7.62x39 heavy bullet load

[lotech]

For you guys that like to shoot heavy bullets in the 7.62x39...I did extensive work with this about twenty or more years ago using a couple of limited edition Ruger stainless 77 MKII limited edition guns. I used many bullets between about 160 and 215 grains. Still have one of the guns but lost all interest in the cartridge years ago; never could figure out what it was good for. Recently, for some reason, I decided to try the #314299 (ww, sized .311", mould hollow-pointed by Erik Ohlen). I use this bullet in most of my .30 cal. guns because it's easy to work up an accurate load.

Tried this bullet this morning with a few powders at muzzle velocities up to around 1,700 fps. No data available for this bullet in the 7.62x39 that I'm aware of, so I think that's about as fast as I want to go with this bullet. Using a not-so-bright very old Weaver K-4 for group shooting at 100 yards, I got several groups in the 1.25" - 1.5" range, but I think I might be able to improve on that. Bullets were seated to slightly engrave and I used H4895, TAC, 1680, and Reloder7. Surprisingly, at least to me, Reloder 7 loads grouped poorly; H4895 was better, but TAC and 1680 were clearly the winners. No leading that I could see.

Brass was old Remington with small primer pockets and CCI400 primers. I've compared jacketed loads using Remington brass and Winchester brass with large primers. Velocities and points of impact were the same, something I wouldn't have figured on. Whether the two are interchangeable with cast loads, I don't know.

[725]

Keep 'er comin', lotech. I'm very interested in a "heavy" cast for the SKS.

[Larry Gibson]

Might find this interesting;

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?250083-Junior1942-s-7-62x39-SKS-loads-with-LeveRevolution

I can repost any of the attachments here if you're interested.

[lotech]

725: I would have to dig through old notes, but I got started with the 7.62x39 using a couple of SKSs that I bought around 1990 when they were real cheap. Never did like those guns, too crude for me, but they shot cast bullets more accurately than jacketed ones. Offhand, I don't remember which bullets I used in the SKSs, but I know they were a good bit heavier than the standard weights.

Interestingly, when I started working with the Ruger bolt-actions, I quickly found the SKSs would stand heavier loads than the Rugers. At that time, however, there was virtually no data for heavy bullets in the SKS guns and you pretty much had to develop your own.

[nekshot]

Good post. If you try LVR with Larry's loads you will find new love for that dumpy lil case!

[lotech]

No more new powders; too many already. I was hoping to use up a couple of pounds or so of TAC that I really had little use for. Looks like it works fine for cast in the "dumpy lil case".

[Bloodman14]

1.4 to 1.7 cc's of LeveRevolution in my Yugo SKS is the ticket using NOE 316299's; I powder coat some and use 45-45-10 on others. Figure out what works best in YOUR rifle, and have some fun!