The 5.6×39mm, also known in the U.S. as .220 Russian, is a
cartridge developed in 1961 for
deer hunting
Deer hunting is hunting deer for meat and sport, and, formerly, for producing Buckskin (leather), buckskin hides, an activity which dates back tens of thousands of years. Venison, the name for deer meat, is a nutritious and natural food sourc ...
in the
USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. It fires a 5.6mm projectile from necked down
7.62×39mm brass. While it originally re-used 7.62x39 cases, once it became popular enough commercial ammunition started being manufactured, both in the USSR and in Finland.
When it was introduced to the United States by
SAKO it was stamped .220 Russian.
Lapua
Lapua (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality in Finland's South Ostrobothnia regions of Finland, region.
It is located next to the Lapua River. The town has a population of
() and cov ...
later changed the designation to .220 Russian for the American market as well.
Soviet 5.6×39mm cartridges were loaded with
smokeless powder
Finnish smokeless powder
Smokeless powder is a type of propellant used in firearms and artillery that produces less smoke and less fouling when fired compared to black powder. Because of their similar use, both the original black powder formula ...
VT (''винтовочный пироксилиновый порох ВТ''), as well as Soviet
7.62×54mmR and
9×53mmR hunting cartridges. It is the parent case for the
.22 PPC,
6mm PPC, and the
6.5mm Grendel cartridges.
Ballistics
From Wolf.
Firearms
In the Soviet Union, several hunting rifles were designed for this cartridge;
MBO-1 target rifle, bolt-action carbine
Bars, self-loading carbines MTs-127 (''МЦ-127'') and MTs-128 (''МЦ-128''),
combination guns
IZh-15,
MTs-5-35 and MTs-105-01 (''МЦ-105-01'').
[А. Блюм, А. Волнов. Патроны для нарезного охотничьего оружия // журнал "Охота и охотничье хозяйство", № 7, 1984. стр.30-31]
The
TKB-022PM5 bullpup assault rifle, AO-36 assault rifle ("''Автомат АО-36''"),
IZh-94 "Sever", "
Saiga-5.6" ("''Сайга-5.6''"), and "Saiga-5.6S" ("''Сайга-5.6С''") have been chambered in 5.6×39mm.
See also
*
List of rifle cartridges
List of rifle cartridges, by primer type, Caliber, calibre and name.
File:Cartridge Sample 2.jpg, 350px, From left to right: 1 .17 Hornady Mach 2, 2 .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, 3 .22 Long Rifle, 4 .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, 5 .17/23 SMc, 6 5mm ...
*
5 mm caliber
*
6.5 Grendel
References
Further reading
* 5,6-мм охотничий патрон с высокой начальной скоростью пули // Спортивно-охотничье оружие и патроны. Бухарест, "Внешторгиздат", 1965. стр.134
* Патроны охотничьи 5,6x39. Типы и основные размеры. ГОСТ 20808-75. Москва, 1975.
* Патроны охотничьи 5,6x39 // Охотничье и спортивное оружие. М., Внешторгиздат. 1989.
* А. В. Кузьминский. Оружие для охотника: практическое пособие / под общ. ред. А. Е. Тараса М., ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2002. стр.250-251
Pistol and rifle cartridges
Wildcat cartridges
*
Nammo Lapua cartridges
Soviet inventions
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