Reloading7.62 X 39

[Walkalong]

I am new to reloading 7.62 X 39. I have scrounged a few cases (range brass) to get started playing with. RP, FC, Winchester, & Fiochi. I had been shooting the used to be cheap steel cased stuff.

The Fiocchi is VERY hard to size and then pull out of the sizer. It also is the roughest looking on the exterior. The outer surface looks like it was beaten with a hammer.

Anybody else have this experience?

Anyway, what are the best powders to try in 7.62 X 39? I have these Hornady bullets for it.Thanks, AC

 

[rcmodel]

Well just a WAG from me.

But Hodgdon shows best velocity with H-335.

Lyman shows "Potentially most accurate load" with H-335.

I think I would try H-335 if I could get-sum.

rc

 

[ar10]

The Fiocchi is VERY hard to size and then pull out of the sizer. It also is the roughest looking on the exterior. The outer surface looks like it was beaten with a hammer.

Mine didn't, I loaded a about a hundred of them, all range brass. If you don't like them I'll be happy to take them off your hands.

Anyway, what are the best powders to try in 7.62 X 39? I have these Hornady bullets for it.Thanks, AC

I settled on Reloader 7. It seemed to be the best one out of the three I tried. One was Accurate (something, can't remember the number), and the other was H 322. I was shooting a CZ 527

 

[tkcomer]

Right now I'm using AA 1680 for powder and IMI brass. No sizing issues with it but I do use the .308 expander ball to get the bullets to grip the case better. So far I've tried Golden West Brass .311 124gr FMJs and their .308 150gr FMJs with the 123gr .310 Hornady V-Max. The V-Max is undoubtedly the best of the bunch. 2" groups at 100 yards with my AR-15 with Model 1 upper. The 124gr GWB bullets shoot about like mil surp. Around 4" groups. Don't even want to talk about the .308 bullets. They were a shotgun pattern. And I'm still in the testing phase. Here are some of my groups: http://www.pixagogo.com/4825444121 Don't laugh at me. I'm not that good a shot. These are 10 round groups with no cleaning and no barrel cool down. Click on a pick to make it bigger, then click on original at the top to blow that up if you really want to see how bad I did.

 

[Walkalong]

I have 3 or 4 pounds of H335, & even more H332, but no Reloader 7 or AA 1680. I have read that AA 1680 is good for this caliber.

I guess H335 it is to start.

I may try my surplus SRB-118 as well. After all, it's just plinking/blasting ammo in a MAK 90.

I'll be happy to take them off your hands.

It's only a few. When things get back to normal I need to pick up some once fired cases. Everyone is too proud of them right now.

 

[tkcomer]

Hornady lists H322. 25gr minimum @1900fps and 28.5gr max @2200fps for their 123gr .310" FMJs. Test rifle was a SKS. Sierra lists 26gr minimum of H322 @2000fps and 29grs max @ 2250 for their 125gr .311 SPT bullets. Doesn't list a gun, just for a SKS or AK-47 with a .311" groove diameter. Neither one lists H335. Not sure about your gun, but the hot loads shot worse in mine with the AA 1680.

 

[ar10]

I'll have to look at my load book but when working up my loads H322 came in second and 1680 came in last.
I'm not saying the powders were bad at all, and I'll probably use them in the future, I worked up the loads pretty hot and I was shooting shooting at 2 and 300yds. I did post the results and loads on THR some time ago so if anyone is interested run a search with my screen name.

 

[tkcomer]

When I first started, a lot of people talked about H335. I have a lot of Ramshot Tac and H335 is right next to it on the burn chart. So I E-mailed Ramshot and asked about Tac. They said Tac or H335 wasn't an optimal powder for the 7.62x39. Both were too slow. They also said they didn't really have any optimal powder for the 7.62x39. They gave me loads for Tac, and I may try it. But then again, that may be them not wanting to admit H335 is a good powder for this caliber. Can I ask what bullets you are using?

 

[NCsmitty]

A few years ago I had a Chinese SKS that liked .308 dia. bullets over reloader 7.
I would think that H322 would be a good starter powder to try with standard weight bullets, seeing that you have it in stock.
H335 would be good for a heavier bullet like a 150gr, IMO.

NCsmitty

 

[Walkalong]

Hmmm, I already have the cases full of 30.0 Grs of H335, so I think I'll try it first, then the H322. I have a bunch of it.

My last 1K of large rifle primers.

Hornady bullets I bought some months ago. (That was good )

31 charged cases. Ready to load. I'll try them out this week sometime.

 

[Walkalong]

30 ready to go. Yep, just 30. I spilled a little powder from one case and had already emptied the powder measure. Heck, I know better than that.

No crimp on these. The Lee FCD is not going to work (as is) in the 5th station of my LNL with the wire eject. I'll either have to seat in the 3rd and crimp in the 4th, mod it, or get a different crimper. I wish I had thought of that before I bought Lee dies. I don't have anything against them, I am just not sure they are going to work the way I am set up to load on my LNL.

I may be able to mod the FCD to work in the 5th station. It will be tricky since part of it has to go all the way down, but I am going to give it a try. Nothing to lose.

 

[Floppy_D]

Sounds good! Krochus ironed out some 7.62x39 reloading gouge a while back, you might wanna dig up his old posts.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The Hodgdon and IMR sites both recommend their H4198/IMR4198 powders for the 7.62X39 rounds but most reloaders seem to like H322 and H335 better. I have a friend who uses nothing but Reloader 7 for his AK ammo. IMR4198 and RL-7 are considerably faster powders than H335, go figure!

Don't forget the range report AC... Those rounds look well made!

 

[armoredman]

My VZ-58 loves 24 grains of Accurate Arms #1680 under a Hornday 123gr .310 bullet. Good luck, and have fun! I do use the Lee FCD, as well.

 

[R.W.Dale]

My VZ-58 loves 24 grains of Accurate Arms #1680 under a Hornday 123gr .310 bullet. Good luck, and have fun! I do use the Lee FCD, as well.

AA1680 is great as is N-120

With all my rifles these two powders have been the top performers with 125grn or lighter bullets. H335 works well and can produce some excellent groups but is too slow and bulky to get the most out of the aforementioned bullet weights.


(yeah I know same reply) but why bother retyping and rewording the same answer

 

[steve4102]

I load for a customized Ruger Mini-30. I have tried just about every powder you can think of in the 7.62x39, all the way from the very fact like 4227 to the very slow like TAC.

I have found that 335 is to slow and to bulky. Lyman 48 for example list a max charge of 34.5gr of 335 @2363fps. I could never get that much 335 into my Lapua cases.
For bullet weights from 125gr and under I have found that AA 1680 and H4198 are had to beat. For bullets 125gr and up my Ruger shines with H 322 and N-130. R-7 produces some excellent velocities, but accuracy was way off in my rifle.
If I had to pick one powder for all bullet weights, I would go with H 322 or N-130.

 

[Walkalong]

If I had to pick one powder for all bullet weights, I would go with H 322 or N-130

Excellent. I have both in quantity. I don't know how well these Hornadys will shoot, but it should be decent. After shooting these loaded with H335 I'll try some H-322 or N-130. I will have to mount a scope and see what they can do just for grins. Mainly I want a powder that is the right speed to make the rifle function properly. Best accuracy for plinking loads will be a bonus. After the advise here I believe my SRB-118 will be to slow. It is also bulkier than H-335, which is already hard to get enough in the case.

 

[rdhood]

This thread lists all of the standard powders except for maybe AA 2015.

 

[Walkalong]

Hmmm. I used all I had of that.........

 

[steve4102]

This thread lists all of the standard powders except for maybe AA 2015.

I've used 2015 in my Ruger and still to to some extent. It is another excellent powder for the 7.62, but 322 and 130 are a touch better in my rifle.

 

[Walkalong]

I modified the Lee FCD die to fit the LNL with the wire eject. A grinder, a dremel, a file, and some sandpaper did the trick.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Nice work AC, that looks like a winner... Now see if you can sell the idea to Lee, Hornady or both!! LOL

 

[Walkalong]

I bought the wire eject instead of the EZJect because I wanted to avoid sending all my shellplates off to Hornady to turn the groove in them for the EZJect, but it turned out 1/2 of them still needed to go to Hornady to fix the diameter on the lower part of the plates. If I had to do it over, I would have gotten the EZJect. I am having to modify pretty much all of my crimp dies. Live and learn. I could get the 29.99 subplate upgrade, but then about 4 or 5 more plates would have to go to Hornady. I would also have to drill and tap that subplate for my powder measure "lifter plate".