THE VEPR FORUM

So our discussion in the other thread (http://vepr.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2760) about the different cartridge sizes got me to looking further into all the different brands of 54R out there. I started compiling a list to keep track of all the NEW 54R ammo (no surplus) that seems readily available and whether they're a manufacturer brand or an importer brand.

And one thing from all this I guess I never realized is that Wolf doesn't manufacture their own (which I am sure most of you already knew), but I'm also amazed at how many different manufacturing companies they use to import ammo under their brand.

Anyway, here's what I've found so far... There's some missing info and if anyone knows anything different or otherwise, please let me know and I'll update the list. (I also wished the forum coding allowed tables, so I hope this is easy to read anyway.)

Manufacture Brands
Brand | Weight (gr) | Type | Case | MV (ft/sec) | Manufacturer | Location
Barnaul | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 174 | FMJ "Super" | Steel | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 185 | FMJBT | Steel (Brass) | 2471 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 185 | FMJBT (Enh Acc) | Steel | 2471 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 203 | SP | Steel (Lacq) | 2307 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Barnaul | 203 | SP | Steel (Poly) | 2307 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Centaur | 174 | HPBT | Steel (Poly) | 2722 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant Barnaul, Russia
Centaur | 174 | FMJBT | Steel (Poly) | 2722 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Bitterroot Valley Ammo Co. | 150 | SP | Brass | ???? | Bitterroot Valley Ammunition & Components (BVAC) | Stevensville, MT, USA
Georgia Arms | 180 | Ballistic Tip | Brass | 2500 | Georgia Arms | Villa Rica, GA, USA
Hornady | 150 | SST | Steel | ???? | Hornady | Grand Island, NE, USA
Hornady | 174 | HPBT | Steel (Poly) | 2650 | Hornady | Grand Island, NE, USA
Lapua | 123 | FMJ | Brass | 2935 | Nammo Lapua Oy | Lapua, Finland
Lapua | 185 | SP | Brass | 2510 | Nammo Lapua Oy | Lapua, Finland
MFS | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Zinc) | 2580 | MFS 2000 Inc | Sirok, Hungary
MFS | 185 | FMJ | Steel (Zinc) | 2495 | MFS 2000 Inc | Sirok, Hungary
MFS | 203 | SP | Steel (Zinc) | 2495 | MFS 2000 Inc | Sirok, Hungary
Novosibirsk | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Copper) | 2740 | Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) | Novosibirsk, Russia
Novosibirsk (Extra Match) | 200 | FMJ | Brass | 2435 | Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) | Novosibirsk, Russia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 150 | FMJBT | Brass | 2838 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 150 | SPBT | Brass | 2838 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 170 | FMJ | Brass | 2674 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 180 | FMJBT | Brass | 2641 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 180 | SPBT | Brass | 2641 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 182 | FMJBT | Brass | 2624 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan (Match) | 182 | FMJBT | Brass | 2624 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
PPU/Prvi Partisan | 190 | FMJBT | Brass | 2575 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
S.C Uzina Mecanica Sadu S.A | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | ???? | S.C Uzina Mecanica Sadu S.A | Bumbeşti Jiu, Romania
Sellier & Bellot | 174 | HPBT | Brass | 2615 | Sellier & Bellot | Vlašim, Czech Republic
Sellier & Bellot (Match) | 174 | HPBT | Brass | ???? | Sellier & Bellot | Vlašim, Czech Republic
Sellier & Bellot | 180 | FMJ | Brass | 2624 | Sellier & Bellot | Vlašim, Czech Republic
Sellier & Bellot | 180 | SP | Brass | 2624 | Sellier & Bellot | Vlašim, Czech Republic
TulAmmo | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2785 | Tula Cartridge Works | Tula, Russia
Ulyanovsk Cartridge Works | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2785 | Ulyanovsk Cartridge Works | Ulyanovsk, Russia
Winchester | 180 | FMJ | Brass | 2580 | Winchester Ammunition | Alton, IL, USA
Winchester | 180 | SP | Brass | 2625 | Winchester Ammunition | Alton, IL, USA


Importer Brands
Brand | Weight (gr) | Type | Case | MV (ft/sec) | Manufacturer | Location
Brown Bear | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Brown Bear (Match) | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Brown Bear | 185 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | 2471 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Brown Bear | 203 | SP | Steel (Lacq) | 2307 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Silver Bear | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Zinc) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Silver Bear | 203 | SP | Steel (Zinc) | 2307 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Graf & Sons Ammo | 150 | SST | Brass | ???? | Hornady | Grand Island, NE, USA
Herter's | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2785 | Tula Cartridge Works | Tula, Russia
Herter's | 180 | SP | Brass | 2624 | Sellier & Bellot | Vlašim, Czech Republic
Red Army Standard (Century Arms) | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Lacq) | ???? | S.C Uzina Mecanica Sadu S.A | Bumbeşti Jiu, Romania
Red Army Standard (Century Arms) | 148 | FMJ (Cu-jacket) | Steel (Lacq) | ???? | S.C Uzina Mecanica Sadu S.A | Bumbeşti Jiu, Romania
Wolf Polyformance | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2785 | Ulyanovsk Cartridge Works | Ulyanovsk, Russia
Wolf Polyformance | 174 | FMJ | Steel (Poly) | 2558 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Wolf Military Classic | 148 | FMJ | Steel (Copper) | 2740 | Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) | Novosibirsk, Russia
Wolf Military Classic (Extra Match) | 200 | FMJ | Brass | 2435 | Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) | Novosibirsk, Russia
Wolf Military Classic | 200 | SP | Steel (Copper) | 2380 | Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) | Novosibirsk, Russia
Wolf Military Classic | 203 | SP | Steel (Poly) | 2307 | Barnaul Cartridge Plant | Barnaul, Russia
Wolf Gold | 150 | FMJBT | Brass | 2838 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia
Wolf Gold | 180 | SPBT | Brass | 2641 | Prvi Partisan | Užice, Serbia

I was iffy about including Lapua on here since theirs are 7.62x53 but since some use them anyway in their 54R rifles, I went ahead and threw them in.

Barnaul Cartridge Plant and Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant (LVE) seem to be the 2 biggest Russian suppliers of 54R. LVE apparently has the majority of the Russian military contract so I guess that's why they don't have any direct marketing brands themselves. (If anyone knows more about this, please let me know.) But LVE seems to be the one that mostly (or only) produces new ammo with the copper-washed steel cases. Everyone else seems to use Lacquer, Polymer, zinc, or brass coatings for their steel cases.

[List updated 10-Jan-2015]

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"Must get Moose and Squirrel!"

Nice list Boris.

If I remember correctly, LVE translated is Low Voltage Equipment. Yes, there is more useless info in my head.

You are correct! JSC Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant is a part of Novosibirsk Low Voltage Equipment Plant, PLC. Here's their site in English: http://www.lveplant.ru/news_en.php.

It's neat to see they have 10 hunting cartridges in 54R and 8 Military spec 54R cartridges (and 2 blanks). I wished we could get more of their various stuff here in the US.

_________________
"Must get Moose and Squirrel!"

Wouldn't mind trying out some of those accuracy loads.

the 150gr PPU softpoints shoot exceptionally well out of my bubba'd Remington Mosin. The 182gr shoots well out of the M39. Pricey, but the PPU is my favorite. Cheap surplus is number 2, because it's cheap, like me, LOL.

Update to list above.

_________________
"Must get Moose and Squirrel!"

Good work.

If you are keeping this up, having SKU #s will make it much more useful for people to actually find and buy the stuff off of that list.

_________________
P.M. me if you want help:
modify or fix your gun

shotguns, some gunsmithing, reloading, fabrication, knife making, etc.

I'm a firearms/NFA attorney in Wa. Let's combine business, pleasure, and stamps.

http://www.youtube.com/user/armaggedonite

SKUs could help with that. But it would be near impossible to keep up with all the different vendor SKU #s for the same product especially across so many different products, as well as keeping track of who carries which (and that will always change depending on importing, product line changes, and shifting vendor directions depending on what they can get a hold of). Plus, I'm not getting paid to help sell the stuff! Now... give me a percentage of the sale and maybe....

Basically, I have this as a reference so that I (and others) can compare what is out there. There is already SO much info out there on surplus, but very little compiled on newly manufactured ammo. This also helps those that are used to shooting surplus but want something comparable, different, or better - hopefully, this is an easy guide to selecting what they want.

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"Must get Moose and Squirrel!"

maybe SKU was the wrong number. What I meant was the manufacturer's model number, so if a batch is good or bad, when you look at some ammo online you can zoom in on the picture of the box and be sure what you have.

I'm not suggesting you go and find that for all the stuff in your list. Just that when you use something you like, or hate, be sure to note the model. Otherwise with this stuff, it can get repackaged so many ways, you may never be sure you have the same stuff again.

_________________
P.M. me if you want help:
modify or fix your gun

shotguns, some gunsmithing, reloading, fabrication, knife making, etc.

I'm a firearms/NFA attorney in Wa. Let's combine business, pleasure, and stamps.

http://www.youtube.com/user/armaggedonite

Ah, gotcha. Yeah. And that is part of the reason I listed factory brands vs. the importer brands, as the importers (mostly Wolf) will alternate between the factories and thus varying the product we get. And that's why I also listed the Manufacturer/Location of that importer brand so people can see what they're getting with that importer.

One of the updates I made to the list was Wolf's Polyformance 148 gr FMJ is no longer being supplied by Tula Cartridge Works.

But factory product #s is a good idea and I will look into it, but not all put them on their boxes. And not all importers will have it on their boxes either as well and I've had to do some extra digging around just to figure out who is using what.

_________________
"Must get Moose and Squirrel!"