A Closer Look at Red Army Standard Ammunition
OutdoorHub Reporters 07.13.18
When you go shopping for 7.62x39mm ammo for your AK-type rifle or SKS, what brand of ammo do you usually find on the shelves?
While there’s a wide variety of different 7.62x39mm ammo brands out there, two of the most recurring ones that pop up a lot easily are the Wolf and Tula ammo.
Both of those brands can be found just about anywhere, and it’s easy to see why: they’re both incredibly cheap and cost effective, and therefore they attract a lot of buyers who don’t just have mountains of money to spend. But are Wolf and Tula truly the best type of 7.62x39mm ammo out there? Hardly.
However, one of the best brands of 7.62x39mm ammo that you can get is the Red Army Standard, and specifically the 124 grain FMJ ammunition. Let’s talk about the 7.62x39mm round and its characteristics in greater detail and then we’ll dive right into the Red Army Standard brand of ammunition and what makes it so special.
The 7.62x39mm Round
The 7.62x39mm round is one of the most popular centerfire rifle rounds ever produced. As an intermediate rifle round, it’s excellent for home defense, tactical training, combat, or for certain kinds of game if need be (such as deer and wild boar). It’s hardly the best choice for long range or for bigger game as the 7.62x39mm round wasn’t designed for those purposes.
The 7.62x39mm was developed in the Soviet Union following the conclusion of World War II in 1945. It was designed specifically for magazine fed, self-loading semi-automatic rifles, and to this end it is notable for its tapered case that makes it easier to feed and extract in such firearms.
This is why the 7.62x39mm functions so reliably in the curved ‘banana style’ magazines that the AK-47 is known for.
The original 7.62x39mm ammunition back then was a 123-grain round with a Berdan primed steel shell casing.
The Red Army Standard Ammunition: What Makes It So Special?
While the 7.62x39mm round may be an older round, the Red Army Standard 7.62x39mm is a relatively recent development, having been introduced to the American market in 2017. This round is special because it was intended to provide American shooters with a higher quality round than the far more common Wolf or Tula ammo, and at a price that would not break the bank.
But another reason why the Red Army Standard ammo is so special is because of its limited availability. You’re not going to see piles of this ammo on the shelves like you would with Wolf or Tula because it’s being imported in limited quantities from Russia.
That’s right: this ammunition is Russian made, and specifically, it’s manufactured at a military and sporting ammunition plant in Russia.
The Red Army Standard brand in particular is a part of Century Arms Inc, or CAI for sure. Century Arms is well known for manufacturing and/or importing a variety of quality and yet low-cost firearms, such as the RAS 47, C39V2, C308, and the Canik TP9-series of handguns. Take note that the RAS 47 and C39V2, two of the more popular budget minded AK-rifles sold in the United States, are tested using Red Army Standard ammunition.
The Red Army Standard 7.62x39mm round is a 124-grain full metal jacket boat tail round. It has been tested extensively through AK-47 rifles built by Century Arms to ensure proper performance.
The round has a non-corrosive Berdan primer to help extend the barrel length of your AK rifle, and it also has a lacquered steel case that is designed to make the rounds feed easier into the rifle and also be easier to extract.
A military grade sealant covers the primer pocket and the mouth of the cartridge to help extend the shelf life of the ammunition as well. Properly stored ammo in the right conditions should last you for fifteen to twenty years at the most, but Red Army Standard ammunition may last you even longer than that, which can make it a valuable investment for SHTF storage.
Currently, the Red Army Standard 7.62x39mm ammunition as described above has a suggested retail price of $5 for every 20-round box or $250 for a 1,000 round bulk case, which is very reasonable and comparable in price to Wolf and Tula ammo.
Future Development
Century Arms plans to continue developing more ammunition and now offers .223 FMBT steel case round as well as a recently introduced 7.62 x 39 HPBT under the Red Army Standard brand. CAI will also offer the 5.45 x 39 ammunition in the near future.
Specs
Manufacturer: Red Army Standard
Country of Origin: Russia
Importer: Century Arms Inc. (CAI)
Caliber: 7.62x39mm
Weight: 124 Grain
Casing: Steel
Core: Lead
Additional Features: Berdan primer, non-corrosive, boat tail bullet, military grade sealant to extend shelf life
In short, if you’re looking for a high quality and yet low priced 7.62x39mm ammunition to use in your AK-47 for sporting or tactical purposes, the Red Army Standard (RAS) ammo as imported by Century Arms is one of the very best that you can get.
Made in Russia, this ammo is designed to function optimally in AK-47 rifles while also having an extended shelf life in comparison to other kinds of ammo. AK-47 rifles imported into the United States are also extensively tested with the Red Army Standard ammo as well.
The only real negative about this ammunition is its limited supply, as it is imported into the United States only a few times a year, so if you decide to go with the Red Army Standard ammunition you will definitely want to buy it in bulk so you can stock up on it.
