proper bullets for 7.62 calibers (x54R and 39)

[judaspriest]

Hi,

I am getting somewhat mixed info on what the proper bullet to buy for the 7.62x54R cal is. Obviously, if the dealer's listing has 7.62x54R specified, I have no problem, but since this isn't one of the more popular rounds, I am having a hard time finding reasonable prices.

However, I hear that either the .308 or the .303 bullets would work. Some sources say that .308 is good and will be sufficiently accurate (I am no benchrester - 2-3 boxes at 100 yards once a month from an M44 Mosin with iron sights is enough for me), while others suggest that it will be too small and won't engage the rifling enough to be stabilized. They then suggest the .303 (.311 diameter, I believe), but then the first bunch says that it's too big and will quickly wear out the bore and may even create excessive pressure.

My secondary caliber is 7.62x39, but so far cheap ammo kept me from wanting to reload it, however I imagine the bullet issues will be identical

While we are on the subject, should I worry about bullet length vs. rifling twist rate or for my fairly modest purposes it won't play much of a role?

Any tips & ideas will be much appreciated!

Happy 4th of July everyone

JP

 

[jr45]

I am a novice reloader and I reload both the x54 and 39. I slugged both of my Russian M44s and one measures .311 and the other .312. I reload both with 150-180 grain .311 (303/7.7 Jap) bullets and had no signs of over pressure and get decent accuracy. The Mosins from Finland, from what I hear, have a bore diameter closer to .308. If your M44 is Russian (most likely), you should be fine with a .311 type bullet. I shot them both at 200 yards or less and therefore I don't concern myself with the bullet length too much.

As for the 7.62x39, I use 123 grain .310 diameter bullets.

Hope this helps.

 

[RyanM]

7.62x54R and 7.62x39 are both nominally .311" groove diameter, .300-.303" or so land diameter. .308 bullets will work in a pinch, but may cause more bore erosion as powder gasses will leak around the bullet.

7.62x51 (AKA .308 Win) and most other .30s are .308" groove, .300" land, and can quite happily use either .308" or .311" bullets, though you'll want to reduce the powder charge by a grain or three if using .311s.

 

[Bad Flynch]

JP--

Caliber is determined not by the groove diameter or bullet diameter, but by the land or bore diameter. It is just that the Europeans have different ideas than do we about the dimensional relationships and what is proper. It is really not a big deal.

.308 bullets will likely bump up some in normal pressure loads. However, the only MNs that shoot .308s well, usually, are the few Finns made in the late 1930s with grooves that were more like .309" or so. Even the Finns eventually went back to the larger groove diameters during WWII, so they could more easily chamber the larger necked, captured Soviet ammo.

.311" bullet will not unduly raise pressures, in any event.

All the Soviet rifles have the larger groove diameters; some are very large, indeed.

The larger bullets will not wear out your barrel faster; that is pure baloney.

 

[judaspriest]

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for your replies. I am trying to find a new home for my .308s (that I'd already bought) and starting to shop for the 303s

Many thanks

JP