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Jack Stanley
09-30-2006, 09:37 PM
Found a Russian m38 and it doesn't shoot ball ammo all that well so I started measuring . Throat is about .314 and groove is .313 or so . Closest sizer die I had was a .313 so why not try it huh? I don't have the right nose punch for the Lyman 311440 so I just used a flat punch while lube-sizing . It got Alox and a hornady gas check . The bullets were just barely harder than pure lead , seven bhn I think .
The load was sixteen and a half grains of 2400 , the measure was still set from loading the Krag ammo so I gave it a try in the 7.62X54R . I seated them to 2.5 inches which might be a tad to deep so maybe next time I'll seat them out a bit .
With the barrel cold it grouped OK but as the barrel heated and the sun stared me in the face things got worse . I'm sure with the light behind me the vertical stringing will be reduced some . The sight was set at seven hundred meters to get it slightly high at thirty yards . I'm not sure of the velocity but this thing is more of a looker than intended as a match rifle . So , I'll be real happy if I can make a comfortable load to shoot .
I have another couple handfulls of bullets cast from pure lead . Since this load didn't lead up . Maybe I'll lube a few of them and try it with ten grains of unique and see what happens . Later maybe I'll add some hard lead to the pot and try that . Also got a .316 sizer , I could try that just for seating and crimping the checks . Maybe unsized bullets would work OK .

Jack

Buckshot
10-01-2006, 11:11 AM
...............Heck if the throat is .314" and the groove is .313" I'd sure get me a .314" size die :-) I've had a M44 for quite some time now and sluged the barrel at .314" when I brought it home. I forget the bore and never did check the throat. I loaded up 20 rounds of generic 7.62x54R (16.0 2400 - 314299) and shot it one day. It wasn't real shiny so I stuck it back in the corner and haven't touched it since. Too many projects and too little time :-)

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

Jack Stanley
10-01-2006, 09:36 PM
Yeah ... It may come to that with the next order for supplies I place . I figured use what I got and see what happens .... it might work huh?

Jack

Ricochet
10-02-2006, 10:55 AM
Sure might!

mag_01
10-30-2006, 12:36 AM
:coffee: ----Jack---18grs. of 2400 with a Lee 185 boolit worked good for me. I Have 6 Nagants but only used 3 for testing that load---I have a M39 ---1943 and a 91-30-----1900 And a 91-30 --- 1942----All test where at 50yrds. open sites off the bench---Guess which one shot the best---You guessed it the 91-30---of 1900---It gave me 1 raged hole ----next was the 91-30 of 1942 which shot a clover leaf and my favorite the M39 shot about a 1/2 inch or so group. The older rifle (1900) has a clean but rough bore----You can feel the roughness with patches or a bore brush-------the (1900) is about 6 inches longer than the 1942 and look a little different but both are 91-30s---Mag---:castmine:

Jack Stanley
10-30-2006, 08:39 PM
I've got a 39 that I'm using to burn up surplus ammo . I like it much better than the 38 but for now I'd rather have just one rifle running cast . Maybe later I can find a inexpensive set of dies so I don't hafta readjust the ones I have . I like to keep cases segregated for each rifle .
Lots of thing I can try for this little shooter if I can find the time to do it :-D Adding some hardener to the alloy might help some at least for making them cast a little easier .

Jack

frugal
10-31-2006, 11:50 AM
I picked up a 1944 91/30 at a flea market a few months ago for 35 bucks, bore was very rusty. After several hours cleaning, bore is still very rough and pitted.
Millsurp stuff was not at all accurate. Did chamber cast to determine groove diameter was .3135. Found a 311334 thats close to a 311299 in shape and weight, casts at .3145 with ww. Seated gas check and hand lubed unsized, gave about 2 moa with 21.0 (very old) IMR4198 from sandbags at 100 yd. Tried 2400 and wc820, but did not group as well.

Jack Stanley
10-31-2006, 08:18 PM
Welcome to the forum Frugal . I haven't used 4198 in a very long time but it has always worked very well for cast bullets for me .

Jack

frugal
11-01-2006, 08:51 AM
Thanks Jack. I was thinking you may not be getting enough guidance using 311410 if the throat is like mine. When doing my trials, I tried 311413 and 311466 but neither of these did well. I think these rifles have a throat similar to a Springfield 03-A3 that does not do well with short bullets. I have been looking for a 311410 for my SKS, but so far no luck in finding one. My 311334 casts at about 198 grains. I think the 311410 is a 150 grainer. You may also want to check to see if the stock or handguard is touching the barrel. Mine was touching in several places and did much better when I was able to make a dollar bill slide between the barrel and stock. This may be why when your barrel is warm the zero changes

NickSS
11-01-2006, 02:48 PM
I have had good luck with a 91/30 and the lee 185 gr sized .313 with 24 gr of IMR 4198. Nice groups under 3 inches at 100 yards.

Jack Stanley
11-01-2006, 10:12 PM
Ambition is gonna have to bite me to get me to chase down a wandering zero Frugal . But then again it's a short handy rifle and for just playing around the back fields , I might wanna invest some time into it . If I find a bullet that fits nice I think it would make a real nice shooter .

Jack