Cracking Open a Crate: 1953 Bulgarian 7.62x25 Tokarev Ammunition

Let's crack open a 62-year-old crate of ammunition! [NOTE: The primary goal was preserving the historical packaging ... not speed!]

There are a few great things about military surplus ammunition: the cost, the neat old crate it comes in, and the adventure you embark upon when trying to get the damn thing open. Take a stroll into the past as I open up this little time capsule to liberate over a thousand rounds of 7.62x25 Tokarev ammunition that was lovingly crafted during the early days of the Cold War.

There have been some Internet rumors (which as we all know, are always true) that Bulgarian "Star 3/10" surplus ammunition is dangerous and will make your gun explode into a fireball that burns with the intensity of a million white hot suns. To test this theory, I will be following this video up with some Chrony data comparing this ammunition with more modern loads ... so stay tuned. Spoiler alert: the Bulgarian ammunition did not disintegrate my face.