150 grain load for 7.62x39?

[Groovy Mike]

I haven't had much luck finding a 7.62x39 load for milsurp FMJ 150 grain bullets.  I have several thousand of teh bullets on hand so I'd REALLY like to find a load that works with those projectiles.  Does anyone have a load that works well for them with these projectiles?

[res45]

Groovy Mike with 147 to 150 gr. .310.5 and .311 dia. bullets I like 24 grs. of Reloader #7 24.8 grs. being the max load.  I set the OAL to 2.200"

Bullets used were Bulgarian 147 gr. FMJ 310.5 dia. Speer 150 gr. .311 HotCor,Prvi Partizan 150 gr. .311 BTSP,all grouped about 1" or less at 50 yds. with the irons.

I've shot all these bullets in my SKS rifles with the exception of the Hornady 174 gr. I'm keeping those for my 54r loads.

[Groovy Mike]

Thanks.  I have some R7 on hand.  I'll try that.

[nhblaze]

got any Hodgdon H4895 ?  With a 150 gr it works great.

150 GR. HDY SP  Hodgdon  H4895  .312"  2.220"  27.0  2080  33,600 CUP  28.0  2154 

from their website


Are the bullets .310 - .311 or .308 diameter ?

[cvasqu03]

I used 24.5gr of Reloader 7.  My guide lists 24.8 as the never exceed amount.  Bullets shot fine, no keyholing. 

I switched to 15.8gr of IMR4227 (never exceed 18gr) because with bullets that heavy, some of them tended to be very long depending on the brand.  When I sat the longer bullets into a case with a higher load (i.e. a fuller case) I literally felt and heard the powder being crushed in which I feared may increase pressure to unsafe levels.  The IMR load worked just as well and didn't fill up anywhere near the same volume as the Reloader 7 did so I was able to use the longer bullets with no problem.

[noyb72]

Feeling and hearing powder crush under the bullet is making what is called a "compressed" load. Their is nothing wrong with mildly compressed loads that are listed in reliable load manuals. They are usually quite consistent and normally do well with long barrels. If you find you are compressing more than you like, pouring your powder through a tube (called a "drop tube") into the case allows the powder to compact as it is filled and frees up some room.

Ron

[allesennogwat]

What type of "surplus" 150 grain bullets do you have? 30-06 M2? 7.62 NATO? 7.62x54R? Steel core or lead core? The bullet can vary quite a bit though the loads that work may or may not be be very different. How long are the bullets? What is the bullet diameter?

[Groovy Mike]

these are .310 tracer rounds not sure if they were originally in 303 or 7.62x54R

[cvasqu03]

Feeling and hearing powder crush under the bullet is making what is called a "compressed" load. Their is nothing wrong with mildly compressed loads that are listed in reliable load manuals. They are usually quite consistent and normally do well with long barrels. If you find you are compressing more than you like, pouring your powder through a tube (called a "drop tube") into the case allows the powder to compact as it is filled and frees up some room.

Ron

Yeah I wasn't sure if it would be an issue or not, but I figured since it was my life at stake I'd rather play it safe if it just meant a couple of hours more work. 

[res45]

If you don't have a powder drop tube just put your finger over the case mouth and tap it on the table top  several time it will settle the powder in the case.

[allesennogwat]

these are .310 tracer rounds not sure if they were originally in 303 or 7.62x54R

I don't think there are any 150 grain 303 military bullets. Most likely, they are 7.62x54R bullets. How long are the bullets? I would think they are fairly long for 150 grain bullets.

Technically  tracer ammunition is restricted for import. Maybe they allow importing pulled tracer bullets though.

[Groovy Mike]

As with all reloading - use the loads in the manuals- not mine:

Back to the range last night and with test loads of the mil surp surplus projectiles (varying in weight from 150-155 grains) - 5 shot groups at 50 yards with iron sites with an unmodified Chinese SKS:

Tried IMR3031 in 23 and 23.5 grains without finding a load that reliably stayed on an 8 inch paper plate at 100 yards.


R-7:
19 grains too light to reliably cycle.
20-21 grains worked well and grouped about 6 inches at 50 yards
22 grains functioned and groups shrunk to about 5 inches but it felt like too much for the gun. Cases do not show excess pressure signs but the rifle cycled with added recoil - ie felt like the springs were fully compressed.
23 grains - too hot and less accurate.

2400:
15 grains (my cast lead load) did not cycle with jacketed bullets.
17.5 grains did not reliably cycle
18 grains cycled perfectly and delivered +/- 6 inch groups.

H322:
24 and 26 grains functioned perfectly and delivered +/- 6 inch groups. 26 might be a bit hot. I recommend backing down from that a bit.

So - all in all I was very pleased. I have 3 powders that will deliver functional reliability and enough accuracy that I don't feel like I am wasting componants. My plan is to now tweak these loads in tenth of grain increments and find the one that delivers the most accuracy at 100 yards.