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Thread: 7.62x25 Tokarev: hard alloy or soft?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    7.62x25 Tokarev: hard alloy or soft?

    Hi folks, long time lurker but I just recently decided to make an account. I've looked for the answer to my question but haven't been able to find a thread that comprehensively answers it, here or on other sites. If there is one and I just missed it I apologize for my poor research skills.
    My dad and I are getting into casting our own boolits. He thinks we need a hard alloy with a lot of antimony, tin, etc., because it is a relatively high velocity cartridge (1,200-1,600+fps) but I have read here on the forum that some people cast .30-30 bullets with half pure Pb, half wheel weighs. .30-30 being a much faster bullet, I'm left believing that either these .30-30 casters were in danger of leading their bores or I'll be perfectly fine casting Tokarev boolits with just wheel weight alloy. loading range ammo, it will be on the low end of the velocity spectrum, minimum or near-minimum loads, not sure what powder (Unique maybe?) with a Lee factory crimp (increases the pressure but the slam-bang of the action requires it).
    Is there a general rule for how fast you can go before you start needing harder alloy? Does anyone have experience with this particular round?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    More a function of chamber pressure than velocity. I use 16 BHN alloy 92Pb-6Sb-2Sn for .30 Carbine and 7.62x25mm, no gaschecks, no leading, more accurate than milsurp FMJ with Accurate 31-100T sized .311" with 7.4-7.5 grains AutoComp.

    Velocity Test Data for 7.62x25 in 1953 Polish TT33 Pistol
    Handloads in Starline cases with CCI500 primers
    Ammunition Description_______________Vel@15ft., Sd, ES n=10
    ____________________________________TT33, 4.6”
    Romanian Type P Ball, Factory 22, 1984____1461 fps, 27 Sd, 76ES
    Yugoslav PPU Ball,_____________________1310, 26 Sd, 66ES
    Hornady 86-grain SP, 7.4 grs. AutoComp___1353, 20Sd, 71ES
    Accurate 31-100T, 7.4 grs. AutoComp______1450, 16Sd, 50ES
    Accurate 31-087B, 5.3 grs. Bullseye_______1433, 28Sd, 71ES
    Accurate 31-087B, 10.8 grs. #2400_______1321, 11Sd, 32ES

    Attachment 232635Attachment 232636Attachment 232637
    Last edited by Outpost75; 12-23-2018 at 10:37 PM.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I've loaded mine with soft with no leading as long as the bullet fits.

    But I was not pushing mine hard.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I have had six CZ52's and a Romanian and just cast range scrap pushed one load to @1726FPS 93 gr Lee boolit tumble lube and PC no lead. I uselessly just load mild loads but was curious. Accuracy wasn't good at max!
    Frank G.

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold
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    Wow, thanks for the great info, guys. I will probably just use wheel weights then and not worry about getting fancy with the alloy. Really looking forward to whipping up some practice loads and shooting the old Tokey! It may be awhile but I'll post pics when I do.
    Thanks again.

  6. #6
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    http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chap...Metallurgy.htm

    3/4ths of the way down the page there is a chart showing application (fps) and hardness.

    I've found a lot of good information @ LASC

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
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    Conditor22 - what a fantastic resource. I've bookmarked it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check