Very Heavy .312 for 7.62x39?

[DrNick]

This may ave been discussed, but a cursory search didn't return much...

I was looking at an expended 7.62x39 case and it struck me that it's darn similar to the 300 Whisper....a littel more capacity for sure but still very close...

Anyone here ever experiment with boolits in the 200-240 grain range in 7.62x39? DId/does anyone cut moulds in this diameter (.312/.313) in heavier weights? I have an SKS and a bolt gun that I'd like to tinker with....I know that the standard twist rate is something like 1 in 9.5 so there will be an upper limit to what will stabilize...is 240 too heavy?

Just a wonderin...

Doc

[Larry Gibson]

The problem with heavier cast bullets than the 150/160 gr Lees is simply one of cartridge oal. Those 2 bullets put the GC at the base of the case neck when seated to function through the mag and action. You've got to seat heavier bullets deeper int the case. I've shot C312-185-2R and 314299 in my Mini MKX Mauser single fed at longer oal but once chambered you've got to fire the round as it is the dickens to get out. Longer actions such as 7.62x36 built of regular Mauser actions are probably ok but odds are they must be throated for the longer heavier cast bullet.

Larry Gibson

[DrNick]

Looking at cartridge drawings of the 300 Whisper, the projectile seats well below the neck....with something that heavy, I'd be looking for near subsonic velocity so I MIGHT be able to get away with a PB design. Also, providing it could feed, it might be interesting to discard the spire point and go with a profile closer to Ranch Dog's 165 grainer with the big meplat...that change in profile would help bump up the weight too....

[lotech]

I did a lot of cast bullet load development with the 7.62x39 in a stainless Ruger 77 MKII bolt-action not long after Ruger made a limited run for a wholesaler in the early'90s. I used three bullets in the 180-190 grain range, but only two that were in the weight range you mention: the 200 grain Saeco #301 and the 217 grain Lyman #311335. My notes indicate good accuracy with each bullet in the 1600-1800 fps range. The higher velocity loads are proabably maximum for this cartridge with these heavy bullets. I was pretty much on my own working up data as there was none at the time for these bullet weights. I lost interest in the cartridge a few years ago and have done no work with it since. If you can find a HANDLOADER magazine #177 (October,1995), there is a lot of cast bullet data with bullet weights ranging from 159 grs up to 217 using six or seven powders.

[rockrat]

I plan on trying the 247gr Blackout GB boolit in my single shot 7.62 x 39. Just too cold at the range right now.

[David Caldwell]

This may be of interest:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=100632

[Buckshot]

http://www.fototime.com/B00712C607BC255/standard.jpg

.............The Lyman 311284 @ 214 grs in the 7.62x39. It's engraved pretty well, eh :-)! I used a flat nosepunch trying to get it short enough to feed from the magazine of the Mauser, and it's JUST a tiny bit too long yet. My small ring Mauser has a 300" x .308" barrel. I wasn't trying for sub-sonic. Just somehting to try :-)

...............Buckshot

[rosst]

Hi, i've been using 311284 (212 grain WW ) in a Bakail singleshot with good results using WLR primer, Nobels No.2 powder at subsonic speed . .. 2 inch groups at 100 with no stability issues

cheers