NEI original Harris bullet home at last!

[HARRYMPOPE]

A mold has returned! I'd lost this mold 6 years ago and was very saddened by it.My old neighbor found it in his loading stuff after he unpacked from a move.
it was bought 20 plus years ago from NEI/ Walt Melander in Scappoose Or.its one of Ed's original 7.62x39 designs Walt told me.the nose profile is slightly less pointed and starts a bit bigger at the front band than the lee.i found it shot slightly better than the lee.The body casts at .315 in range scrap.

this was the bullet that my mini 30 did decent with with 14.5g if 2400.the lee just hasn't done as well.Tomarrow I'll find out if my memory was correct.

Attachment 285551
Attachment 285552

[Jack Stanley]

I won't part with my original NEI made by Walt , I'm glad yours found it's way home .

Jack

[gwpercle]

Nice to get a favorite mould back !
Even nicer that your friend could return it ...that's a right and proper friend !
Gary

[lotech]

I bought that mould from Walt about thirty years ago. It's an excellent and accurate design, but after experimenting with many cast bullets in the 7.62x39, I found I much preferred a heavier bullet, around 200 grains. For those wanting a bullet of 155-160 grains in the 7.62x39, the original NEI design may be the best.

[Kraschenbirn]

I recently found one of Walt's molds that I'd completely forgotten...a plain-base clone/copy of the Lyman 311041...purchased back in the days when Elgin Gates ran IHMSA. Still casts as nicely as I remembered and still prints 2" 50-yd groups from my old 10" G1 Contender with iron sights. Just for fun, I've put together a few test loads for my Savage 340 but haven't made it to the range yet.

Bill

[trooperdan]

I knew Walt Melander when he had a gun shop in El Paso TX in the 1960's,is he still around? Unlikely I suppose as he was older than me then and I'm 80.

[ioon44]

I have 4 of Walt's molds from the 1980's, I have used them a lot and they still produce good bullets.

[Maven]

All, I think C.E. Harris first showed his [CB] design for the 7.62 x 39mm in The Fouling Shot. Shortly thereafter, it was copied by Lee Precision and Lyman, the dimensions of which were too small for the bore of my Type 56 SKS. As a result, I had LBT/Veral Smith make one which did fit the bore of my gun. Btw, I didn't know that NEI also copied Harris' design.

After I sold that SKS and got another, I went to NOE for one that fit my new gun's bore (.316") perfectly. Lastly, you may be surprised to find the SKS will accurately shoot longer, heavier CB's , e.g., #314299 or NOE's #316299 if you single load them and keep an eye on powder charges/pressure.

In the image below, the NOE version of the Harris design is on the right:

[rockrat]

IIRC, Walt was killed in a motorcycle accident many years ago. I have about 4 NEI moulds and Walt made two of them

[lotech]

All, I think C.E. Harris first showed his [CB] design for the 7.62 x 39mm in The Fouling Shot. Shortly thereafter, it was copied by Lee Precision and Lyman, the dimensions of which were too small for the bore of my Type 56 SKS. As a result, I had LBT/Veral Smith make one which did fit the bore of my gun. Btw, I didn't know that NEI also copied Harris' design.

After I sold that SKS and got another, I went to NOE for one that fit my new gun's bore (.316") perfectly. Lastly, you may be surprised to find the SKS will accurately shoot longer, heavier CB's , e.g., #314299 or NOE's #316299 if you single load them and keep an eye on powder charges/pressure.

In the image below, the NOE version of the Harris design is on the right:

NEI was the first to make a mould for the the C.E. Harris design. I bought one of these and had been using it a good while before the Lee version was introduced. I'm not familiar with NOE. Though I prefer the heavier #314299 in the 7.62x39, the NEI design works well but I can't recall using it in anything but a couple of Ruger bolt-actions in 7.62x39. Got rid of my SKSs years ago.