Lee 155 gr question

[milsurp mike]

I am trying to load the Lee 155 gr gas check bullet with h-335.I want to fire them without chks.Is this possible and still cycle the action on my Home built Romy AK.I will also be tumble lubing them.Anyone got a load for this or IMR 4895.Thx Mike

[StarMetal]

I am trying to load the Lee 155 gr gas check bullet with h-335.I want to fire them without chks.Is this possible and still cycle the action on my Home built Romy AK.I will also be tumble lubing them.Anyone got a load for this or IMR 4895.Thx Mike

Sure it's possible to fire them, but will they be accurate ( know the firearm you intend to shoot them from) is another question, as is will they lead the bore.

You can us anywhere from 25 to 28 grains (if you can fit that much into the case) of 4895. The 4895 and H335 have about the same energy performance and you'll find the charge weights between them very close. I would imagine you can get more of the H335 in the case and with that said I would work up the max loads for it.

I suggest you use gas checks.

[Larry Gibson]

I most certainly concur with starmetal; use GCs and work up a load, I recommend H4895 though any flavor will do.

Larry Gibson

[milsurp mike]

Will it be possible to get decent accuracy with this bullet gas checked in the AK and work the action without leading the barrel?If I need to I can get another spring and cut it down so it will function without the hot loads.I would rather not but if necessary I will go this route.Mike

[Larry Gibson]

A good tumble lube of LLA along with the GC on the Lee bullets sized at .312 using lighter 4895 loads should not give any leading problems. Suggest you start at 20 gr of 4895 and work up in 1/2 gr increments untill you get reliable functioning. At that stage you will probably be getting about the best accuracy the AK is capable of. Assuming the bullets are cast at least of WWs?

Larry Gibson

[milsurp mike]

Thank you Sir.Looks like I am in the market for some gas checks.Mike

[NickSS]

I shoot that same bullet lubed with 50-50 alox and bees wax over 20 gr of AA5744 in my AK. No leading and the accuracy was as good as I get with J word factory surplus stuff ( that is to say around 4 to 6 inch group at 100 yards) I never found an AK that shot any better for some reason. I am on my sixth one with the same poor accuracy.

[milsurp mike]

Believe it or not I get better accuracy with my AK than 4-6in groups.With Jacketed bullets and my custon load I get 2-3 in groups when i do my job.With Wolf or other cheap ammo I get groups like you describe.Mike

[Rangefinder]

I am trying to load the Lee 155 gr gas check bullet with h-335.I want to fire them without chks.Is this possible and still cycle the action on my Home built Romy AK.I will also be tumble lubing them.Anyone got a load for this or IMR 4895.

Simple answer would be No---not a good idea. Yes, they will fire, and yes, they will probably be accurate to an arguable point. BUT---it takes about 15 grains of H335 to cycle the action reliably for my Norinco with 173gr CB's---you may need a little more for 155's to run smooth. It's nowhere near a high-pressure load for a jacketed bullet, but for a plain-base lead bullet without a GC it's likely gonna cause a god-awful amount of lead fouling in your bore and especially around your piston. Graf and sons had a sale on GC's right now, I'd say pick some up and run it the right way. $26/1000 is a lot cheaper than all the bore cleaner your gonna buy later running without checks.

For H4895, I'd say run it close to the same as IMR4895--if memory serves, they're 2 slots different on the burn table. IMR4895 calls for a full case (should be about 27 grains, or there-abouts?) Go at your own risk though.

Also--forgot to mention--bullets meant to be fired without a gas check are not only flat-based, but usually just a touch larger at the base in order to form a tight seal in the bore. With a gas check bullet, the base is obviously recessed to account for the check having room to slip on and crimp. Firing at pressures that would cycle the action on an AK/SKS would most likely cause serious gas cutting around the base and into the lube grooves. That's where your serious fouling is going to come from. At lighter pressures you'd probably be ok---BUT, that would mean hand-cycling the action.


Will it be possible to get decent accuracy with this bullet gas checked in the AK and work the action without leading the barrel?If I need to I can get another spring and cut it down so it will function without the hot loads.I would rather not but if necessary I will go this route.

For a read on what the H335 load is doing so far, go here:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=409184

As for getting another recoil spring and cutting it down, I'd recommend not going that route. What it will effectively accomplish is to add slop to the bolt, and likely interfere with the feed--and it could easily cause some major issues with the action itself with regard to chambering and operation. Not enough spring means not enough or not hard enough bolt travel. That means it may not fully chamber the round as it feeds, giving you light strikes and possible other chamber issues if the round does go off without being fully chambered. Shortening doesn't necessarily lighten so well in the respect you're hoping for.

[milsurp mike]

THX guys i am now in possession of 1400 gas chks so this is not an issue any more.Mike