7.62x54R 155gr cast plinker load with H335?

[tyeo098]

So basically I gots me a new 7.62x54r die set, and went on a bender last night converting my steel x54r cases from berdan to boxer primed.

Took 3 hours, but I have 11 of them done! (And a new method to do them...)

I want to use these cases for light recoil low cost plinker rounds.
I remember seeing some load data that used like 16gr of H335 and a single ply of toilet paper for filler under a 150gr boolet, but that was for 308.

I just don't want to use 50-60gr of powder for what is supposed to be cheap shooting.

Can anyone share any insight?

I can get a heavier boolet, but I'd rather keep the powder.

[Gunor]

C.E. Harris article is the one to read.

16 grains of 2400 is the way to go (with load development)

But find the article.....

Geoff in Oregon

[Outpost75]

H335 should.not be reduced below 80% of case capacity, otherwise ignition becomes erratic. While it works fne in 7.62x39 and. 30-30, I have not found it suitable, even for full loads in. 30-'06 or 7.62x54R.

[runfiverun]

I wouldn't even think of using 16 grs of 335..
it's in the slow side of 4895 but is not anywhere near the same powder.

16-17 grs of 2400
10-12 grs of unique
10-12 grs of red-dot
28-29 grs of 4895 [with a Dacron filler]
these are all good loads that are fun and cheap to shoot.

[tyeo098]

10-12gr of unique doesnt sound like it will break the bank. Is that for a 155gr'r? Any filler?

Sucks about H335 though, I put that ship on everything! (308,x39,223..) Does the x54R just have too much case volume?

[rsrocket1]

It's not the 54R that's the problem, it's the H335. It's burns much slower than the fast pistol/shotgun powders that runfiverun recommends and it want's a high pressure to burn properly. Too little powder will result in low pressures, irregular burn/velocity, lots of soot, unburned powder, blowback of gasses and sooty cases. A light charge of fast pistol powder will drive the pressure up above 10kpsi (where powders like to burn), expand the case to seal the gases and not drive the bullet too fast.

I've found that 6-10 grains of Unique, Red Dot, Bullseye, Clays all work well for 30 caliber bullets ranging from 100g to 200g in my .308. It will also work with your 7.62x54R so long as it's a Mosin Nagant or similar bolt rifle (they probably won't operate the action if you have a gas operated action). Since the 54R case is bigger than the .308, you should start at the 10g side rather than the 6g side. You'll love the light recoil and low noise of these loads. No filler needed, the pistol powder ignites easily enough on its own.

[tyeo098]

That makes sense. Thanks a lot for the explanation!

I have a pound of unique I use here and there to try things but it's not very good for me compared to bullseye for pistol loads.
I guess I'll chuck some in the x54R cases and see what happens.

I'll save the H335 for some full-tilt loads or just keep using it on my other calibers.

[petroid]

While I admire your persistence at the berdan to boxer conversion, I can't see myself doing this especially with steel cases. They will work harden and split after a few firings. If you had brass cases they would last longer or just buy a box of factory boxer primed ammo, shoot it and reload it. Local stores have ppu 150gr SBT for about $18. If you don't want to shoot it all at full power you can pull and save the bullets and powder for later use. Just my $0.02

[tyeo098]

I have so many steel cases its not even funny.

2 minutes of my time and I can make a loaded round for 7 cents.

(I've been doing the same thing for x39 since January of last year... when the case neck splits I toss em, but there is 10000x more lined up ready to be loaded :) )

[MtGun44]

Read runfive's post again. . . . .

For plinker loads, you want shotgun/pistol speed powders and those first three loads he quotes
are very well known to work in most rifles with most boolit in most of the "late 19th thru
mid 20th century full sized military bottleneck cartridges". Do not use for the much smaller
cases of the .30 Carbine and 7.62x39, etc - look loads up for them - but use the same powders.

Besides - they will cost a bunch less to load, too.

Bill

[tyeo098]

10gr of unique under a 155gr gc'd boolit.

Going to the range today to try it out :)

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s249/tyeo098/CAM00316_zpsxymvawsz.jpg

[MtGun44]

Looking for a report. High likelihood of good results.

Bill

[runfiverun]

definitely wanna hear how it goes.

[tyeo098]

Shot way too low the first 5 rounds.
Next 2 rounds got me on paper.

Last 3 rounds grouped 1" at 50 yds.

Always make more than 10! So I made up another batch of 30 with 10.6gr Unique, gonna see how that runs tomorrow.

[tyeo098]

Made another 20 last night, so I'm up to 50. Should prove for nice shootin at the range:
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s249/tyeo098/Guns%20and%20Stuff/CAM00344_zpseuytx7vk.jpg

[petroid]

Looks good! Can't wait to hear how they shoot

[blackthorn]

There is another thread running with respect to variations in flash-hole sizes and the possible effect on burn rate and pressure. My question, having looked at the picture of the "newly made" flash-holes is what difference (if anything) does the existence of 3 holes make? Are these modified cases OK for full house loads?