Anyone hunting with a 7.62x39 and a cast boolit?

[Vann]

Just curious as to what mold you prefer for deer hunting with a 7.62x39. I have a 15" Encore barrel that I've been hunting with the last couple of years and was thinking about trying cast out of it. I have a Lyman 31141 that I'm sure will work but I'm considering the 150 grain Lee flat nose mold.

Any thoughts?

Vann

[OnHoPr]

Well the gun should get a 150 gr cast up into the 1800 to 1900 fps range. Just for the heck of it what is the twist on the barrel? You would have less case capacity so fast powders are really your only option. Just my opinion you would need a boolit that is tough in the shank, but still soft in the nose for expansion unless a larger metplat was the determining factor of effectiveness. Maybe a BruceB concept for the boolit.

[richhodg66]

NOE recently made a version of the famous Ranchdog bullet designed for the short neck of the .300 Savage. I bought one but haven't tried it yet. Seems like it may be good.

I have a Mini Mauser in 7.62x39 and it has a long throat, I can seat long bullets way out which should help. I need to work with that rifle more.

[Vann]

My barrel is from T/C custom shop with either a 1-10 or a 1-91/2 twist not sure so I'll need to double check and .308 bore.

I have data for up to a 160 grain cast or up to 150 grain jacketed, the cast is running around 1900 out of a 20" barrel. Being that this is an Encore with a full 1 inch diameter bull barrel I'm pretty sure I should be able to reach 1900 to 2000 with IMR 4227 and a 150 great boolit safety.

I'm really looking at the Lee c309 150 the only other molds I have now are a 311359 which I don't think will do for deer or a 311284 which will be to heavy

[richhodg66]

With that twist, the 311284 is not too heavy, though you may have trouble seating it to chamber without seating very deeply.

[Wolfer]

I've shot several deer and coyotes with the 311041 between 1700 and 1800 fps. Soft alloy bhn of about 10.

I consider terminal performance to be excellent. Most of my deer are shot inside of 100 yds with a big majority inside 50 yds.

[Larry Gibson]

Try; http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?250083-Junior1942-s-7-62x39-SKS-loads-with-LeveRevolution and http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?250157-7-62x39-GB-C314-041-LeveRevolution.

I have shot quite a few deer with the 311041 cast bullet and it is an excellent performer. I would expect the RCBS bullet to be excellent also. If you want to see the attachments in the threads it will have to wait until after the 12th, sorry.

Larry Gibson

[GhostHawk]

I am not currently, but I have a Yugo SKS that loves the big .312 185 gr gas checked lee bullets. At 50y they shoot exactly to point of aim of original iron sights.

[runfiverun]

before I decided on a boolit I would 'see' what my throat looked like.
the LEE 150 or the 160 by NOE would certainly do the job.
whether they will slip fit in the case neck and throat area straight and smooth is the question.

[Dr. A]

Couple of years ago my son and I shot a buck and a doe with the NOE 314-155. The casting had a soft lead nose and was going over 2300fps at the muzzle with H322. This is accurate in my gun and was max for a 150gr. jacketed bullet. Both animals did not make it far and tracking was not necessary. The buck was shot at 175 yards. The bullet does not look like a hunting bullet, but did very well with a soft nose. At jacketed velocities, the expansion was good, though it was shed, the rest of the hard shank passed all the way through.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?222148-Sons-Buck-with-Cast

[CHeatermk3]

I'm shooting NOE ctl313-150 ranch dog over 24gn H322--very accurate in my M85 Zastava carbine.

I shot this combination at 100yds in our last CBA match--100 rounds alloy 2WW:1range lead--just about zero leading.

Ought to be deadly on our Blacktail deer here in the thick stuff where 80 yds is a long shot.

Still need to chrony this load...

[OnHoPr]

Yea, your chamber dimensions would definitely come into play. With the 15" barrel I am not sure if powders slower than something like 4895 to 4064 would help in the speed department for the case capacity. They would help for the gentle push if you kept your boolit soft. If you went with a tough shank section and a softer point with powders in the Rel 7, Rel 10x, to 2460 range you might be able to get good speed and decent expansion pass the hundred mark with the rib shot. That Lee has a bit of metplat along with 4 bands (with GC) to help with the pressure. You would have to contend with the shorter boolit with the possibel 1 in 9.5 twist. Sounds like an interesting cast boolit endeavor.

[GooseGestapo]

I shot a lot of cast through my SKS's back in the '90's. Mostly the Lee Pt'd 155gr .311 ptgc.
Mostly used 4198 and H322, but also AA1680.
From the Contender, I can't imagine a better bullet than the Lee 150gr .311" FNGC. At 1,800-2,000fps, It's very close to .30/30 performance.

[Vann]

Thanks, for the ideas guys. I finally got together enough brass to start loading for this barrel, now I'm waiting on dies. I'm going to try my 31141, and see how it loads when they get here.

I've shot crow's out to 200 with it but limit my shots on deer to around 100 so a cast bullet should be ideal for most of my hunting.

After I get through with this project I gotta order some 35 Rem brass from Gumpa and try cast out of my XP100.

To many guns and not enough time.

Thanks,
Vann

[HANDYMAN]

I have a 12" barrel in that caliber and my best results are from magnum Pistol powders 296, lil gun, 2400. Look up 30 Herret loading data and you should be in the ball park.

[MT Gianni]

I have a Handi Rifle in 7.62 and it does good work with the 311466 @ 152 gr. A flat nose 150 should work well but my 311440 is too wide a nose to chamber.

[GooseGestapo]

When you get started with the .35Rem, get the new Lee .358" 200gr FNGC. I have the RCBS 200gr FNGC. I couldn't be happier! It casts to 220gr. I did have to lap it out a tad, as I'm shooting it from a Marlin w/microgroove barrel.
it shoots marvelous over 39.0gr of BLC2 for 2,050fps. 1 for 1 on deer.
I plan on getting one of the Lee and hollow point one cavity. Only $20 if I botch it...

[IronHammer1964]

I am not currently, but I have a Yugo SKS that loves the big .312 185 gr gas checked lee bullets. At 50y they shoot exactly to point of aim of original iron sights.

What powder and load are you utilizing. Does the action cycle or is the gas shut off?

Mike

[GhostHawk]

For those I use 20-22 grains of IMR 4895, and yes they cycle the action just fine.

Lately I have gone off on a Red Dot Kick and I am shooting those in a Handi Rifle Barrel for 7.62x39, no action to cycle so I can slow them down a bit and save penny's.

I tell them apart by putting a red nail polish dot on the primer for all Red Dot recipes.

I found those by walking down the ladder from 22 grains and stopped at 20. No feed or eject issues, brass flys, and the bullets go where I point them. Those were cast of range scrap. I am adding some tin now for a little better and slightly harder bullet. Still soft enough to mushroom.

In my opinion it all comes down to finding what works for your rifle. If in doubt increase size, then try different lube, then a harder alloy. I'm on a tight budget so I work hard at keeping costs down. Lower charges and slower are easier on boolits, and with the heavier bullet you still get good results downrange.

Might not work for anyone else