7.62x39 Revisited

[AviatorTroy]

Well I really enjoy re-reading the excellent cast article by Harris on this cartridge. The problem I have is I'm shooting it out of a Ruger Mini-30 and not an SKS. I've gone up to 15.5 gr. of 2400 and it still will not cycle the action. He suggests 1 grain more than what cycles the action on an SKS but I'm afraid to go up in charge any more than this. Time to try more quantity of a slower powder I suppose. Anyone have a suggestion of where to start with 3031 or BL-C(2)?

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Do you have any 1680 ? I have found it is a very good powder for that fine medium size case.

[hicard]

What weight cast boolit? I use IMR 4198 and 4895 with little success.

[Bloodman14]

I'm not familiar with the Ruger; is is a gas-impingement system, or a -piston? Would trying H322 or H335 help? I use 1.5cc of H335 behind a Lee 160-R in my Yugo SKS. Could you use that as a starting point? Just trying to help.

[AviatorTroy]

It is a gas piston system. Seems to be a lot of cast bullet loads with 4895, so maybe Ill have to pick some up. I have both the Lee bullets , the TL160 and the standard lube groove 155 which I think I like better.

[leadloader]

ive used accurate 5744 to good results as far as acurracy , but get a godawful amount of leading... would like to know what i can use to clean the lead from the gas ports... also would fireing a few jacketted bullets down the barrel every mag full help?

[Bloodman14]

I get bad lead build-up in the gas valve. Takes a bit of work to get it out. May try 4895 myself, and see how it does. I don't know about j-words.

[robertbank]

I found if you apply ggrease to the top of the piston any lead build up there is significantly easier to remove.

To the original poster try H335. I use a surplus powder that we get up here called WC735 which is close to H335 (said to be 5% faster) and it works the action of my SKS. I found 26 gr of WC735 under the Lee 312-155 bullet very accurate and it cycled the action. You might want to try 26- 28 grains of H335 under that bullet. 17 gr of 4227 under the same bullet also worked well in my SKS and cycled the action. I have to say the WC735 load worked better than 4227.

Take Care

Bob

[acl864]

I couldn't get the action to cycle in one of my Russian SKS's with 16.0 gr. of 2400 behind the Lee 160 gr TL with GC even though 15.5 gr. of 2400 cycled my other Russian with no problem. I tried 18 gr. of Reloader 7 behind the same bullet. It cycles both guns reliably and shoots very accurately.

[Bloodman14]

I think it's funny that the OP asks about a Ruger, and we respond with SKS solutions! Bunch of help we are.:kidding: Anyway, Troy, don't give up; someone helpful will be along, shortly.

[Shooter6br]

I use H322 24 grain with Lee 160g.Mainly since i have a fair amount of it and I only have a 45/70 that uses it.

[acl864]

I think it's funny that the OP asks about a Ruger, and we respond with SKS solutions! Bunch of help we are.:kidding: Anyway, Troy, don't give up; someone helpful will be along, shortly.

LOL- Well this is the CB Loads / Military Rifle section... I think some of the SKS solutions may work for the Ruger too. At least the OP has got some different powder recommendations to try.

[AviatorTroy]

Yep, plenty of things to try and not enough time. :killingpc