7.62 x 54 gas checks

[siamese4570]

I'm wanting to start casting bullet for my mosin nagant. The bore measures .3135 so I figure that I will use molds for a 303 (312-313). Hers's my question, what do you use for gas checks? I'm between 308 and 35. I haven't seen 32 caliber gas checks. This has got to be the same problem with 8mm, 303, etc. How do you guys handle this? Thanks

Siamese4570

[RayinNH]

Siamese4570, .30 caliber gaschecks are what is needed for these slightly fattened .30 calibers...Ray

[bruce drake]

+1 on Ray's call on the 30 cal gas checks for 7.62russian and 303 Brit and any other 311 diameter bullets.

There are 32 cal gas checks but they are sized for the shanks on 8mm, 32-40 and 32 Winchester Special sized bullets.

Bruce

[mag_01]

I just use the 30 cal. gas checks and if you are .3135 you will need at least a .314 bullet or better----if need be use a fat 30 and .314 sizing dies are available -- which can be opened some if need be---good luck

[mag_01]

18 grains of 2400 and a 185 boolit dose well

[Billwnr]

I use a NEI 72A(?) which is a .314 diameter mould. I use .30 cal gas checks on the base. Should also fit on ones for the 7.62 Russian. I also shoot those bullets sized to .314 in my .30/06.

[Buckshot]

...............Lyman 314299 @ .314" and try to seat it out to engrave (good luck :-) . What you need to be mindfull of, and what is a royal PIT toukus is the LAND diameter. If your Rooski has a land diameter of much more then .302" it's gonna be tough to feed it cast lead. I mean by that to find a boolit.

I have a M1909 Argentine Cav Carb in 7.65x53 and it has a .303" bore and a .314" groove. It's about impossible to bump the nose up on a long slender 30 cal to have it ride. I finaly took a Lyman 8 mm design (323470) which is a Loverin all body design @ 165s and lube sized it .323". Then I squirted it up through a Lee .314" size die.

Turned the closet queen into a halfway decent shooter. No bore rider worries!

...............Buckshot

[40mmHEDP]

Buckshot,

Are you pushing those .323 bullets through the .314 Lee sizes with the 32 Cal. gas checks on? Thats exactly what I was going to try this week. I just didn't know if the gas check would be a problem after I seated them first in the .323 sizer.

Regards

[bruce drake]

I do the same as Buckshot for an Arisaka that likes .314 bullets. I first size my .323 bullet with my Lee push-through sizer with a 32 cal gascheck. Relube with Lee Alox and then push through my .314 die. works like a charm.

Bruce

[40mmHEDP]

Great! I think this may turn a poor shooting Mosin Nagant I have into a shooter. The .311 slugs are just too small for it.

[knappy]

+1 on Ray's call on the 30 cal gas checks for 7.62russian and 303 Brit and any other 311 diameter bullets.

There are 32 cal gas checks but they are sized for the shanks on 8mm, 32-40 and 32 Winchester Special sized bullets.

Bruce

Bruce I all so use 30 cal gas checks on my 7.62russian on my 303 brit,fit and hang on good

[Jim Sheldon]

Bruce I all so use 30 cal gas checks on my 7.62russian on my 303 brit,fit and hang on good

That's what I've been using in mine as well. 30 cal Hornady's fit just fine on the 185 grainers out of my Lee mold. They stay on and I'm sizing to .312 with the Lee size die. Gonna get a .30 cal GC maker and try some 014 aluminum as I've been seeing others obtain excellent results with it and the 32 caliber one works great with aluminum in my 8mm Mauser.

Jim

[Larry Gibson]

Buckshot,

Are you pushing those .323 bullets through the .314 Lee sizes with the 32 Cal. gas checks on? Thats exactly what I was going to try this week. I just didn't know if the gas check would be a problem after I seated them first in the .323 sizer.

Regards

I do the same with both 323470 and 323471. I size, lube and put .32 GCs on them at .325. I then push through the Lee sizer for what ever bore size is needed; .314, .316 or .318. One pass and the bullets shoot very, very well, I use them in my own M1909 as Buckshot does. They also work very well in several MN M91/M44s with oversize or worn bores when sized to .314 or particularly .316 althogh chambering ability (OAL neck diameter) limits the size in the 7.62x54R.

Larry Gibson

[JIMinPHX]

I've been using .30 cal Hornady checks with no problem in a MN. Home made aluminum beer bottle GCs have worked well too.

[Jack Stanley]

Buckshot,

Are you pushing those .323 bullets through the .314 Lee sizes with the 32 Cal. gas checks on? Thats exactly what I was going to try this week. I just didn't know if the gas check would be a problem after I seated them first in the .323 sizer.

Regards

I have a Enfield that takes .318" bullets and they use the thirty-two caliber checks . I have on occasion run those slugs through a LEE .314" so I could feed a Russian rifle . I haven't shot it a lot but it does show promise .

Jack

[plus1hdcp]

Guys, I would be interested in learning what you load data is for the Mosin - It's tough to beat surplus ammo but would rather roll my own.

[Jim Sheldon]

Guys, I would be interested in learning what you load data is for the Mosin - It's tough to beat surplus ammo but would rather roll my own.

185 grain lead, cast with a Lee mold, sized to .312, Hornady .30 caliber gas check over 14.0 grains of IMR Trail Boss gives right at or sometimes just over 1" out of my rifle at 100 yards.

Target load for J-word bullets is the Sierra 174 grain HPBT Match King .311 diameter bullet over 42.0 grains Hodgdon Varget. produces .393 to .500 accuracy at 100 yards. Best 5 shot group to date was one at .393 shot on our local indoor range. Best hunting load J bullet - Hornady .312, 150 grain flat base spire point over 43.5 grains Alliant Reloader-15. MOA or better (just not quite as good as the Match King load).

I got lucky, my 91/30 has a pretty tight bore as 91/30's go. It slugs right at .3109 in the grooves and .3082 across the lands.

Jim

[Ben]

Jim:
_____________________________
You say from above in # 17 :
I got lucky, my 91/30 has a pretty tight bore as 91/30's go. It slugs right at .3109 in the grooves and .3082 across the lands.
_____________________________

If that is true ? ? That makes your rifling height very, very shallow ? ?
.3109 less ,3082 .............That's a difference of .0027 ". Could your .3082 figure actually be .3028 ?

Most .30 cal. rifles have a difference of .008 " in the land and groove , making rifling height about .004" or so ...

Ben

[Hang Fire]

I do the same as Buckshot for an Arisaka that likes .314 bullets. I first size my .323 bullet with my Lee push-through sizer with a 32 cal gascheck. Relube with Lee Alox and then push through my .314 die. works like a charm.

Bruce

Hey Bruce, for my .314 grooved MN , I tried similar with .324 boolit through a Lee push through .323 die, then a Lee push through .316 (opened up) die. But, problem arose with the gas check getting mangled as it grew down, instead of up, as it was sized. (had to lengthen somewhere during the sizing)

Solved the problem by setting the old #45 to just gas check in a push down .314 Lyman die. Using just lightly brushed STP on the GC, is was easy to do, was also surprised as to how much the GC lengthened, almost right up to the bottom drive band.

I then did as you, lubed and pushed it through the .316 Lee die for a flat based GC with no problems.

[Larry Gibson]

Guys, I would be interested in learning what you load data is for the Mosin - It's tough to beat surplus ammo but would rather roll my own.

My loads out of my Sako M39, M91/30 sniper, M91/28 and a Type 53.

Lee C312-185-2R; 24 gr of AA5744 or 29 gr H4895 w/dacron filler
Lee GB 314291; 29 gr 4895 w/dacron filler
Lyman 314299; 30 gr 4895 w/dacron filler

Winchester 180 gr factory (2610 fps out of the M39 with moa accuracy - excellent BG hunting load)

Sierra .311 174 MK; 46.5 gr 4895 at 2650 fps (M91/30 sniper - excellent target and long range interdiction load)

Hornady 150 gr .312; 46 gr H4895 (accurate and duplicates "L" ball velocity of 2840 fps in the m91/30 Sniper - excellent smaller deer/antelope/coyote load)

Sierra or Remington .311 180 gr SPs; 46 gr H4895 (2650 fps and moa accuracy with Sierra - excellent BG hunting load)

Hornady SP .310 123 gr SKS/AK bullets; 50 gr H4895 (3090 fps and sub moa accuracy in M91/30 Sniper - great for varmints)

As with any load data; work up to any load watching for obvious problems in your rifles.

Larry Gibson

[JIMinPHX]

Jim:
_____________________________
You say from above in # 17 :
I got lucky, my 91/30 has a pretty tight bore as 91/30's go. It slugs right at .3109 in the grooves and .3082 across the lands.
_____________________________

If that is true ? ? That makes your rifling height very, very shallow ? ?
.3109 less ,3082 .............That's a difference of .0027 ". Could your .3082 figure actually be .3028 ?

Most .30 cal. rifles have a difference of .008 " in the land and groove , making rifling height about .004" or so ...

Ben

I had similar measurements in a MN that I fooled with a few years ago. Then I managed to clean out some more of the rock hard cosmoline that I had mistaken for barrel steel.

[WILCO]

Guys, I would be interested in learning what you load data is for the Mosin - It's tough to beat surplus ammo but would rather roll my own.

Here's a good place to start: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13425