Does anybody here reload 7.62X39Russian using .308" bullets?

[Tyler Durden]

Hi all,

Just like the title says.

I have mentioned elsewhere on the forums how I bought a DPMS Sportical AR-15 in 7.62X39Russian.  So far it seems to really like the American Eagle (made by Federal) brass cased ammo. 

It just so happens that the rifle's bore is a true .308"...not a .310" or a .311" like an AK or SKS is.

I had been buying the ammo at Cabela's, per the 20 round box:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/American-Eagle174-762x39mm-Ammo/706976.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Damerican%2Beagle%2B7.62X39%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=american+eagle+7.62X39&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I can't remember what I paid exactly...maybe $14 to $16 per box of 20.  So like up to 80 cents a round.

I was kind of kicking around the idea of reloading it with 147 grain .308 bullets that are "pull downs" from surplus military ammo stocks.

http://www.hi-techammo.com/

They run 11 cents each.

What say you?

Doable?

You have done it?

Thanks!

Tyler

[Tyler Durden]

so, yeah, you're sitting back at home reading through my original post and you're probably thinking:

"Why the eff would anyone want to reload 7.62X39 ammo?  Isn't the imported steel cased Wolf/Bear stuff cheap and plentiful enough as it is?  Reloading for that round just doesn't make sense!"

Well, from another forum, I read a little bit about the .300 Blackout ballistics.  It might push a  three-oh-eight caliber 125 grain-ish bullet at about 2,200 feet per second.

Which is right about on par with AK/SKS ammo.

The .300 Blackout is being marketed as a round ideally suited for suppressors.  There is sub sonic ammo being specifically made for it, using heavier bullets.

So my thoughts are, if you already have an AK and live in the free-er states where you can legally acquire a muzzle can, instead of blowing a thousand to two thousand bucks on a whole new gun chambered in .300 Blackout....just buy a muzzle can that will go on an AK.

For example you could buy this:

http://yhm.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_21&products_id=113

and then buy this:

http://yhm.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_18&products_id=308

then reload your own AK ammo with heavy bullets making it subsonic.

[mauler]

I have a good friend who handloaded .308 caliber 125 grain bullets for his SKS, which had the standard .310 or .311.  Accuracy was acceptable, but not great due to undersized bullets bouncing down the barrel.  Are you sure the barrel of your AR is .308?  Did you slug the barrel?  It seems odd for someone to manufacture a 7.62x39 with a .308 bore knowing that people will be shooting .310-.311 ammo down it.  I would think that would cause some pressure issues and definitely serious barrel wear, not to mention accuracy would likely be not too good.

[Pecos Bill]

I have a good friend who handloaded .308 caliber 125 grain bullets for his SKS, which had the standard .310 or .311.  Accuracy was acceptable, but not great due to undersized bullets bouncing down the barrel.  Are you sure the barrel of your AR is .308?  Did you slug the barrel?  It seems odd for someone to manufacture a 7.62x39 with a .308 bore knowing that people will be shooting .310-.311 ammo down it.  I would think that would cause some pressure issues and definitely serious barrel wear, not to mention accuracy would likely be not too good.

Several years ago T/C made their7.62 barrels in .308 for IHMSA shooting and I think Ruger did it for the Mini Thirty. Not sure about Ruger but I know T/C. They both advertised the fact.

Pecos

[TAB]

if you did slug it, how did you do it, what did you use?  When you measured it, with what and how?


Something does not add up, either they made a mistake( a very big and dangerous one at that)  or there is a fault in your slugging process somewhere.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

TAB, check your reloading manual.
Nato 7.62 measures .308 Russian 7.62 measures .310 - .311.

[TAB]

7.62x39 should be .310-.311

just about all the commie block stuff is and most of the american made stuff as well.  its safe too shot a smaller bullet down a bigger barrel, but its not always the case the other way around.


Google foo has turned up some threads saying some of the pre 1990 min 30s were in the 308-309 range.    Any bets on what they are now after shooting a bunch of copper washed steel bullets thru them?  lol

[Tyler Durden]

Well, a while back I had gone to DPMS's forum and asked about the bullet diameter or bore size, but alas it is no longer there.

http://dpmsinc.com/forum_remove/
 

Maybe I am just imagining things, but I could swear that on their forum or in some FAQ section it was spelled out quite clearly to NOT shoot steel cased imported ammo through DPMS's 7.62X39 rifles.

I was at a gunstore yesterday, and I noticed that they had a copy of the  Hodgdon Powder Company's brochure/load cookbook. 

Indeed, they did have a recipe there for 7.62X39 Russian and 150 grain bullets.


So I am thinking that if I were to buy those pull down 147 grain surplus .308 bullets, I would be set.  I think.

Those are 11 cents each.

Speer makes a hollow point bullet under their TNT line.  It is 125 grains, measuring .308" 
http://www.speer-bullets.com/ballistics/detail.aspx?id=140

It is $98 for 500 of them, or 19.6 cents each.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/663126/speer-tnt-varmint-bullets-30-caliber-308-diameter-125-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-box-of-500

Sierra makes a 125 grain .308 soft point.
https://www.sierrabullets.com/index.cfm?section=store&page=item&stock_num=2120

They are 24 cents each here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/337808/sierra-pro-hunter-bullets-30-caliber-308-diameter-125-grain-spitzer-box-of-100

For now... I am looking, but not finding a cheaper than 11 cents each .308 bullet.

[Tyler Durden]

Is it just me, or does Midway USA's search function totally suck?

[robheath]

It's not just you...It sucks