7.62x54r Load data

[jimbob86]

With non corrosive and brass jacketed Mosin fodder getting spendy, I was wondering who has a favorite recipe for handloading the 91/30...... discuss....

[tobnpr]

Prvi brass... (hate S&B, primer pockets are too tight)

The 174 grain, .311 Sierra Match King. Top of the heap...

I seat mine .02 off the lands (which happens to be right at about 3.00 OAL) over 43.5 grains of Varget. Sub-moa, I haven't crono'd the load yet, but I've got 14 minutes of come-up from a 200 yard zero suggesting a MV of 2625.

[jimbob86]

Between this thread and the other, that's two votes for Varget, and none for anything else.



I was hoping for an IMR 4064 load, as I have many other guns that like that stuff.

[A pause for the COZ]

Hmmmmm.
I use any 7.62/54 case I can find. They are getting kind of hard to come by.
Most of the ones I have are Grafs store brand or Prvi.
I shoot mostly cast. The 155 gr 7.62x39 LEE bullet and 200 gr Lyman.
18 to 20 gr of 2400 gives excellent loads for cast. Start at 17 and work up from there.

For Jacketed plinkers. I use pulled 124 gr fmj ahead of 49 or 50 gr of WC844 (H-335)

These shoot the best out of my M44 carbine.
The surplus stuff makes it look like a fire breathing dragon. kicks like one too.
My hand loads are much more shoulder saving.

[jimbob86]

That's one vote for H335 ( YAY!!! I HAZ IT!) ..... and two for Varget.

FWIW, I am not yet set up for casting Boolits..... am planning on launching .311 150 SGK's out of my 91/30.

From what I've read, I am looking for a med-slow burn rate like 4064, H414, W760 ..... I would of thought that with that 28" barrel, even slower powders would work better..... H4831 or the 4350's ......

[Rangefinder]

46gr of H380 pushing a 147gr pulled FMJ has my 91/30 doing the impossible for anything but a Finn Recapture---shooting sub-MOA groups. Gotta weigh and separate the pulls for tightest groups though--I've found variances between 143gr up to 152gr in them.

[jimbob86]

H380-1

H335-1

Varget-2

IMR4064-1 (another thread)

[jimkim]

The Reds used a lot of, US donated, IMR-4895 during WW2. Since it seems to pretty much work in everything else I'd give it a try.

http://www.realguns.com/loads/762x54r.htm

[emcon5]

Anyone loading using the light .310 bullets?

Hornady, Speer, and Privi all sell 123gr .310" bullets made for 7.62X39. The Hornady manual has load giving velocities up to 3100 FPS.

Anyone ever tried these through a Mosin Nagant? I was thinking of taking my PU Sniper coyote hunting. I think a 123 VMAX at ~3000 fps would be bad medicine for varmints.

On edit:

The Reds used a lot of, US donated, IMR-4895 during WW2. Since it seems to pretty much work in everything else I'd give it a try.

http://www.realguns.com/loads/762x54r.htm

Looking at the Hornady manual, every one of his loads for the 123gr bullets is 2-3 grains over max published.

[tobnpr]

Anyone ever tried these through a Mosin Nagant?

No, but Lapua makes a loaded round exactly that, so it would be interesting to try, I guess, for a hunting round with the correct bullet.

Can't see much of an advantage otherwise, velocity is great- but I'll take a heavier bullet with a better BC every time for long range shooting.

[FrankenMauser]

4064, eh?

How 'bout:
150 gr Hornady Interlock (.312")
"Win" brass (S&B)
47 gr IMR 4064 (safe to 51 gr in my rifle - compressed at about 49.7 gr)
CCI LR Mag primer
2.900" OAL

It's a decent load. But....

I found H380 to perform better with that bullet and OAL:
150 gr Hornady Interlock (.312")
"Win" brass (S&B)
51 gr H380 (safe to 56 gr in my rifle - compressed at about 53.5 gr)
CCI LR Mag primer
2.900" OAL


I prefer PPU brass, but I have more of the "Winchester" brass drawn by S&B. So, it's what I use the most.

[Rangefinder]

Hornady, Speer, and Privi all sell 123gr .310" bullets made for 7.62X39. The Hornady manual has load giving velocities up to 3100 FPS.

Anyone ever tried these through a Mosin Nagant? I was thinking of taking my PU Sniper coyote hunting. I think a 123 VMAX at ~3000 fps would be bad medicine for varmints.

Can't say I've done that, but I swage 5.7x28 brass into a nice little 125-ish grain pill an the same lines as a Glazer that is pushing just shy of 3200fps through the Mosin. I'd have to go out to the shop to get load and powder data for it, but it's a scary little pill on anything soft.



And THIS is what remains after scattering a wet-pack all over the yard...


And this is what was previously packed tight with soggy newsprint... I didn't empty it--the bullet did--in a 15M radius of soggy pulp making many plopping sounds for several seconds after the shot.

[donkee]

I am getting ready to start working up loads in 7.62x54R. I have a bunch of 4064 so I am gearing up for that powder. I am thinking about the Hornady Interlock 150g (.312). I did run some of the Winchester 180g round nose through the old girl and before the action started getting loose (after 6 rounds, time to locktite!) I was putting them into a group about 1" at 100 yards. If the 150s don't work out I'll switch over to the 180g RN.

If you need some brass I found a link in another post for Lapua brass at dang near giveaway prices. I only picked up 100 since I am not greedy plus I have another 60 of the Win/S&B brass and the Mosin doesn't get shot all that much.

Get it while it lasts! I will probably get some more next month if there is any left at this price.

https://www.store-p4kyluh.mybigcomme...-x-54-russian/

[elrotundamundo]

Case: Winchester headstamp (probably Seller & Belliot)
Primer: CCI 200 large rifle
Powder: 48.0 grains Hogden Varget
Bullet: 150 grain Hornady Interlock soft point (.312 diameter)

1.37 inch group at 100 yards.

2840 FPS


Brass is from some Winchester 180 gr round nose soft point I initially bought when I got my 1943 Izshevsk 91/30. It shot 2 1/2" groups with open sights. I put on a scope and worked up the above load and am very happy with it for a $99 rifle.

[10 Spot Terminator]

Here are a few of my favorites for my 1934 Izzy aresenal Mosin M91/30 which has an extremely tight action and excellent bore. This being said all Mosins ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL in their construction with some less than stellar guns having been produced under extreme duress due to the Germans pounding on the gates of old mother Russia while the war was on . Premium units are rated at up to 56,000 PSI pressure handling capability unlike where published load data by those such as Hodgdon cap their pressures at 46,700 psi for liability reasons. Use disgression and work up your loads accoringly keeping safety #1 .... ALWAYS !!!

Hornady 123 gr. .310"dia. SP, CCI 250, 55.6 gr. BLC2, 0.9" @ 100 yds.

Sierra 125 gr. Pro Hunter , CCI 200, 51.5 gr. IMR 3031 , 1.0" @ 100 yds.

Sierra 150 gr. Pro Hunter, CCI 200, 52.1 gr. RL15, 0.9" @ 100 yds.

Sierra 150 gr. Pro Hunter, CCI 200, 50.7 gr. Varget, 1.1" @ 100 yds.

Speer 150 gr. Hot Core, CCI 250, 58.1 gr. WIN 760, 0.8" @100 yds.

*** Accuracy fell off using 180 gr. bullets and as I dont use this rifle to hunt Elk or such I havent pursued the heavier loads much. Do note I upgraded my front sight with a fully adjustable fine gold dot from Smith Sights and had the crown recut to get these results . I very highly recommend one of the Smith sights or send them yours to modify for very little money. You wont be dissapointed. ***

[Axelwik]

For light plinking loads I use about 17 grains of 2400 behind Lee 185-grain cast gas checks in whatever brass I can find. Wheel weight or similar alloy.

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I have been using the .311" 180 gr pro hunter Sierra bullet #2310 for 10 years.
I seat the bullet long, half way between just touching the lands and getting stuck in the lands.
I work up with 4895 until the bolt gets hard to lift.
I then back off ~6% powder charge.
That is my load.
~~ 49 gr makes ~ 2875 fps

I have seen someone else with his 91/30 and that bullet jammed into the lands get 5 shots under an inch at 100 yards.

But if I do everything right with scope mount, welded bolt handle, glass bedding, pillar bedding, Lapua brass, trigger job, benchrest, etc, I get 1.5" for 3 shots typically.

With some of my rifles I can get 5 shots under half an inch, but those are with heavy rifles and light bullets. I think the guy that out shoots me with the 91/30 is better with recoil control. He is 100 pounds heavier than me, and wraps himself around the rifle.

[Josh Smith]

Wow, how the heck did I miss this post???

Try this:



I'm sorry it's only 60 yards, but at the time I was shooting with uncorrected 20/55 vision.

Now I'm shooting with correction and trying to deal with a very blurry rear sight!

Dammit.

Those were Hornady copies of the SMK; I have real SMKs now and am playing with Varget loads. Still have a bunch of them I need to ladder test, starting at 42 grains Varget.

Regards,

Josh

[A pause for the COZ]

I use the LEE 7.62x39 bullet. Shoots good in every thing.

Best though is a Lyman 314299 ahead of 19 gr 2400 or a load of H4895.