What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

7.62x25 Tokarev origin questions

dhooghe

Active Member
I would be grateful for assistance with a 7.62x25 Tokarev inert training round.

The Cartridge Headstamp Guide appears to indicate that this round is of Polish origin (factory 21).

International Ammunition Association mentions factory 21 as: "Zaklady Metalowe MESKO, Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland. Normally found on cartridge headstamps with a date stamped upside down in relation to the factory code."

From above IAA; the manufacturing date might be 2000, or 2008, but I'm unsure.

Also found the following, but, again it appears inconclusive:

SMALL -CALIBER AMMUNITION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

VOLUME 1
Poland
a. Marking Practice.
(1) Pre-war headstamps utilized a four-element design layout with segment lines normally but not invariably present. Design elements included an identifying letter code- such as DZ, F, or N-and frequently a Polish eagle. A two-digit year date is found on all but dummy cartridges. The code 67 may be present; this number, following German practice in World War. % indicates the specific brass case metal alloy. Arrangement of the design elements is not fixed; the eagle may be at 12 o'clock or 3 o'clock and the year date at 3 o'clock or 6 o'clock.


Production "during the German occupation followed German headstamp practice.


(2) Early post war production of Soviet-type cartridges used three-element or four-element designs without segment lines and with a numerical factory code (21 or 343) in an oval at 12 o'clock. Since 1955, all production has had factory code 21 at 12 o’clock and a two-digit year date at 6 o'clock. In Polish practice this year date is invariably inverted with respect to the factory code; the base of both Sets LC numerals is toward the primer. This feature serves to distinguish Polish-made cartridges from those with factory code 21 made by Hungary, which have both sets of numerals reading in the same direction.


Can anyone assist with background on the headstamp numbers?

Regards,
Dhooghe
 

Attachments

  • 20170905_145259.jpg
    20170905_145259.jpg
    112.3 KB · Views: 12
  • 20170905_145633.jpg
    20170905_145633.jpg
    98.7 KB · Views: 28
  • 20170905_145944.jpg
    20170905_145944.jpg
    210.2 KB · Views: 13
  • 20170905_150251.jpg
    20170905_150251.jpg
    97.5 KB · Views: 11
Last edited:
Polish Tokarev cases are headstamped by the case manufacturer, and the dating does not correspond to the manufacture of the cartridge. In your case, 21 is the cartridge manufacturer who received the case that was in the 8th lot of 1950. The 33 designates the copper content of the case. The neat thing for a cartridge collector who specializes in 7.62 Tokarev is that I have found up to 12 or 13 different lot numbers in a single 70 round box!
 
Many thanks indeed for your; 'specialist,' assistance......greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Dhooghe
 
Top