I bought some surplus Yugoslav 8x57 Mauser ammunition today that seems different from others that I had seen. Other Yugoslav 8mm that I had bought had the "nny" headstamp similar to what is now sold as Privi Partizan. These rounds, however, have a "12" at the top, a "53" at the bottom, and a star on either side. The box is labeled "12-1953" on the end (made in 1953 I take it), while the rest of the Cyrillic language on the label correponds to other boxes of Yugoslav ammo that I had seen.

Is this out of the ordinary Yugo ammo? I went to the cartridgecollectors.org website and their list shows "12" to be an ammo factory in Austria, as well as a proof mark in the RSA. Ideas?

There are several different types of 8mm Mauser i.g. .323" and .319" dia bullets,plus there is rimmed and semi rimmed etc.....be carefull that the correct cartridge is being shot in your rifle....

I'm not a headstamp expert....but I am fimilar with the YUGO brass,as I reload for this caliber....I have not seen the brass with the 12 o:clock,h.s.

Good Luck ,

BB34

Hogg's "The Cartridge Guide", published in 1982, illustrates the headstamp you describe, but with a year date of 64 rather than 53. The description is a terse "Yugoslavia", so no help as to who in Yugoslavia made it.

Cheers, Al

Thanks for the reminder about the 8mm's, Bigbird. I did check against the books and miked the bullets at .323". I appreciate the advice from both of you.

Here is a handy site for HS information with this header

Note 1- Headstamps often contain multiple pieces of information. The maker is almost always identified. Military ammunition usually includes date information, and civilian ammunition often has caliber information. Sometimes dates are fairly obvious (44 = 1944; 72 = 1972; 6 12 = June 1912, etc.). Sometimes the caliber information is either spelled out or abbreviated (30-06; 38 SPL, etc.) and other times, such as on German made DWM ammunition, a catalog number code is used for the caliber. Sometimes information on the headstamp indicates the type of load (VII Z on .303 British indicates Mark VII ball ammunition loaded with nitrocellulose powder.) Sometimes markings are deliberately deceiving, as with some .30 carbine ammunition ammunition marked LC 52, made by the Chinese, or .30-06 marked B N 4 40 made in the U.S., both probably intended to arm allies while hiding their source of supplies. Sometimes the headstamp only indicates the maker of the cartridge case, or distributor of the loaded cartridge, or the using activity, not the actual "manufacturer" of a loaded cartridge.

http://cartridgecollectors.org/headstampcodes.htm

Von Gruff.