New SKS - Need load suggestions and advice

[robertbank]

HI.

Just bought a Russian/Chinese SKS. I intend to shoot lead in it and would appreciate any comments regarding your experience with the SKS and lead. I am thinking about using the 311291 boolit in it. I have some surplus WC730 which I understand to be 5% faster than H335 which should work in this cartridge as my 30-30 seem to shoot well with it.

Probably better powders out there. Thoughts?

Lots of surplus ammo up here that goes cheap but it is all corrosive and not reloadable which distracts from the price. Prefer lead anyway.

Going to get a set of Lee dies. Anything special I should know about this cartridge/gun I should watch for?

Take Care

Bob

[mroliver77]

Corrosive ammo is nothing to shy away from. All one needs do is clean with soap and water after shooting. I am amazed that folks are so afraid of ruining a gun with corrosive ammo that has spent its life being shot with corrosive.
Onliest thing is milsurp uses condoms on the bullet but it is fun to blast with. Do a search on this forum as there is lots of info on this round/gun combination.

[Andy_P]

I'd recommend either of the Lee 90385 or 90361 (150-160grs) in WW + 2% Tin. With those bullets I'd start with 23.0 grs of the WC730 powder (if it's "5% faster" than H335).

Powders of that burn rate are good in the SKS, and with that bullet weight, any MV above about 1700 fps will cycle the action reliably. I've not used WC730 (or H335), but have used 20.0 grs of H4227 and 26.0 grs of H4895 with good results (both have MV's of about 1725 fps).

[robertbank]

We get the corrosive ammo up here fairly inexpensive but none of it is reloadable and I do want to shoot lead.

Take Care

Bob

[Castinoff]

Some of the absolute BEST info I've ever come across on shooting cast in a milsurp (Cast bullet loads for Military Rifles" and "Practical Dope on the 7.62 x 39") was posted by you here as a "sticky". I've found that Mr. Harris' suggestion of 14.5 - 15.5 gr. of Alliant 2400 is pretty close. My particular SKS (Norinco) took 15.2 gr to operate the action reliably. Were you interested in hotter loads than those covered in the two articles?

[robertbank]

No just wanted to hear what some of your experiences were. Little things like knowing the threshold for action workings in your gun saves me finding out the hard way. Others may have a favourite load etc. I never push the envelope for speed with cast or jackets. I have found high velocity seldom equates to improved accuracy. Not sure it is always true but my shoulder likes the theory.

Take Care

Bob