7.62x54 into .308 rounds

[bigjake]

I couldnt figure out what forum to post this in, so i just picked one. Anyway I was thinking about a cheap way to load .308 rounds. I read in the projects forum about a guy that re-uses 7.62x39 jacketed bullets sized from .311 to .308.
So, I thought about this; you can buy these 440 round soldered tins of corrosive 7.62x54r ammo fairly cheap. I know the primers are corrosive, but what about the powder? I dont think its corrosive. I want to pull the projectiles, empty the powder and pitch the steel case with the evil primer. then size the .311 to 308 and work up a load using the russian powder.

What do you all think?

If this is the wrong forum, please put it in the correct one.

[Gunor]

I'll buy the evil case and unused primer from you.....really

Geoff in Oregon

[Outpost75]

When you take jacketed bullets and size them smaller, you get spring-back in the jacket, which makes the core loose in the jacket and accuracy suffers. The Russian PS Ball has both a copper clad steel jacket AND a mild steel core, surrounded by only a thin lead envelope, and it would take considerable effort to size these even just a few thousandths. Sizing the steel jackets would be pretty hard on the dies, unless carbide.

I think you should think about buying an inexpensive M91/30 rifle and stashing a bunch of ammo and cleaning gear for it. While the pull-down powder is useable and burns similar to 4895, what you are proposing is VERY labor intensive and not worth the trouble, in my opinion, to get inferior ammunition to factory-produced .308s

[DeanWinchester]

I just imagine you could trade 440 rounds of 7,62x54R for an equal number of .308 diameter bullets, with ease.

Your best bet is to take that money and buy a mold and sizer and wash your hands of those filthy copper condoms altogether.

[madsenshooter]

Others have sized bullets a lot more than from .310 to .308 and reported good results, despite the spring-back rumor. I was just reading about it somewhere, here, on Jouster, or gunboards.com.

But I'll go along with outpost, unless I had nothing else to do, I wouldn't mess with it, not when Mosins are available so inexpensively. But if I wanted to play with my Krag instead of the Mosin, I might make up a few from 7.62x54 components. Good thing about most of my Krags, the bores are .310, no need to resize the bullet, just work up a load with the powder.

[bigjake]

http://www.bulkammo.com/bulk-7-62x54...lpsrussian-440

At $98 and some change, [cheaper at gun shows, no shipping. not long ago, before the mosins came in, you could get the case for $75.] you cant beat it!

I cut a 148 gr. russian rd to bits and what outpost said about the jacket is true but, the copper is quite thick. I then ran it through the cheap lee .308 sizer and checked the dia., right on! then checked it this morning still good.

You all talk about wasting time doing this, to me its part of the fun, to save on components.
With the cost of the powder these days [308's require a lot of powder] and the projectiles, its worth it. The only thing i have to buy at full price is the wolf large primers.
I dont think you can load 440 rds. for$120 the standard way. [$98 and maybe $20 or less for the primers]

[JSnover]

For a rare/obsolete cartridge, sure, but .308 is neither rare nor obsolete.
You know you're sizing them twice, right? Once in the die and again in your barrel. The jacket might loosen up after it leaves the bore but if it's just for practice/plinking, who cares?

[Love Life]

I find this thread very interesting and kudos to the OP for thinking of it. I can't wait to hear range report.

[leeshall]

There was a thread in an old forum, maybe Jouster, regarding great success using reduced loads of pulldown powder and heavy ball bullets from Bulgarian surplus 7.62X54R in the .303 British. Wish I had a copy of that thread. Anybody else remember that?

[Cowboy T]

I have to agree with the others here. The OP could do as he describes, but Mosin rifles really aren't that expensive, and they're good shooters. The ballistics are somewhere between .308 and .30-06, depending on the load used (Mosin actions are pretty strong). Given the cheap cost of M91/30's and the milsurp ammo, it'd be a fun experiment, definitely, but I wouldn't consider it "worth it" beyond a few "just to try it" rounds.

Regarding specifically .308, if you're looking for low-cost, I'd recommend just picking up a mould and casting the projectiles. When prepared properly, cast boolits can be pushed to ~2,500 fps without lead-fouling. Do that with a 180-grain cast boolit, and you're within standard J-word ranges anyway for .308 Win. You could also push 'em slower, ~2,200 fps. That's .30-30 ballistics, more than enough to put Bambi on the dinner table.

[r6487]

www.patsreloading.com has the sizing dies and in past years has sold 1000s & 1000s for 7.62x54r resized to 308 bullets. I have bought several thousand myself and loaded and shot these in 308 guns. mic'ed bullets when I got them and they were fine. can a small time operator buy the ammo, pull the projos, resize & reload them? sure thang

[samwithacolt]

For the amount of work involved, I'd just buy a Mosin(I love mine!).
Unless it's a "just to see if I can" project. I loaded some 7.62x39 steel cases with cast boolits and reactivated the primer with paper caps from a capgun. Satisfying to see it work, but I never plan on doing it again!

[foesgth]

I still have some 7.62x54r pulled bullets I got from Pat's reloading a few years back. I just ran one through my Lee .309 sizer with no difficulty. Came out right on .309. Sorry I don't have a .308 die. I checked the original bullets and most of them are .3105. OP if you want to try, PM your address, and I'll send you a handful to try.

Randy

[sargenv]

Just because it's cheap and available now, doesn't mean it will always be that way.. there was a time when 8mm mauser was cheap and available, same with 7.62x39, 30 carbine, and a whole bunch of other stuff.. It's good to be able to adapt to changing situations.. who ever thought that wheel weights would be hard to find?

[garym1a2]

It could be cool to get some 7.62x39 rounds and resize them to .308 and load into 300 blackout super-sonic.
Reusing the powder also at a weaker charge weight.

[Prospector Howard]

I've had pretty good luck sizing down to .308 from .310 & .311 bullets as long as they had a lead core. I figured if they had a steel core, it wouldn't work so good; so I stayed away from that idea.

[enfieldphile]

This!
VVV

I find this thread very interesting and kudos to the OP for thinking of it. I can't wait to hear range report.