New from Hornady is a steel-case 7.62x39mm load topped with the company's highly regarded 123-grain V-MAX. A steel-case 5.45x39mm load with an expanding bullet will follow shortly. (Photo: David M. Fortier)

To a large degree, this was due to the glut of inexpensive steel-case ammunition available in 7.62x39mm. Hence, many ammunition companies ignored this cartridge simply because most shooters were only interested in buying the least expensive ammunition possible.

Today, however, many shooters are interested in a high-end load for self-protection. Hornady, well respected for its TAP line of .223 Rem., 5.56 NATO and .308 Win. LE loads, recognized this need. So the company recently developed a very interesting answer to this existing hole in the 7.62x39mm load market.

Switch To Steel

What's especially notable about Hornady's answer is that the new load's foundation is a steel, rather than brass, cartridge case. Sourced from Russia, the Berdan-primed case lowers cost, yet provides proven performance. Cost is certainly an important factor in today's market as ammunition prices skyrocket ever higher and higher.

The case is then loaded with modern propellants to provide both above-average performance at acceptable pressures and a reduced muzzle flash.

One of the shortcomings of commonly encountered Eastern European steel-case 7.62x39mm ball is a retina melting-muzzle flash. When fired from a common 16-inch-barreled AKM, this flash is large enough to block a rifleman's line of sight. It's also bright enough to affect his night vision. Of course, it also gives away his firing position.

Hornady was able to greatly reduce this load's flash signature.

V-MAX Performance

In place of the common 123-grain steel-core M43 FMJ-BT or M67 FMJ, Hornady seated its highly regarded 123-grain V-MAX. Diameter of this flat base projectile is a proper .310 inch. The projectile has a secant ogive, pointed polymer tip and a Ballistic Coefficient of .275.

The tip serves two functions. It both improves the projectile's ballistic coefficient and initiates rapid expansion - even at low-impact velocities.

To reduce cost, Hornady is loading both its 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm loads in steel-cartridge cases. (Photo: David M. Fortier)

Exterior Ballistics

TacticalGunFan was recently given a first look at this new load. At the time, Steve Hornady stated this new load has a muzzle velocity of 2,390 fps (approximately 60 fps faster than the standard Russian M43 load). Energy at the muzzle is 1,559 ft-lbs and it retains 969 ft-lbs at 200 yards and 753 ft-lbs out to 300 yards.

In comparison, a 123-grain Lapua FMJ launched at 2,330 fps generates 1,482 ft-lbs as the muzzle. It retains 924 ft-lbs at 200 yards and 721 ft-lbs at 300 yards.

With a 100-yard zero, Hornady's new load drops 6 inches at 200 yards and 22 inches at 300 yards. In comparison, the Lapua FMJ drops 6.5 inches at 200 yards and 23.3 inches at 300 yards.

The loads that TacticalGunFan fired were pre-production samples, which the staff fired at 100, 200 and 500 yards on steel plates.

Guns&Ammo handgun editor Patrick Sweeney, TacticalGunFan field editor Jim Tarr and I spent a few hours burning through a case of ammunition Hornady had brought along.

The rounds were fired through Hornady rep Steve Johnson's personal AKM as well as a Chinese RPK.

Function and feed of the load proved flawless throughout the day. Practical accuracy was very good at both 100 and 200 yards. Rapid multiple hits were easily made on man-sized silhouettes at these distances.

For fun, the three of us tried our hand at hitting a steel silhouette on the 500-yard line with the Chinese RPK. Firing off the bipod while carefully watching the wind, Tarr walked away as top dog with the most hits at this distance.

100-Yard Accuracy

After the test concluded, Steve Hornady was kind enough to provide me with a few leftover 50-round boxes of the preproduction ammunition. I threw them in my truck, and once back at my range in Kansas, I checked this load's accuracy on paper.

Hornady's two new loads will provide shooters with improved accuracy and terminal performance. (Photo: David M. Fortier)

To check accuracy, I fired four consecutive five-round groups from sandbags at 100 yards. Average group size was 2.3 inches. Accuracy of this load is thus quite acceptable.

I also compared the muzzle flash of this load to a Russian 122-grain HP load produced by Uly. I noted a dramatic reduction in flash with the Hornady load. While still noticeable, it was greatly reduced from the Uly "thermonuclear retina-melting" load.

If you're a fan of the 7.62x39mm cartridge, but are looking for a load that offers improved terminal performance, you're going to want to give this new load from Hornady a try.

But wait, there's more.

While Hornady's new steel-case 7.62x39mm load is interesting, what really raised my eyebrow was Hornady's other announcement. The company's currently working on a 5.45x39mm load. Like the 7.62x39mm load, it'll utilize a proven steel-cartridge case, but will be loaded with modern powders. And it'll be topped with an entirely new projectile.

Hornady's engineers are finishing development work on a new .221-inch diameter, 52-grain projectile. This weight was chosen as it duplicates the weight of the standard Russian M74 7N6 ball load.

Velocity should also be very close to standard Russian military ammunition - approximately 2,900 fps. Hornady's new load will be a first in this caliber.

For the first time American shooters will be able to buy a modern expanding load designed for self-protection in this caliber. It'll also be the first time a quality projectile will be available in this diameter to enhance the accuracy potential of this military cartridge.

So, American shooters will finally have a domestically produced 5.45x39mm load that combines accuracy and terminal performance.

As soon as Hornady has its new 5.45x39mm ammunition available, you'll read about it here first on TacticalGunFan.