New Ammo: Barnaul Introduces New Rifle, Handgun Cartridges

For 2017, Russian ammunition manufacturer Barnaul announced six new loads. These new loads cover the following calibers:

• 7.62×39
• .308 Win
• .223 Rem
• 7.62×54
• 9×19

All the new cartridges are part of the Centaur line. The bullets in the Centaur line are made by Hornady for Barnaul.

7.62×39

Traditionally associated with the AK-47 style of rifle, the 7.62×39 is also used in other weapons. It is used for a range of functions including self-defense, hunting and recreation.

The new load uses a 125 grain FMJ bullet that is loaded to 2,533 fps. Barnaul will sell this in 20 round boxes and 500 round cases.

.308 Win

Another popular .30 caliber cartridge, the .308 Win is an American favorite. For the new year, Barnaul stated it will offer a 177 grain FMJ loaded to 2,395 fps at the muzzle.

.223 Rem

Other than the .22 LR, I suspect that the .223 Remington accounts for more fired rounds than any other rifle cartridge. It should ne no surprise then that Barnaul introduced two new loads for this cartridge.

The first new load is a 55 grain FMJ bullet moving at 3,261 fps when it leaves the barrel. The second new load uses a 62 grain bullet loaded to 3,051 fps.

7.62×54

Made popular in the US by the importation of inexpensive Mosin-Nagant rifles, the 7.62×54 cartridge gets some love from Barnaul. This new load uses a 177 grain FMJ bullet that has a velocity of 2,494 fps at the muzzle. For .308 fans, that is 99 fps faster than the classic Winchester cartridge.

9×19

In expensive 9mm ammo is always in demand, and Barnaul appears to be aiming at this market segment. The rounds use a 115 grain FMJ bullet loaded to 1,329 fps.