[texaswoodworker]

I was looking at some 7.62x39mm ammo and I was wondering, what is the difference between Brown Bear, Silver Bear, and Golden Bear ammo?

The prices are close, but what are the differences? Also, what are the pros and cons of polymer coated shells vs lacquer coated? Do all of these ammos have one of these coatings?

Brown Bear (Polymer)-$23.95 per 100 ($0.24 per round)
Brown Bear (Lacquer)-$24.95 per 100 ($0.25 per round)
Silver Bear-$28.95 per 100 ($0.29 per round)
Golden Bear-$30.95 per 100 ($0.31 per round)

(www.ammunitiontogo.com)

Do these ammos have corrosive powder/primers?

Which one of these would be pretty good in an SKS?

(Sorry about the million questions )

Thanks

[Marlinman]

Google is your friend man. And yes they are corrosive

God didnt make all men equal colonel Sam Colt did

[trip286]

Don't know about the X39 ammo, but their current make of X54r is noncorrosive.
It has been my understanding that Silverbear is the soft point. But that doesn't explain brown and gold, so I'm likely very wrong on that account.

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by trip286

Don't know about the X39 ammo, but their current make of X54r is noncorrosive.
It has been my understanding that Silverbear is the soft point. But that doesn't explain brown and gold, so I'm likely very wrong on that account.

You arent all i know is brown and silver. Brown is fmj and silver is sp

God didnt make all men equal colonel Sam Colt did

[texaswoodworker]

Heres basically what I found out. (I'll be sure to try google first next time. )
Silver Bear is zinc coated, which means no laquer build up.
Golden Bear is brass coated.
Lacquer is a little better then polymer.

That answers most of my questions, but now to the big one. Which one do I use for an SKS? Do I have to worry about lacqer build up (I plan on putting a lot of rounds through it each range trip.), or should I go with either the zinc coated, or brass coated ammo?

[Jstrong]

None of the brown silver or golden bear ammo is corrosive,its all new manufacture non corrosive ammo. ALL mil-surp x39 and x54r is corrosive,but new manufacture ammo is not in almost all cases,the bear ammo being one.

The difference between the brown and silver is that the zinc coating on the silver bear won't get hot and come off cake up on your bolt/chamber. The golden bear ammo uses a brass plated steel case,which gives you most of the characteristics of using brass casings but still allows then to keep costs low.

[Marlinman]

Originally Posted by texaswoodworker

Heres basically what I found out. (I'll be sure to try google first next time. )
Silver Bear is zinc coated, which means no laquer build up.
Golden Bear is brass coated.
Lacquer is a little better then polymer.

That answers most of my questions, but now to the big one. Which one do I use for an SKS? Do I have to worry about lacqer build up (I plan on putting a lot of rounds through it each range trip.), or should I go with either the zinc coated, or brass coated ammo?

Any shoots good but id say lacquer would be easiest to clean. Although pb blaster, gun scrubber and hoppes eats zinc very well

God didnt make all men equal colonel Sam Colt did

[texaswoodworker]

Originally Posted by trip286

Don't know about the X39 ammo, but their current make of X54r is noncorrosive.
It has been my understanding that Silverbear is the soft point. But that doesn't explain brown and gold, so I'm likely very wrong on that account.

Originally Posted by Marlinman

You arent all i know is brown and silver. Brown is fmj and silver is sp

God didnt make all men equal colonel Sam Colt did

I have seen SP Silver Bear, but all this stuff is FMJ (which is was I was wanting). I guess they can come with different bullets.

[JTJ]

The case of Brown Bear is polymer coated, Silver bear is zinc plated and Golden Bear is brass plated. None of the Bear ammo is corrosive. In 7.62x39 they come in fmj, hp and sp. I like the Silver Bear in my mini 30 as it functions the best of the ones I have tried. I have not shot any Golden Bear. It has also been more accurate. I had a lot of problems with TulAmmo in my Minni. Wolf functions well but had a couple of rounds hang up on the feed. Just had to nudge the bolt to load. Accuracy was not as good as the Silver Bear. The Yugo brass cartridges are corrosive but cheap. I wont use them in the mini.

[texaswoodworker]

Originally Posted by Jstrong

None of the brown silver or golden bear ammo is corrosive,its all new manufacture non corrosive ammo. ALL mil-surp x39 and x54r is corrosive,but new manufacture ammo is not in almost all cases,the bear ammo being one.

The difference between the brown and silver is that the zinc coating on the silver bear won't get hot and come off cake up on your bolt/chamber. The golden bear ammo uses a brass plated steel case,which gives you most of the characteristics of using brass casings but still allows then to keep costs low.

Ok, sweet.

Originally Posted by Marlinman

Any shoots good but id say lacquer would be easiest to clean. Although pb blaster, gun scrubber and hoppes eats zinc very well

God didnt make all men equal colonel Sam Colt did

I don't mind cleaning (I actually enjoy it), and I have plenty of hoppes, so I guess I could go with either.