Powder for over gassed 223 AK

[historicfirearms]

I've just started fooling around with a Norinco BWK92, it's a 223 AK. These guns were built with the 7.62x39 gas port size, which makes them severely over gassed with the higher pressure 223.

My rifle is no exception and will throw brass from factory military loads 20 paces away, no exaggeration. Needless to say, this isn't great if you are frugal and don't like to lose brass. The brass also gets a nice smiley shaped ding from hitting the dust cover really hard.

My first thought was to remove the gas block, weld up and re drill the gas port to the correct size. That's probably the best way to go so that I will have ammo that works in all my guns.

Just for fun, I have been playing with a few powders, trying to make ejection less vigorous but still give good velocity with J words. I assumed the faster powders would accomplish this, but now after experimenting some, I'm not too sure. IMR 4198 is the fastest powder listed in my manuals for 55 grain J things. It gave nearly the same ejection as H335. So I tried AA 2015 and got the same violent ejection.

Maybe my assumptions were wrong, and I should be looking for a powder that develops less pressure, and ignore burn rate. What powders should I try next?

I bet I could also try some lighter bullets, should give less dwell time.

Final question: are there powders in the appropriate burn rate that are less "gassy"? Seems like I have read that before, but I'm not certain.

[tomme boy]

Drill and tap the gas block and use a set screw as a adjustable port. You will want to take it off to do this as you want to see the direction of the port. Some are straight, some are angled back.

[bhn22]

There are adjustable gas blocks available for AKs. I've seen them before.

[GabbyM]

I believe your assumptions are correct as to powder speed and gas port pressure.

Don’t own an AK but I think they’ve a rep for throwing and denting brass.
Israeli Galil being one design.

My Old Colt AR-15 SP-1 model with a 1:12 twist barrel greatly prefers a fast powder and the 53 grain flat based match bullets. IMR 4198 is what I used to use but have switched to H-Benchmark due to it’s shorter grain with better metering qualities. H-Benchmark is a little slower than 4198 but not to much. That’s also my go to powder for the 53gr SMK in my 26” barrel bolt gun for target use.

With my newer heavy AR the slow powder loads (H-335) (Ramshot TAC) at max level under 55 grain bullets will dent the case mouth. My Benchmark target loads which are 5% under max only slightly deform the case neck. No question about it. Way an auto gun beats up your brass is the number two down side to an auto load system.

I’d set up a net to catch your brass. Then if it’ isn’t beat up to bad I’d not worry much about it. In my experience the powders on the faster side of the listed will be more accurate in a AR-15. I ran Varget for years in by bolt gun varmint rig. Which is slow and far slower than the 4895 and quicker powders that most were burning at the time. My belief is the 26” long barrel liked it. With the shorter barrels. Especially the little pistol length 16” jobs. Faster powders greatly reduced muzzle blast. Turbulence caused by muzzle blast is detrimental to accuracy. In s much as any imperfections in your crown or gas device will be greatly exaggerated. Plus outside of the 4th of July who wants a rifle that shoots a big fireball?

I’ve almost a full 8lb jug of the old AA 2200 which was Soviet AK powder and very fast. That’s what they loaded the 7.62x39 with. May well be the burn rate the AK prefers.