Finnish 9mm Ammo?

[PaddyDaddyO]

I got a couple of 25 round boxes of Finnish produced ammo tonight for $3 a pop which was cheap enough, but the shop owner said that it was "hot" ammo, at least based on what he was told.

Has anybody heard of this stuff or used it before? I don't read Finnish, so I can't begin to tell you what the heck all the writing on the box means.

PDO

[Merkavaboy]

PaddyDaddyO,

Any chance you can post a pic. of the box and/or cartridge headstamp?

Is the ammo headstamped with "SO", "SO43" or "V P T" at the 12 o'clock position on the case head? These are the most common Finnish military 9mm headstamped ammo. You can tell the date of mfg. by the bottom number (usually a 2-digit number like "44"=1944), or in the case of "SO43", the 43=1943).

Finnish military 9mm loads usually have a steel jacketed bullet (can check with a magnet). Standard bullet weight is 115grs. (7.45 grams).

As 9mm ammo goes, military loaded ammo is on the "warmish" side compared to some of the standard velocity/pressure domestic manufactured ammo, but nothing for you to be worried about. Just remember, nations are not going to produce ammo that is so "hot" that they will unduly cause parts breakage or early wear on their guns.

Try a box or two and see how well it works in your particular firearms. Keep an eye on the cases and look for any signs of excess pressures if you're worried the ammo being "hot".

[PaddyDaddyO]

Thanks Merkavaboy,

This stuff is marked VPT/61. The printing on the box reads:

A 0536
25 kpl (I took this to mean 25 rounds)
Terasvaippa, silattu (maybe the type of bullet, like our FMJ designation?)
VPT/61 (which you explained, thanks!)
9,00 pist. p 2000 herm. (the caliber and bullet weight perhaps?)
0.38 VRT 266/44
Hylsy Nalli VPT/61 N:0 6 Sinoxid

I think I can get a case of this stuff and and ends up being about ten cents a round or something. If it shoots well, I'll probably do it as I want to make sure I meet the poer factor for the round at the first match I am entering on the 24th!

Thanks again,

PDO

BTW, any idea what the Winchester WinClean has for ballistics? I have to make sure I get at leasst 125.0 out of the load, correct?

[Libertas]

Where did you purchase it?

Regards

[PaddyDaddyO]

Local gun shop, owned by a Fin. I have no idea where he got it ... maybe stashed in his ammo safe for the past 40 years?!

PDO

[Coolknight]

What you think a steel jacket will do to a steel bore ? Wear it quickly!

Regards,
Coolknight

[PaddyDaddyO]

Yes, but much less in a poly-rifled barrel than in one with standard rifling. Plus, I have a spare barrel to drop in, and I don't plan to make this standard fodder, just a cheap way to get aquainted with it at the range.

PDO

[Merkavaboy]

PaddyDaddyO,

FYI, "VPT"= Valtion Patruunatehdas, Lapua.

Lapua makes good ammo. Your translation of the ammo box is probably pretty accurate, as I can't read Finnish either :)

I can tell you with pretty good certainity that the last part of the label: N:O 6 Sinoxid is going to be the type of primer. Sinoxid is a primer type developed by Dynamit Nobel of Germany. It's non-corrosive and mercury free.

I wouldn't worry about the fact that the Finnish ammo is steel jacketed. Steel bullet jackets are made with a mild steel alloy, not pure, hard steel. You would have to literally shoot tens of thousands of rounds to wear out the rifling of your pistol. I think this concern is more myth than truth. (Where's the "Mythbusters" when you need them?).

Regarding Winchester's WinClean 9mm ammo, Winchester's 2005 catalog shows the following stats:

WinClean 115BEB = 1190 fps MV.
WinClean 124BEB = 1130 fps MV.
WinClean 147BEB = 990 fps MV.

These velociites are in the same ballpark as the equivalent WWB FMJ loads. The WWB 115JHP load has a MV of 1225 fps.

Hope this helps ya.

Good Luck. ^c

[PaddyDaddyO]

Originally posted by Merkavaboy
PaddyDaddyO,

You would have to literally shoot tens of thousands of rounds to wear out the rifling of your pistol. I think this concern is more myth than truth. (Where's the "Mythbusters" when you need them?) ^c

Now THERE'S a mission I would sign up for!

"OK guys, we are paying you to shoot enough of this ammo through a Glock to see how many rounds it takes to wear the rifling out."

Uhhhhh, OK!

Thanks again for the info,

PDO

[fnfalman]

Don't know about Finnish ammo but there used to be a lot of Swedish surplus ammo imported and I shot a bunch of the 9mm through my Glock 17. Supposedly these ammo were "warm", but I couldn't tell.

Those Scandinavians, they know their shootin' irons and ammo.

[RENEA]

Originally posted by fnfalman
Don't know about Finnish ammo but there used to be a lot of Swedish surplus ammo imported and I shot a bunch of the 9mm through my Glock 17. Supposedly these ammo were "warm", but I couldn't tell.

Those Scandinavians, they know their shootin' irons and ammo.

Yup! About 3 years ago it came in the 864 rd cases on the 36 rd stipper clips for the Karl Gustav K45 SMG. Excellent ammo & I shot a boatload thru my Glock 17.

[Jim]

Despite Winchester's published numbers, 115 gr Winclean chronographs about 1150 fps for me (Browning HP, 10 rds, three different lots). Kinda wimpy, but should still make Minor PF. The "regular" and "Value Pack" 115 gr are faster, usually 1160-1190 fps.

[PaddyDaddyO]

Well, that Finnish fodder was pretty good stuff. The first six rounds I shot at 10 yards on an IPSC target were essentially one hole. The stuff was clean too. I'll definitely pick up the rest of what the shop has for the price.

PDO

[GreyAwakened]

Originally posted by PaddyDaddyO
Thanks Merkavaboy,

This stuff is marked VPT/61. The printing on the box reads:

A 0536
25 kpl (I took this to mean 25 rounds)
Terasvaippa, silattu (maybe the type of bullet, like our FMJ designation?)
VPT/61 (which you explained, thanks!)
9,00 pist. p 2000 herm. (the caliber and bullet weight perhaps?)
0.38 VRT 266/44
Hylsy Nalli VPT/61 N:0 6 Sinoxid

I think I can get a case of this stuff and and ends up being about ten cents a round or something. If it shoots well, I'll probably do it as I want to make sure I meet the poer factor for the round at the first match I am entering on the 24th!

Thanks again,

PDO

BTW, any idea what the Winchester WinClean has for ballistics? I have to make sure I get at leasst 125.0 out of the load, correct?

Some additional info:

Yes, "25 rounds".
"Teräsvaippa" means steel jacket.
Not sure of "P 2000".
"herm." means hermetically sealed - which means it's good to go after decades :)

And yes, it's hot ammo since it's used in SMGs too. It must be powerful enough to move the bolt of them. It's something like 9mm +P or +P+ - but Glocks take it with no problem at all. Other high-quality handguns most propably too.