reloading ... any help or options?

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PAgunman	reloading ... any help or options?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 7 (02/11/09 10:00 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None With the way things are going down and the situation in the political areana ... What is the best ( or cheapest ) way to load the 7.62x54R? Any one brand of bullets?? with what I have read-- after slugging my barrel I would need to purchase bullets for a 303 and load it in 7.62x54R brass. --- I need to find a good reloading book on the 54R round.. Was thinking of getting the Lee hand loader and get the dies...because I am not looking to mass produce ammo. Just load somne decent hunting rounds. Sorry if this is not the proper forum....I live in PA (near the Sweetest Place in PA)and have yet to find someone willing to teach me some of the details of reloading.Most of the ammo I shoot is surplus but when it comes to hunting-- I all I could find in 150gr loaded is with Century Intl Arms and is steel case. Any preferance on whos brass and whos powder?? I am a cheap collector-- have a lot of arms -- enjoy them all .. but looking to make my few pennies go a long way. Is using surplus powder feasible??
Tenring36		#1	[-]
Posts: 673 (02/11/09 10:37 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I don't reload for my Mosins because I bought quite a lot of 7.62x54 milsurp ammo years ago when it was so cheap it cost less than I could do with reloads. However, recently Wideners had 7.62 pulled bullets (.311") on sale for a very good price. I bought 500 for my Enfield and 7.7mm Jap reloads at the time. I don't know if Wideners has any left, but it would pay to go to their site and check. Incidentally, I got very good results with these bullets in several of my Enfields. I haven't tried them yet in my Jap rifles. HTH. Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for .... Will Rogers
eagle7		#2	[-]
Posts: 3790 (02/11/09 02:20 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have both the Lee Loader and the standard Lee reloading press dies for 7.62x54R. If you are going to reload for just one rifle and high production is not an issue, I would go with the Lee Loader. If you are reloading for more than one 7.62x54 rifle, you'll have to keep the fired brass separate for each gun. Using a Lee Loader will only resize the case neck, which will make the brass last through more reloadings. Lee dies and the Lee Loader both come with an instruction sheet that lists various powder and bullet combinations and a pictorial step by step guide on using the dies/loader. edit. If you get the reloading dies, you will also have to invest in a press; all you need to use the Lee Loader is a hammer. Last Edited By: eagle7 02/11/09 02:23 PM. Edited 1 times.
altera6		#3	[-]
Posts: 33 (02/11/09 07:27 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have had great performance form my reloads in both a Finnish M-39 Rifle and 91/59 Carbine. They seam to track the original sight calibrations well in my guns. Also, depending on the condition of the muzzle crown flat based bullets will give the best chance for accuracy. RCBS Dies w/ shell holder RCBS Jr. press Forster (Original) Case Trimmer with 7.62x54r chuck and pilot Lee Auto Prime w/shell holder Hornady's latest reloading manual has the most comprehensive loading data in print for the 7.62x54R The Hodgdon web sight has very good data for the 7.62x54R too. Load #1* Winchester case Winchester WLR primer 52gr IMR 4350 Sierra .311 150gr SP or Hornady .312 150gr SP Load #2* Winchester case Winchester WLR primer 48gr Hodgdon VARGET Sierra .311 150gr SP or Hornady .312 150gr SP * Using the smaller .308 expander and loading Sierra .308 150gr SP bullets with the above loads has given poor accuracy in my guns. Groups opened up from 1.5 inches to 4 inches at 50yd. No signs of excessive pressure using .312 bullets in the Finnish M-39. Bulgarian surplus 150gr light ball has given the best performance so far and shoots to the same point of aim as my reloads. The Russian surplus 150gr ball tends to shoot 3 or 4 inches higher.
eli griggs		#4	[-]
Posts: 527 (02/11/09 09:15 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I know you want to reload for hunting, but consider learning to cast, it's easy and cast bullets are much easier on your bores. Going by my own kit I suggest you collect some wheel-weights and buy; Lee mold C312-185-1R RCBS lead-dipper, a hot plate and a small to medium cast iron or thrift store stainless steel pot for melting - NO ALUMINUM POTS for MELTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll also want a plumbers dipper for making ingots. You can also use thrift store muffin tins (steel or iron) for casting clean ww ingots from which to work when casting bullets. A $10 digital scale from Harbor Freight that measures in oz/grams/ grains for sorting bullets by weight ONLY. Use a proper powder scale for powder. I have and use the RCBS 5•0•5, it's great. Lyman flashhole sizer/deburring tool. You'll only need to do this once to each case. Lee bullet sizer kit. You can also set gas checks at the same time you're sizing. It comes with a bottle of Lee liquid Alox bullet lube. Lee powder dipper set. Once you develop a pet load, you can make a custom dipper from a old shell case and some thick wire. Lee case trimming tools and primer shell holder kit. You can chuck a shell-holder in an electric screwdriver for fast trims. Also make priming easy on yourself and buy a Lee Auto Prime tool, the pliers type. Plenty of folks use surplus powder. Check out http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ for the lowdown on ALL cast reloading topics. Cheers "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity". - Albert Einstein WANTED - Lee Loaders - .223, 6.5 Swede Mauser, 7.5 Swiss, 7.62x39, 7.62x54r, .308 Win, .303 Brit, 7.7 WANTED- Turkey and Goose feathers for fletching arrows
Uncle Jaque	Another Reason for Cast...	#5	[-]
Posts: 853 (02/15/09 11:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	This load performs pretty well within 100 yards or so: ........ And another nice thing about cast bullet loads, they are much less intense than the full house military or hunting rounds. That means you can shoot quite a few out of your M-44, M-38 etc. without having a sore shoulder. They are also pleasant for the ladies or young folks to practice with. Just remember to set your sights up to compensate for the lower point of impact with lead bullets. I sometimes have to crank my battle sight up to the 600 meter setting just to get it up to the target at 50 yards. ....
ko4nrbs		#6	[-]
Posts: 230 (03/05/09 08:08 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I would slug my barrel first to see what diameter bullet would work best. My M38 and M91/59 slugged at .312-.313 and really like the Hornady .312 diameter bullets (150 and 174 grain). Bill
NuJudge		#7	[-]
Posts: 261 (03/09/09 08:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	One can not quite get jacketed bullet performance from Lead Bullets, even with Gas Checks, but one can get close. If you want true maximum economy, low performance non-gas checked bullets are what you are looking for, but they don't work well in rough bores and they don't work over about 1200 fps. Typically, pistol or shotgun powders are used. Recoil is very light. There is a danger of double charges. They can be quite accurate. Gas checks cost 3 or 4 cents apiece now. With them, and with a good bit of experimentation, one can accurately shoot Lead bullets at 2000 fps, and maybe more. I've gone up to 2200 fps, accurately. It requires a really smooth barrel, and one which is uniform from breech to muzzle or the big end is the breech. The barrel has to like the bullet. If you are buying cast gas checked bullets, you will save little over jacketed. A good quality lube is critical. One can use powders as slow as about 4895. For Cast Bullets the 7.62x54R, I like the 314299 with a gas check and about 20 grains of 2400. For Jacketed Bullets, I like the 180gr Sierra with 50 grains of 4350. I'm going to try the 150gr Hornady this summer, working up in the direction of 53gr of 4350. The load that is cheaper than surplus is the cast bullet with 2400. All of them can be more accurate than surplus.
trautert		#8	[-]
Posts: 5221 (03/09/09 09:45 PM) Forum Site Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I would have suggested posting this on the reloading forum. Tom Ne Desit Virtus Rakkasans
NC Cruffler		#9	[-]
Posts: 498 (03/13/09 09:03 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I would suggest investing in some Prvi Partisan 7.62X54R ammo commercial grade. I've found it to be an inexpensive source of reloadable brass and the cases seem to hold up for quite some time. I buy the Prvi ammo from J and C sales, mostly when I see them at the shows but I have ordered from them online. Good folks, fair price. Prvi brass is available from Grafs every now and again as are Prvi .311 bullets. Wideners was selling pulled surplus .311 150 grain nominal bullets in bulk for a whil;e. They may still be available. I use VihtaVouri N150 powder in bolt guns, IMR 4064 or 4895 in the semi-autos, mostly with a 150 grain nominal bullet. Dave Dave Green, NRA Life Member since 1973