Tarr tested seven different 7.62x39mm loads from five different manufacturers. From left — Wolf SP, Barnaul HP, Winchester PDX1, Hornady SST, Wolf HP, Barnaul SP, and American Eagle FMJ. (Firearms News photo)
While the 7.62x39 is considered the “intermediate assault rifle cartridge against which all others are judged,” few people actually know what kind of performance they can expect from the cartridge out of an AK. For this article, I decided to test seven 7.62x39mm loads, some similar, several very different. I chose them based on a number of factors — availability, price, and (advertised) performance. My ammo list included American Eagle FMJ, premium defensive ammo from