7.62x39 bullets

NINEX19 · January 7, 2016, 05:14 PM

Why are 7.62x39 bullets so difficult to find? @ 124gr.

The only company that I can find that consistently make them is Hornady, and those are about .26 cents each. Surely there has to be 123g-125g FMJ plinking rounds out there for less than that. I can buy 124g FMJ 9mm for 8-10 cents each, why can't I find a plinking rifle round in a similar price range considering that same weight and materials (I know there probably is not the demand for them like 9mm so that will drive up price). This is a round used in popular semi-auto rifles that eat lots of ammo.

I hope that we are not to the irreversible point where Com Block countries can produce a completed round (bullet, case, powder, primer), ship it, and a reseller can sell and make decent money on it that cost less than than the price of just the bullet alone in the U.S.

Does anyone have a source for cheaper FMJ (no plated please) 7.62x39 bullets?

chris in va · January 7, 2016, 05:42 PM

This is exactly why I sold my AK and picked up an AR, because I knew we'd need to rely on foreign ammo sources.

I still have my beloved CZ Carbine though and manage to find range brass on occasion. I too got fed up trying to find .310 bullets so I started casting the Lee 155gr and haven't looked back.

Now here's a suggestion for your situation. Believe it or not you can use 308 bullets without much fuss. If you're just plinking the accuracy difference won't be terribly noticeable.

emcon5 · January 7, 2016, 05:48 PM

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/39537

chris in va · January 7, 2016, 05:51 PM

Berry's is plated, he doesn't want that. They can only withstand 1900fps or less.

NINEX19 · January 7, 2016, 08:03 PM

Yes, I can easily get Berry's, extreme, and RMR, but being plated really limits their use. Finding load data for available powders, for such slow fps, is troublesome.

I know people reload this caliber, are they all using expensive bullets. The math is simple. It is difficult to justify loading at a cost of @ 35 cents per round when I can buy Wolf for 25 cents per round.

NINEX19 · January 7, 2016, 08:05 PM

Obviously .308 will suffer some accuracy issues, at a typical loading will it also cause copper fouling?

res45 · January 7, 2016, 10:11 PM

Like anything else things cost more as time passes,imported ammo at least that which comes from Russia is cheap because the main component,the case and bullets jacket are all made from steel,with some lead and very little copper other than a coating on the bullet.

Back in the day when I first started reloading the 7.62 x 39 you could buy cheap Russian commercial or repacked Chinese surplus for less that $2 per box. I choose to reload the cartridge anyways just because I knew there would possibly come a day when imports were cut off. You could also buy plenty of cheap reloading components for the X39 as well I have plenty of bulk boxes of Hornady FMJ & SP bullets I bought for $90 per thousand nobody wanted because ammo was so cheap as well as brass.

That being said what wrong with 1900 fps. especially if your just paper punching or shooting game,plenty of both have been shot or taken with bullets moving at that velocity or slower. Most all my J bullets nowadays reside in there storage boxes or plastic containers because I shoot my own 170 gr. cast lead bullets which I generally run between 1700 & 2K fps. really just depends on the powder I use.

There are a fair number of powders listed that work just fine with cast or plated bullets you just want find them in your normal reloading manuals. For that you need a Lyman cast bullet manual which cover both Lee molds as well as RCBS and SAECO,most of the data can easily be used with the plated bullets as well.

Gadawg88 · January 7, 2016, 11:09 PM

I reload the caliber, but not just to save money. If you just want plinking ammo to blast two liter bottles at an outdoor range, then don't think about reloading this caliber. It's not worth it. I load the caliber for two reasons: my loads are quality accurate loads that would cost a lot more than the steel core Tula etc. you are comparing to and I frequently shoot indoor where steel core is not permitted. My cost per round is around $0.35 per.

chris in va · January 7, 2016, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Finding load data for available powders, for such slow fps, is troublesome.

Actually, if you get plated...

It's simple really. Use lead data, and there's plenty of that. The beauty of reloading is experimentation with powders and bullet weights to find a sweet spot with what your gun likes.

I will say though, having owned an AK and attempted to use gas checked lead in it...don't. You may get away with it slow firing, but I put 60 rounds through mine and a ring of lead formed around the gas port at the piston and it locked up solid. Stick with plated, you'll be fine.

hartcreek · January 8, 2016, 02:18 AM

I reload 7.62x39 and using the Lee 155 grain mold is the easiest answer and hard casting. I have two sizers so I use this same bullet for .308 and 30-06 at 2700 fps.

chris in va · January 8, 2016, 06:17 AM

Quote:

I have two sizers so I use this same bullet for .308 and 30-06 at 2700 fps.

What?? The Lee 155 at 2700? I don't even want to run mine gas checked past 1900.

FrankenMauser · January 8, 2016, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Obviously .308 will suffer some accuracy issues, at a typical loading will it also cause copper fouling?

It isn't nearly as obvious as you think.
Many .310/.311/.312 barrels will shoot .308" bullets as well as, and sometimes better than bullets of appropriate size.

If the grooves are deep enough (0.004" or more), there shouldn't be any notable increase in copper fouling, either. Enough material is displaced by the tall lands engraving the bullet that it fills the grooves.

Gunplummer · January 9, 2016, 04:11 AM

I have to agree with the above. I have a 7.62x39 bolt action and used an Arisaka barrel (.311) when I put it together. I have been using 150 Grain .308 Corlokts through it to hunt deer for years. I use them because they are more accurate than any .311 bullet I tried. I would try some .308's and see what happens.

January 7, 2016, 05:14 PM	#1
NINEX19 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 470	7.62x39 bullets Why are 7.62x39 bullets so difficult to find? @ 124gr. The only company that I can find that consistently make them is Hornady, and those are about .26 cents each. Surely there has to be 123g-125g FMJ plinking rounds out there for less than that. I can buy 124g FMJ 9mm for 8-10 cents each, why can't I find a plinking rifle round in a similar price range considering that same weight and materials (I know there probably is not the demand for them like 9mm so that will drive up price). This is a round used in popular semi-auto rifles that eat lots of ammo. I hope that we are not to the irreversible point where Com Block countries can produce a completed round (bullet, case, powder, primer), ship it, and a reseller can sell and make decent money on it that cost less than than the price of just the bullet alone in the U.S. Does anyone have a source for cheaper FMJ (no plated please) 7.62x39 bullets?

January 7, 2016, 05:42 PM	#2
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	This is exactly why I sold my AK and picked up an AR, because I knew we'd need to rely on foreign ammo sources. I still have my beloved CZ Carbine though and manage to find range brass on occasion. I too got fed up trying to find .310 bullets so I started casting the Lee 155gr and haven't looked back. Now here's a suggestion for your situation. Believe it or not you can use 308 bullets without much fuss. If you're just plinking the accuracy difference won't be terribly noticeable.

January 7, 2016, 05:48 PM	#3
emcon5 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 1999 Location: High Desert NV Posts: 2,850	https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...roductId/39537

January 7, 2016, 05:51 PM	#4
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Berry's is plated, he doesn't want that. They can only withstand 1900fps or less.

January 7, 2016, 08:03 PM	#5
NINEX19 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 470	Yes, I can easily get Berry's, extreme, and RMR, but being plated really limits their use. Finding load data for available powders, for such slow fps, is troublesome. I know people reload this caliber, are they all using expensive bullets. The math is simple. It is difficult to justify loading at a cost of @ 35 cents per round when I can buy Wolf for 25 cents per round.

January 7, 2016, 08:05 PM	#6
NINEX19 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 470	Obviously .308 will suffer some accuracy issues, at a typical loading will it also cause copper fouling?

January 7, 2016, 10:11 PM	#7
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	Like anything else things cost more as time passes,imported ammo at least that which comes from Russia is cheap because the main component,the case and bullets jacket are all made from steel,with some lead and very little copper other than a coating on the bullet. Back in the day when I first started reloading the 7.62 x 39 you could buy cheap Russian commercial or repacked Chinese surplus for less that $2 per box. I choose to reload the cartridge anyways just because I knew there would possibly come a day when imports were cut off. You could also buy plenty of cheap reloading components for the X39 as well I have plenty of bulk boxes of Hornady FMJ & SP bullets I bought for $90 per thousand nobody wanted because ammo was so cheap as well as brass. That being said what wrong with 1900 fps. especially if your just paper punching or shooting game,plenty of both have been shot or taken with bullets moving at that velocity or slower. Most all my J bullets nowadays reside in there storage boxes or plastic containers because I shoot my own 170 gr. cast lead bullets which I generally run between 1700 & 2K fps. really just depends on the powder I use. There are a fair number of powders listed that work just fine with cast or plated bullets you just want find them in your normal reloading manuals. For that you need a Lyman cast bullet manual which cover both Lee molds as well as RCBS and SAECO,most of the data can easily be used with the plated bullets as well.

January 7, 2016, 11:09 PM	#8
Gadawg88 Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2013 Location: Georgia Posts: 241	I reload the caliber, but not just to save money. If you just want plinking ammo to blast two liter bottles at an outdoor range, then don't think about reloading this caliber. It's not worth it. I load the caliber for two reasons: my loads are quality accurate loads that would cost a lot more than the steel core Tula etc. you are comparing to and I frequently shoot indoor where steel core is not permitted. My cost per round is around $0.35 per.

January 8, 2016, 02:18 AM	#10
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	I reload 7.62x39 and using the Lee 155 grain mold is the easiest answer and hard casting. I have two sizers so I use this same bullet for .308 and 30-06 at 2700 fps.

January 9, 2016, 04:11 AM	#13
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I have to agree with the above. I have a 7.62x39 bolt action and used an Arisaka barrel (.311) when I put it together. I have been using 150 Grain .308 Corlokts through it to hunt deer for years. I use them because they are more accurate than any .311 bullet I tried. I would try some .308's and see what happens.