reloading 7.62 54r Mosin Nagant

zippom2 · August 17, 2010, 12:26 AM

Hi, I have just purchased a Mosin Nagant, TULA DRAGOON ERA M91/30 that uses a 7.62 54r round, and am interested in reloading. I am thinking of either buying the LEE 50Th Anniversary Breech Lock Reloading Kit 90050 or the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Reloading Press Kit Md: 90030. Will either one reload these rounds and if so which is best? There being only about a ten dollar difference in price with the 90030 kit being more expensive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You

winkytink · August 17, 2010, 08:35 AM

I have the Lee Breech-Lock kit and use it to reload for several calibers. I find it an enjoyable hobby and can produce some good quality ammo at budget prices. That said, if the 7.62x54R is the only caliber you're planning to load for you'll be better served to just get a spam can or two of mil-surp ammo. True, it's steel core bullets, corrosive primers and non-reloadable, but usually sells for $90/440 rds (less than 5 cents per round), and you'll never even come close to that price by hand loading.

BTW, I have a 91/30 hanging over my fireplace right now. Great shooter, and they're hard to beat, especially for the price.

zippom2 · August 17, 2010, 10:43 AM

Thanks winkytink I appreciate your input. Now that I think about what your saying I don't believe I will buy a reloading kit. As you say if I only have the one rifle it doesn't make sense to reload, being that the ammo. is so affordable. I really appreciate it.
Thanks

GP100man · August 17, 2010, 07:37 PM

Check out this thread on castboolits !!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...highlight=mike

micksis86 · August 18, 2010, 05:01 AM

Just make sure you clean the bore to within an inch of it's life when your done firing the corrosive primed stuff. Other than that it's great and cheap. I reload for my other rifles but I just use milsurp in my mosin.

Just remmember to clean the bore really really well. Run a clean patch through the bore the day after you clean it if any yellow or brown comes out on the patch, you didn't clean it enough so clean it again.

Baryngyl · August 18, 2010, 09:01 AM

$90.00 divide by 440 rounds = 0.20454545454545454545454545454545
Or just about 20½¢, I can reload using home cast lead for bullets for about this price, a bit more if I use jacketed hunting bullets.

If you plan on hunting with it you will need to get something other than the mil-surp ammo.

Michael Grace

resugun · August 18, 2010, 11:34 AM

Before you do anything I would advise you to slug the barrel. I have a Mosin and originally purchased a box each of S&B and Wolf 180 gr loads over the counter and found them to cause too much pressure in my rifle, When I slugged it I found the bore to be .308 while the commercial load bullets were .311./.312. As for reloading for your rifle, why not just buy a single stage press. Reloading for a gun is far more fun than shooting bought ammo, and who knows, down the line you might buy another firearm or two.

chris in va · August 18, 2010, 04:06 PM

Good luck finding reloadable brass for the Mosin.

Xfire68 · August 18, 2010, 04:18 PM

Winky did the math wrong and Baryngyl is right! It's closer to $0.20 per round which is still cheap but, it can be reloaded cheaper.

I would buy commercial ammo that uses reloadable brass. Winchester and S&B both have reloadable brass as do a few others. It is always better to reload your own when your shooting a hard to find or expensive round.

res45 · August 18, 2010, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Good luck finding reloadable brass for the Mosin.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,5441.html

chris in va · August 19, 2010, 04:38 AM

Yeah, wow...fifty cents each. Yikes.

resugun · August 19, 2010, 10:00 AM

Winchester brass, already primed, is available from ReedsAmmo.com Graf cases (probably Privi) are available from Huntington as well - these are not primed.

Xfire68 · August 19, 2010, 11:11 AM

It is better to buy loaded ammo with reloadable brass at those prices! That is high for brass prices and when you can buy 20 loaded rounds for $20.

Just buy some loaded Winchester ammo and reuse the brass again and again.
Get 40-60 loaded rounds go fire them off and save you brass.

Something tells me Zoomy may never read this?

winkytink · August 19, 2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

$90.00 divide by 440 rounds = 0.20454545454545454545454545454545
Or just about 20½¢, I can reload using home cast lead for bullets for about this price, a bit more if I use jacketed hunting bullets.

You're right, I was dividing 440 by 90. Coffee hadn't kicked in yet, so my bad. I just posted the same data elsewhere and will need to fix that.

Whoops.

August 17, 2010, 12:26 AM	#1
zippom2 Junior Member Join Date: August 16, 2010 Posts: 2	reloading 7.62 54r Mosin Nagant Hi, I have just purchased a Mosin Nagant, TULA DRAGOON ERA M91/30 that uses a 7.62 54r round, and am interested in reloading. I am thinking of either buying the LEE 50Th Anniversary Breech Lock Reloading Kit 90050 or the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Reloading Press Kit Md: 90030. Will either one reload these rounds and if so which is best? There being only about a ten dollar difference in price with the 90030 kit being more expensive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

August 17, 2010, 10:43 AM	#3
zippom2 Junior Member Join Date: August 16, 2010 Posts: 2	RE: 7.62 54r Thanks winkytink I appreciate your input. Now that I think about what your saying I don't believe I will buy a reloading kit. As you say if I only have the one rifle it doesn't make sense to reload, being that the ammo. is so affordable. I really appreciate it. Thanks

August 18, 2010, 05:01 AM	#5
micksis86 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2009 Posts: 420	Just make sure you clean the bore to within an inch of it's life when your done firing the corrosive primed stuff. Other than that it's great and cheap. I reload for my other rifles but I just use milsurp in my mosin. Just remmember to clean the bore really really well. Run a clean patch through the bore the day after you clean it if any yellow or brown comes out on the patch, you didn't clean it enough so clean it again. __________________ Never argue with morons, they will lower you down to their level and beat you with experience.

August 17, 2010, 08:35 AM	#2
winkytink Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2010 Posts: 104	I have the Lee Breech-Lock kit and use it to reload for several calibers. I find it an enjoyable hobby and can produce some good quality ammo at budget prices. That said, if the 7.62x54R is the only caliber you're planning to load for you'll be better served to just get a spam can or two of mil-surp ammo. True, it's steel core bullets, corrosive primers and non-reloadable, but usually sells for $90/440 rds (less than 5 cents per round), and you'll never even come close to that price by hand loading. BTW, I have a 91/30 hanging over my fireplace right now. Great shooter, and they're hard to beat, especially for the price.

August 17, 2010, 07:37 PM	#4
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Check out this thread on castboolits !! http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...highlight=mike

August 18, 2010, 09:01 AM	#6
Baryngyl Member Join Date: April 29, 2010 Posts: 67	$90.00 divide by 440 rounds = 0.20454545454545454545454545454545 Or just about 20½¢, I can reload using home cast lead for bullets for about this price, a bit more if I use jacketed hunting bullets. If you plan on hunting with it you will need to get something other than the mil-surp ammo. Michael Grace

August 18, 2010, 11:34 AM	#7
resugun Member Join Date: November 18, 2006 Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan Posts: 44	Before you do anything I would advise you to slug the barrel. I have a Mosin and originally purchased a box each of S&B and Wolf 180 gr loads over the counter and found them to cause too much pressure in my rifle, When I slugged it I found the bore to be .308 while the commercial load bullets were .311./.312. As for reloading for your rifle, why not just buy a single stage press. Reloading for a gun is far more fun than shooting bought ammo, and who knows, down the line you might buy another firearm or two.

August 18, 2010, 04:06 PM	#8
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Good luck finding reloadable brass for the Mosin.

August 18, 2010, 04:18 PM	#9
Xfire68 Senior Member Join Date: April 1, 2010 Location: Communist State of IL. Posts: 1,562	Winky did the math wrong and Baryngyl is right! It's closer to $0.20 per round which is still cheap but, it can be reloaded cheaper. I would buy commercial ammo that uses reloadable brass. Winchester and S&B both have reloadable brass as do a few others. It is always better to reload your own when your shooting a hard to find or expensive round.

August 19, 2010, 04:38 AM	#11
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Yeah, wow...fifty cents each. Yikes.

August 19, 2010, 10:00 AM	#12
resugun Member Join Date: November 18, 2006 Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan Posts: 44	Winchester brass, already primed, is available from ReedsAmmo.com Graf cases (probably Privi) are available from Huntington as well - these are not primed.

August 19, 2010, 11:11 AM	#13
Xfire68 Senior Member Join Date: April 1, 2010 Location: Communist State of IL. Posts: 1,562	It is better to buy loaded ammo with reloadable brass at those prices! That is high for brass prices and when you can buy 20 loaded rounds for $20. Just buy some loaded Winchester ammo and reuse the brass again and again. Get 40-60 loaded rounds go fire them off and save you brass. Something tells me Zoomy may never read this?