First 7.62x39 cast and reloads

[chris in va]

After owning rifles in x39 for years I finally got the stuff needed to reload and cast. Here's the final result, and I'm awfully darn proud!

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1983/p1010196v.jpg (http://img141.imageshack.us/i/p1010196v.jpg/)

Lee C312-155-2R water dropped
21.5gr 4198 (a little warm for cycling with the Saiga)
Lee 3-die set
Lee 311 sizing die (also comes with 308 mandrel)
JPW lube
Hornady gas checks

They drop at 313, weighing right at 155 (158 -w- gas check). One thing I noticed, the ogive up to the first crimp band measures 307-308 which really assures positive chambering in my CZ and Saiga. I was quite surprised by this. Everything after that is 313, 311 after sizing of course.

Didn't have a chance to fire them today, it'll be Monday before I can get out again. Thanks to Armoredman for helpful insight.

Just wanted to share. Anyone has some Winchester LP brass, let me know!

[HighHook]

Nice looking Boolits!

It seems like Winchester thinks their x39 brass is gold these days. Hope you find some

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Great! I to am just gearing up for loading for my AK . . . my .311 sizing die is on a brown truck somewhere . . . have everything else, I'm using the NOE 314 129

I'm interested in hearing how they shoot!

[sh00ter787]

nice one! ive a pile of them that i am waiting to load and shoot in my saiga, mine come up just under 149gn, what alloy are you using?

[Ole]

Lookin' good!

About 2 years ago, steel cased ammo was going through the roof. For a couple months, it was over $300/case and people were happy to get it at that price! Well I had 3 cases that I had stockpiled at lower prices, so I sold them to buy lead and components to cast for my SKS.

That's what got me started in casting and have never looked back since. I guess I can thank President Obama for my casting hobby! :mrgreen:

[armoredman]

Looks great, and I didn't do anything... :) You did it yourself. Gotta get my own loads out to the range in the next few days, too.
Post some target pics!

[truckmsl]

I've run thousands of cast 7.62x39 through my ak. Mine are sized to .314 and my best load is with 2400 powder. I'm not pushing it fast - but fast enough to cycle the action reliably. I can hit a 4" plate at 200 yards all day long. Amazing how accuracy increases with proper bullet fit.

[armoredman]

That's where I want to get with my vz-58 and cast boolits, too. But getting there is half the fun. :)

[chris in va]

Hey, is it a bad thing if the boolit -w- gas check is seated below the case shoulder? I have it at 2.15 OAL right now, can't go much longer as they won't fit in the magazine. I might get away with 2.20 OAL if necessary.

[captain-03]

Yep -- nothing like running cast through the SKS and AKs!!

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj19/twwoodall/001-1.jpg

[onondaga]

I use a flat nose bullet and seat it to the end of the case neck.LOA is 2.125 . The bullet is the Lee 150FN that I have Leemented out to drop bullets at .313, I size and gascheck at .312. Mu bore slugged at .311. rifle is Remington Spartan single shot. 26.5 gr H4895, Just over 2200fps

I do get a high percentage of gas checks come off and hit my chronograph when I seat below the shoulder with another rifle I have--a .308 Win.

I am not sure if the gas check below the shoulder is a problem or not. It seems a lot of recommended loads for the X39 would allow that, but the flat nose bullet avoids the possibility, and I suspect they will smack deer harder too with the flat nose.

Gary

[chris in va]

Guess I'll just have to try them out in my Saiga tomorrow. Nice rounds Captain! Look commercial in quality compared to mine.

[chris in va]

Alrighty, here's the best I could do on a grey, drizzly day at 50 yards, iron sights and astigmatism with my CZ. I like to think that tighter group was done all at once...yeah, that's it. The shots in the white were already there from the last range trip.


http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9370/p1010200ek.jpg (http://img51.imageshack.us/i/p1010200ek.jpg/)

Now, I didn't bother with any accuracy out of my Saiga, just ripped through a couple mags. Here's an interesting feature of the Saiga, apparently designed by the factory to differentiate military from civilian versions of the gun.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4176/p1010198np.jpg (http://img408.imageshack.us/i/p1010198np.jpg/)

I'm using 21.5gr of 4198, might drop it down to 20gr as it felt a bit hot compared to factory rounds I had on hand.

[Recluse]

Nice looking boolits and rounds, Chris. I like that Lee 155--it's a helluva good shooting boolit.

My favorite 7.62x39 load is 10 grains of Blue Dot pushing that boolit. It's not enough to cycle the action, so I get to play with my Chinese SKS like it's a bolt gun. No lost brass, good, consistent accuracy, and lots of fun.

Probably not great for a hunting round though. . .

:coffee:

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Yeah Chris, that neck looks a tad "stretched" . . .

[milsurp mike]

I have some brass with the neck stretched like those that came from a Saiga also.I wondered if it was the only one to do it but now I no its happening in more than one Rifle.I have resized and reloaded and the brass comes out fine.Mike

[sh00ter787]

my 16" saiga has the step in the chamber, my 12" saiga doesnt - I mainly use Lapua brass and have had no problem with the step being took out by sizing

http://www.andy787.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/step.JPG

left unsized, middle sized and right back to good use! reloaded them countless times and have had no cases fail or even look like they are going to.

oh, heres the brothers!

http://www.andy787.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/ak7a.JPG

UK spec ones unfortunately :(

[armoredman]

My best cast load to date, fired a few hours ago. CZ 527M benched, 100 yards, light wind. 5 inch hold over.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/527/Goodcastloadat100yards.jpg


UK specs means they are both straight pull bolt actions, correct?

[HangFireW8]

That's what got me started in casting and have never looked back since. I guess I can thank President Obama for my casting hobby! :mrgreen:

I'm hoping to thank President Next for a glut of surplus casting & reloading equipment!

-HF

[hornady308]

Nice job on the bullets. I have an Ak that was built in 1978 and a Yugo SKS. Both slug at .3125, so I size to .313 for best results.

[singleshot]

Glad you took the plunge!

I've got a Lee 303 mould that drops cast at 193g with lube and gas checks. My favorite SKS load is a subsonic. Won't cycle the action, but is 22lr quiet and a literal "flying drillbit." Also, I don't have to chase my brass all over Creation!

I also have the tumble lube version of the same boolit you have and have a hard time deciding which boolit to use. :-)

[chris in va]

Well, I've given up shooting cast through my Saiga. Like clockwork the gas block siezes the piston solid due to leading around 80 rounds. Tired of chasing *rare* brass too.

I'll just use it in the CZ carbine from now on. Might sell the Saiga, not sure. An AR is looking pretty good right now.

[tommygirlMT]

Nice looking Boolits!

It seems like Winchester thinks their x39 brass is gold these days. Hope you find some

I prefer Federal brass for 7.62x39 --- the Fed stuff is thicker then any other Ive run across --- kind of like military brass for the 308 --- I just buy the American Eagle (Federal) red box FMJ factory loads to get more brass for this cartridge when I need it

[Roodles]

oh, heres the brothers!

http://www.andy787.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/ak7a.JPG

UK spec ones unfortunately :(

Hi

How have you got the stock folded on the AK-104?

I thought the stocks had to be pinned open to meet the minimum OAL of 600mm (24") ?

If with the stock folded it is under 600mm, it becomes S5.


Roodles

[Roodles]

UK specs means they are both straight pull bolt actions, correct?

Yes, no semi-auto's are allowed in any other calibre than .22 rimfire (so .22lr and .22wmr).

Also the barrel cannot be shorter than 12" and the whole firearm cannot be shorter than 24" overall.

Roodles