Lead 7.62x39 bullets
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jcwit
member
Can't post a picture, don't know how. But I cast my own using Lyman bullet # 311359, sized .310 with a gas check. Works excellent for me.
David Wile
Member
Hey Clone,
I freely admit that what I say is rather opinionated, but it is based on a fair number of years of experience in both casting bullets and reloading cartridges.
First, I am not a fan of plated bullets. I have purchased two different brands thus far, and in both instances, they are nothing more than regular cast bullets that have been more copper colored than copper plated. The "plating" was virtually non existent; the bullets just happened to have a copper color. When scratched lightly with a screw driver or knife blade, the copper color came off without any effort whatsoever. There is no way these "copper plated" bullets would perform any differently than a regular cast bullet.
Second, I am a fan of cast bullets with plenty of lube grooves and a lot of the bullet touching the lands and grooves as it goes through the barrel. The Loverign design rifle bullet moulds with gas checks that used to be sold by Lyman have worked very well for me. I have used the same Loverign design moulds in 6mm, 25 cal., 30 cal., and 8mm for many years. I have found the Lyman mould #311466 with gas check to be very good in almost all 30 cal rifles with good barrels. For regular .308 use, I size and lube the bullet in a .309 or .310 size/lube die. For use in the Russian size barrels, I do not size them at all. I apply the gas check and lube by running them in a size/lube die that is .312. This seats the gas check, fills the lube grooves, and does not actually reduce the size of the bullet as it was cast.
I have two main problems with the Magnus bullet you cited: it only has one lube groove, and it does not have a gas check.
If you ever get to casting your own, try to find a Lyman #311466 mould. When cast hard and using a gas check, you can drive them in excess of 2,000 FPS with no problems.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
I freely admit that what I say is rather opinionated, but it is based on a fair number of years of experience in both casting bullets and reloading cartridges.
First, I am not a fan of plated bullets. I have purchased two different brands thus far, and in both instances, they are nothing more than regular cast bullets that have been more copper colored than copper plated. The "plating" was virtually non existent; the bullets just happened to have a copper color. When scratched lightly with a screw driver or knife blade, the copper color came off without any effort whatsoever. There is no way these "copper plated" bullets would perform any differently than a regular cast bullet.
Second, I am a fan of cast bullets with plenty of lube grooves and a lot of the bullet touching the lands and grooves as it goes through the barrel. The Loverign design rifle bullet moulds with gas checks that used to be sold by Lyman have worked very well for me. I have used the same Loverign design moulds in 6mm, 25 cal., 30 cal., and 8mm for many years. I have found the Lyman mould #311466 with gas check to be very good in almost all 30 cal rifles with good barrels. For regular .308 use, I size and lube the bullet in a .309 or .310 size/lube die. For use in the Russian size barrels, I do not size them at all. I apply the gas check and lube by running them in a size/lube die that is .312. This seats the gas check, fills the lube grooves, and does not actually reduce the size of the bullet as it was cast.
I have two main problems with the Magnus bullet you cited: it only has one lube groove, and it does not have a gas check.
If you ever get to casting your own, try to find a Lyman #311466 mould. When cast hard and using a gas check, you can drive them in excess of 2,000 FPS with no problems.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile
jcwit
member
But that 311466 mold is no longer made!
armoredman
Member
I have the Lee CTL 312-160-2R mold and a pants load of gas checks, haven't had time to use it yet, but as my supply of SP/jacketed bullets disappears, I will break it out this winter time - when it becomes cool enough to crank the pot back on again.
jcwit
member
Not really. Gotta use a gas check.
NCsmitty
Member
The only tip that I can offer is to use a heavier than standard bullet weight, like above 123gr.
I recommend a 150-160gr cast bullet , and by doing that, the heavier bullet will have to be driven at a bit lower velocity by virtue of the weight. That helps prevent excessive leading as a rule, but still allows the bullet to have good energy.
Here's a link to some good info on shooting cast bullets in 7.62x39, from the castboolits site.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453
NCsmitty
I recommend a 150-160gr cast bullet , and by doing that, the heavier bullet will have to be driven at a bit lower velocity by virtue of the weight. That helps prevent excessive leading as a rule, but still allows the bullet to have good energy.
Here's a link to some good info on shooting cast bullets in 7.62x39, from the castboolits site.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453
NCsmitty
NCsmitty,
Good point, that is probably what I will go with for cast bullets. Thanks for the link, that was a informative read.
Is there a manual that has load data for cast bullets? My Lee Second Edition does not cover cast bullets for 7.62x39.
Good point, that is probably what I will go with for cast bullets. Thanks for the link, that was a informative read.
Is there a manual that has load data for cast bullets? My Lee Second Edition does not cover cast bullets for 7.62x39.
David Wile
Member
Hey Clone,
I was checking my notes for manufacturers of plated bullets that I had bought and tried in past years. As it turned out, I actually tried three different brands of copper "plated" bullets, and they were all virtually the same. I could only come up with the name of one of the manufacturers, and that is because I still have some of their bullets (one caliber) on hand. That manufacturer was National Bullet Co. out of someplace in Ohio.
I would much rather use my own cast bullets, but I have never been able to get a mould I would like in 10mm. As a result, I have used a number of different commercially cast bullets in 10mm, and it is the 10mm bullets I still have several boxes of from National Bullet Co. I also tried their plated 10mm bullet and thought it was a joke just like all the others I had seen. The ones I am still using are their regular hard cast bullets. Like most other commercial bullets, they have only one lube groove and no gas checks.
I have used the Ray Thompson design bullet moulds in .357 and .44 Mag for well over 40 years, and I still think Thompson's design is the best. I wish the 10mm had come along while Lyman was still making Thompson design bullet moulds.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile,
I was checking my notes for manufacturers of plated bullets that I had bought and tried in past years. As it turned out, I actually tried three different brands of copper "plated" bullets, and they were all virtually the same. I could only come up with the name of one of the manufacturers, and that is because I still have some of their bullets (one caliber) on hand. That manufacturer was National Bullet Co. out of someplace in Ohio.
I would much rather use my own cast bullets, but I have never been able to get a mould I would like in 10mm. As a result, I have used a number of different commercially cast bullets in 10mm, and it is the 10mm bullets I still have several boxes of from National Bullet Co. I also tried their plated 10mm bullet and thought it was a joke just like all the others I had seen. The ones I am still using are their regular hard cast bullets. Like most other commercial bullets, they have only one lube groove and no gas checks.
I have used the Ray Thompson design bullet moulds in .357 and .44 Mag for well over 40 years, and I still think Thompson's design is the best. I wish the 10mm had come along while Lyman was still making Thompson design bullet moulds.
Best wishes,
Dave Wile,
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