7.62x39 Cast Loads

[51colt]

I have been casting Ed Harris's Lee 160 and 155gr .312 bullets that drop from the mold at .3125 for my SKS and Mosin Nagant's. I have been using water quenched wheel weights and loading non GC bullets with Bullseye and Redot for bolt action shooting in my SKS and M44. I GC the same bullets seating the GC with a Lee .314 sizing kit using 2400 powder. I lube the bullets with Lee Alox tumble lube. Here are some Ed harris articles on cast bullets.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Articles

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13453-Practical-Dope-on-the-7-62X39

lots of good info here https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3758638/all/7_62x39_1_312_dia_151_grain_ca

[Lostinspace]

What is your 100 yard accuracy like with them in your sks and mosin?

[Groovy Mike]

I can't do much better than keeping shots on an 8 inch paper plate at 100 yards with cast bullets, but still looking for that perfect load!

[Hylander]

I loaded up some LEE 155gr. G/C bullets.
17.0, 18.0, 18.5 and 19.0 gr. of IMR 4198
All loads cycled the action fine, which kind of surprised me with the lower end load.
Accuracy was not great though, about 2.5" at 50yds. average.
I do believe my horrid trigger played a big role in this, sights leave little to be desired as well.
Also I should have let barrel cool better between shots.
I will loading up some more to test in the next week or two.
Will see if I can smooth and lighten the trigger.
Will give the barrel a minute or two to cool between shots.

[res45]

What dia. are you sizing those Lee 155 gr. bullets to?  I shoot the Lee .312" 160 and 185 gr. as well as the NOE 160 gr. FP cast from 50/50 alloy, powder coated, quench from the toaster over gas check and sized to .314" and they chamber easily in all three of my SKS rifles for different countries of origin.


IMR or H-4198 is a good powder but you can also try if you have it Reloader#7 or either of the 4895 powders.  Cast bullets in rifles benefit from a slow push into the leades of the rifling which the 4895 will give over the faster 4198.  You can start with 23 to 24 grs. and work up in half grain increments to you get compression which want be a problem since you can't stuff enough 4985 into a  X 39 cast to cause overpressure with a cast lead bullet.  Good luck with your cast lead loads its pretty much all I ever shoot in all my rifles other than the occasions steel case when I don't want to chase brass.

[GuitarmanNick]

Recently tried some gas checked Lee # C312-155-2R sized @ .313" over 16.3 grains of AA1680 and had 1-1/2" groups @ 50 yards and 4" @ 100 yards. The action cycles reliably, but the brass flies in different directions and is a pain to recover. Bullets came from the Cast Bullet Shop and seem to be very consistent.

The bores on my Chinese SKS, and M-44 both slug @ .314".

I have been considering a light load using pistol powder so the SKS action does not cycle, and the brass does not fly.

Also tried these bullets in my M-44, but had no luck with the powders I have on hand.

With primer availability and pricing, I do less experimenting than I would like.

[res45]

I would probably try and size my bullets larger than .313" if my bores slugged out at .314" undersized bullets will do you not favors in the accuracy department and you chances of leading up the bore also increase PC or not.  If you have or can get any Alliant 2400 13 to 15 grs. in the 7.62 x 39 cartridge will cycle my Chinese SKS reliably the lower charge will dump the brass right at my feet, the starting charges listed in the Lyman Cast Bullet manual #4 would probably tame the bolt cycling somewhat as well. 


If all else fails you can always try the SKS gas tube modification, however I would only do this on an extra gas tube as you cant put back what you take off as far as drilling the holes.


http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=41391.0 

[GuitarmanNick]

The Cast Bullet Shop could only size them as large as .313", so that is what I got. Will be trying to find some .314" down the road and would expect better results. Still didn't fair badly with the smaller diameter in either rifle.

Also just received the E&L brass catcher to save running around looking for my brass. Nothing else worked, but I refuse to modify the rifle.

[Groovy Mike]

Range report - I cast some 185 grain and 130 grain gas checked bullets and sized both to .312 diameter.
starting minimum load of Red Dot from the Lyman cast bullet book for most bullets is 6.5 grains (for loading 30-30, no listing for 7.62x39).  I loaded 6 grains just to be safe and took a handful of each to the range.  They all went bang, they all hit paper, none cycled the action.

Next trip I'll add a grain of powder and see if things improve (but fyi that might be until after hunting season!)

[Groovy Mike]

Updated range report - 155 grain .312 diameter cast bullets over 13 grains of 2400 cycled the SKS beautifully and dropped the brass right at my feet.  Groups were still not great at +/- 2 inches at 50 yards.  Next step is to try some .313 122 grain cast bullets I found stashed in my reloading room.....

[Groovy Mike]

.313 122 grain hollow point cast bullets with aluminum gas checks over 15 grains of 2400 ring the 8 inch gong at 100 yards reliable.  I found my new plinking round until I run out of the several hundred of these projectiles that I got from a friend when he moved out of NY.