X39 Ruskie accuracy beyond MAXIMUM

[onondaga]

I have tried several powders in my Remington Spartan single shot 7.62x39mm and previously my best group was .885 inches @50 yards with 28 grains H4895 with a velocity measured at 2152 fps using the Lee 150 gr FNGC from a honed out mold and boolits then sized/checked at .312” for my bore that slugged at .310” My alloy is COWW plus Lino at 7:3 and Lee Hardness Test Tool checks at 14 BHN

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook #4 lists a load for Accurate 2230 and a different Lee boolit, C312-155 2R with a MAXIMUM of 27.0 grains (a compresses load in FL sized brass), This load lists a velocity of only 2085 fps. My Lee boolit is the 150 gr FN popular in the 30-30 Win. My hopes were to ladder walk up a load beyond 2150 fps, watch for pressure signs and record accuracy. I had a pleasant surprise with neck sizing using the Lee Collet die and a .303 Brit mandrel for my larger diameter boolits.. Case volume increased significantly and I walked charges of A2230 up to 28.1 grains. The velocity climbed to 2173 fps and a substantial accuracy gain was achieved.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/x39ammo.jpg
Ammo picture: LOA is 2.140”, no crimp, I just close case mouth flair with the Lee FC die. Lube is 45:45:10 Recluse, once before sizing and twice after.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/x39pressure.jpg
The brass had no pressure signs measured at case head, no splitting and no excessive primer flattening.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c338/rhymeswithwhat/x39Targ-1.jpg
The 50 yard target is better than I had hoped. This is 5 shots and the upper right hole is 2 shots in nearly the same hole. I am very encouraged with the accuracy of this little inexpensive rifle. It's bore is chrome lined and I polished the bore with a Bore Snake and Turtle Wax Chrome Polish when I purchased the rifle.

Gary

[geargnasher]

Nice work as always, Gary. I like the small-capacity .30s myself, although I must say you're squeezing every last bit out of that one. I love single-shot rifles, you can do so much more when the ammo doesn't have to feed through an automatic mechanism or get pounded around in a magazine.

Isn't it neat all the things you can do with the Lee dies? I have several RGB .303 Brit sets that I cannabalized just for the EZ-Expander plugs, most come in right at .310" and are perfect for 311-312 boolits in the oversized .30s. The collet dies get switched around too, and next chance I get I'm going to have my machinist make a .310" mandrel for my .30-'06 collet die and drill the bottom for the decapping pin.

Gear

[Junior1942]

Take a Lee EZ Expander in a diameter larger than what you want and chuck it in your drill press. Then touch a fine-toothed file or emery cloth to the spinning expander and make it whatever diameter you need.

[44man]

Very, very nice! ;-)

[geargnasher]

Take a Lee EZ Expander in a diameter larger than what you want and chuck it in your drill press. Then touch a fine-toothed file or emery cloth to the spinning expander and make it whatever diameter you need.

BTDT. Many times.

Gear