Anyone else load reduced loads?

[goon]

I loaded up some reduced loads today for the 7.62x39mm. Although IMO the x39 doesn't need reduced loads in the first place, I happen to know a young lady who finds the recoil of an SKS or AK to be too much. Since she is new to shooting I am trying to give her all the help I can.
After she expended my meager supply of light training ammo (I have been reliably informed that it was east german 60 grain ammo), I needed a plan.
I loaded some 90 grain FMJ's that were originally pulled from 7.62x25 ammo over 23.5 grains of Reloader 7. The resulting round was powerful enough to work the action and shot clear through over 14" of soft wood in my informal test that I ran before loading a whole bunch of them. The only problem I encountered was that although they would cycle the action and fed fine from the mag, they didn't survive the trip intact. Spilled powder and loose bullets don't amuse me so they area single shot only proposition for the time being. FYI, I was using a .308 expander in my dies so I don't think that is the problem here. They don't have a cannelure so I couldn't crimp. That would have probaby helped.
They did work as needed though. She shot about half of them (everyone else had to take a turn with "those neat handloads" too) and wasn't bothered by the very mild recoil of them.
However, in spite of their popularity, improvements are needed.
Does anyone know where I can find 90 grain .308/.309 or .311 bullets that have a crimp cannelure? I would prefer a FMJ variety so that I don't have to worry about feed problems and so that I don't have lead and lube fouling up my gas system. If not that, am I going to have to go to 100 or 110 grain to get what I need? What do you guys suggest?
A perfect bore fit would be cool, but they are really just a short range proposition anyhow. Breaking clay pigeons at 25 yards with them was easy enough and that is about all I wanted from them so .308 would be close enough.
Any thoughts?

 

[griz]

Pistol bullets for the 32 mag should fill that bill. They might be a couple thousandths oversize, but I don't think that would be a problem.

 

[Clark]

I have shot .457" lead balls from a 1911 with just the primer [shooting in my basement].

I have shot squirrels with 13 gr Blue Dot in .223 with 60 gr bullet. [shoots all day without barrel getting hot]

 

[P95Carry]

I guess it counts - have played with cast bullets for .303 Brit and .308 and so loads are tailored to suit. I use a good bulking powder - SR 4759 in the 21 grain region. Both bullets are around 180 grain, with gas checks.

Otherwise - just my target 38 spl loads for PPC which are on mild side.

I have plans sometime for .223 reduced loads like Clark mentions.

 

[steve4102]

I would suggest trying the Lee Factory Crimp Die in 7.62x39. I use one for my Ruger Mini-30 and it works great. The LFCD does not require a cannelure to crimp. Here is a couple of links on the LFCD.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=285209

http://www.accuratereloading.com/crimping.html

I have used 13gr of Blue Dot, 125 Sierra #2120 .308 load in my Ruger Mini-30 and it is a lot of fun to shoot. It is very very accurate and has the recoil about the same as a 22 mag. The only problem is it will not cycle the action, but that's OK, makes finding the brass much easier.

 

[blkbd]

If you decide to go the .308 there (from a older Speer catalog) you have the most options, these are the 100gr round soft point half jacket-catalog #1805 then there is a 110gr jacketed hollow point with canalure-catalog #1835 then there is a 110 round nose soft point-catalog #1845 then there is the 110gr FMJ round nose- this is the one used in the 30 cal. M1 carbine and the catalog # is 1846 then there is a 110gr spire soft point-catalog #1855. But you best bet will most likly be the 32 caliber JHP with canalure with a weight of 100 gr and a bore dia of .312 and a catalog #3981-Good luck

 

[miko]

Why not buy a cannelure tool from a company making bullet-swaging equipment?

miko

 

[newfalguy101]

contrary to popular belief you do NOT need a canelure to crimp bullets in place.

Pull some milsurp bullest sometime, alot of them do NOT have a crimp groove.

Just set your dies to crimp into the bullet, it will hold the bullet tight enough to keep it from coming out, accuracy might suffer, but as you stated, they are strictly short range anyway.

 

[Bill St. Clair]

I shoot cowboy action .44 mag loads from my Marlin 1894P. 7.5 grains of Universal or Trailboss pushing a 200 grain lead bullet. Gets somewhere around 1000 fps according to the charts. It's a real blast to shoot, no recoil, and costs about ten cents a shot (a couple of pennies more for Trailboss).

 

[Dave R]

Yes, I run a reduced load for my .308 (it runs about .30-30 level) and for my K-31 in 7.5 Swiss (that one's about .30 Carbine level.)

 

[rbernie]

I use 115gr Beartooth cast bullets sized to .311 for my reduced 7.62x39 loads...

 

[Frank 270]

Reduced loads

I have used Accurate #5744 for reduced loads in my Ruger M-1, 270. Mild recoil and a lot of fun until you work up to the higher levels. I used Sierra 90 gr HP bullets. Accuracy goes way up as expected with the heavier charges and velocity increase.