The best place I have found for info in 7.62x39 ammo is at ak47.net. There is a sticky there that not only tells you how to identify steel core ammo but also how to read the headstamps to know when and where the ammo was made.
The ammo that I bought is all newer and stamped 92 which is not on the stickies at the above sight.Steel,lead and the two different hunting Chinese Norenco ammo all have this 92 head stamp.Now each box clearly states what it is and that it is non corrosive.I have found all of this to be clean shooting and much more accurate in my opinion in the Norinco Chinese type 56 SKSs.
I was told of this accuracy by a dealer at a gun show on a Saturday,bought a box of each,went home and tried them with a friends new bought SKS.I was well satisfied.I went back the next day and bought 2 new Norinco SKSs,1200 rounds of lead,1200 of steel,and 200 rounds of soft nose hunting and 100 rounds of a hollow point hunting ammo for under $500.00 loaded in my truck taxes and all.This price included the two boxes of shells that I bought the day before.That made two guns and 2740 rounds for under $500.00.I could not believe it and I could not pass it up.Every dealer that had them there were selling them like this.Them was the good old days when it was at its cheapest.I have never heard of anyone getting a better deal on them.I also got two 50 round clips and a folding stock that day for nearly nothing.Perhaps this was just before the axe fell and they had to get rid of or modify them.
I bought for the price as I am a revolver and bolt action man.Also I was making a good living then and could afford it.Yea,sure!(I sold a week of my vacation back to the company and worked it to pay for all of this.)I can't afford a box of 410 or 16 gauge shells now.Times have changed.I surly miss all the guns I had,but keeping the rust away is a full time job in South Georgia.That I don't miss.
The SKS is a fine 100 yard all weather Deer gun in my opinion as our Deer are small.You can stick that Bayonet in the ground in a rainstorm and pick it up at anytime and shoot it.You can wash the mud off and out in the river,shake it out and shoot it.I know.I did it to prove it can be done to the unbelievers.My wood stocks were sealed inside and out with "Turtle Wax".Matter of fact all of my varnish stocks were and my oiled were with 100% Tung oil along with my wood Bayonet,knife and Tomahawk handles.My leather Military slings,Bayonet frogs,paratrooper boots and logging boots got the Thompson Waterseal treatments.I don't like things that have not been weather proofed.I am or I was.
This has gotten to be a Nitroglycerin night and I think that I have eaten a hole out under my tongue with them tonight.They can't do anything for me at the emergency room so it is time to lay back in my chair with the Oxygen where I have have slept for over 10 years now.I haven't been able to lay down for all this time and live setting up 24 ours a day.
I love you Brothers and Sisters.peewee