AK/SKS reloads?

pistol-whipped · April 18, 2007, 02:54 PM

This will be a new venture in my reloading ,30cal/.308 thats what I would need right or is there something specific I need to look for?

dogfood · April 18, 2007, 07:30 PM

P-W:

Maybe ... but probably not. Most 7.62x39 rounds use a 0.310" or 0.311" bullet, and most die expander plugs are sized to match. So if you try to use 0.308" bullets, they will likely slip right into the case necks.

If you have two sizes of expander plugs - I believe Lee dies come this way, perhaps others - then you can try both 0.308" and 0.310" (or 0.311") bullets. Chances are in an AK or SKS, the larger bullets will group better. I use a Speer 123 gr. FMJ 0.311" bullet in my reloads for a Russian SKS. I'm not sure they make this anymore.

dogfood

pistol-whipped · April 19, 2007, 04:54 AM

I will have to do alot of reading before I try to reload AK ammo,but at least I have a good starting point

Thanks for the info!

HJ857 · April 19, 2007, 08:01 AM

I've put up a web page to document my experiments in reloading 7.62x39. This is mostly for my own reference, but feel free to browse it.

http://www.northwoodsphoto.net/sks/Handloads/Loads.html

You'll note that I'm not handloading in the traditional sense, but rather tweaking Russian factory loads. A number of other folks have been doing this, but I may be taking it a bit further. I load for the SKS specifically, I'll agree that it's not a precision rifle but it is capable of more than most people seem to think.

Russian ammo is crap, but it's cheap and it can be made better pretty easily.

yodarkritch · April 22, 2007, 04:46 PM

1995 i think, his article in Rifleman was seminal in defining 7.62 x 39 loads using a bullet mould he designed for NEI and adopted by Lee.

The Lee 312-155-2R mould is excellent and I am trying to get a 6 cavity of it

I use Accurate 2230 or Data 2200 according to published data and it is excellent at 100 yards ~26.5 gr

Yodar

mrawesome22 · April 22, 2007, 10:25 PM

Good luck finding brass.

yodarkritch · April 24, 2007, 08:54 PM

Midway a few years ago sold lapua brass on sale ,briefly :>( 20.00/C and reguarly w/w for $22.00 /C. I bought a MESS of it.

I buy white box w/w and salvage the brass. i still have a couple hundred un-used cases from the GOOD ole days and my loaded brass, W/W and Lapua , will give me as many as six loads per case

With re-used cases, and cast bullets, the ammo reloads very cheap. Primers and gas checks are the most costly. Surplus powder less than 3 cents, cases and cast bullets virtually free, primer $0.022 , gas check $0.022

yodar

cheygriz · April 24, 2007, 11:42 PM

Reloading 7.62X39 isn't worth the effort, and it costs more than buying factory ammo!

steve4102 · April 25, 2007, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Good luck finding brass.

7.62x39 brass is readily available and Midway, Midsouth and many others. I purchase Lapua 7.62x39 at my local shop for $23/100. He had it on sale a few weeks ago for $18/100, I bought a **** load.

dogfood · April 29, 2007, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Reloading 7.62X39 isn't worth the effort, and it costs more than buying factory ammo!

Well, it certainly costs more to reload ... at least for the moment ... when compared to Wolf and the military surplus stuff (some of which is highly corrosive). U.S. produced commercial ammo is not cheap. Whether it is worth the effort depends on perspective. I can get 1.5" groups out of a scoped Russian SKS with reloads. I have been unable to do that with Wolf, Barnaul, Silver Bear, etc.

Quote:

Good luck finding brass.

Also try Widener's (www.wideners.com) for new brass from IMI ... although it appears they are out of stock at the moment.

dogfood

Gewehr98 · April 29, 2007, 05:29 PM

When I discovered my handloads let my Bulgarian SLR-95 shoot 5-round groups inside 2" at 100 yards, I swore that my SKS and AK rifles would never again fire steel cased Wolf crap. Taking a whitetail with an AK and 123gr Winchester softpoint handload last fall reinforced it. Surplus steel cased ammo can climb the price charts until the cows come home, as far as I'm concerned.

Maybe I was privileged, but as a range officer I walked home each weekend with buckets of once-fired brass in all sorts of chamberings. Having several thousand pieces of 7.62x39 reloadable brass took a lot of the cost consideration out, and when Wideners has specials on Russian or Israeli 123gr AK bullets, I take advantage of the deals. Also, I've been running Golden West Brass .311" 124gr AK bullets, they sell for $75.00/1000. That leaves me to buy bulk Accurate Arms 1680 powder (my favorite for 7.62x39 and 7.62x45) and CCI #34 primers to keep my SKS and AK rifles fed. I wish I had gotten in on the Data Powder deal back around 1998, but it appears to have dried up since then.

45Marlin carbine · April 29, 2007, 08:04 PM

I do for my M-30 and a buddy has a SKS I have let him shoot some of my good stuff out of. He has the small 4X scope, at 100 yds off rest socked 'em into 2" groups easy and one at 1". As good as we could hold basically.

April 18, 2007, 02:54 PM	#1
pistol-whipped Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2006 Location: Mineral Wells Texas Posts: 176	AK/SKS reloads? This will be a new venture in my reloading ,30cal/.308 thats what I would need right or is there something specific I need to look for?

April 22, 2007, 04:46 PM	#5
yodarkritch Member Join Date: December 8, 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 51	Google Ed Harris 1995 i think, his article in Rifleman was seminal in defining 7.62 x 39 loads using a bullet mould he designed for NEI and adopted by Lee. The Lee 312-155-2R mould is excellent and I am trying to get a 6 cavity of it I use Accurate 2230 or Data 2200 according to published data and it is excellent at 100 yards ~26.5 gr Yodar __________________ Yodar Words MEAN things Homebrewing in Central Florida

April 24, 2007, 08:54 PM	#7
yodarkritch Member Join Date: December 8, 2006 Location: central florida Posts: 51	7.62 x 39 brass Midway a few years ago sold lapua brass on sale ,briefly :>( 20.00/C and reguarly w/w for $22.00 /C. I bought a MESS of it. I buy white box w/w and salvage the brass. i still have a couple hundred un-used cases from the GOOD ole days and my loaded brass, W/W and Lapua , will give me as many as six loads per case With re-used cases, and cast bullets, the ammo reloads very cheap. Primers and gas checks are the most costly. Surplus powder less than 3 cents, cases and cast bullets virtually free, primer $0.022 , gas check $0.022 yodar __________________ Yodar Words MEAN things Homebrewing in Central Florida

April 24, 2007, 11:42 PM	#8
cheygriz Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2002 Location: high up in the rockies Posts: 2,289	Reloading 7.62X39 isn't worth the effort, and it costs more than buying factory ammo! __________________ If you think a mighty military force is expensive, wait 'til you see what a weak one costs.

April 29, 2007, 05:29 PM	#11
Gewehr98 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2000 Location: Token Creek, WI Posts: 4,067	I've been reloading 7.62x39 for about 10 years. When I discovered my handloads let my Bulgarian SLR-95 shoot 5-round groups inside 2" at 100 yards, I swore that my SKS and AK rifles would never again fire steel cased Wolf crap. Taking a whitetail with an AK and 123gr Winchester softpoint handload last fall reinforced it. Surplus steel cased ammo can climb the price charts until the cows come home, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe I was privileged, but as a range officer I walked home each weekend with buckets of once-fired brass in all sorts of chamberings. Having several thousand pieces of 7.62x39 reloadable brass took a lot of the cost consideration out, and when Wideners has specials on Russian or Israeli 123gr AK bullets, I take advantage of the deals. Also, I've been running Golden West Brass .311" 124gr AK bullets, they sell for $75.00/1000. That leaves me to buy bulk Accurate Arms 1680 powder (my favorite for 7.62x39 and 7.62x45) and CCI #34 primers to keep my SKS and AK rifles fed. I wish I had gotten in on the Data Powder deal back around 1998, but it appears to have dried up since then. __________________ "Bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round... Neural Misfires

April 18, 2007, 07:30 PM	#2
dogfood Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2004 Location: Southwestern OH Posts: 239	P-W: Maybe ... but probably not. Most 7.62x39 rounds use a 0.310" or 0.311" bullet, and most die expander plugs are sized to match. So if you try to use 0.308" bullets, they will likely slip right into the case necks. If you have two sizes of expander plugs - I believe Lee dies come this way, perhaps others - then you can try both 0.308" and 0.310" (or 0.311") bullets. Chances are in an AK or SKS, the larger bullets will group better. I use a Speer 123 gr. FMJ 0.311" bullet in my reloads for a Russian SKS. I'm not sure they make this anymore. dogfood

April 19, 2007, 04:54 AM	#3
pistol-whipped Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2006 Location: Mineral Wells Texas Posts: 176	I will have to do alot of reading before I try to reload AK ammo,but at least I have a good starting point Thanks for the info!

April 19, 2007, 08:01 AM	#4
HJ857 Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 447	I've put up a web page to document my experiments in reloading 7.62x39. This is mostly for my own reference, but feel free to browse it. http://www.northwoodsphoto.net/sks/Handloads/Loads.html You'll note that I'm not handloading in the traditional sense, but rather tweaking Russian factory loads. A number of other folks have been doing this, but I may be taking it a bit further. I load for the SKS specifically, I'll agree that it's not a precision rifle but it is capable of more than most people seem to think. Russian ammo is crap, but it's cheap and it can be made better pretty easily.

April 22, 2007, 10:25 PM	#6
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	Good luck finding brass.

April 29, 2007, 08:04 PM	#12
45Marlin carbine Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2007 Location: South-Western North Carolina Posts: 1,124	handloaded 7.62X39 I do for my M-30 and a buddy has a SKS I have let him shoot some of my good stuff out of. He has the small 4X scope, at 100 yds off rest socked 'em into 2" groups easy and one at 1". As good as we could hold basically.