Why reload 7.62 X 39?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I am buying the Lee .312 155 mould in a few days for my SKS, and I can't find any data for that bullet with either H4895 or IMR 3031, anyone here have a good starting load?
 
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_po...TID=17472&PN=4

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/...43/m/321102628
Click to expand...

Hmm, I don't know about that. Mine have never given me any trouble, and many, many people use small charges of pistol powder in their rifles for accurate, light plinking loads. The only fuss I have about my loads is that they are rather dirty and smoky.

I would guess more likely that the blown-up AK was taken to pieces by a double charge, or some other factor of the handloader's negligence.

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.
Click to expand...

I don't even know if you will need to anneal with these low-pressure loads. I'm using Lapua brass in my AES-10B and Yugo SKS, and my only complaint is that sometimes the brass is a bit difficult to find. I've got at least 7 loads on most of my cases, and no split necks or evident problems yet.

The mold I am using is the 155gr Lee mold- http://www.grafs.com/product/190472
I load them as cast, without sizing. I use Lee Liquid Alox to lube them. Gas checks are not necessary, but for best accuracy they would probably be helpful.

Start a little lower than 14.2 and work your way up gradually. I got erratic cycling with a little less than 14 grains, but it works perfectly for me at 14.2 gr (which just happened to be the next load I tried) of 2400.

My understanding is that the 155 is meant for the 7.62X39, and I do not know if the 160 is or not- I don't own one.
 
Water-quenched WW.

No leading to speak of- although the gun will be fairly filthy from powder residue.
 
You use the Lee bullet without sizing or gas checks, and it works OK? Any leading issues? What type of lead, wheel weight?
Click to expand...

About 8 grains of uncooked cream of wheat filling the case neck under the bullet! (piece of cotton filler between the powder and the cream of wheat)

No leading and no gas tube issues in my SKS. Accuracy not so good but I haven't really worked up a load other than to try from 23 to 27 grains of BL-C(2) under a 170 grain cast boolit, to see what would work safely. I've yet to see ANY lead bullet data for my rifles so I just find the nearest weight jacketed data, and back off another 10-20% from the starting grains of that.

The guy who got me into this cream of wheat business with cast boolits maintains that you don't even need to lube the bullets. I still tumble lube and size mine but it's probably not necessary. The cream of wheat gets compressed into a very dense and hard plug under the bullet, acting as a gas check and also scrubbing any leading out of the barrel that might have been there previously.
 
Interesting, as the dagum gas checks are the high cost nowadays. The mould is backordered with Midway, only $20, and the sizing kit is only $12, but 1000 gas checks are $28.
 
I think the mold is out everywhere... maybe Lee has them listed on their website (it will cost a little more...)?
 
Just wondering if you have had any problems with lead getting in the gas tube area and mucking stuff up?

Thanks
Kid
 
good to read this X39 info, I have a Ruger Mini30 that has responded well with handloads (4198 & 322 powder) particularly the Hornady AMax .310dia from Graf's. but the cost has me thinking about casting slugs. time is a factor of course and $$/time needs consideration. damn I wish someone made a 150gr .310 slug - anybody know of one? my M30 like 150gr slugs. I'd like to see the SK that will shoot as good as my M30.
 
Just wondering if you have had any problems with lead getting in the gas tube area and mucking stuff up?

Thanks
Kid
Click to expand...

No problems yet in either my SKS or my AK.

I do have an accuracy problem with homemade case lead boolits I haven't yet sorted out yet. Mind you I was just making sure I could shoot these without blowing up or leading up my rifles. But, with my AK I wasn't shooting groups at 25 yards, I was shooting patterns, like not good enough to consistently hit a water bottle at 25 yards. The same rounds (from the same batch) shot to point of aim in my Norinco SKS however. I may need to adjust boolit size or something, don't know quite what yet. But even so hey, with cast boolits I can blast away 7.62x39 for 8 cents a round and they'll still knock the snot out of whatever they hit!
 
I will have a mould coming soon, plus Lee push through sizing die. I think I'll skip the gas checks for now, and keep a close eye on velocity and possible leading in the gas system.
 
the correct slang term fir the tumble lube designs is "soup can".
Click to expand...

duh....how could I have missed that? I've been wondering what those guys over at Cast Boolits have been talking about.

OBTW...several report that they tumble lube with Alox on the standard lube ring boolits and still get good results.

and here's a great thread by the legendary Ed Harris on the subject...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453
 
I'm using pulled .308s with 25g of IMR4895. Yugo Mod 70 loves them. Have a red dot scope on it and at 75-100 yds it shoots very well. Not MOA, but still more accurate than I expected.
 
Since Clark tried to play the wet blanket routine...

This is for him, and the Original Poster of this thread:

26sepaktarget.gif

'Nuff Said. :scrutiny:
 
This thread took a slight veer into a lead bullet discussion, which was fine. I have researched further, using some of the early posts for guidance, and found cheaper bullets and cheaper brass cased ammo. If one wants to shoot the 7.62 X 39 a lot, it would still be a good idea to reload. Question answered. :cool:
 
Why Reload 7.62X39?

I can get an apple pie at any grocery store, but a home made pie tastes a whole lot better (well, at least my wife's does). Why reload the 7.62X39? Because it's fun. I don't care how much the cheap Wolf ammo is, I enjoy reloading my own stuff.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Walkalong
  • Locked
Reloading7.62 X 39
Replies
22
Views
1K
Walkalong
Walkalong
H
  • Locked
load data-H4227 for 7.62 x 39
Replies
12
Views
2K
Russian Reloads
R
H
  • Locked
110 gn. 308 for 7.62 x 39
Replies
14
Views
670
HOWARD J
H
Mikee Loxxer
  • Locked
Dented 7.62 X 39 Brass
Replies
5
Views
2K
Mikee Loxxer
Mikee Loxxer
M
  • Locked
Rifle selection based on reloading cost
Replies
5
Views
385
armoredman
armoredman
Back
Top