Questions on reloading for 7.62x39

TargetTerror · January 25, 2008, 03:55 PM

My club doesn't allow any ammo with steel in it - core or jacket. That means I need to load my own rounds if I want to fire my AK b/c all of the cheap 7.62x39 ammo has a bi-metal, metallic case.

I'll be loading these on a Dillon 550, and I have some how-to type questions. I'll be loading both .308 and .311 sized bullets, so I'll need an expanding die in each size. I've never loaded rifles on my 550, but for pistols, the expanding stage is in the 2nd position, and is done by the metal funnel included in the caliber conversion kit. Is this how the flaring is done with rifles, too? If so, would I need 2 different sized funnels/conversion kits, and would the expanding dies I see for the 7.62x39 not work for the 550?

steve4102 · January 25, 2008, 06:29 PM

No expanding or flaring with a bottle neck cases. Resize ( FL) the brass and chamfer inside of the neck and deburr the out side. This only needs to be done with initial set-up and after each case trimming.

ligonierbill · January 25, 2008, 08:59 PM

Don't know about Dillon, but RCBS dies come with two expander balls, one for .308 and one for .311. I am loading 7.62x54R for my brother, and the first batch are .308. We haven't tried them yet. I understand these Russian bores vary rifle to rifle. The Hornady manual notes at least one American 7.62x39 with a .308 bore, "Eastern Bloc" guns typically .310-.312. Read your manual, as there are important differences with bottleneck cartridges.

45Marlin carbine · January 27, 2008, 08:48 PM

AK rounds will use the expander die for the .310/311 slugs. 'Golden Brass' has 150 gr. slugs for.

T. O'Heir · January 27, 2008, 09:41 PM

"...how the flaring is done with rifles..." No flaring for rifles. The case mouth gets chamfered on the inside and deburred on the outside after trimming.
Hornady makes a 123 grain .310" SP bullet specifically for the 7.62 x 39. A .308" bullet will be too small.

January 25, 2008, 03:55 PM	#1
TargetTerror Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Posts: 424	Questions on reloading for 7.62x39 My club doesn't allow any ammo with steel in it - core or jacket. That means I need to load my own rounds if I want to fire my AK b/c all of the cheap 7.62x39 ammo has a bi-metal, metallic case. I'll be loading these on a Dillon 550, and I have some how-to type questions. I'll be loading both .308 and .311 sized bullets, so I'll need an expanding die in each size. I've never loaded rifles on my 550, but for pistols, the expanding stage is in the 2nd position, and is done by the metal funnel included in the caliber conversion kit. Is this how the flaring is done with rifles, too? If so, would I need 2 different sized funnels/conversion kits, and would the expanding dies I see for the 7.62x39 not work for the 550? __________________ Head shots are hard, but nut shots are twice as hard.

January 27, 2008, 09:41 PM	#5
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...how the flaring is done with rifles..." No flaring for rifles. The case mouth gets chamfered on the inside and deburred on the outside after trimming. Hornady makes a 123 grain .310" SP bullet specifically for the 7.62 x 39. A .308" bullet will be too small. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

January 25, 2008, 06:29 PM	#2
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,955	No expanding or flaring with a bottle neck cases. Resize ( FL) the brass and chamfer inside of the neck and deburr the out side. This only needs to be done with initial set-up and after each case trimming.

January 25, 2008, 08:59 PM	#3
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,458	Don't know about Dillon, but RCBS dies come with two expander balls, one for .308 and one for .311. I am loading 7.62x54R for my brother, and the first batch are .308. We haven't tried them yet. I understand these Russian bores vary rifle to rifle. The Hornady manual notes at least one American 7.62x39 with a .308 bore, "Eastern Bloc" guns typically .310-.312. Read your manual, as there are important differences with bottleneck cartridges.

January 27, 2008, 08:48 PM	#4
45Marlin carbine Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2007 Location: South-Western North Carolina Posts: 1,124	AK rounds will use the expander die for the .310/311 slugs. 'Golden Brass' has 150 gr. slugs for.