Why reload 7.62 X 39?
- Thread starter Walkalong
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Car Knocker
Member
Probably because handloads are more consistant and accurate than the cheap ammo.
R.W.Dale
Member
HERE'S WHY!
If shooting 20oz pop cans at 45yds with your $250 (insert commie rifle name) is your thing then reloading 7.62x39 isn't for you. But for those of us wanting to get the most out of our rifles then neither crappy domestic nor imported 7.62x39 ammo is going to hack it.
If shooting 20oz pop cans at 45yds with your $250 (insert commie rifle name) is your thing then reloading 7.62x39 isn't for you. But for those of us wanting to get the most out of our rifles then neither crappy domestic nor imported 7.62x39 ammo is going to hack it.
FieroCDSP
Member
I've pulled some nice groups with my Yugo SKS and some loaded cheap Remington bullets. Probably would have been better had I a scope on it.
Floppy_D
Member In Memoriam
Where do you find 20oz pop cans?
I'll reload for just about anything I can justify reloading for. My 7.62x39'ers have never been intended for anything other than minute of pumpkin, minute of 3 liter bottle, or minute of old toaster at 50-100 yds. For that, the cheap factory ammo does the trick. I load a lot of things for accuracy, but 7.62x39 is still me go-to cartridge for wholesale centerfire plinking.
I'll reload for just about anything I can justify reloading for. My 7.62x39'ers have never been intended for anything other than minute of pumpkin, minute of 3 liter bottle, or minute of old toaster at 50-100 yds. For that, the cheap factory ammo does the trick. I load a lot of things for accuracy, but 7.62x39 is still me go-to cartridge for wholesale centerfire plinking.
Dumpster Baby
Member
I've got a lot of Norinco, Wolf, and Barnaul 762x39 but the copper plated Norinco is the only stuff that might work in my Ruger Mini-30. Some day I want to get a supply of brass cases to reload just for the Ruger. My Norinco SKS and AK clone doesn't mind the green painted stuff. None of them are capable of more than "minute of pumpkin" (I like that one), so accuracy isn't the issue with me.
actionflies
Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
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- 163
My AK47 eject the spent wolf steel casing so hard and hitting the ejection port thus denting it. So I can't see why it's worth reloading this caliber with brass and worth my time trying to make it a target load when this gun was made to shoot target from 5 feet to 7 feet tall.
Clark
Member
Of all my rifles that deserve attention, the SKS and AK designs have worked their way to the bottom, along with the FAL.
I would rather spend time at the dentist than spend more time trying to accurize those rifles.
I like my quality time with careful handloads in a 98 Mausers and Ruger #1s.
I would rather spend time at the dentist than spend more time trying to accurize those rifles.
I like my quality time with careful handloads in a 98 Mausers and Ruger #1s.
res45
Member
I reload for my SKS rifles 1970 YUGO and 1965 Chinese /26\ because I hunt & target shoot with them other than my 300 Savage they are my Centerfire rifle collection,my requirements for accuracy and bullets performance is allot higher than anything the Russian ammo can offer. I use Winchester brass,CCI Mil-Spec primers,Hornady 123 Gr. bullets in 310. dia and Speer HotCore 150 Gr. in .311 dia. with either AA1680 (harder to get around here) or Reloaders #7 (easy to get and just as good as the AA).
I recently started using the Lapua Wooden bullet practice ammo as a source of throw away brass for hunting,I just pull the wooden bullet,resize the neck add my own powder and bullet combination crimp and I'm good to go. It's Berdan primed and non-reloadable, so I salvage what I find as scrap and make back about 1/3 of my original cost. I can load 20 Rds. of quality custom and very accurate ammo for my sks rifles at around $4 per 20 using the Lapua even less with the winchester brass.
All targets 5 shots at 50 Yds. with stock SKS rifles & iron sights.
YUGO
Chinese
I recently started using the Lapua Wooden bullet practice ammo as a source of throw away brass for hunting,I just pull the wooden bullet,resize the neck add my own powder and bullet combination crimp and I'm good to go. It's Berdan primed and non-reloadable, so I salvage what I find as scrap and make back about 1/3 of my original cost. I can load 20 Rds. of quality custom and very accurate ammo for my sks rifles at around $4 per 20 using the Lapua even less with the winchester brass.
All targets 5 shots at 50 Yds. with stock SKS rifles & iron sights.
YUGO
Chinese
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MMCSRET
Member
I assisted a match shooter with an AR style rifle chambered in 7.62x39. It had a .308 bore, RCBS dies came with 2 sizes of expanders. His rifle absolutely loved 125 gr. ballistic tips, .5 moa, He used it for 300 meter military matches and did very well, used Federal brass.
rbernie
Contributing Member
I've hunted with a 7.62x39 AR15 for years; my handloads are knocking right at MOA (some 5-shots groups smaller than an inch at 100 yards, but almost none larger). I handload for accuracy and to use appropriate hunting bullets.
Most 7.62x39 rifles have a .3105 bore; Rugers are among the few that use the smaller American .308 bore.
I could not get .308 loads in my AR15 to cycle the action properly; I presumed this was due to gas leakage.
I am thinking of picking up a slightly used Saiga in 7.62 X 39. Do ya'll know what bore size they use?
Mostly plinking/just because rifle, but it would be nice to have some ammo put back that would shoot well, in a pinch.
Mostly plinking/just because rifle, but it would be nice to have some ammo put back that would shoot well, in a pinch.
True until about 1992 when Ruger scrapped the tapered throat/.308 bore and went to a .310 bore.
Careful with this one. Loading auto-loaders with fast pistol powder can cause the action to blow-up. What may happen is the timing of the gas system get out of whack. The fast pistol powder may cause the action to open to quickly before it's time allowing escaping gasses to vent rearward. Here is a couple of links.
http://forums.handloads.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=17472&PN=4
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6711043/m/321102628
xsquidgator
Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
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- 835
Ding ding ding! That's my #1 reason, cheap blasting ammo for funsies. As long as I have my casting pot/molds, powder, primers, and cream of wheat, I can't run out.
Actually, I'm not worried about somehow running out of jacketed bullets for reloading either. I have several hundred FMJ and JSP 7.62 bullets that I'll use up sometime too. The OP is understandably skeptical of reloading 7.62x39 when it costs up to 30 cents a round to do so say with softpoints. I originally started reloading it for fun and as a little extra insurance that I would still have ammo for it if something happened to the least expensive Russian steel-cased ammo supply.
I reload (occasionally) the 7.62x39. I also have tried cast bullets through my SKS (still need to try it on my AK). I am somewhat reluctant to use pistol powder in my rifle therefore; I use H4895 or IMR4198 rifle powder with 150 grain .311 cast bullets. Overall, function is fine and the accuracy is fair to good with the occasional flyer.
WayneConrad
Member
Had an overcharge of Wolf send the firing pin back through the bolt toward favorite nephew. Receiver cover stopped it.
That's why.
That's why.
SSN Vet
Member
for the fun of it.....of course
Crosshair
Member
I too plan on loading cast boolits. Just bought 500 brass 7.62x39 cases. If I use a brass catcher and case annealing they should last me for many reloads. Allowing me to save the jacketed ammo for other uses.
Hey CBS220, what type and weight of boolits are you using? I'm looking at the Lee CTL312-160-2R mould for my 7.62x39 uses. For lighter plinking I was going to use the 120 grain Lee mould.
Hey CBS220, what type and weight of boolits are you using? I'm looking at the Lee CTL312-160-2R mould for my 7.62x39 uses. For lighter plinking I was going to use the 120 grain Lee mould.
xsquidgator
Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2007
- Messages
- 835
I don't see why you'd need to, I didn't. Handloads aren't any different than store bought ammo, unless perhaps you are using very "soft" primers that are easily set off.
WayneConrad
Member
Not that I've heard.
But due to the SKS's free-floating firing pin, you should use NATO-spec primers. At least one of my reloading manuals has this caution.
If you're not sure why, next time you've got your SKS at the range, when the range is hot, with your rifle pointed downrange, chamber a round, letting the bolt slam home normally, but do not fire. Now open the bolt and retrieve the round that is ejected. Examine the primer.
K3
Member
R.W.Dale
Member
Cool! Do you remember what kind of 300m groups the guy was pulling. You say .5 MOA was that at 100 or all the way out at 300.
The reason I'm so curious is I'm building a benchrest rifle in 7.62x39 just for 300m group shooting using a slow twist and a long 26"bbl to get the most out of 110-130grn bullets
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