Reviewing and Testing Bulgarian 8mm Surplus Ammo

[@brandonlorance8584]

Glad someone finally made a vid on this stuff since I ordered several thousands, may have to get into reloading 8mm after too long with surplus prices

[@VitoBb1978]

Mike B very educational video indeed, let me pass along some information about this load. In 1940 the Germans developed a medium weight load known as S.M.E. It was 178 Gr FMJ-BT @ 2592 FPS, 2656 FPE. It had a steel core, because they wanted to save on lead, also it developed to replace the 198 Gr sS heavy ball load. The Bulgarian’s along with many other countries produced this load to the Germans specifications .

[@buckberthod5007]

Maybe the difference in stars is to indicate steel case from brass?

[@MikeB128]

Could very well be, that's a great point. Or the load. Who knows..

[@robertgent1173]

It could also indicate the production line or the shift that the rounds came from

[@robertlynn540]

6 star indicates brass case triangle is copper washed steel. Powder volume is heaver in brass. Soft annealed brass tends to stick. Steel cased doesn't expand as much as brass so smoother. Y

[@LarryDeSilva64]

They all still worked I had surplus ammo where i hit the primers and they did not go off at all with my 30-06 Springfield but that ammo was from 1952 so yeah lucky any of it worked. My model 98 Mauser could also use that ammo since it will shoot 7.92 and That Bulgarian ammo looks like a good option for it. Thanks for sharing.

[@jeffnelson1672]

Great video! Good practical info! Everybody hates on the Turk stuff, and I know it can be pretty hot, but I bought some from a couple of different sources when it was all I could find that was affordable last year (.35/rd at the time), and it has been very good in my Czech Bruno K98. It's early to mid 1940s head stamps. I've shot about 140 rds so far with good consistency - not one hang fire, squib, or dud yet. The accuracy is good. It does make the action a little stiff ejecting, sometimes. It's solid brass cases, of course, which could have something to do with that. Also haven't found any cracked necks, or cratered primers. I know a lot depends on its storage conditions over the 75 or so years. Sure shoots flat, too.

[@TheMosinCrate]

Happy to see a Persian Mauser being used.

[@johntoner9999]

One of my favorite things about the mauser is that you don't have to cycle the bolt all the way to try a hang fire again.

[@MikeB128]

Yeah but you have to take it out of battery which is unsafe...

[@jeffnelson1672]

@@MikeB128 Yes, I noticed how quick you did it! Still, it does help put Lady Luck on your side, not having to open the bolt.

[@offdeadeye88]

One of the reasons I’m partial to the 1903 Springfield, being able to recock it without opening the bolt is useful

[@josephhowerton8878]

I bought a couple hundred rounds of the stuff from center fire systems, I think its what you have featured here. I had 2 delayed fires but nothing spooky like waiting a minute or two.

[@alexeywulph7389]

15:55 Interesting case ejection.

[@MikeB128]

Glad you noticed. It was very lucky haha.

[@PdPete11795]

Great Video Mike! I bought some of the surplus brass case ammo you were comparing against, good to know the steel surp works about the same too. Might have to get some of the steel case ammo while its cheap and available.

[@thegungooch639]

I have some of the copper washed stuff. Thanks for the review and the heads up! I also just got some beautiful looking romanian 8mm brass cased, on clips from 1955. Pretty excited about that stuff. Any experience with that one? Thanks for the content Mike

[@MikeB128]

Not with the brass cased stuff. Let me know how it goes.

[@thegungooch639]

@@MikeB128 will do!

[@thegungooch639]

@@MikeB128 I could send you a pack of 20 to review if you want

[@MikeB128]

@@thegungooch639 Thanks, but I already have a billion projects and things to do. I appreciate the offer though.

[@thegungooch639]

@@MikeB128 any time, I'm a big fan. Have been for years👍

[@CherryRhubarb00]

Love your vids as always, thanks for the content

[@MikeB128]

Thanks!

[@someguy2741]

I wonder if they didn't reduce the powder charge on the steel case to compensate for the higher pressure since the steel case holds the bullet so much harder.

[@trevorgray2238]

My guess is the difference in symbols is the casing, and the loading. Those are the only two real variables in the cartridges? Who knows.

[@Legitpenguins99]

Im pretty turned off on surplus ammo after I bought some Ethiopian surplus 8mm for my 24/47. It must have been stored in the worst conditions possible because it was AWFUL. I didnt have a single round fire without a long hang fire and that was if i was lucky. About half of them needed up several strikes to fire and a few failed to fire at all. Im now stuck with a couple hundred rounds of useless ammo so i started pulling the bullets and powder from them to reload the components into usable ammo. I suspect the primers are to blame

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

I'm surprised you were expecting good results from Ethiopian ammo.

[@jd2a287]

Great video. I just purchased 1200 rounds of this stuff for under 300 dollars shipped from Centerfire Systems. Hoping to have as good of results as you did.

[@jakeverslues2889]

I have a question I just recently bought a 1936 turkish mauser and 5 rounds of 1943 7.9 are they 323 bullets?

[@robs2747]

Whats the black stuff on the rim? Never seen that before.

[@MikeB128]

No idea. They went on the clips easier than the brass rounds. It looks like the same shit they sealed the primer with, so maybe some lacquer or something. I have not seen it either.

[@truckdriver2854]

Do you think the hang fired had more to do with a combination of the odd single berdan primer hole (as opposed to two) coupled with the age more so than JUST primers going bad? I wonder if it had 2 flash holes if ignition would be less delayed. Notice you didn’t have any duds. So the consistency of it firing wasn’t at issue. Makes you wonder if the reliability with ignition was greatly affected by removing the other primer hole thus being the main culprit in the delay at this point in its life.

[@MikeB128]

I firmly believe it is the single flashhole. I don't think the primers or powder were/are bad. Just a shitty design of a cartridge, and I have no idea why they did that.

[@TheKoba49]

Very good review

[@Bloodreign137]

Can you do a video on how you clean your rifle after shooting corrosive? I have a pile of Ethiopian 8mm but it’s my first milsurp and I don’t want it rusted out

[@MikeB128]

Yeah. It's really not that much harder than regular cleaning, just one extra step. I know when I make it everyone's going to tell me how wrong I am and how their method is far superior, but it's worked for me for over 10 years.. Lol.

[@jeffnelson1672]

@@MikeB128 Yeah, all this talk of Windex (only with ammonia!), or pouring boiling water down the barrel and action, right there on the range, is a bit of a wives' tale. Running some hot water down the bore, and a normal cleaning with your favorite cleaner/lube when you get home will do the trick just fine. Some CLR, or Ballistol, or even Hoppe's oil will preserve your valued collector's piece just fine, after you have used ammo with corrosive primers. And lightly. Agree, Mike?

[@JCosme1967]

Excellent video!!!!

[@robertgent1173]

How was it packaged was it in spam cans or did you get the ammunition just in those boxes like you showed on your video

[@MikeB128]

In these boxes.

[@joshuaamado6152]

Your channel makes me want a surplus rifle lol

[@JulioAvalos3000]

Going back to the flash hole topic. If you need one, can't you just drill it? Thank you for the reply, to anyone, in advance.

[@MikeB128]

How the fuck are you going to do that on a live round?

[@thatguyoverthere9634]

@@MikeB128 i believe he is referring to after you fire the case. If you wanted to reload it you can drill a centered flash hole.

[@MikeB128]

@@thatguyoverthere9634 Oh, in that case, no. Berdan cases are different than boxer primed cases. The berdan case has the anvil as part of the case, where a boxer primer has the anvil in the primer. Google it for more details.

[@MikeB128]

@@thatguyoverthere9634 Also, most Berdan primers are differently sized than boxer.

[@JulioAvalos3000]

​@@MikeB128 Take it apart before firing, then re-assemble it? Is this such an innovative idea?

[@mr.moustachos4701]

Do you know who Bulgaria was exporting this ammo to?

[@MikeB128]

No idea.

[@joelopezjl28]

Ima probably get some to just display or components

[@ericfunderburgh6080]

I got 55/60 with my ammo. But a lot of hang fires

[@aaronsybrant9176]

It’s back in stock for 23 cents a round where I buy it

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

Where?

[@jeffnelson1672]

@@SonOfTheDawn515 It's a secret. He just wanted to impress everybody with how cheap he gets it. Na, na, na-na, na! Probably buys it from Cheap as Dirt for $2 a round and uses a 10% discount code.

[@jackusmc2542]

Not as bad as the old Pakistani .303.

[@MikeB128]

Never had an issue with that. I'm sure you'll tell me all about it.

[@offdeadeye88]

I’ve had some interesting experiences with the cordite 303 in the past, pof if I recall, tiny plastic rods for propellent

[@sawyere2496]

Those cases are really nice shame they’re berdan primed

[@dieselXJ]

I love your videos but it would have been cooler and more professional if you had your scale and bullet puller.

[@MikeB128]

For fuck's sake.....

[@shafty9147]

Cringing through the camera

[@MikeB128]

Ok