Surplus Ammo for Mosin- Nagant?

[Mallard57]

Hi,
I've obtained a couple of Mosins and I'm debating how I should proceed about feeding them. I have several other surplus rifles that I missed the boat on cheap surplus ammo and I've always felt a bit of a loss because of that. I can either stock up on reasonably priced surplus or I can set myself up to start casting for them. I have this doubt that if I don't get busy loading up on the surplus now I'll be sorry. I've been looking at the Czeck or Russian Light Ball. Do most of you like light ball or heavy ball from which countries? Are most of you folks shooting surplus or Cast Boolits out of your Mosins?
Thanks,
Jeff

[870TC]

I shoot a 175 gr. gas check, with the standard 16 gr. of 2400 in my M-39. Personally I don't like the surplus ammo as it is almost always corrosive, and requires extra steps in cleaning that I'm not interested in doing.

[Shiloh]

I shoot a 175 gr. gas check, with the standard 16 gr. of 2400 in my M-39. Personally I don't like the surplus ammo as it is almost always corrosive, and requires extra steps in cleaning that I'm not interested in doing.

Not only that, I've seen some real shabby ammo. Some of the Ammo tied in bundles of 15, have had split cases with loose powder in them. Some has been corroded beyond being safe to shoot. Other lots have been okay. There is a reason that the disclaimer says you can expect some questionable rounds.

Shiloh

[RoyRogers]

The brass cased Hungarian yellow tip has been very good for me but is hard to come by these days. The brass cased Bulagarian HB yellow tip has been good. Many swear by the CZ silvertip. It has a reputation for both accuracy and sticking in chambers, making opening the bolt a real chore. I've only had 1 Mosin in which it didn't stick in the chamber even after surgically cleaning the chambers. It does shoot nicely in that Mosin. Brass cased Albanian can be iffy as can the steel cased Russian - depends on the lot and year. All the com-bloc surplus is corrosive but the corrosive salts will flush out with water - follow by normal cleaning.

[pbbutz]

1+

Not only that, I've seen some real shabby ammo. Some of the Ammo tied in bundles of 15, have had split cases with loose powder in them. Some has been corroded beyond being safe to shoot. Other lots have been okay. There is a reason that the disclaimer says you can expect some questionable rounds.

Shiloh

And it is usually not AS ACCURATE as cast loads!

[Larry Gibson]

I "blasted" up a lot of milsurp 7.62x54R ammo in the past and always found it was "pot pourie" as to what the accuracy was going to be. Since most of it at really inexpensive prices (I really liked tthe 4 to 8 cents per round of 10 years ago ) has dried up I've mostly been loading jacketed and cast for my MNs. I watch for sale prices on milsurp and commercial 123-125 ak/sks bullets and also load a lot of the hornady .312 SPs. However, mostly for the last few years I've shot up a lot of cast C312-185s and 314299s. I've found both of those to be very accurate in most MNs with decent bores. Lately after aquiring two GB moulds which were supposed to be 311291 and 31041 but found them to actually be 314291 and 314041s I've been using those two bullets with as good accuracy as with the Lee and Lyman bullets. I mostly use 4895 with a dacron filler and keep velocities in the 1850-1900 fps range. However AA5744 is also a very good powder with all of these heavier cast bullets. The GB 314150 with a WFN does well with 4759 and a dacron filler. I size the bullets to just slip fit into a well fire formed case neck. Most often that has been .312 for the Finns and .314 for the Russians and other COM block countries with the exception of the chinese made M44s (Type 53's). They are really all over the place as far as groove depth and what size bullets will chamber.

Larry Gibson

[higgins]

I like the light ball because it kicks less, and I've been pleasantly surprised how accurate most of it is in my M39 Finn. It's accurate enough and was cheap enough when I bought it that I don't mind the corrosive cleaning routine. I have used the 80s copperwashed Czech light ball that AIM and Wideners now have in stock in the 800 rd. cases - I haven't tried the Russian or Hungrian light ball that's available. I had too much primer leakage with Bulgarian brass case light and heavy ball, but those brass cases sure are nice. I think the copperwashed steel case Czech sticks less than the lacquer-coated Czech from the 60s, but again I dont't know about the Russian and Hungarian.

[NuJudge]

None of the surplus will shoot as well as a handload can. My best shooting M-N is a Finnish M39. It likes a 180gr jacketed bullet that fits the throat and a stiff charge of 4350. It also does well with a 200gr cast bullet that's about .002" over groove diameter driven by 2400.

CDD

[Four Fingers of Death]

We have some 80s vintage Albanian ammo available here and in cases of 680 it is reasonably priced and has been well stored. I am tempted, but I am such a slack A$$ sometimes I'd probably screw up and forget to clean it. I think I'll stick to reloading. 100 rounds of Privi Partisan brass and a set of Lee dies will get you started.

[NuJudge]

I like the Albanian too, and it takes .217" Berdan primers which I have. I believe .217" primers are also available there in Australia. The Albanian brass, once fired and water washed, works very well with cast bullets.

The only problem I've had is the occasional thick rim.

[Lead Fred]

The problem I have with old milsurp ammo is the inconsetant powder burn rates.

Being a sharpshooter, I have no room for firearms that do not perform to thier up most ability.

I just traded away 2 8x57 CZ-24s, and a CZ-52. None were worth the exspense to reload for.

Back 20 odd years ago, we had much better quality milsurp. Like everything else, those days are gone forever.

Shooting cast out my 30-30, which I got as part trade for the above, shoots much tighter than any of the milsurp shooters ever did.

I love the NMs, If I bought one, Id go through the time to reload for it.

[6.5 mike]

I tried the surplus ball, lite & heavy, in my hex reciever remmy. With the 1st issue sites about all I could say, was they all hit the bearm. Not pleasant at all on the other end. Switched to lee 185, sized .311, graf cases, cci 200 primers, & 16 gr of 2400 the difference was like nite & day. Brought the sites down to where the bottom setting is just about dead on at 50 yards & very pleasant to shoot.
I picked up a 91/30 at a show last time home & it will start it's journey down the cast path as soon as I finish cleaning the bbl. Same load for starters & go from there.

[Mallard57]

When sizing fired cases in the Mosin-Nagant how bad does the sizer work the brass? My 6.5x55 Swede fired cases get overworked in the full length sizing die something terrible and even my neck sizer has problems. I've been happy with the Lee Collet sizer in several other calibers but I notice that Lee does not make one in 7.62x54R except from their custom shop. Are most of your sizing issues handled with normal FL and neck sizing dies without over working your fired brass?
It looks like the majority consensus is to reload for M/N, I kind of figured it was the right path, I was hoping to get the performance I wanted the easy way.
Thanks for all the great answers,
Jeff

[Nora]

When sizing fired cases in the Mosin-Nagant how bad does the sizer work the brass? My 6.5x55 Swede fired cases get overworked in the full length sizing die something terrible and even my neck sizer has problems. I've been happy with the Lee Collet sizer in several other calibers but I notice that Lee does not make one in 7.62x54R except from their custom shop. Are most of your sizing issues handled with normal FL and neck sizing dies without over working your fired brass?

I use Prvi brass from Graf's and will FL size it all (RCBS dies) as I have more than one MN. If I'm shooting FL "J" word, I'm normally able to get between 8 and 10 loadings before it becomes unserviceable. Though after 4 and I'm looking at it a lot closer for thinness in the head area or signs of necks cracking.