SKS 180gr cast load ???

[wesson357]

Hi,
I'll start to reload 7.62x39 for my SKS.
I slugged the bore at .313.
My 160gr mold is not large enough but, my 180gr is a perfect size but, can't find data...

Do you have data for a 180gr cast bullet??? I have RED DOT, 5744, H335 in hand.
Thanks
Mat

[725]

I seem to remember a jr1942 thread on this subject. I'll try and fish around to find it.

Did a search for "Junior1942" on this site and it finally located a really good research effort by Larry Gibson that is right up your alley. Too long to give your the Reader's Digest version. Use the search function and type in "Junior1942 SKS"to find it.

[wesson357]

Thanks, I'll take a look!

[pipehand]

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/sks4.htm
Here's the link to Junior's article.

[725]

Thanks, pipehand & wesson357, been awhile since I've read Junior's stuff. He was different, but a real treasure to our site. I miss his writings.

[wesson357]

I've read somewhere 5744 powder can be used in almost any cartridge at 40%min 48%max (case filled to bullet base =100%) with cast bullets.
Someone had tried that with a 180gr?

Just found this site. Very usefull infos!

https://www.ammoland.com/2017/07/accurate-5744-powder-review-accurate-arms/#axzz7xaLYDHa2

[deces]

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/sks4.htm
Here's the link to Junior's article.

That is one heavy pill, good grief.

[barnetmill]

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/sks4.htm
Here's the link to Junior's article.

Thanks I downloaded all four articles and made myself a PDF. Some of this might work for other rifles chambered in 7.62x39 as guide for at least starting loads.

[Bloodman14]

I have mentioned that Junior's work as posted on this site should be made a 'sticky'; still waiting.:sad:

[725]

I'm with you bloodman14. I enjoyed bantering with Junior and love his articles. I even bought some of the stuff from him little side business.

[Bloodman14]

Indeed, he was a treasure! I have printed off the articles mentioned in this thread; info too good to be lost. RIP Junior Doughty.:drinks:

[GhostHawk]

I too have run the lee 185 gr gas check in the SKS.

I was using IMR 4895 and I figured "Ok, I'm increasing payload by a third, so lets decrease powder charge by a third."

Seemed to work, no issues, no leading, no problems of any kind. And my groups tightened up considerably.

It was the only gun/load that could consistently tip over my target steel frame. Took 2 shots, when the steel reached the farthest point on the back swing, fire one more and FLOP it would go down. Being cast they did not penetrate the steel like Jacketed would. But they did knock the paint off the back side where they hit.

[GhostHawk]

Bloodman sorry but I disagree with your sig. "The 2nd amendment was never intended to allow private citizens to 'keep and bear arms.' If it had, there would have been wording such as 'the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. -Ken Konecki, July 27, 1992"

Back in 1791 when the 2nd amendment was ratified. Every healthy man of 18 years of age who could arm himself was in a militia.

They had no national guard, no standing army, no state troopers, no police really. They had Militia's who defended their own community's at need.

What need have we of Militia's now?
But that does NOT invalidate our right to keep and bear arms. Supreme court in both Heller and Bruin have pretty emphatically made that point.

Don't want to believe me, fine. Check out the 4 boxes diner youtube channel and Mark Smith. Get yourself an edumacation.

[charlie b]

^^^Wrong forum area for that one.


...Took 2 shots, when the steel reached the farthest point on the back swing, fire one more and FLOP it would go down. Being cast they did not penetrate the steel like Jacketed would. But they did knock the paint off the back side where they hit.

I do such with cast loads on several types of targets. Fun stuff!!

A fellow engineer decided to make up some swinging targets. He did the usual. If you want something to swing you put bearings on it :eek: First shot to hit and the thing started spinning almost too fast to see. Took about 10 min for it to slow down. Second time it started spinning there was a contest to see if someone could stop it. That was fun!

[wesson357]

Hi,
Just tried some sks loads. I'm quite happy.
50 meters
Lee 180gr cast powder coated .315"
COL: 2.150"
H335 powder
17.0gr: 1106 fps group: 1.105"
18.0gr: 1230 fps group: 1.170"
All cycles the action well.

Accurate 5744
11.0gr: 1072 fps group: 0.955" 50m
Don't cycle.
Need to make more tests but, I'm good with 2 moa with an SKS with open sights.

[725]

Well done, wesson357. One of these days I'm going to try that. Keep us up to date with your efforts.

[charlie b]

Heck, 3MOA with a run of the mill SKS or AK I'd consider a success. Good work.

[Bloodman14]

Um, that line was a quote from Mr. Konecki during some Congressional hearing or other, GhostHawk. I forget which one, off the top of my head. Mods, no need to punish, as far as I am concerned.

[Fishman]

Bloodman sorry but I disagree with your sig. "The 2nd amendment was never intended to allow private citizens to 'keep and bear arms.' If it had, there would have been wording such as 'the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. -Ken Konecki, July 27, 1992"

Back in 1791 when the 2nd amendment was ratified. Every healthy man of 18 years of age who could arm himself was in a militia.

They had no national guard, no standing army, no state troopers, no police really. They had Militia's who defended their own community's at need.

What need have we of Militia's now?
But that does NOT invalidate our right to keep and bear arms. Supreme court in both Heller and Bruin have pretty emphatically made that point.

Don't want to believe me, fine. Check out the 4 boxes diner youtube channel and Mark Smith. Get yourself an edumacation.

I "think" that is sarcasm in his signature, since the quote following it is directly from the text of the second amendment shown below:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

On topic, I haven't loaded 180's for my sks, but I have used the Lee 169 and 170 gr molds with success. Those loads were as accurate as anything else. It was a long time ago but I think I got the data from the Lyman cast bullet manual.

[wesson357]

Next test at 50m.
Less than 1" with 14.0gr of 5744 and 19.0gr of H335. Can not ask more.
313625

[Maven]

Excellent results!

[TD1886]

I've done this over 30 years ago with the first SKS I owned which was a Chinese model with the screwed in barrel. I was using the Lyman 311284. I don't remember the powder and load, but would say the powder was more then likely 4895. The distance I shot at was 100 yards. The ammo worked the action and I also can't remember if it fit the magazine or not. Too long ago. The groups were decent meaning they were useable.

Not as long ago as that I turned a Yugo SKS into a 8mm Kurtz. This was my version of the Kurtz, I bought a new 8x57 Yugo Mauser barrel and kept turning the breech end of the barrel back to I got a chamber shape that was close to a Kurtz, then cut a set of LEE 8 Mauser dies to form the brass. The brass donor I used were 6.5x54MS. Was shooting the LEE 175 grain cast from it. I used both H4198 and IMR4198. The velocities were 2074 fps and 2207 fps respectively. Junior was still alive then and I told him about it and he thought it was pretty cool and that it would make a nice deer rifle for him. I also shot Hornady 8mm 125 grain hollow points.

[405grain]

In wesson357's first post he says that his 160 grain bullets aren't big enough to fit the bore on his SKS. On my SKS (and also on my 7.65x53), I increase the diameter of 30 caliber cast bullets by using powder coating. If a mold casts at .310", I can easily increase that to .3125" with powder coating. If you're casting with a .31 caliber mold you can get an even bigger jump. Depending on your bore diameter this may, or may not work, but just a thought.

[wesson357]

My bore is .314. My lee 160 once powder coated are .313/.314.
Can size to .315 with the Lee 180gr.

[TD1886]

My Yugo SKS is either .310 or .311, can't remember have to check it again. Another thing the Yugo's aren't chromed lined.