Chinese SKS struts....sort of.

[robertbank]

Well I had my SKS out today. Loaded with 15 gr. of 2400 under a 311291 bullet GC. Weather was about 2C with a cool wind blowing with rain and snow mix. Shot a ragged hole in the target at 25 yards (we have a ton of snow on the range and there was no way I was going to walk out to 50/100 yds to set targets. Gun just might be a shooter. Will post again next week with results using bullets from my new Lee mold if it ever gets here. Weather is supposed to warm up to around 5C.

Take Care

Bob
ps Anyone south of the snow line posts and tells me it was 70F with no wind and I swear I'll go postal. Spring can't be that far away.....:mrgreen:

[Razor]

What's that "5C" thing anyway ??
What's that in REAL numbers ??:razz:

Razor
:castmine:

PS..It was only 50F with 5 Mph wind here..[smilie=1:

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Ok Bob, I'm not going to tell you I had trouble getting the cat to come in the house and eat because the weather was so warm.

Reading your post about the SKS made me pine for the one I sold during a divorce several years ago. It was an early chinese with the spike bayonet but shot really well from day one. I still miss it, as it was my first milsurp.

regards,

Dave

[robertbank]

Well I have some reports on my shooting over the past couple of days. A couple of things you have to bear in mind. First my goal was to determine how three powders perform over my Chrony. I had some handgun targets I used set at 50 yards to do some rudementry accuracy tests.
Bullet type was the Lee 312-155 lubed with Felix Lube (A Softe HOmemade Lube). Bullets were GC'd. OAL was 2.151. Brass was mixed. Winchester LRP. Flyers+ Known Pulled Shots

25 Gr. WC 735
HIgh 1860
Low 1775
Avg 1839
Ext. Spread 85
Standard Deviation 19
Flyers discarded Group 3.55"

26 Gr. WC 735
High 1949
Low 1872
Avg 1906
Ext. Spread 77
Standard Deviation 12
Flyers Discarded Group 2.79"

Will move up one more grain. SD at 12 is very good and accuracy should improve with a better target. Will go up one more grain then move back to 100 yds.

15 Gr. 2400
High 1738
Low 1684
Avg 1710
Ext. Spread 54
Standard Deviation 10
Flyer discarded Group 1.990

16 Gr. 2400
High 1895
Low 1752
Avg 1805
Ext, Spread 143
Standard Deviation 33
Flyer Discarded Group 1.626

2400 is a great powder in Military Guns using cast. I intend to go back to 15 gr. and run off another test for accuracy. For my gun this may be a "Standard" load.

17 Gr. IMR 4227
High 1792
Low 1549
Avg 1649
Ext. Spread 243
Standard Deviation 81
Flyer Discarded Group 3.203

18 Gr IMR 4227
High 1835
Low 1717
Avg 1779
Ext. Spread 118
Standard Deviation 37
Flyer Discarded Group 2.597

Will move up one more grain. This powder is often recommended as a substitute for 2400 using cast bullets. While it works quite well in .303 Brit. with heavier bullets this does not seem to be the case with the 7.62x39MM.

I haven't given up on this powder yet and will see what one more grain brings. Using a different target for accuracy shooting should result n much better groups. Would be nice of my eyes would focus on at least one of the three objects I am looking at: ie Rear, Front sight and target. :D

WC735 is showing some promise and I hope I can imprve on the results to date. Powder is cheap enough and should work well in this size of case. All I have to do is find the right combo and that will come. Downside is loads will be pushing 2,000fps which is OK except the brass goes al over the county. With the other two powders the brass just drops at your feet.

I have a Monte Carlo stock coming on Monday which should improve accuracy. In addition I intend to pick up a scope and mount for the gun. I know the receiver cover mounts arn't the best but will be better than my eyes over open sights.

It should be noted that targets indicated vertical dispursion as opposed to horizontal so results may reflect my shooting ability more than the accuracy potential of the gun and loads.

Next series of test will be done with the new stock on my gun.

Take Care
Bob
ps WC735 is said to be 10% faster than H335

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Bob,

Sounds like you're experiencing the same thing I am relative to your front sight. A suggestion: If you wear glasses, get your optometrist to optimize the top of the lens to allow you to focus in on the front sight of your rifle.

I've been talking with my optometrist and and he's suggested that. Next time I go back, I'm buying a lens set up for shooting.

Regards,

Dave

[robertbank]

Dave be careful there. You may find you can see your front sight but the target has disappeared. I have shooting glasses made for my pistol shooting but past 25 yards things become silly.

Take Care

Bob

[MtGun44]

Try 10.0 Unique.

Bill

[robertbank]

Thanks Bill

I have a couple of Galery loads I am going to try. 10 gr of Unique is one of them. 10 Gr of 800X is another on the table. I just have to get by this little stumbling block before moving on. Going to try some different primers to see if I can get better ignition than I am getting now.

Be easier if I didn't have to keep one eye on the weather network.

Take Care

Bob

[kjg]

umm.....robert not to make you go mad but in middle georgia is thunderstorming and rain just like every other day it seems, but 60 f, [smilie=1: sorry but I remember the cold,being from wisconsin,I dont miss it one bit, any way i've been watching the threadand I two have been working on my sks and going to try some heavyer bullets 173 grain 311415 ideal, and lee's 205 grainer and imr4227 this comming sat weather permmiting, then the unique.soooo well report the findings later :Fire:. kjg

[robertbank]

Hi

I tried using CCI Magnum primers under my last load of 17 gr of 4227. SD improved somewhat but I am still not there. I intend to try several other magnum primers to see if I am running up against less than steller ignition with 4227.

I look forward to your findings. My SKS ran alright with the heavier bullets but OAL prevented me from using the magazine. I tried to keep the base of the 311041 bullets from going below the neck of the case. Shot the gun as a single shot.

Take Care

Bob
ps Weather here is around 40F with rain and the snow is slowly disapearing in the valley. Spring has got to be getting closer.

[NSP64]

Bob
ps Weather here is around 40F with rain and the snow is slowly disapearing in the valley. Spring has got to be getting closer.

Must be nice!!! In So. ILL. its been in the 30's with snow.

[e15cap]

Well it made it ti 76 here in San Diego!!!!

[robertbank]

You guys are killing me! Well our weather isn't as bad as the mid west and N.E. but that just goes to show you how living up here in the great White North isn't all ice and snow. Right now it is more like rain and sleet with an orange ball in the sky occssionally. Is that what southerners call the sun?

Back to business. Weather here has prevented much testing. Initial trials with 4227 and magnum primers shows some progress with SD/s now in the low 30' and slightly better extreme spreads. Accuracy at 50 yards was about the same. I am going to load up 17 gr of 4227 with two more different magnum primers to see if there really is much difference.

I also will spend some time with WC735 (5% Faster than H335). Downside to this powder is velocity at around 2,000 fps sends brass all over the place and brass for this little lead consumer is not all that common around here.

As an aside I purchased a Monte Carlo stock for the gun and it certainly fits me better. It was a very tight fit so I have high hopes for some improved accuracy. I am retaining the wood stock as it is pristine and the serial number on the stock matches the gun (Important if I ever decide to sell my little smoke generator).

Take Care

Bob
ps To date the gun outshoots my Lee Enfield - due in part to the sights I think and my ineptness as a shooter.

[OBXPilgrim]

Not sure if you've tried it or even want to, but I had pretty good luck with H4895 powder in 7.62x39. I didn't have to worry about OAL too much or cycling the action, with an H&R single shot, and I was using a 311407 - with more than I wanted sticking into the case.

Shot great, got just over 1800 fps, first 3 of 5 touching at 50 yards. Can't wait too play with it some more.

[TAWILDCATT]

just set out the onions and radishes and cabbage.next month at end will put in the squash and rest of crop also the farmer will be puting in the soy beans.two deer just went thru the back yard the Malteze pixie chased them into the woods.
--:coffee:---:coffee:[smilie=1:--:Fire:

[robertbank]

OBXPilgrim: I intend to go there after I sort out the three powders I am using now. Loaded up some rds with 800X today for testing as well. I don't expect much from this powder but you never know.

TAWILDCATT: That is cruel! I'll be thinking of you next July when I am munching down some fresh cherries picked locally but it won't be until July.

Take Care

Bob

[robertbank]

Well I just got back from the range. Here are results using WC735 Surplus powder available via Higginson's.
Brass R-P
Primers WLR
Bullets: Water quenched from mold -Lee 312-155 - GC
OAL 2.151
Sized .313
High Vel - 1951
Low Vel - 1885
Avg Vel - 1912
Ext Sp - 66
SD - 12
Best 10 Shot Group 3"
Best five shot group 1.722"
Best three shot group .56"
Younger eyes would have shot a half inch group with this load. I intend to shot a fair amount of rifle this year so I am off to the optpomitrist to get a prescription that will have my best focus at about 22" - 28". Waiting for a scope which shuld solve most of the problem but I prefer iron sights.
This powder does well in .223 and 30-30 so it is not surprise it is doing well here. Will slug my bore over the weekend and start loading cartridges out to the rifling once I get the chamber measurements. Will also go to neck sizing to preserve brass once I get a spring loaded firing pin up from the states.
If you have trouble getting decent accuracy using the cheap Czech/Chinese ammo in your SKS consider casting for the cartrige. Cheap surplus ammo is ok if it is accurate in your rifle. If not the stuff becomes expensive firecrackers.
I have decided to settle on three loadings for this cartridge:
17 Gr 4227
15 Gr 2400
26 GR WC735
All loaded to OAL of 2.151
Regular Large Rifle Primers to be used.

Take Care
Bob
ps Loaded 11 gr 800X for testing and left them at home. Will test those loads next week. Unique and H4895 are next.