7.62x39 Plinker

[Leftoverdj]

Suggestions, please? My CZ 527 slugs .311. I have a 150 pb mould that drops at .312, a Lyman 311410, and a supply of .314 Hornady SWC. Looking for something quiet and accurate. Will settle for 50 yards, but would rather have 100 yard accuracy.

[BerdanIII]

For the Hornady SWC's, I'd try 4 grains of Unique or 3.5 grains of Red Dot, Clays or Bullseye and pistol primers (large or small, depending) for a 50-yard plinking load. You may want to ream out the flashholes of the cases you use for these loads to try to keep them from shortening too quickly (I've gotten 11 reloads out of .308 cases with reamed flashholes with no end in sight.). Also, create a dummy round to make sure the .314" bullet will chamber. I would think 6.5 grains or so of Unique with the 150-gr. plain-base should get you out to 100 yards; I've used 7.5 grains in a .308 with a 155-gr. LPB with good results. Both of these loads will sound like a .22 rimfire.

[35remington]

Emmett, no Soup Can? I woulda thought this one should have been a go to natural for plinking, but you do like your plainbases.

Anyway, that's what I like for plinking, but I find that for 100 yards I need a little more umph on the order of 2400 for powder. I am fortunate that my Lee casts at .313" and my SKS goes .312." About 2.5-3 inches for five shotters are the norm which is about as good as the rifle can do anyway, at least with my eyes and iron sights.

Usually run the gun as a straight pull for this. Hate chasing cases while plinking in the grass.

[Larry Gibson]

I shoot gobs of the Hornady 90 gr SWCs and the Lee TL314-90-SWC over 2.7 gr of Bullseye in my 7.62x39 Mini MKX Mauser. Velocity is 840 fps and they shoot into 1" at 50 yards all day long. This is THE most accurate load with this bullet. The slower powders or higher velocity are less accurate. Great load.

Never really gave 311410 a good shakeout in this rifle but 7.5 gr Unique didn't do to bad. I'm really looking forward to trying the GB GC312-150-FN in my little boltgun (when I can get it away from the wife), I expect great things with that bullet.

Larry Gibson

Larry Gibson