition, including factories in Russia, Romania, Serbia, and China. In the United States, several companies produce 7.62x39mm ammunition for the civilian market.