7.62x39 reload or not

[redriverhunter]

I have an ak47 and have never reloaded for it, and now I am considering it. I am thing about reloading for it because then I could load something like Hornady's sst. My question is there any true gain in doing so.

[BigAlofPa.]

I would say you will gain the same benefits as loading any other round. You can find what the gun likes best. Save some per round. The enjoyment of developing the load it likes best.

[one-eyed fat man]

Reloading is a rewarding pastime, and many folks revel in the quest for developing the "best" load for their rifle. The AK is a bullet hose. Most any steel case Combloc surplus blasting ammo is likely to deliver accuracy virtually equal to cartridges lovingly assembled from bullets, brass, and powder charges all weighed to the tenth grain.

7.62 x 39 loaded with a high performance hunting bullet would make a lot more sense in a CZ- 527 or Ruger Ranch Rifle.

[Wag]

Reloading is a rewarding pastime, and many folks revel in the quest for developing the "best" load for their rifle. The AK is a bullet hose. Most any steel case Combloc surplus blasting ammo is likely to deliver accuracy virtually equal to cartridges lovingly assembled from bullets, brass, and powder charges all weighed to the tenth grain.

7.62 x 39 loaded with a high performance hunting bullet would make a lot more sense in a CZ- 527 or Ruger Ranch Rifle.

This.

--Wag--

[Kraschenbirn]

Reloading is a rewarding pastime, and many folks revel in the quest for developing the "best" load for their rifle. The AK is a bullet hose. Most any steel case Combloc surplus blasting ammo is likely to deliver accuracy virtually equal to cartridges lovingly assembled from bullets, brass, and powder charges all weighed to the tenth grain.

7.62 x 39 loaded with a high performance hunting bullet would make a lot more sense in a CZ- 527 or Ruger Ranch Rifle.

'nother +1 here!

Also consider that, shooting outdoors, retrieving your empties will be a real PITA. I've had a Chinese Type 56 (AK-clone) and a couple of Russian SKS and all would launch brass somewhere in the general direction of the next time zone (EST) which, also, tended to somewhat 'perturb' shooters at the stations on my right.

Bill

[edp2k]

The AK is a bullet hose.
Myth, plenty of AKs have excellent accuracy when fed quality ammo.


Most any steel case Combloc surplus blasting ammo is likely to deliver accuracy virtually equal to cartridges lovingly assembled from bullets, brass, and powder charges all weighed to the tenth grain.

Another myth.

https://www.recoilweb.com/7-62x39-ammo-test-101531.html
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=333183

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Your gun. You'll never know until you try. Go for it. I loaded up some custom ammo for an SKS and got excellent results.

[Jniedbalski]

My sks really likes my loads. I use to buy the russsn steel core ammo late 80’s early 90’s . If I still could get it I would not bother to load for it. That stuff was accurate. But the steel case stuff you get now is not that accurate. My loads and my sks are a lot better and I can make up good soft points for hunting .

[one-eyed fat man]

Myth, plenty of AKs have excellent accuracy when fed quality ammo.

Isn't that article that uses a CZ 527 with a 40 power scope to evaluate the ammunition? The best steel case ammo averaged roughly 2 MOA?

The Russian military acceptance standard is roughly 5 MOA radius (15 cm at 100 meters.) In my experience, the typical SKS would consistently do about half that. It was an exceptional AK that could.

[Gtek]

I have a Ruger 77 that I have a loading for and it really shoots well. The blasters get blaster ammo, between the actions, triggers, stuff hanging off barrels, you know. Some of us are driven by the challenge and the lure to overcome obstacles, pick your poison and enjoy!

[Peregrine]

The answer to this in my mind depends in large part on how much brass you have lying around, and how much free time you have. No one on the internet can make judgement about the latter for you.



Myth, plenty of AKs have excellent accuracy when fed quality ammo.

How do you define excellent and what results have you been able to coax out of an AK? You can omit Valmets in this discussion as while excellent they're fringe cases and I doubt the OP is running one.

As an aside I can't help but notice that fat man's comment was entirely in the context of the AK, yet all of the links you provided to refute him presented results based on the CZ 527. I'm virtually certain that his comment that combloc surplus is equal to handloads in potential accuracy wasn't meant to be broadly applied to all platforms.

[RED BEAR]

I reload the 7.62x39 but i cast my own bullets for it and use surplus powder under $10 pound so i can save over the cheapest ammo if you are comparing reloads to quality ammo then yes you can save and load comparable ammo if not better . But if you are looking at the cheap wolf ammo then using jackted bullets you wouldn't save anything. I reload for everything i shoot except 22 lr.

[redriverhunter]

I may not have explained my question well enough. A present I have some I think 150 gn soft nose and 124 gn sp factory ammo Russian I think wolfe. I don't know if the 7.62 x 39 round would benefit if I would load up some with a Hornady SST for hunting pigs and maybe deer.

[Peregrine]

I mean you could just buy loaded Hornady SST Steel case stuff, it's not particularly expensive especially in the context of hunting applications. Try a box and see how you and the rifle like it.
I'd think it would make a lot more sense to load yourself if you already had the brass and wanted a project to try to see what the limits of what an AK can do are.

For shooting pigs just go buy a few boxes hornady loaded. By time time you buy the SST's, brass, and dies (I presume you don't have any or else you probably would have just loaded a few up without asking) the savings aren't there and the amount of extra accuracy you'll be able to wring out of an AK are going to be very marginal.

[BigAlofPa.]

While not an sks my mosin loves russian ammo. And they say there not tack drivers? 50 yards with the irons. One flyer though.
239043

[RED BEAR]

Hey they were the most successful snipers of ww2 and almost all used the mosin. Russian marksmen used to compete with it i have always thought they were very accurate.

[WinchesterM1]

I have a AK I built that is an honest 1.2 MOA rifle and I have an AK that is minute of barn

My Ruger ranch rifle will hit a 2” plate at 400 yards in 7.62x39

[GhostHawk]

Even my Yugo SKS got a lot more accurate and tighter groups with some good loads.

I pulled 20 tulammo rounds apart once and was appalled at the variance in weight on both bullets, and powder charges. I am talking 3.6 grains difference between lightest and heaviest powder charge. Its no wonder they shoot all over the place.

Personally I like the Lee .312 185 gc over 20 grains of IMR 4895. Cycles the action perfectly, hits where it is aimed. With large enough cast boolits, BLL for lube and gas checks I had no issues with leading.

With boolits too small and no gas checks that thing leaded up to where you could hardly see rifling.

I see no reason not to load for it.

[BigAlofPa.]

Im still working on finding the right hand load for the old mosin. I'll nail it yet. I have them good enough for hunting now. So getting there. Going to run more grouping checks out to 100 yards with a bigger bullseye though. If that goes well im going to scope it. Side mount like the sniper version has.

[edp2k]

Isn't that article that uses a CZ 527 with a 40 power scope to evaluate the ammunition?

Absolutely, are you going to claim that the scope somehow increased the inherent accuracy of the ammo tested?

Yes it happened to be a CZ bolt gun, do you have a similar test with AKs which shows factory ammo shoots poorly?

Are you claiming that "everybody knows" that bolt guns always shoot better that semis,
because of course a savage bolt gun in 223 always shoots better than a AR15 in 223, right? (sarcasm :) )


The best steel case ammo averaged roughly 2 MOA?

Test was at 100 meters (109 yards), best steel case did 1.342 inches, best rusky steel case did 1.473 inches.
Not bad at 25 cents a pop for the rusky.

By all means, don't buy any rusky ammo, more for everyone else :)

[james23]

For a cheap hunting round I have been pulling the FMJ bullet and replacing it with a hornandy SP. As others said the semi auto's really spit the brass all over. 25 years ago I had bought a bunch of Midway stamped brass to load in a SKS but gave up after spending so much time looking for spent casings. This brass I now use in my Ruger bolt in 7.62 x 39.

[edp2k]

You can omit Valmets in this discussion as while excellent they're fringe cases and I doubt the OP is running one.

What other high quality AKs do you want to arbitrarily exclude?

[one-eyed fat man]

What other high quality AKs do you want to arbitrarily exclude?

That's my problem. Almost all the AKs I have shot were "real" ones, that is standard military issue guns. Never found that secret stash of National Match AKs

[Peregrine]

What other high quality AKs do you want to arbitrarily exclude?

Convenient dodge to the meat of my inquiry. Omit none then.

But if you have any integrity don't stay too far from those representative of the majority of the type.




Are you claiming that "everybody knows" that bolt guns always shoot better that semis,
because of course a savage bolt gun in 223 always shoots better than a AR15 in 223

I'm pretty comfortable with the theory that dollar for dollar the savage will give you the best accuracy. Of course if you want to compare a $400 axis to a high end AR I'll cry fowl but compare that same axis to a PSA special for the same price? You claiming a $400 budget AR build is likely to outshot a savage?


I really don't understand your line of reasoning are you seriously trying to deny that bolt guns are not more inharently accurate than semi autos because of their mechanical simplicity?

That's besides the point though, AR's are indeed exceptionally accurate and I respect the heck out of the design but what happened to talking about the AK? You're straying without substantiating your previous points.

[Multigunner]

I doubt I'll re load for my AK. Not really interested in shooting with it for that matter. It is a bequest from a deceased relative.
Practically new condition, I've fired less than twenty rounds through it. Only keep it for sentimental value.

That said something you must always consider when reloading for any auto loader is neck tension and crimp, both as heavy as possible.
Among the ammo that came with the rifle I found one Remington cartridge with the bullet shoved deep in the case from a jam. Other Remington cases showed weak neck tension. You can twist the bullet by hand.
Firing a cartridge which has the bullet pushed deep in the case causes excessive pressure and is known to damage guns.

[bmortell]

I been trying handloads in a budget ar, everything from varmint grenades to berger flat base targets to 69gr match, getting 1.5 to 2+ MOA on all with 9x scope. certainly would be better as a savage bolt for target work.

for "cheap" semis I think its kinda pointless to make general purpose blasting ammo, unless you really like sitting at the bench for a while or gotta save a buck.
me id say buy 500 cheap bulk ammo for blasting then handload 50 ballistic tips if you also want to hunt with it sometimes, just as an example.

if I had an expensive semi that is capable of good accuracy and mainly for bench or hunting then I wouldn't mind making all of its food.

the ak I had was like 300 bucks, I scoped it once and shot 100yds and got like 10MOA so you couldn't pay me enough to sit there and make 100s of bullets for it

[Went2kck]

I bought a Howa in 7.62x39 bolt gun. I got really tired of chasing brass. Still working up a load for it. It is a fun light gun to shoot to.

[nekshot]

I have a sks, a mauser bolt action, a carcano and a ar in x39. yup, reloading can improve performance. For me its reloads, especially fat heavy cast and LVR powder. Works for me.

[Texas by God]

A few more parts and I'll have an AR in 7.62x39. You bet I'm going to load for it to see its potential. I'll use a brass catcher for bench work. I'll shoot a lot of $3.75/20 tula too[emoji16]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Earlwb]

Actually quite a few people reload for the 7.62x39 cartridge. Many reloaders find it fun as a hobby too. Yes like you stated you can use better hunting bullets with it too.

[sparky45]

I have a single shot H&R that I had re-bored to 7.62 x 39 and I reload ALL my brass.

[RED BEAR]

I have a ak( cheap Chinese) a sks and a mini 30 all shoot pretty good ( better than i do ). And yes chasing brass can be a pain but boy they are a blast. For deer or pigs i would think a 155/160 grain lead at in the neighborhood of 2000 fps might be the ticket. I don't hunt so this is just a thought.

[edp2k]

But if you have any integrity don't stay too far from those representative of the majority of the type.

Nice try, won't take the bait :)

[Peregrine]

Nice try, won't take the bait :)

"I won't substantiate my assertions because I am unable to defend them."


Is it really bait that I politely asked that if you're talking about the inherent accuracy of AK's as a whole I asked you to throw out a single outlier? Or was that all you planned to do, cherry pick niche examples and state they are representative of the whole?

I brought up several other points and you have addressed exactly none of them.

[fgd135]

While not an sks my mosin loves russian ammo. And they say there not tack drivers? 50 yards with the irons. One flyer though.
239043

In my experience, surplus Soviet and Russian 7.62x54r, the MN caliber, can be pretty accurate in certain rifles.
However, my experience with 7.62x39, the AK/SKS caliber, with Russian made ammo has been quite the opposite, really poor accuracy, in several different SKS rifles, esp. shooting Tula and Barnaul commercially packaged FMJ.
Otoh, Lapua Finn surplus, and Yugo brass cased surplus 7.62x39 is accurate as well as the old pre-Clinton ban Chinese Army surplus.

I've never reloaded for 7.62x39, but have collected boxer brass cases over the years that were left by other shooters at the club; I must have over 500 by now, and have a die set, too, so one of these days I'll try reloading that caliber, was thinking to use the gas block cutoff on my Yugo SKS and operate the rifle as a single shot with the reloads, not only for accuracy but to easily retrieve the cases.

[GhostHawk]

fgd135 I have done that very thing with my Yugo SKS and Red Dot loads.

4.6 grains below a .312 185 gr gas checked bullet shoots very very well indeed.
Also same below the .314 90 gr tl truncated cone.

Nothing in the world wrong with a straight pull bolt at the shooting bench. Puts brass right where you want it.

[Alan in GA]

I enjoyed loading 7.63x39 for a couple rifles, one a Chinese SKS. It was surprisingly accurate, getting right at 1 moa. When loading expensive brass such as Lapua I would remove the op/gas rod and use it bolt action style. Also loaded hunting rounds by pulling FMJ bullets from military rounds, seat good game bullets and crimp them in place with a LeeFactory Crimp die. No need to find the fired steel empties in the weeds.

[BigAlofPa.]

fgd135 the tula mine likes. Bummers the SKS don't do well with Russian ammo. I hope to develop my own loads that shoot as well. I have some ready to go. Speer 150 grain .311 loaded with IMR 4895 at 44 grains. The tula bullets mic at .310. I had less stelar results with PPU 150 grain ammo that mic'd at .312. My bore slugs at .311.

[LabGuy]

Right now I’m playing with 9mm and boolits. Is it worth my time, no. But when the next shortage comes along, I’m set.

[turtlezx]

bigalof 44 grs in the sks???? 4895

[BigAlofPa.]

bigalof 44 grs in the sks???? 4895


Oh no in the 7.62x54r. Sorry for any confusion. On a side note i saw someone shooting a sks today. Impressive.

[richhodg66]

Never shot an AK, but years ago working with cast and jacketed in an SKS, I was surprised by just how accurate those little rifles are. Way better than it had any right to be.I think it definitely can benefit from reloading for it.

[Texas by God]

Long ago and far away I developed a load for my first SKS featuring the Remington Corelokt .310" 180 gr RN(.303 British) bullet. I was impressed with the accuracy too.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Baltimoreed]

Do you shoot enough to ever amortize your equipment cost? This is what I ask hunters who are not shooters and ask me if they should reload. Reloading isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. If you shoot just enough to sight in your scope/rifle and hunt or plink a little then buy blaster ammo but if you’re shooting every weekend or competing break down and find some used equipment and new components. Find a buddy who reloads and see what’s involved. Good luck, have fun and be safe.

[Dragonheart]

Myth, plenty of AKs have excellent accuracy when fed quality ammo.



Another myth.

https://www.recoilweb.com/7-62x39-ammo-test-101531.html
http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=333183

Ditto what edp2k said. Powder coated cast shoot very well in an AK out to 50 yards. The problem with full power at longer ranges is not the rifle, but the lopsided cast bullets.

[pworley1]

Why not try it?

[Life Member]

It would be way more accurate. But not cheaper.

[truckjohn]

A couple issues with reloading for AK's....

1. Brass. Where are you going to get brass? What are you going to do to catch your precious prepped brass when the AK ejects it 30' off into the bushes?

2. Limitations of the platform. The short sight radius and wobbly-jobbly scope mounts aren't exactly conducive to accuracy. It also has a very heavy operating system and roomy chamber - to ensure reliability under poor field conditions....

3. Lack of really good reloading data. For example - for the 308, 30-06, and 223 - USGI Military match load info really sets the bar in terms of reliable accuracy in a fairly easy to assemble load. This info simply isn't available in the USA for Russian guns. For example - we don't have any info about Russian 7.62x54r competition or sniper ammo except for what a few people have measured from pulling down ammo, weighing components, and running it over a chrono.

4. Volume. AK's make it really easy to burn a big pile of ammo fairly quickly. Reloading said volume of ammo is a chore. You simply can't beat the price and convenience of ordering a brick of cheap Russian ammo to blaze away with.

5. Clogging the gas system. Lead bullets have a reputation of clogging the gas system. Some of this can be traced to poor choice of location for the gas port hole in the middle of a rifling land. Some is simply the reality of lead bullets.

If you want to do it - I recommend a 7.62x39 bolt action like a CZ 527 or a Ruger. Work up loads and then reload. It solves problems 1, 2, 4, and 5 pretty quickly. You most likely won't be shooting up 500 rounds in a go... No gas system to worry about. Work up a good cast boolit load and off you go.

[Zingger]

Reloading is a rewarding pastime, and many folks revel in the quest for developing the "best" load for their rifle. The AK is a bullet hose. Most any steel case Combloc surplus blasting ammo is likely to deliver accuracy virtually equal to cartridges lovingly assembled from bullets, brass, and powder charges all weighed to the tenth grain.

7.62 x 39 loaded with a high performance hunting bullet would make a lot more sense in a CZ- 527 or Ruger Ranch Rifle.


Another for the 527 and reloads. Mine doesn't care if it is a 308 bore or the .310, shoots them both amazing with some 1680. Blast away with the steel case stuff, then prep some loads for coyotes up!

[Tracy]

Reload and cast too, for my SKS.

[edp2k]

> 1. Brass. Where are you going to get brass?
Really?
> 3. Lack of really good reloading data.
Really?
> 5. Clogging the gas system.
Really?

Nothing like perpetuating History channel myths.
Have you even read anything on this site?

[yeahbub]

I once owned a Chinese AK and what accuracy I was able to wring from that particular one was dinner plate sized groups at 100 yards with mil spec ammo. Not all of them are the same, though, and I figure any rifle is worth a good going over to see what it can do. No harm in putting it on a bench and trying different types of ammo. Maybe you'll hit on something it likes, preferably of the steel case ammo so retrieval isn't an issue. The commentary about pulling factory bullets and replacing them with something more fitting to the task you intend is an option. Keep in mind that 7.62x39 barrels have the same twist as the 7.62x54R barrels which was intended for a heavier, longer 180gr bullet which generally is pretty fast for that stubby factory 123gr, but surprises do happen and some rifles do well with them. In developing loads for an SKS, it was helpful to choose a bullet weight more appropriate to the rifling twist but light enough that the x39 could still get hunting velocities and expansion. This led me to the 150gr soft points designed for the .30-30, with jackets thin enough that they'll obturate up to full groove depth with a stout book load of AA 2015. Accuracy was on the order of 1-1.5 minutes of angle. Not sure what the velocities were, but bullets recovered from the turf showed classic expansion.

A note for SKS shooters who want to save their boxer cases from being flung into the next county; I dismount the gas tube, drop out the piston and use the stem to stuff 1/2 paper towel into the tube, jamming it tightly down in there to behind the vent holes, reassemble and voila, a straight-pull bolt action. Don't forget to put the piston away in a secure place - you neednt' ask why I mention it. When you're finished shooting, dismount the tube and use the piston stem to push out the paper towel from the breech end of the gas tube, replace the piston/tube and reassemble. Some people just remove the piston and shoot, but this allows a lot of carbon build-up in the rear small diameter portion of the gas tube which is another cleaning job easily avoided.

[WinchesterM1]

241492

That’s what one of my WASR10/63s does at 100 with Surplus Barnal

[Wis Tom]

I have plenty of 7.62x39 brass, and reload for my SKS's and the Mosin. I have a post next to my bench, so I found one of those golf chipping round nets, at a garage sale, and installed a wood clamp on it. Very easy, every time I shoot, I clamp the net to the post, set up on the bench, and all my brass goes into the big net, no more looking for brass. Always searching for an easy way.