7.62X25 Brass?

[LIMPINGJ]

I have a Zastava M57 but have not been able to get any brass. Has anyone used 30 Mauser brass in their Tok? None of my books list case length for these two, will I need to trim the Mauser brass? I don't want to use my 223 brass so was interested in the 30 Mauser because I can get it.
Thanks

[singleshotman]

there is almost no difference between 30 mauser and the 7.62 x 25mm cartridge. The only difference is the loading. German handbooks state that 30 mauser can be used in the Tok. pistol safetly.

[jrayborn]

.30 Mauser is typically longer by .010 or .020. It will require trimming in most cases or it can lead to trouble. It is otherwise very suitable for loading as 7.62x25.

[9.3X62AL]

J Rayborn is correct. 30 Mauser case length is given as .990" max, 7.62 x 25 Tokarev case length is given as .970" max. There are subtle diametric differences and shoulder datum line differences as well--once my Type 54 ChiCom Tokarev pistol gets a little fouled by firing, cases sized in the 30 Mauser sizer die will start failing to feed reliably, even though they are trimmed correctly. I had RCBS make me a 7.62 x 25 sizer die c. 1992, and since that time the brass and the pistol get along quite well. I'm not comfy stating that 30 Mauser and 7.62 x 25 are interchangeable, though they are quite close.

Starline shows both brass calibers as being made by that firm. I haven't looked at the site in quite a while, there may be info on availability or scheduling of runs at that site.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`d pull the Starline brass web page up for Tok brass. Another site would be Graf&Son to see if they stock it.Robert

[Charley]

Got some flak for doing it, because the 9mmMag brass is tough to find, but I converted a hundred pieces of 9mm Mag to 7.62x25. .30 mauser does work as well, but needs trimming, as pointed out. Shoot mine in one of J&G Sales' 7.62x25 1911 barrels, converts 9x19/.38 Supers to 7.62x25.

[9.3X62AL]

Got some flak for doing it, because the 9mmMag brass is tough to find, but I converted a hundred pieces of 9mm Mag to 7.62x25. .30 mauser does work as well, but needs trimming, as pointed out. Shoot mine in one of J&G Sales' 7.62x25 1911 barrels, converts 9x19/.38 Supers to 7.62x25.

My original lot of 30 Mauser and 7.62 Tokarev brass was reformed from W-W 9mm Win Mag brass. When I first ventured forth with this caliber c. 1989, there was 1) Fiocchi loaded ammo and 2) nothing else as a brass source. Fiocchi ammo was Unobtainium, to steal Buckshot's great descriptor of such things. 1 pass through the 30 Mauser sizing die, then into a file-trim die, and I had cases. 500 of them. Yes, it was a mite labor-intensive. I still have and use close to 200 of these critters, who knows how many times they have been fired? I've added 200 Starline brass and 150 of the Winchester White Box ammo's fired cases to the allotment. 3 different pistols to feed, all with varying internal dimensions, and one of them REALLY sends the brass a-flying (CZ-52). Fun caliber, and LOUD--they can be eardrum-drills when run anywhere near their full potential.

[LIMPINGJ]

Starline says no backorder so I don't look for the 7.62x25 anytime soon. They do have 30 Mauser and 9mm Win Mag. Which of these two would you want to start with?

[9.3X62AL]

The 30 Mauser, by all means--much less work. One pass into the Tok sizer die, then trim about .020" from the case mouth--instead of a full reform and more than a 1/4" of trim-off. Been there/done that/got the T-shirt.

[LIMPINGJ]

Thanks Al, ordering the brass today. If you used cast in the Tok which mold has worked best?

[9.3X62AL]

Thanks Al, ordering the brass today. If you used cast in the Tok which mold has worked best?

I use cast boolits almost exclusively now in 30 Mauser--7.62 x 25 Tok--and 30 Luger. My stunt is a little unconventional.....I use the Lee 100 grain RN, and seat to a point where the boolit's center drive band is centered over the case mouth. I set a simultaneous roll-crimp of moderate strength right into the boolit sidewall. This helps the DINKY case necks hold the boolit in place during cycling. Don't over-do the crimping, because the end-on force can cause the case neck to spring away from the boolit sidewall entirely. A little goes a long way.

FWIW, the Starline and WWB cases do a better job of retaining bullets/boolits than have the reformed 9mm Win Mag brass. I suspect that these easier-to-use cases got proper annealing that my home-brewed brass didn't get, which is another vote in favor of the Tok Starlines over the reforming regimen. Last but not least, some of the home-brews had to get inside-reamed so that .311"-sized boolits would fit in the undersized chamber neck portion of my ChiCom Type 54 Tokarev pistol. Not an issue with the Starline brass, though. The Starline brass is really good stuff, certainly "best of breed".