Yugoslavian Ammo
This is some info on the current Yugoslav surplus ammo thats out there right now. Any additional info is always welcome.
484 round cans of Yugo M2 ball packed in US WW2 .50cal cans.
Translation as follows:
KOM. = each or quantity in package.
METAKA = cartridges
3PHOM = bullet
So this ammo is made to M2 specs.
Yugo ammo boxes. (1956-top, 1957-middle, 1989-bottom)
The Hansen box is labeled on the side as .30cal M2 150grn FMJ. There is also some .30 cal ammo that is available on Browning MG belts that is commonly reffered to as "CAVIM", this ammo has 88 over .30-06 headstamps. Notice the different markings on the Yugo boxes. ( The bottom line is propellant lot info./bAPYT = propellant)
The oldest 80's Yugo I have seen so far is packed in 15 round boxes. Headstamp is IK-85 over 7.62mm. Note the "cartushos" in the label. This seems to indicate this ammo was for a foreign country. This "may" have been where the ammo incorrrectly became named as "CAVIM". It's possible this ammo was made for Venenzuela and the importers bought it and assumed it was CAVIM just like the 7.62 CAVIM on the market at the time.
Headstamps from above ammo.
Notice the "CAVIM" 7.62 round on top right. It has a silver primer, green sealant, three stake marks holding the primer in and it's Berdan primed. The late 80's Yugo has orange sealant, brass primers and it's Boxer primed. It also appears that the Igman plant went through at least 5 headstamp changes from 85-89. I'm guessing that the "IK 3006" fits between the 85 and the 88 ammo, however that is just a guess on my part. Also in '85 it was still called "7.62mm" instead of the more common ".30-06". You can see how this would be confusing in the US. This I think backs up the export theory rather well.
The "IK" and "NK"(N is backwards) ammo are both made at the Igman ammo plant in Konjic. The "NK" is actually an "IK" as the "N" is the Cryllic letter for "I". .30 cal ammo was made there from 1956- 1960 and then probably sometime again in the late '80's for the Export market.
So far I have shot all of this ammo and found it as accurate as US GI M2 ball. This ammo is loaded with a lead core/copper jacketed FMJ bullet.
Corrosiveness??
1956- Berdan primed and corrosive.
1957- Boxer primed and non-corrosive
late '80's production- Boxer primed and non-corrosive.
