7.62x53mmR
Encyclopedia
The 7.62×53mmR rifle
cartridge is a Finnish
design based on the Russian 7.62×54mmR round dating back to 1891.
of 1918, large numbers of Model 1891 Mosin–Nagant rifles were in the hands of the Finnish military. As the old barrels were worn out, they were replaced by new 7.83 mm (.308 in) barrels and the leftover 7.62×54mmR cartridges being in short supply, a domestic product was needed. This gave birth to the 7.62×53mmR.
In the late 1930s the Finnish Army started loading military cartridges with domestically produced 7.87 mm (.310 in) diameter D166 bullets as the production of new M39 "Ukko-Pekka" rifles barreled for 7.62×54R diameter bullets started. This change was due in part to allow the use of captured Soviet ammunition and machine gun ammunition which often was of a slightly greater bore diameter than its Finnish counterparts. The rifling twist rate was also changed from 300 mm (1 in 11.81 in) to 254 mm (1 in 10 in).
The 7.62×53mmR cartridge remains in military use to this day, although it is now only used by the 7.62 TKIV 85 sniper rifle. PKM
machine guns and other Russian weapons in use by the Finnish Defence Forces
use the 7.62×54mmR exclusively.
The Finnish Defence Forces issued instructions that when ever possible, personnel issued with a rifle chambered for 7.62×53mmR (effectively the TKIV 85 rifle) should use 7.62×53mmR ammunition only, and that use of 7.62×54mmR is allowed when 7.62×53mmR is not available.
(64 grains
) H2O cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine gun
s alike, under extreme conditions.
7.62×53mmR maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions.All sizes in millimeters (mm).
Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 18.5 degrees. The common rifling
twist rate for this cartridge is 300 mm (1 in 11.81 in), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 7.59 mm, Ø grooves = 7.83 mm, land width = 4.20 mm and the primer type
is Berdan or very rarely large rifle.
According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives
) guidelines the 7.62 × 53 R case can handle up to 390 MPa (56,564 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.
The 7.62×53mmR is practically interchangeable with the 7.62×54mmR, the 54R will fit into the smallest allowed chamber size for the 53R, but is nevertheless a different cartridge made to different C.I.P. standards. Using military steel-jacketed 54R Russian ammunition in weapons made for 53R is not recommended (except the M39 and 7.62 TKIV 85 rifles designed to allow safe use of 54R in case of emergency), as it may rapidly wear out the barrel. Even worse, there is a possibility that the resulting pressure from the steel-jacketed larger diameter bullet is too much and firing it may result in severe damage to both the rifle and the shooter. Using the 53R in a gun made for the 54R is however safe, although it may result in accuracy well below the weapon's potential.
The Finnish commercial ammunition manufacturer Lapua does not make a difference between the 53R and 54R, but produces cartridges that will function in weapons chambered for either one.
The Russian ammunition maker Barnaul states that Russian cartridges marked 7.62×53 are the same as 7.62×54.
From their web site:
"Some hunters have been confused because there have been varying marking on the package, case bottom and stamps: 7.62×53: 7.62×53R: 7.62×54: 7.52×54R. This happened because the 53.72 mm case length was rounded off differently in various countries. After Russia became a member of the European Permanent Coordinated Commission, the final name - "7.62×54R" - of the cartridge was accepted. "
Additionally, Russian ammunition manufacturer LVE (Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant) states, "The cartridges cal.7,62×54R are produced by various producers around the world. Producers mark these cartridges differently, and this leads to confusion among the customers – 7.62х53; 7.62×53R; 7.62х54; 7.62×54R. The confusion is based on difference in rounding out (rounding up or rounding down) the case length (case length of our cartridges is 53.65-0.2 mm). The letter "R" indicates a case rim. After Russia’s joining European Commission (ПМК) a definite name of this cartridge was determined – 7,62×54R. Therefore you may use cartridges of caliber 7.62х54R freely with your arms [marked as 7.62×53R]."
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
cartridge is a Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
design based on the Russian 7.62×54mmR round dating back to 1891.
History
After gaining its independence in 1917 and after the Finnish Civil WarFinnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
of 1918, large numbers of Model 1891 Mosin–Nagant rifles were in the hands of the Finnish military. As the old barrels were worn out, they were replaced by new 7.83 mm (.308 in) barrels and the leftover 7.62×54mmR cartridges being in short supply, a domestic product was needed. This gave birth to the 7.62×53mmR.
In the late 1930s the Finnish Army started loading military cartridges with domestically produced 7.87 mm (.310 in) diameter D166 bullets as the production of new M39 "Ukko-Pekka" rifles barreled for 7.62×54R diameter bullets started. This change was due in part to allow the use of captured Soviet ammunition and machine gun ammunition which often was of a slightly greater bore diameter than its Finnish counterparts. The rifling twist rate was also changed from 300 mm (1 in 11.81 in) to 254 mm (1 in 10 in).
The 7.62×53mmR cartridge remains in military use to this day, although it is now only used by the 7.62 TKIV 85 sniper rifle. PKM
PK machine gun
The PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
machine guns and other Russian weapons in use by the Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
use the 7.62×54mmR exclusively.
The Finnish Defence Forces issued instructions that when ever possible, personnel issued with a rifle chambered for 7.62×53mmR (effectively the TKIV 85 rifle) should use 7.62×53mmR ammunition only, and that use of 7.62×54mmR is allowed when 7.62×53mmR is not available.
Cartridge dimensions
The 7.62×53mmR has 4.16 mlLitre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
(64 grains
Grain (measure)
A grain is a unit of measurement of mass that is nominally based upon the mass of a single seed of a cereal. From the Bronze Age into the Renaissance the average masses of wheat and barley grains were part of the legal definition of units of mass. However, there is no evidence of any country ever...
) H2O cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s alike, under extreme conditions.
7.62×53mmR maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions.All sizes in millimeters (mm).
Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 18.5 degrees. The common rifling
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
twist rate for this cartridge is 300 mm (1 in 11.81 in), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 7.59 mm, Ø grooves = 7.83 mm, land width = 4.20 mm and the primer type
Percussion cap
The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzleloading firearms to fire reliably in any weather.Before this development, firearms used flintlock ignition systems which produced flint-on-steel sparks to ignite a pan of priming powder and thereby fire the...
is Berdan or very rarely large rifle.
According to the official C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives
Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives
The Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives is an international organisation whose members are 14 states, mainly European....
) guidelines the 7.62 × 53 R case can handle up to 390 MPa (56,564 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.
Differences between 7.62×53mmR (Finland) and 7.62×54mmR (Russia)
- Round length: 77.00 mm (54R: 77.16)
- Case length: 53.50 mm (54R: 53.72)
- Rim diameter: 14.40 mm (54R: 14.48)
- Bullet diameter: 7.83 mm (54R: 7.92)
The 7.62×53mmR is practically interchangeable with the 7.62×54mmR, the 54R will fit into the smallest allowed chamber size for the 53R, but is nevertheless a different cartridge made to different C.I.P. standards. Using military steel-jacketed 54R Russian ammunition in weapons made for 53R is not recommended (except the M39 and 7.62 TKIV 85 rifles designed to allow safe use of 54R in case of emergency), as it may rapidly wear out the barrel. Even worse, there is a possibility that the resulting pressure from the steel-jacketed larger diameter bullet is too much and firing it may result in severe damage to both the rifle and the shooter. Using the 53R in a gun made for the 54R is however safe, although it may result in accuracy well below the weapon's potential.
The Finnish commercial ammunition manufacturer Lapua does not make a difference between the 53R and 54R, but produces cartridges that will function in weapons chambered for either one.
The Russian ammunition maker Barnaul states that Russian cartridges marked 7.62×53 are the same as 7.62×54.
From their web site:
"Some hunters have been confused because there have been varying marking on the package, case bottom and stamps: 7.62×53: 7.62×53R: 7.62×54: 7.52×54R. This happened because the 53.72 mm case length was rounded off differently in various countries. After Russia became a member of the European Permanent Coordinated Commission, the final name - "7.62×54R" - of the cartridge was accepted. "
Additionally, Russian ammunition manufacturer LVE (Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant) states, "The cartridges cal.7,62×54R are produced by various producers around the world. Producers mark these cartridges differently, and this leads to confusion among the customers – 7.62х53; 7.62×53R; 7.62х54; 7.62×54R. The confusion is based on difference in rounding out (rounding up or rounding down) the case length (case length of our cartridges is 53.65-0.2 mm). The letter "R" indicates a case rim. After Russia’s joining European Commission (ПМК) a definite name of this cartridge was determined – 7,62×54R. Therefore you may use cartridges of caliber 7.62х54R freely with your arms [marked as 7.62×53R]."
See also
- 7.62 mm caliber7.62 mm caliber7.62 mm caliber is a nominal caliber used for a number of different cartridges. Historically, this class of cartridge was commonly known as .30 caliber, the Imperial unit equivalent, and was most commonly used for indicating a class of full power military main battle rifle cartridges...
- Dragunov SVD
- Mosin-NagantMosin-NagantThe Mosin–Nagant is a bolt-action, internal magazine-fed, military rifle invented under the government commission by Russian and Belgian inventors, and used by the armed forces of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and various other nations....
- Degtyerev DP-28
- PK machine gunPK machine gunThe PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
- Russian M1910 MaximRussian M1910 MaximThe PM M1910 was a heavy machine gun used by the Russian Army during World War I and the Red Army during World War II. It was adopted in 1910 and was derived from Hiram Maxim's Maxim gun, chambered for the standard Russian 7.62x54mmR rifle cartridge...
- 7.62 Tkiv 85
External links
- An evaluation list for variants, weights, and velocities of this ammunition type
- A dimensional diagram of the cartridge
- A description of the cartridge at Chuckhawks.com
- A guide to headstamps and bullet types at Mosinnagant.net
- C.I.P. dimensions and nomenclature for rimmed cartridges 7.62 × 53 R is on page 24