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Old July 27, 2013, 10:36 PM   #1
kealil
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Starting to Reload 7.62x39 and have problems with Bullet selection

Hey All!

So as the title suggests, I am taking the foray into reloading 7.62x39 for my sks. I dont really NEED to but since I cast I thought "What the Heck, Why not?"

So to the meat of the question, I want to cast the bullets for my rounds, I have found several molds but all the Lee Molds(my favorite to buy) produce bullets way heavier than my manuals suggest is doable.

My go to manual, Lyman 48th edition, provides loads for cast bullets no heavier than 130gn. I did find a load in my hornday manual for a 150gn FMJ load, but again, still not the 160gn shown in the above link and not cast.

So what are my options in this case? Are my manuals just outdated? Is there something obvious that I'm missing?

My only other easy option would be to invest in a Lyman mold which wouldn't be bad but it is over twice the cost of the Lee.

As a side note, I have not slugged the barrel on my SKS yet so this may be a moot question, But I trust that my bore will be somewhere near the standard size for SKS.

Thanks for the Help!
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Old July 27, 2013, 11:07 PM   #2
Sevens
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Okay, I know less than squat on this subject in so many ways. But I saw this:
Quote:
My go to manual, Lyman 48th edition
...and figured if nothing else, I could easily check my 49th Edition.

No different.
So not helpful.
But hey, you get a free bump -AND- you needn't consider running out for a Lyman 49th... well, at least for this project.

Honestly, my next best "suggestion" is to find the folks that live & breathe these guns, which admittedly... aren't that popular in this forum. One of the surplus rifle-type sites or some variation on the Arfcom kind of place likely has THE folks the have the inside track on your best method of skinning this cat.

Good luck!
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Old July 27, 2013, 11:54 PM   #3
FrankenMauser
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Don't worry about the bore. For cast bullets, especially in an auto-loader, you want to size the bullets to the throat - small enough to chamber, but large enough to fill the throat. A chamber cast or throat slug will be more helpful than slugging the bore.

~150 grain bullets are popular with 7.62x39mm casters. I've seen a few casters that even run 170 gr bullets.
Unfortunately, I can't help you with data, right now. All of my notes and reloading manuals are packed (and I don't even know where the "reloading books" boxes ended up ).
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Old July 28, 2013, 12:33 AM   #4
steve4102
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Lyman #4 has data for 155 and 160gr Bullets.
What powders are you looking at?
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Old July 28, 2013, 02:50 AM   #5
Rangefinder
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That is a fantastic bullet, and it will likely drop heavy--mine finishes at 173gr and my AK loves them. NOW, what powders do you have available?
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Old July 28, 2013, 07:54 AM   #6
res45
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Quote:
So what are my options in this case? Are my manuals just outdated? Is there something obvious that I'm missing?
Your manual isn't outdated it just only covers cast bullet molds that Lyman makes,however the new Lyman 4th Edition Cast Bullet Manuals will have load data for the Lee 155 and 160 gr. cast bullets in the X39 cartridge as well as standard Lyman and selected RCBS and SAECO molds,you just need the right manual.


Quote:
My only other easy option would be to invest in a Lyman mold which wouldn't be bad but it is over twice the cost of the Lee.
I shoot the Lee TL 160 gr. gas check RN bullet in my SKS rifle,it actually drops a little bit larger in dia. at .313.5" and a bit heavier once lubed and gas checks with my alloy at 170 gr. I apply the gas check with the LEE .314" push through sizer. I like the easy of the tumble lube bullet using my Alox or Xlox and JPW base lube which cut the cost of not having to buy a lubsizer and punches.

The bonus is that both my SKS and Mosin rifles share the same groove to groove dia. at .312" so the bullet serves double duty in both rifles with excellent results. I also size the bullet down to .311" and shoot in in my Sav. 99 in 300 Sav.

This article has some good info on shoot cast loads in the SKS http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...on-the-7-62X39 One powder the article references is Alliant 2400 I use this powder in several cast loads for my SKS rifles,however in some instances even the Max. load of 2400 want cycle the action in some SKS rifles generally in some Yugo's with excessive gas leaks that normally function fine with full power reloads or factory ammo and some Russian SKS rifles I have shot cast in. For those rifles that 2400 want cycle reliably I just go with a starting load of 18.0 grs. of Reloader#7.


Last edited by res45; July 28, 2013 at 08:03 AM.
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Old July 28, 2013, 11:01 AM   #7
Rangefinder
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Also, the x39 case capacity is nearly identical to 30-30. Load data on that cartridge is plentiful for cast. Starting at the bottom of the load, it can be transposed to 7.62x39 and laddered up accordingly. However, keep in mind the 30-30 being a lever means not all loads will produce a burn rate compatible with cycling the action of a semi-auto. But in a pinch, loads are available. Powders that will provide cycling are going to be in the moderate to fast rifle powders usually. RL7 works well, 2400 is a pistol powder primarily but works. Imr4895 is one that really can't fail in the x39. My preference is H335. Depending on how tight your gas system is and how stiff your buffer spring, you should see cycling around 15gr. of H335. You won't hit max load on a 170gr bullet till about 28gr, so that gives plenty of room to find your sweet spot. 20gr. gives me POI smack-on my POA at 100yds with no adjustment to sights. It does fling brass quite well though--I use 16gr. for light plinking and it drops brass in a neat little pile about 6 feet away--always a good thing when x39 brass isn't so easy to come by.
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Old July 28, 2013, 11:34 AM   #8
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kealil, I use the Lee 90385 boolit, it's supposed to be 155 gr., I cast it hard so it ends up about 150 sized and GC'd. .313 sizer just barely kisses the driving bands, lubed with carnuba red.

I am loading for a buddies SKS, he loaned it to me for the load work-up. I looked around for loads, found some for lead boolits from 130 on up. One load called for RX-7, I just happened to have an old can of it, the original pop-top Hercules square can! My load is 25.0 grains behind the above boolit, it's quite accurate.

Here's where I got that load;

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum...-7-62x39-3522/

I'm not sure of the velocity of those, but it threw the cases just as far as a factory round!( almost to the next zip code!)
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Old July 28, 2013, 02:02 PM   #9
res45
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The Lyman Cast Bullet Manuals recommends a starting load of 15.5 grs. 1426 fps. 15.700K CUPS pressure up to a Max. load of 22.0 grs. 2052 fps. 42.700K CUPS pressure using Reloader #7 with the Lee 155 gr. GC bullet. The 25.0 gr. load is more inline with a midrange 123 gr. J bullet load.
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