Light-ish Loads for 7.62x25

[35 Whelen]

I just bought my first Tokarev, a Chinese Type 54. It came from AimSurplus graded "X", but is in almost mint (probably refinished) condition.

https://i.imgur.com/wFu47ICl.jpg

I have between 300-400 jacketed bullets in the 90-100 gr. range and finding normal loads for them is no problem.

But I have quite a bunch of the Hornady 90 gr. SWC's I'd like to shoot. Does anyone know a load with Bullseye or something similar that would keep the velocities low enough to keep leading to a minimum, yet cycle the action?

Thanks!

35W

[Outpost75]

I'd start at 4.5 grains of Bullseye and see if that cycles. It does not in my 1953 Polish pistol, but your recoil spring may be more tired than mine.

[Tokarev]

When I started from 5.0 and went up to 5.2 grains of HS6, the TT did not work reliably.
5.0 did not extract well.
5.2 did not eject well.
5.4 made it cycle. My 2c.
I used Lee TL356-124-TC bullets.
Initially I made a mistake of tumble-lubing them but soon realized that liquid allox gums up the action. Then I moved on to apply it by my fingertip to the lube groves only, and that made a world of difference.

[bearbud]

I don’t have experience with the Hornady bullet you mentioned. But, I do shoot extensively with the Lee 311-100-2R sized at 0.311” at COL of 1.33”. The loads I use most are: 5.0g Bullseye (1190fps), 5.4g Unique (1245fps) and 5.4g Universal (1240fps). All three are mild and operate my Chinese Type M54 TU90 flawlessly and shoot without leading. I do have a second barrel (Romanian) for this gun that is chambered and throated more generously and I get the same velocities as above just with the same Lee bullet sized at 0.314”.

[TankerDon]

I was out working with my Tok's yesterday. For 90g boolets I use these, https://www.snscasting.com/32-90-grain-round-nose-flat-point-red-coated-500ct/, run thru a .310 sizer. 5g of HP38, and 6.4g 0f Acc. #5 will function my Type 54 and Polish wz.48. That might be a little fast for an uncoated slug. Maybe Wolff would make you a lighter recoil spring.

291534

[35 Whelen]

I tried IMR Target, which is pretty much a clone of Bullseye, to the tune of 4.3 grs. with the Hornady 90 gr. swaged lead SWC's sized to .312" and loaded to 1.320". The load averaged 1148 fps, showed no leading and grouped 2" - 3" offhand at 25 yds. The load cycled the pistol fine and brass landed 6' or so right and behind me. I may drop back to 4.0 gr. and see if cycling is still good.

35W

[Kosh75287]

I'm sorry, are we just trying to use up a batch of .311" projectiles that are too soft to push fast? They sound like the perfect projectile for an ultra-slow .32 ACP or plinking-speed .32 S&W Long. Perhaps a trade would be possible?
Running them through a TT-33 just seems like putting little tiny clown-car tires on a 200 m.p.h. Lamborghini.

[TankerDon]

I'm sorry, are we just trying to use up a batch of .311" projectiles that are too soft to push fast? They sound like the perfect projectile for an ultra-slow .32 ACP or plinking-speed .32 S&W Long. Perhaps a trade would be possible?
Running them through a TT-33 just seems like putting little tiny clown-car tires on a 200 m.p.h. Lamborghini.

Or maybe just looking for advice on using what you have on hand is a bad thing?

[35 Whelen]

I'm sorry, are we just trying to use up a batch of .311" projectiles that are too soft to push fast? They sound like the perfect projectile for an ultra-slow .32 ACP or plinking-speed .32 S&W Long. Perhaps a trade would be possible?
Running them through a TT-33 just seems like putting little tiny clown-car tires on a 200 m.p.h. Lamborghini.

If they don't lead the bore of the pistol in question at the velocity mentioned, then they're not too soft, correct? And since I see no need in using difficult to obtain jacketed bullets for plinking and target practice, the Hornady bullets in question work out perfectly.

35W