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Sako Ammunition 7.62x53

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

I have some Finnish surplus ammo dated 1942 in 7.62x53 and need information about. Is it corrosive, how much is it worth. Ect..
 

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Your ammo is definitely corrosive and definitely collectible. It is Berdan primed. I don't know the value, but it's definitely worth more to a collector than to a shooter. I would shoot it only to satisfy a nostalgic desire to fire a Finnish Mosin with its original ammo. It is steel cased (Rautainen hylsy). "Tarkastettuja" means inspected. Valtion Patruunatehdas (VPT) is the State Ammunition Factory. I am not familiar with the S and SS terms for the bullet and ammo type, respectively. Can you post a picture of the headstamp on one cartridge? That would help to make a more accurate ID of the ammo. Also, is it steel jacketed? You can test the jacket with a magnet.
 
The bottom of the case has two stamped numbers one above the primer and one under the primer 38 and 39 is what is on them. I’ll post a pic later. And I’ll do a magnet test also. Thanks for the info by the way. I won’t shoot it but if I can sell it for a little profit I might do that.
 
The bottom of the case has two stamped numbers one above the primer and one under the primer 38 and 39 is what is on them. I’ll post a pic later. And I’ll do a magnet test also. Thanks for the info by the way. I won’t shoot it but if I can sell it for a little profit I might do that.
 
The bullet is magnetic and the case bottom has 38 and 39 on it. Like I said. The bullet also measures .308
 

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OK, that confirms what I suspected. That ammo is repackaged Soviet ammo captured during the Winter War. 38 is a Russian factory code - I don't know which one. Ammo made at VPT is headstamped VPT. The Finns repackaged a lot of captured ammo. In this case 39 would be the year it was made and 1942 is when the Finns inspected and repackaged it. I figured it might be repackaged ammo when I saw the "Inspected by VPT" mark on the box.

It is still quite collectible so long as it remains in its packaging.
 
OK, that confirms what I suspected. That ammo is repackaged Soviet ammo captured during the Winter War. 38 is a Russian factory code - I don't know which one. Ammo made at VPT is headstamped VPT. The Finns repackaged a lot of captured ammo. In this case 39 would be the year it was made and 1942 is when the Finns inspected and repackaged it. I figured it might be repackaged ammo when I saw the "Inspected by VPT" mark on the box.

It is still quite collectible so long as it remains in its packaging.
So
 
so the Finns captured Soviet 7.62x54r ammo . During the winter war and Changed it to 7.63x53 and repackaged it in 1942? If so that is way cool. I’m half Finnish from my mothers side and always loved the stories of the Finns kicking the crap out of the Russians. Holding history in my hands.
 
The Finns captured enormous quantities of arms and ammunition in the "motti" battles of the Winter War. While the Finns preferred to issue their own superior versions of the Mosin-Nagant to front-line troops, it was not unknown for battles to take place where both sides were shooting Russian ammo from Russian rifles. I have two or three Finn-captured model 91-30 rifles in my collection. I also have a model 24 Civil Guard rifle with original Imperial markings, a hammer and sickle overstamp, and markings for both the Finnish Civil Guard and the Finnish Army. Talk about a lot of history in one weapon!
 
The Finns captured enormous quantities of arms and ammunition in the "motti" battles of the Winter War. While the Finns preferred to issue their own superior versions of the Mosin-Nagant to front-line troops, it was not unknown for battles to take place where both sides were shooting Russian ammo from Russian rifles. I have two or three Finn-captured model 91-30 rifles in my collection. I also have a model 24 Civil Guard rifle with original Imperial markings, a hammer and sickle overstamp, and markings for both the Finnish Civil Guard and the Finnish Army. Talk about a lot of history in one weapon!
That’s very cool. I’ve just been reading the history of the Winter War. It’s to bad the Finns lost in the end. But they gave them hell.
 
Actually it could be said that Finland won that war. Although Finland had to give up some territory, Stalin's ambition to re-incorporate Finland into Soviet Russia was foiled and Finland remained independent. I am reminded of something that was said to me by a Finnish officer: "Finland is a neutral country. But the guns point to the east."

A couple more useful points of ammo info. I found out that S-bullet is the Finnish term for the standard Soviet 147-grain jacketed bullet. More information on ammo for the Mosin Nagant can be found here: http://www.mosinnagant.net/i3tro4.asp
 
The Finns captured enormous quantities of arms and ammunition in the "motti" battles of the Winter War. While the Finns preferred to issue their own superior versions of the Mosin-Nagant to front-line troops, it was not unknown for battles to take place where both sides were shooting Russian ammo from Russian rifles. I have two or three Finn-captured model 91-30 rifles in my collection. I also have a model 24 Civil Guard rifle with original Imperial markings, a hammer and sickle overstamp, and markings for both the Finnish Civil Guard and the Finnish Army. Talk about a lot of history in one weapon!

heh, how about some photos ? keep us aussies up to date. susanna
 
I appreciate all the info you have given me IceBear. It was all very interesting. That’s one of the reasons I collect guns they all have a history and stories to teLL. My next purchase might be a Finnish Mosin, if I can find a nice one with a bright bore.
 
I think it was here on this forum that I first saw the hilarious Finnish quote: "Stalin's worst nightmare is that the Chinese learn to fight like the Finns, or the Finns learn to have babies like the Chinese."
 
I think it was here on this forum that I first saw the hilarious Finnish quote: "Stalin's worst nightmare is that the Chinese learn to fight like the Finns, or the Finns learn to have babies like the Chinese."
Reminds me of a quote from a Finnish officer at the beginning of the Winter War. Told that 100,000 Soviet troops were coming across the border, the Finn exclaimed, "So many! Where are we going to bury them all?"
 
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