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Old March 20, 2001, 12:05 AM   #1
wolfz
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I'm going to start reloading for the 7.62X25 and I've found no specific tapercrimp die for it or the .30 Mauser or .30 Luger. I load a gaggle of handgun cartridges including 400 Corbon, and 357 Sig, and I have found bliss in using a separate crimp die. Can anyone find a reason I can't use a 7.62X39 lee crimp die?
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Old March 20, 2001, 07:12 AM   #2
Gewehr98
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Why not...

Use the crimping portion of your bullet seating die? I use Lee dies for my 7.62x25, and simply back out the seater stem after seating all the bullets in a batch of rounds, using the crimp function of that die to get the proper crimp.
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Old March 24, 2001, 02:05 AM   #3
saands
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Hmmm ... That's a really good idea! I have either used the factory crimp die (when available) or done the "seat and crimp" in one operation ... but I never liked the latter. I'll have to try your method.

Thanks,
Saands
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Old March 25, 2001, 11:20 PM   #4
Mike P. Wagner
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I'm am tryng to educate myself about reloading, and I have a CZ-52, so I'm pretty interested in the 7.62 x 25 Tokorev.

The posts refer to the Lee dies and imply that the seater die also crimps. Do most seater dies also crimp?

Also, I'm not sure that I'd recognize a crimp if I saw one. In some rounds, I see a band of little marks around the part of the shell that holds the bullet. It looks like something has crimped the shell tightly around the bullet. Is that some specific kind of crimp, or is that what most crimping dies do?

Thanks,

Mike P. Wagner
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Old March 26, 2001, 11:06 AM   #5
wolfz
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Mr. Wagner
A crimp is required to keep the bullet from either working itself out or worse moving further in. Most "seater" dies do crimp but you have to put the bullet in the right distance and crimp it just right for the cartridge to work properly. I always spend the extra $15 to get a separate crimp die so each is as adjustable as possible. In a progressive like a dillon 550B it doesn't even add any extra pull on the lever.
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Old March 26, 2001, 11:03 PM   #6
Mike P. Wagner
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"I always spend the extra $15 to get a separate crimp die..."

Does that mean that there is a separate "crimp" die for each caliber and/or cartridge? If I was reloading 7.62x25, is there a "factory crimp" die for that round?

Thanks,

Mike P. Wagner
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Old March 26, 2001, 11:08 PM   #7
Mike P. Wagner
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Never mind, I answered my own question. At least for Dillon dies, the three die set is a sizing/depriming die, a bullet seating die, and a crimp die.

So I take it there's not a three die set for 7.62 x 25 TOK?

Mike P. Wagner
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Old March 27, 2001, 10:47 AM   #8
wolfz
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Finding a die designed just for crimping a bottle-neck pistol case is difficult. After a year, Dillon finally came out for one for the 400 Corbon.I made all of the difference in the world. But, if you buy a second seater/crimp die, then one can be used to seat the bullet, the other to crimp the case (for 7.62X25 (.30Mauser)). Lee die are much more economical and separate die are usually about $15. Lee also makes (as well as RCBS, Lyman, and Dillon) dedicated crimp die for almost all other oistol and the most common rifle calibers. Wolfz
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Old March 27, 2001, 06:03 PM   #9
Mike P. Wagner
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Can .30 Mauser and 7.62x25 TOK use the same dies? I think Dillon makes a .30 Mauser three die set, but I could be wrong.
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Old March 27, 2001, 06:51 PM   #10
wolfz
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.30 mauser and 7.62X25 can use the same die. I know Dillon has a conversion kit for the 30 mauser because I checked it out earlier (I have a 550B), but their die (if they have the 30 Mauser) are not my favorite. RCBS also has them (30 mauser)but again, they are almost twice the price of Lee (I use RCBS almost exclusively, but this is a "tight" budget project). There is nothing wrong with a lee die, they will reload many tens of thousands of brass. Just have to be sure you lube the brass (actually nobody makes a bottle neck carbide pistol die. Would be VERY expensive!
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Old December 4, 2004, 04:03 PM   #11
MysDeMeanor
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alternative crimping for 30 Tok

I reload for the CZ 52 and did not like to crimp I got from the Lee bullet seat die (nor did I like changing the setting to use crimp function). Since I also reload and have a factory crimp die for the 30-06 I developed a spacer that can be made to use the 30-06 crimp die and can be tooled for a perfect crimp on the 7.62 x 25 / 30 Luger / 30 Mauser cartridges. I now get concise crimps and have gotten 1" patterns at 50' using Alliant Power Pistol powder and Hornady XTP 90 gr. bullets.
It seems Lee will not make a custom crimp die for shouldered cases that are under 1 1/2" in length.
This 'spacer' method will work for any .30 cal rifle crimp die where the case is at least .440" dia. below the shoulder.
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Old December 4, 2004, 04:12 PM   #12
MysDeMeanor
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7.62x25 reload no-no!!

to Mr. Wagner,
please do not reload brass that utilized the 3-dot crimp...this method of crimp is NOT intended to be reloaded and can lead to serious injury. You may have noticed that these cases will show blowby and/or a large % of splits when fired. I personally have found that S & B manufactures a reliable practice round at a price that is practible for reloading.
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Old December 6, 2004, 02:23 AM   #13
scottys1
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It's good to see people handloading the 7.62x25. I handload many calibers, but this is one I haven't tried. I've done .30 Luger for my father (not the same, I know).
The main problem I can see is my CZ-52's (2) tend to throw brass into the next zip code. You can only reload it if you can find it. That and I have a bunch of factory ammo I bought cheap.
All that aside, brass does stack up into a consistent pile, just rather far away.
The CZ-52 is an excellent gun, built like a brick outhouse, and mine are very accurate.
The 7.62x25 is a hot round without a lot of recoil and I enjoy shooting it immensely.
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Old June 6, 2005, 08:10 AM   #14
BuddyOne
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Lee Factory Crimp Die 30 Luger

I bought one of Lee's 30 Luger Factory Crimp dies to try on some loads for a new Browning Hi Power in that caliber. Haven't loaded anything yet, but I'll pass on my experience asap. By the way, Scotty, am I stuck with the 90 grain XTP as my only bullet for this cartridge? Is it possible to size down other bullets in .311 or .312? Is anyone using cast bullets in this caliber?

Advice is always appreciated. I'm a reloader whose wife shares a great deal of time with me, including sitting with me at the bench while I load and reload ammunition, so I'd like to come off as reasonably competent with this new cartridge.

Buddy
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Old June 6, 2005, 07:44 PM   #15
Sturm
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Gewehr98, hit the nail on the head. When loading a bottleneck pistol cartridge, the principles are much the same as reloading rifle cartridges and with some manufacturers, Die sets for the 7.62 X 25 will be listed with rifle calibers. If any of you guys are loading the Tok. currently and are exploring the idea of reloading rifle cartridges, well, you already are in a sense. Carbine at least. The main battle weapon of the Soviets in WWII was the PSP. Some call it a carbine and some call it a Submachine gun and a lot of folks look at the 7.62 X 25 as one of the most underated pistol cartridges in existence. Any of the three works for me!

If CDNN, gets another lot of CZ-52s in unfired condition and sells them at the almost ridiculous price of $120, I don't plan to be on the outside looking in. The more this cartridge gets used, the more likely a manufacturer will be to take a look at developing a new pistol. H&K has already borrowed from the CZ-52 design and it's roller locking action with the P9S and since the 5.7 X 28 is showing there is a potential market for bottleneck military pistol cartridges and the .357 SIG being pretty popular, who knows. CZ-52, is one I have been without for too long and I believe I would love reloading for it! You guys that already have 'em, never mind, I'll show you the color of my envy!

I almost forgot. AA#9 will achieve some pretty high velocities and their data is specifically for the CZ-52. #7 is not a bad choice either, but won't quite get the same velocity, but it is close. As far as accuracy, you guys will have to tell me and I would like to know! Trying to put 2+2 together, since #9 comes from the Czech Republic, I have wondered if in fact #9 was originally designed for the 7.62 X 25. I don't perceive a lot of Czech's reloading magnum revolver rounds!

Last edited by Sturm; June 6, 2005 at 07:54 PM. Reason: Postscipt
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Old June 7, 2005, 11:37 PM   #16
scottys1
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Buddy, try Hornady 93gr FMJ #1419 for .30 Luger, Hornady 86gr soft point #1522 for .30 Mauser, or Sierra 85gr round nose #8005.

My first attempt was with Speer 100gr plinkers. I couldn't load them short enough and still retain anything resembling decent neck tension. This was an experiment that did not work. I've heard that they can be used in 7.62x25 at lower velocity, but I've never tried it.
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