[ScottD]

Follow up on a thread running last week. FSAAP was advertising 8MM ammo that had been reprimed and reassembled. At .44 cents a round, I had to buy some. I got the ammo today. On the surface, everything looks great.

Headstamps appear mixed, mostly "hrn ST 14 41" and '04 60' The primers have all ben heavily staked and there is NO corrosion on the cases. I can see trace amounts of laquer on the comm bloc looking headstamps (04 60) Whats REALLY odd is every case has been laser etched '8x57 IS FA' Im not sure why, maybe a regulatory thing. They did make a very specific point of saying they stand behind this ammo 100% and maybe thats why they marked it (so some goon doesn't try and return bad surplus ammo) What can you guys tell me about these head stamps-

 

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I read somewhere the laser etching on the side is a requirement for resale in Europe. Maybe wrong, don't know for sure.

I have seen these cartridges converted to blanks for reenactments in Europe and marked the same way.

I've also seen 7.62x51 ink marked on the side in the same manner and they even went as far as machining to remove the headstamp markings. I saved one of those cases because it was so odd.

 

[brandy12]

Follow up on a thread running last week. FSAAP was advertising 8MM ammo that had been reprimed and reassembled. At .44 cents a round, I had to buy some. I got the ammo today. On the surface, everything looks great.

Headstamps appear mixed, mostly "hrn ST 14 41" and '04 60' The primers have all ben heavily staked and there is NO corrosion on the cases. I can see trace amounts of laquer on the comm bloc looking headstamps (04 60) Whats REALLY odd is every case has been laser etched '8x57 IS FA' Im not sure why, maybe a regulatory thing. They did make a very specific point of saying they stand behind this ammo 100% and maybe thats why they marked it (so some goon doesn't try and return bad surplus ammo) What can you guys tell me about these head stamps-

Please let us know how it shoots.

 

[haakster]

Original WW2 7.9 German & post war 7.9 East German. Non reworked. The etching is to comply with Euro requirements that the caliber must be on the cartridge case, if it does not appear on the head stamp. The 1941 dated hrn is sS (198 grain heavy ball) zdh. 88 primer (corrosive) The East German (04) is Sme (178 grain iron core) corrosive primed. The heavy staking is common on the East German ammo. If it's surefire, it's a good value with today surplus ammo costs. Regards, JH

 

[Outdoordave]

I just saw some of that same ammo in a local gun shop. Good info - thanks.

 

[ScottD]

Original WW2 7.9 German & post war 7.9 East German. Non reworked. The etching is to comply with Euro requirements that the caliber must be on the cartridge case, if it does not appear on the head stamp. The 1941 dated hrn is sS (198 grain heavy ball) zdh. 88 primer (corrosive) The East German (04) is Sme (178 grain iron core) corrosive primed. The heavy staking is common on the East German ammo. If it's surefire, it's a good value with today surplus ammo costs. Regards, JH

Interesting info. The retailer states this ammo is all 198 grain and new primers. Ill have to pul a few and weigh. Does anyone have a pictures of original hrn or East German? Id like to compare stake marks. Theres no way they could have staked every round in the EXACT place as the original, but they do plainly state the ammo has been re-primed with new berdan primers.

EDIT: I pulled one German and one Post War East German, haakster was correct. 198gn grain AND 178gn. Powders are also different, one was flake, the other stick.
Its all in EXCELLENT condition.......but I wonder whats going on with FSAAP saying they have been re-primed.........

 

[haakster]

Be sure to check both the bullet bases & the inside of the cartridge cases (with a flashlight), to check for rust for powder break down (nitrate acid). The hrn sS was loaded with powder lots from 1939-1940, before the switch was made to short cutting manufacture of propellants, so probably OK. The zdh 88 is a great primer, but the are 80+ years old now. IMO, these are original primers. Regards, JH
PS: I have included a picture of a box of 1941 hrn just two (2) case lots from yours. Notice the green primer sealant a three stab crimp & brass plated zdh. 88 primer.

 

[ScottD]

Be sure to check both the bullet bases & the inside of the cartridge cases (with a flashlight), to check for rust for powder break down (nitrate acid). The hrn sS was loaded with powder lots from 1939-1940, before the switch was made to short cutting manufacture of propellants, so probably OK. The zdh 88 is a great primer, but the are 80+ years old now. IMO, these are original primers. Regards, JH
PS: I have included a picture of a box of 1941 hrn just two (2) case lots from yours. Notice the green primer sealant a three stab crimp & brass plated zdh. 88 primer.

The powder in both cases looked fine, smelled fine, no clumps. Bullets are still shiny, no tarnish. I dont know where this stuff has been stored, but it was hermetically sealed and protected. Insides of the cases were just as clean as the outsides. I did find one anomaly, the East German stuff only has one flash hole. Otherwise, this is going to be great bolt gun fodder while I save my Romanian for my G43 and belties. Im also a little nostalgic about actual war era German ammo, thats kinda neat. (To actually find ANYTHING German from WWII that doesnt cost 5x as much just because its stamped/marked)

 

[haakster]

To ease extraction with the early German lacquered cases, a small amount of a carnuba based wax (Johnson's original formula works great) should be applied to the cases. Just put a bit between your palms and roll 5 cartridges at a time though them. The Germans started waxing 7.9 lacquered cases both inside and out in late 1942, both to ease extraction and to reduce bullet pull. The post war East German 7.9 SmE was originally waxed the same way, but most of the wax has been lost so a reapply would not hurt. Good shooting! Regards, JH

 

[Mike Duke]

Good info @haakster

 

[Hershmeister]

I cant tell from the pics - can you confirm these are new primers?


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[ScottD]

I cant tell from the pics - can you confirm these are new primers?


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I honesty cant tell. What makes me say 'no' is the fact that they are so heavily crimped. I also dont see how they could have been de-primed, re-capped and staked in the EXACT same position again? But why would a large company say they had replaced them? They said it was all 198gn, and Im seeing about 20% of 178's.

On the plus side, NOTHING about this ammo makes me worried. From all I can tell, its EXCELLENT condition surplus ammo. But WHY would the company say they reprimed them?

 

[haakster]

"But WHY would the company say they reprimed them? "
Artistic license. Regards, JH