Best mold for 7.62x39?

[Dragonheart]

I just received my 358-128 molds from NOE and I am already thinking about my next mold purchase.

Has anybody used the NOE 309-129 mold for 7.62x39 and what do you think? Or any mold recommendations for the 7.62x39 and why? I will be powder coating whatever I end up with.

[Jupiter7]

Lee 312-155, Noe also has Ed Harris designed molds in stock of this bullet.

[GhostHawk]

Depends on what you want to do with it.

Typicaly factory loads run in the 124 grain area with speeds around 2400 fps.

I have 2 rifles in the caliber. The Yugo SKS likes her bullets big, long, and set as long as what will just fit in her magazine. Best success so far is the Lee .312 185 grain gas check design. Over 20-22 grains of IMR 4895 it will shoot exactly to point of aim at 50 yards. Considering that these old eye's don't do iron sights at longer ranges I am very happy with that. I don't have a target I can show you, but it was shooting within an inch at 50.

The other rifle is a single shot Handi rifle. This one has still not made clear exactly what it's preference is. My fault not the riflels. It has showed promise, one time shooting a nice tight group, the next time a shotgun pattern.

The good news is that I now have some tin, so we will try my range of molds again with moderate loads and see what happens.

But I just punch paper, and I am ok if my light loads don't cycle the SKS action.

On the plus side light bullets, and 4-6 grains of Red Dot make a very good paper punching load that is dirt cheap to make. For thos my favorite is a .314 90 grain sized down to .312 or .311. Recoil is almost unoticed, and they would also work well for small critters.

[HARRYMPOPE]

If it a copy of the rcbs 130 my buddy tried it.it fed well but the lee harris bullet shot better.

[Shooter6br]

My SKS slugged at .313 Lees work ok but I use 200 g . 314299 clone (single shot) H322 Data was hard to find. http://www.spokaneguntrader.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16366

[Yodogsandman]

I have the NOE 314-160 Harris designed boolit for my SKS rifle. It shoots well and I like the idea that you can tailor the mold you buy for different throat sizes.

[Dragonheart]

I have the NOE 314-160 Harris designed boolit for my SKS rifle. It shoots well and I like the idea that you can tailor the mold you buy for different throat sizes.

I was originally thinking of a lighter bullet, but I like the looks of the 314-160. I have a Sig 556R that I have not slugged the barrel, but understand the Sig's run closer to 310. If that is the case I might be better off using something closer to 311 since I will be powder coating. I have no idea what the maxium velocity is with powder coat and a GC as I have only coated handgun bullets, but know from those 1300 FPS produces no leading even without the benefit of a GC.

[Yodogsandman]

I've shot the NOE TL313-150 RD with HP to about 1900-2000FPS with ESPC sized .314" with a GC. Powder coating a boolit doesn't relieve you from using a GC.

The Lee 311-155-2R runs smaller and might be a good choice for a tighter throat than mine.

EDIT: Feeding from a semi auto depends on the individual rifle with this NOE bullet. It was designed for use in a bolt action. With my Yugo SKS the first round feeds hard and has to be fiddled in but, continues to feed the full magazine without a hitch after. I've never checked for deformed bullet noses, though.

[nekshot]

I am with Ghosthawk, my guns favor the lee 313-185 over the lee harris molds.

[CHeatermk3]

My only 7,62x39 is a bolt carbine-Zastava M85.

I got one of the NOE CTL-313-150 RF RD (ranch dog mold).

It's a hunting boolit and I highly recommend it.

It is designed to fit the M85 chamber and is supposed to fit the european(CIP)-spec throat.

I'm getting really fine accuracy with this boolit. Cast of 2:1 COWW:Range scrap, water dropped, loaded into fireformed cases over 24.9gn AA2230 chronyed 1840 fps gave me 1" to 1-1/2" groups. This is at 100yds. I just cast, check, T/L twice and then they are ready to load; none have seen a sizing die.

Seated with the GC even with the neck/shoulder junction, it fits my chamber/throat perfectly, and no sign of any leading. Upped the charge to 27.0 2230 and got 2120fps and a bit of leading after 5 rounds but I just chronied this load and have not shot it fo accuracy yet.

No experience with SAAMI spec barrels/throats.

HTH

[Yodogsandman]

FWIW, the NOE TL313-150 RD molds are all on sale, here's the RG 2 cav...

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?products_id=1735

[Dragonheart]

Thanks, the 150 RG looks like a good choice.

[Maven]

Dragonheart, I acquired an unfired, "as issued" Type 56 SKS in late April and have been experimenting with 2 moulds, as well as various propellants & charges ever since. My rifle, however, likes/needs a fatter CB so I went with the NOE 316-160-GC [C.E. Harris] design and couldn't be happier. I size it to .3155", btw. Prior to that, I radically resized a Lee .323GC CB meant for the 8 x 57mm Mau. and got excellent results with it as well, but it was a bit hard on the sizer! (LOL). Here is a pic of a 50 yd, group I got with the NOE CB (unweighed) and 9.5gr. Unique:

[badbob454]

i shot some 314-175 saeco clone gas checked bare unsized @ 179 gr weight .(made by NOE. and 15 gr 4227imr great load drops brass 1-2 feet from my rifle works action 99% of the time if not all ..never had a failure but was a little too close for comfort .i would like it to throw brass a little further so i wont exp a stovepipe jamb .. accuracy was great for no gas check @ 1foot6'' open sited old man eyes @ 400 yds / next jumped up to 16 grains 4227 Imr same boolit 314-175 clone only these were plain base unsized @183 gr. weight , wow power increase accuracy 1 foot @ 400 yards in my sks , this is good enuff for hog hunting .. so 16 gr 4227imr in a 7.62x39 in a russian sks , yugo owners may need another .3-.5 grains to work in theirs' they have a stronger recoil spring roughly same point of aim for the factory 154 gr soft point made by tula @ 400 yds, maybe a couple '' lower

[CHeatermk3]

FWIW, the NOE TL313-150 RD molds are all on sale, here's the RG 2 cav...

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?products_id=1735

OOOH Man, not another one!!!

[leadman]

I use the Lee 312-160-TL sized at .314" in my Norinco SKS with Hi-Tek coating. With a load of H4895 out of a manual I can get 2,400 fps with excellent accuracy.
I bought one of the new Lee 6 cavity for this boolit and cast with it yesterday. I found that it casts .3105" by .3125" with a .305" to .306" nose even with straight lino. I'll call Andy Lee today to see if there is a problem with a run or I may have to lap it out some.

[Dragonheart]

Dragonheart, I acquired an unfired, "as issued" Type 56 SKS in late April and have been experimenting with 2 moulds, as well as various propellants & charges ever since. My rifle, however, likes/needs a fatter CB so I went with the NOE 316-160-GC [C.E. Harris] design and couldn't be happier. I size it to .3155", btw. Prior to that, I radically resized a Lee .323GC CB meant for the 8 x 57mm Mau. and got excellent results with it as well, but it was a bit hard on the sizer! (LOL). Here is a pic of a 50 yd, group I got with the NOE CB (unweighed) and 9.5gr. Unique:

From the accuracy reported by most AK owners that is an impressive target. I suspect there is an accuracy sweet spot in most of these rifles it is just a matter of finding it.

[Maven]

Dragonheart, That target was from my SKS and fired in late May. I have better targets, even with the heavily resized Lee .323" CB, I just haven't photographed them. Btw, I used to make dummy rounds with both the NOE & Lee CB's, and let the action close on them to establish OAL. While that works, seating both CB's to the crimp groove, 2.125" for the NOE CB gave even better accuracy and 0 feeding problems. Here's a pic of the Lee (left side) & NOE CB's:

[Motor]

I use the Lee 312-160-TL sized at .314" in my Norinco SKS with Hi-Tek coating. With a load of H4895 out of a manual I can get 2,400 fps with excellent accuracy.
I bought one of the new Lee 6 cavity for this boolit and cast with it yesterday. I found that it casts .3105" by .3125" with a .305" to .306" nose even with straight lino. I'll call Andy Lee today to see if there is a problem with a run or I may have to lap it out some.

My 2 latest Lee moulds drop undersized boolits. All my older one drop big. I'll take big over under any day.I too would like to know what's up with that.

Motor

[Dragonheart]

I don't use Lee molds anymore except for buckshot, because there was too much variation between the cavities. I like to shoot, but I shot in competition for many years, so reasonable accuracy is what I expect. I am too old and have shot too much to get excited hearing it go bang. I want to know that if it's off, it's me, not the gun or ammo.

[DocSavage]

I use the Noe 312 129 mold,fire them out of a CZ 527 and Ruger M77 MK II and get decent accuracy at 50 and 100 yards. Bought the mold so I can shoot 7.62x39 without going broke.

[Dragonheart]

Doc I agree, the whole purpose of buying a lot of the inexpensive rifles was to be able to use cheap ammo, not because they were great rifles. Now there are better quality firearms available in this caliber, but the ammo is not cheap anymore.

[lcclower]

I use the Noe 312 129 mold,fire them out of a CZ 527 and Ruger M77 MK II and get decent accuracy at 50 and 100 yards. Bought the mold so I can shoot 7.62x39 without going broke.

CZ527. NOE 312-129 mold. Have a .3015 push through which turns those little spitzers into bore riding bullets and I intend to paper patch them up to .312. Need Unique or 2400 starting loads. Anyone?

[Bigslug]

Dragon,

Not a 7.62x39 reloader, but have played with the NOE/Ranch Dog ".30 Cal Short Neck" .308 Win bullet, which evolved out of the same project the lighter 7.62x39 mold came from. Mike likes the 7.62x39 a lot and really did his homework on the geometry for that, the .308, and the .300 Sav versions. Assuming your gun feeds the big meplat (which hits like a bus, BTW:mrgreen:), I wouldn't hesitate to try it.

NOE also has the HTC310-135 and HTC312-137 powder coat designs that are more spitzer-shaped and probably better mate with the feed geometry of certain guns.

[Dragonheart]

Since my origin post was 3 years ago I have had a little time to work on accuracy at distance (100 yards +) with full power rifle loads. One thing I have found is the spitzer designs looks great and is preferred for a jacketed bullet, but for cast bullets it is a poor choice if you want accuracy past 50 yards.

[Larry Gibson]

"One thing I have found is the spitzer designs looks great and is preferred for a jacketed bullet, but for cast bullets it is a poor choice if you want accuracy past 50 yards."

A lesson we have all learned at one time or another......

[Intel6]

I also shoot a CZ 527 and while I do like the NOE 129 SP mould I have been shooting a lot of the NOE 150 gr. Ranch Dog bullet in my CZ. Great shooter and has a bit more weight which I prefer.

227151

[LWSTARKS]

The molds I like for 7.62x39 are 311410 or 311359. These were both for the M1 carbine, but man I can shoot them in either the SKS or the AK. I know it seems that the thinking is heavy slugs but the 311410 casts with wheel weights around 133-4gr. It is a plain based bullet. The other one is a pointed little bullet that uses a gas check and is supposed to be 118gr I think but I seem to get around 120, 121 grains. Between the two, I prefer the 311359. I've got it in a 4 cavity lyman mold that once it is warmed up, just cranks them out. Use that with some 1680, and watch out little bunny rabbits.

[RED BEAR]

the lee 155 gr works great for me in several different guns .