Anyone Loading 7.62X39 ?

[Toprudder]

I have everything I need to reload x39, I just have not tried it yet. I have an early Mini-30 that is supposed to be .308, that is why I bought everything I need.

I bought some PPU brass cased ammo, but my AK dents them pretty badly (may try the window trim trick Gadawg88 mentioned earlier) and my SKS launches them into orbit. But, I now have an AR in that caliber that works really well, and have a brass catcher for it, so I will again have fun emptying the PPU brass at the range.

Problem I see now is that I will have two diameter bullets to stock: .308 for the Mini-30, and .310 for everything else.

A couple of you mentioned Xtreme bullets, but they are plated and they are supposedly only rated for < 1500fps. How have they worked for you guys? Are they shedding the plating?

 

[Walkalong]

I tried some in 300 BLK and they were horribly inaccurate at 1700 and 1900 FPS. I didn't try them any slower.

 

[joneb]

A couple of you mentioned Xtreme bullets, but they are plated and they are supposedly only rated for < 1500fps.

Sorry
I've had good results with Accurate 1680 with Hornady FMJ and JSP, and good results with starting to mid charges of H-4198 with Extreme 123 plated FP.
Not sure why plated 7.62x39 are not offered in 150gr to help mitigate the velocity cap

 

[armoredman]

Berrys does offer a fine plated bullet, but it's a 125 grain slug, and works very well in my 527M. Thanks for that 3031 data, might try that.

 

[Walkalong]

I tried the X-Treme 123 Gr .312 and the 150 Gr .308 in 300 BLK and those were the ones that shot so horribly at around 1700 (150 Gr) and 1900 FPS (150 Gr).

 

[waffentomas]

armoredman:

Here's the whole story behind my 170gr 7.62x39 load that I worked up:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=708410

Sorry about the size of the pics...forgot to edit them down and can't any longer, as the thread is too old.

 

[ku4hx]

Source 1 = new brass bought in bulk circa 1993
Source 2 = source 1 once-fired
Source 3 = range pickup what little there was/is

Favorite powder = Reloader 7

Favorite load = 26 grains Reloader 7 with a 125 grain JSP

Loads are for a Mini-30 with a .308" bore. Makes finding bullets simple. The original manual that came with the gun has a statement saying the use of surplus ammunition with bullet diameter of .311"/.312" is specifically allowed. Although a mite dirty, thousands of rounds later, the gun has proven they shoot very well.

Interestingly enough, the reloading die set I bought in the early '90s came with two expander balls, one for American standard bullets (.308") and one for the larger diameter bullet.

 

[illinoisburt]

For what it's worth the first couple years of Mini-30's were definitely 308 bore, but they had a long tapered leade that started out at 312 to swage down the surplus combloc ammo. You do not need to use 308 bullets in them. They were designed to be safe with 311. I shot a few and they were solid 1-1/2 to 2 moa shooters, unlike the mini-14's of that era. All of the post 92 rifles are 311/312 bore.

7.62x39 range ammo is not going to be substantially cheaper to reload with jacketed bullets. But for good target rounds and premium hunting bullets it's almost mandatory for the round.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Ive loaded a bunch for my wasr. I have no idea where they came from, but I used a 130 grain .311 FMJ, loaded into mostly winchester brass. Im going to need to buy more brass soon....
They seem happiest with IMR4198.

 

[Ditchtiger]

2 loads

7.5 grs. Red Dot under a 155 gr. lead gas check bullet. shot out of an SKS Yugo with the gas valve turned off.

13.5 grs. 2400 with a 150 gr. 7.62x54r tracer slug. Will hit a 12" steel plate at 200 yards every shot.

 

[HankC]

Has anyone reloaded the Yugo brass case 7.62x39? How hard is it converting to boxer primer?

 

[armoredman]

7.62x39 range ammo is not going to be substantially cheaper to reload with jacketed bullets. But for good target rounds and premium hunting bullets it's almost mandatory for the round.

I might be a really bad shot, but those looked OK to me for decent target rounds.
But seriously, yes, I use a jacketed soft point as a hunting bullet.