Mosin-Nagant Overpressure?

[GregLaROCHE]

Why not only prime a couple of cases and pop them off to see if they look the same?

[franklin_m]

Why not only prime a couple of cases and pop them off to see if they look the same?

I'll try that too. Getting ready to go on business trip, will have to try when I get home. Great idea though!

[franklin_m]

franklin,

Why are you using CCI 250 (magnum) primers for such a mild load of IMR 4895 powder? Where did you get that data? Your primers look ok to me.

Adam

Rookie mistake on my part. Went to Wally World and bought only large rifle primers they had. I was in another gun store (big reloading supplier) and he said not to worry about it. So I’ll use them up and then probably switch.

Any recommendations? I have Remmy 700 30-06, Lee Enfield, 2 Mosins, and 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser.

Thanks
Frank

[44magLeo]

Have you shot any factory loads in your rifle? If so how do the fired primers look?
If not buy a box and see. It easy to find the steel cased ammo. These will be full power loads. Even these will show you what the fired primers look like.
If they look like yours, then don't worry too much. Load, shoot, enjoy.
On primers, CCI tends to be a bit erratic with QA. the diameter and thickness varies a lot. Some seat fine other too tight, others to loose.
I've been using Winchester LR for my loading. These work well and readily available around here.
Remington or Federal have worked well for me over the years.
If you find you like reloading I'm sure you will get a bench mounted press soon. Working with a bench mounted press is less effort and a lot faster. Which lets you sped a little less time at the loading bench and more time at the shooting bench.
Most die makers make neck size dies. Some work like your Lee loader does. A close fitting body and sizes just the neck. Some use interchangeable bushings that do the actual neck sizing. With this type of die you can get bushings of several sizes to try different neck tensions to see how that effects you loads.
Lee makes collet type neck size die. The collet squeezes the neck around a mandrel. I use these myself with very good results.
Lee doesn't make a 7.62x54R collet die, but they can custom build one. You send them a few fired cases and bullets and they build a die to match your rifle. I plan on doing this myself. I think that if enough people requested them they may do a production run on them.
A standard set of dies work well. Most get good results from them.
On some cartridges Lee makes dies sets that have both the full length and neck size dies as well as the factory crimp die. This gives the option to size either way.
Even if you just neck size eventually the cases will get expanded enough to be stiff to chamber. Then you just FL size then go back to the neck size.
Leo

[smithnframe]

Did you check the headspace?

[roverboy]

Did you check the headspace?

I was gonna ask the same question.

[franklin_m]

I bought it back in 1994 and have shot it off and on with MilSurp. Never had it head space checked, but it is a good idea. Will do that when I get back from this trip. Cheap insurance if nothing else.

[44magLeo]

Buying head space gauges is one way to do it, scotch tape is another.
With a sized case put one layer on the head of the case. Put case in chamber and slowly close bolt. It may want to stop as you start to move the bolt handle down. If it closes without any resistance add another layer of tape. Repeat till you get to a point the bolt handle wont quite close without a bit of resistance.
Now measure the amount of tape you have on the case. If you measure .008 then you have .008 headspace. If it measures .014 your about maxed out. This should be done with a new case. A fired case can be used but it may not be as accurate.
A case on the first time it is fired fire forms to your chamber. It now is a perfect fit in your rifle. If you neck size this case and load it will have near perfect headspace.
If you full length size then you could add headspace. Proper die adjustment can prevent this. When adjusting a FL die thread it in to about 1/4 from the shell holder. Lube a case. Smoke the neck. Size this case. As you size the case the smoke gets pushed down the neck. Try in rifle It should chamber ok. Turn die in 1/8 turn size, try in gun. repeat. As you screw the die in it sizes more of the case. as the sides of the case get squeezed the shoulder gets pushed forward. At some point the case may hard to chamber. This means the case length from head to shoulder is longer than the bolt head to shoulder in the chamber. This is fine at this point. Now screw the die in in 1/16 turns Repeat till the bolt just closes with no to very little resistance. Lck the die in this position.
Size another case at this adjustment It should chamber with the same feel as the previous case. If not a bit of adjustment may be needed.
This is a point were the headspace is minimal.
With a rimmed case the head space is measured by the rim. The rim is stopped by a shoulder in the chamber and headspace is the distance between the bolt head and the head of the case. This is fine but can be a bit loose. Sizing the way described the case will now headspace will now be from the shoulder of the case to the bolt head. This method removes almost all the headspace.
Leo