Escape from Tarkov — 7.62×39 rounds pt.2

The first article of this series is available here: Escape from Tarkov ― Ammo History

Standard Soviet Service Round — PS

In the previous articles, we examined the basic bullet types such as HP, SP, and FMJ.
These are important concepts for understanding the structure of ammunition, but actual military cartridges are usually designed with much clearer operational purposes.
This time, we will look at one of the most important rounds in the 7.62×39 cartridge family:
the PS round, which served as the standard Soviet service ammunition.

What is PS?

PS is an abbreviation of the Russian term
ПС (Пуля со стальным сердечником)
which literally translates to
“bullet with a steel core.”
In other words, the PS round is ammunition whose defining feature is the steel core inside the projectile.
While this structure may appear simple, it actually reflects an important aspect of Soviet military design philosophy.

Why a Steel Core?

Typical bullets are constructed with

• a lead core

• covered by a copper or steel jacket

Lead is widely used because it has a high density and is easy to manufacture, making it a convenient material for bullets.
However, the Soviet Union chose to use a steel core instead of lead in the PS round.
The reason was simple:
resource efficiency.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union maintained an army that was expected to field millions of soldiers.
Supplying ammunition for such a force required enormous production volumes.
As a result, a practical design approach was adopted:

• reduce the use of lead

• make greater use of steel

A Design That Improved Performance

Interestingly, this resource-saving design also improved the penetration performance of the ammunition.
Steel is harder than lead and less prone to deformation when striking obstacles.
As a result, the PS round achieved improved penetration against:

• wood

• light cover

• thin metal

In other words, although the PS round was originally designed with resource conservation in mind, it also gained characteristics that were advantageous in real combat.

Soviet Military Pragmatism

This design philosophy reflects a typical feature of Soviet military engineering.
Western military equipment is often designed to maximize performance.
In contrast, Soviet designs frequently prioritize:

• mass production

• reliability

• resource efficiency

The PS round is a classic example of this approach.
It can be seen as a practical military cartridge optimized for large-scale production and field use.

PS in Tarkov

In Escape from Tarkov, the PS round also appears as ammunition that players can obtain relatively early.
Within the game it is generally positioned as:

• inexpensive

• widely available

• offering moderate penetration

This characterization closely matches the real-world nature of the PS round.
In other words, the PS round is not an exceptionally powerful cartridge, but rather a practical service round used regularly by military forces.

Next Article

The PS round we examined here served as the standard ammunition of the Soviet military, designed for general combat use.
However, battlefields often present situations where standard ammunition alone is not sufficient.
For example:

• night combat

• trajectory correction

• special missions

In the next article, we will examine ammunition designed for such tactical roles:
T-45M1 (tracer ammunition) and US (subsonic ammunition).

The next article is available here: Escape from Tarkov — 7.62×39 rounds pt.3

Note:

The background ideas and actual gameplay experience discussed in this series are also touched on during my weekly streams every Friday.

The format is different from writing, but it may help deepen your understanding from another angle.

If you’re interested, feel free to stop by.

▶ YouTube : B.K. Gaming Channel
▶ Twitch : kaz_the_minotaur