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Thread: SKS in .357 Magnum

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    The Romanians had a ak that took 10 round single stack mags, so maybe that might be easier to get the 357 cases to feed from. One member here did a 7.62x39 conversion of a carcano action using such mags and was a beautiful rifle when he got done. Frank

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    7.62x39 rim is .447, and 357 is .440, both according to wikipedia. The bolt face should work with very little to no modification. I think the curvature of the original magazine would be pretty close to what is need for a stack of 357 cartridges. Would be easy enough to make a modification to shorten the mags internal dimensions.

    You'll probably have problems with not having enough gas to operate the system. Which would be overcome by replacing the tappet
    return spring with a lighter one. That might change the timing so the action opened sooner than desired... might not though. I'd say not.

    Another thing i thought of is that you most likely will have problems with slam fires due to the free floating firing pin in an sks and switching to softer small pistol primed ammo. Either you'll have to make 357 ammo with small rifle primers, or install an aftermarket firing pin return spring kit.

    ~Bazoo

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
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    Did some measurements tonight.
    Putting in a Barrel Liner is out.
    For one, the 7.62x39 case is wider than the ,357 case, you would have to line the chamber, and the Muzzle end of the barrel is .550.
    The liner OD is .440 ( I have one for doing a pistol in .38 Long Colt )
    That leaves very little meat around the liner
    Boring the barrel and re-rifling it to .357 would leave you with a Wall thickness of .099" at the muzzle.
    To me , that is kinda thin.
    That is if the original bore is truely centered in the barrel.
    The Barrel Shank is .750 so that poses no issues the wall thickness in the chamber since the .357 cartridge is a Little Lower Pressure and the 7.62x39 is fatter at .438 Vs the .379 of the .357 case

    Thanks for the tip on the return spring on the firing pin.
    I have thought of putting one on the firing pin anyway

  4. #24
    Boolit Master Moleman-'s Avatar
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    Are you going to headspace on the rim or the case mouth? The case mouth would be easier I'd think but the rim would be better overall. The bolt face is recessed around 1/8" give or take a bit. Guys have put a lip part way around the chamber mouth on ar15's to get them to headspace on 357Mag and suspect the same could be done on the sks. Additionally since the way the bolts differ you could also trim the front of the bolt back (not the extractor though) so the bolt face depth is a few thousands short of rim thickness and then just chamber it normally.

  5. #25
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    You cant headspace on the mouth cause of the roll crimp, unless you were to never shoot factory ammo and taper crimp all your ammo. For rim headspacing, should be easy enough to shave the bolt face off however much you need and then set the new barrel back into the action far enough so that it touches the bolt face when the bolt is locked.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master
    nekshot's Avatar
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    I had mine all part and studied it and played with it for a 357 also and came to the conclusion the clip is to close to barrel for the plunt style a 357 is. I could see alot of frustration for me. Now doing that to my ar 15 looks very doable!
    Look twice, shoot once.

  7. #27
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Well I am a fan of Pistol caliber carbines, and to my notion that one just plain rocks.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
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    The round has to headspace on the Rim, or there would be no way to fire .38 specials in it as an option.
    And why if you have a Rim, would it be more accurate or better to headspace on the case mouth.
    Then Case Length becomes a big factor.
    The bolt face so far doesnt look like it needs to be modified much if at all.
    Maybe the Extractor fit a little better to the rim thickness and design, thats all.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master Moleman-'s Avatar
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    Never said it would be more accurate or better to headspace on the case mouth, just easier to machine. Locking it into one case length, no roll crimp or heavy taper crimp into a cannalure which could effect headspace were why I said headspacing on the rim would be better. I got a little herd of rimless semiauto gas operated rifles and am aware of those issues. Just trying to point out the bolt face depth of .116"-ish, the rim thickness of .060" (usually less) and two possible ways to address it.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master armoredman's Avatar
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    More eyes on a problem, more information possible.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    So far we Have No Problems.
    Only Opportunities to Excel

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy autofix4u's Avatar
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    I have done this conversion on a threaded barrel russian .
    Oddly enough the first one i just rebarreld and it ran fine with NO other modification. Would only run on full power 357 magnum loaded with h110. But ran well. I gave that one to my brother, and i believe it was stolen with some other stuff afew years ago.
    The second one also on a Russian reciver was a total train wreck and never did function right. Would not feed more than 2 rounds ever. I gave up on it and it is in my shop somewhere.
    357 mag on an sks can be done but i would suggest trying to make it feed first and then work on gas systems. That big piston face on the sks op rod makes the gas system very forgiving.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master
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    Well guys, I sounds like it will work.

  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    At least a 50/50 shot.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    I think that when we compile the information that we have discussed , that may change the percentage in a positive direction

  16. #36
    Boolit Buddy
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    Not to hijack the thread, but seems like i remember once upon a time that ruger had necked the 7.62x39 up to 35 caliber and put it in the mini-14. I think that they called the XGI. It was announced in the gun rags but never hit the market. It was supposed to compete with the 35 Rem. This might be another direction you could go with this. Same bolt face, magazine. Just have to figure out reboring the barrel.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
    2ndAmendmentNut's Avatar
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    Could work, but why the SKS?

    Do you already have a trashed SKS to build on? If so have at it, I am looking forward to the pictures and follow ups.

    If you don't already have an SKS I cannot see why you would want to use that as your base. Literally the only thing going for it is the fact that the bolt face is close enough to work with a 357 rim. I would think the AR base would be easiest to convert to a 357mag. Lots of 7.62x39 BCGs are readily available, a 9mm barrel could be re chambered to 357mag. A gas port would have to be drilled because most 9mm ARs are simple blow back, but that wouldn't be a big deal. The AR is also already set up for detachable magazines.

    Just my thoughts on the whole idea.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    "I don't want men who miss." -Capt. Leander H. McNelly

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    There are plenty of trashed SKS's out there so someone wanting to build one should be easy to get the parts.
    But that question was asked in the beginning of the thread ?why do you want a .357 semi Auto.
    And I think it is because you can't buy one.
    But why would you want to build a Mauser on .308 or .30-06 when the 8mm is such a good Round.
    Maybe because the Surplus supply of ammo that makes them cheap to shoot will dry up.
    So switch to a common caliber of your liking that you can find and also reload.
    Plus a 180 gr slug in a .357 seems like it provides the knock down power that some of you want over the penetration of a 123 gr FMJ

  19. #39
    Boolit Master armoredman's Avatar
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    Why did the bear climb the mountain? This could be a very interesting little rifle, especially if lightened up, and with LAGS excellent work, and a pouch full of DE magazines, could be one heck of a brush gun.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    I am going to figure out what it should take to build this rifle, but it is way down on my list of Builds to do right now.
    I have Two Lever guns that I am shooting in .357, and still have 1000 rounds of 7.62x39 ammo and currently no other rifle to shoot it up in.
    But if I find an SKS receiver or maybe an old Bubbaed Beater SKS then this project will move up on my list.
    But maybe this thread will inspire others to look into building one sooner.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check