7.62x39

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308Loader

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Looking to start loading for my Nerinco MAK90 Ak47. looking around for load data I see that .308 dia bullets work but bore is most likely .311? any one have a good recipe for 762x39? should one order .308 .310 or .311 bullets for this rifle? hornady book show 308 bullets wlr primers and a bunch of powders I don't have, read somewhere that imr 4895 works just not full speed.

I know I can get dirt cheap steel case wolf and others still, but how long will that last?
 
For hunting, plinking or what?
Hunting load, 123 grain Hornaday spire/spoft point bullet, 27 grains AA 1680, coyote load, unproven.
Plated bullet load, Berrys 125 grain plated bullet, 28 gr H-4895.
Cast bullet load, 129gr NOE cast hard lubed over 21 gr AA# 1680.
 
My standard 7.62x39 for my Ruger M77:

Winchester case
Federal Large Rifle Match primer
Hornady 123 grain spire point bullets (.310 dia.)
26 grains of Rx 7
Overall Length, 2.187
 
Are you considering cast or jacketed bullets? Either way you should probably use .310 diameter bullets. The 7.62x39 normally calls for faster powder than 4895. Some recommended powders are 4227, N130, 1680, 4198, RX7 and 2230 from the Lyman manual. If you are considering cast bullets, check current thread "on the scout for cast 7.62x39 loads" that gives some data.
 
You really want to stay with .310 in 123 grain FMJ's for x39. Your also going to need a faster burning powder that 4895. You will probably have cycling problems if you try to use 4895. The top powders for x39 re 4198 and RL7. I've also had great success with Benchmark with heavier 150 gr projectiles. I'm at about 23.6 gr using 4198 with a 123 gr bullet. starting load is 22.6- 25.2 gr of 4198 per Lyman's 49th.
 
For my SKS, I couldn't get decent groups with 123/125gr "7.62x39 bullets" to save my life. With 150gr .308 and either H4895 or IMR4198 my useless and inaccurate SKS became a decent shooting, accurate, short range hunting rifle. Mine liked Speer RNSP but it liked some some Rem PSP almost as much.
 
Looking to start loading for my Nerinco MAK90 Ak47. looking around for load data I see that .308 dia bullets work but bore is most likely .311? any one have a good recipe for 762x39? should one order .308 .310 or .311 bullets for this rifle? Hornady book show 308 bullets WLR primers and a bunch of powders I don't have, read somewhere that IMR 4895 works just not full speed.

I know I can get dirt cheap steel case wolf and others still, but how long will that last?
Click to expand...

Hornady probably uses the .308" dia. J bullets because,some 7.62 x 39 rifles have tight bores so to CYA and not run into pressure issues they use the .308" dia. bullets which may not shoot very accurately in SKS's and AK type clones. You can always slug your bore to determine the correct dia. bullet to use that will also give you some info if you ever plan on shooting cast lead bullets later as to the dia. you will need.

As far as the correct bullet dia. goes I think you would be fine using any of the Hornady 123 gr. bullet in .310" dia. FMJ,SP,V-MAX,SST or Z-MAX. When I shoot jacketed bullets in my SKS rifles they always shoot the most accurately followed by .311" dia. bullets in 125 to 150 gr.

As to powders that work well I like AA-1680 when I can get it but for all around use it hard to beat Reloader #7 as it will work very well with both Jacketed & cast lead loads. IMR-4198 or IMR-4227 are very good powders also. H-335 does well also but to get similar velocity as some of the other powders you end up using about 10 extra grs. an compressing the loads,nothing wrong with compressed loads the powder is just that slow.

Nothing wrong with using IMR or H-4895 in the 7.62 x 39. Hodgdons has load data on there site using both version of 4895 with 125 & 150 gr. .311" bullets. It's also a good powder for heavy cast loads as well I like 20.0 grs. of IMR-4895 behind a Lee gas checked 185 gr. RN cast from WQWW's at around 1700 fps. shoot to POI at 50 yds. and puts a good whack on targets,drops deer in there tracks as well.

Lyman has a small load book for military calibers you can purchase for about $6 that covers the 7.62 x 39 as well as several other military cartridges and has all the latest reloading data for both jacketed and cast bullets that Lyman covers,It should cover pretty much anything you would need. You can use the data for the Hornady 123 gr. SP with any of the Hornady 123 gr. bullets and It cover cast bullet by Lyman,Lee & SEACO. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/191494/lyman-load-data-book-old-military-rifle

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Great input, thanks all. I suppose the only way to know the true bore dia of my rifle is to slug it? Would Nerinco or the importer have any info on this?
 
bl-c2 and 4895 are too slow for 7.62x39. While either may get the bullet out the barrel, pressures and velocities will be low
 
bl-c2 and 4895 are too slow for 7.62x39. While either may get the bullet out the barrel, pressures and velocities will be low
Click to expand...

Depends on bullet weight. With 150gr bullets there is less than 100fps difference between H4895 and IMR4198.
 
Great input, thanks all. I suppose the only way to know the true bore dia of my rifle is to slug it? Would Nerinco or the importer have any info on this?
Click to expand...

Slugging is the only way to know, but having said that, experimenting always brings the most conclusive results. By the time you get finished doing all the mathematical calculations and measurements on what SHOULD work, it is not uncommon to find that what SHOULDN'T work, often works just as well.

Curiosity as to "how bad it will be" has led me to some surprising discoveries that totally defied expectations.
 
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


I load for my 1966 Jianshe arsenal SKS. I use AA1680 powder and .310 diameter bullets (123 - 124 grains). I think I'm using 26.4 grains of powder which totally fills the case with powder, I don't have my notes handy, but I'm sure my current load is at or very a near max charge.

I certainly get better accuracy with this load than Tula or Wolf 3.62X39 ammo, but bullets of the right diameter can be troublesome to find. I had to resort to zombie max bullets once because it's all I could find.

A couple years ago, I purchased a good bullet mold and now also load a gas checked cast bullet to full power (2300-2400 FPS) with an alloy just a little bit harder than #2 alloy and sized to .311 or .312
 
My Hogdgon manual has load data for .310", .311" and .312" bullets. I slugged the bbl of my SKS and got .311" so I purchased Hornady 123 gr. FMJ,.310" bullets (couldn't find any .311"). The closest powder I have is BL-C2 which should give me about 2150-2350 fps. I haven't shot them yet but I'll chrony them to see for sure...

I suggest slugging, as for good reloads you should know your gun. Kinda like buyin' britches. If you don't know what size yer belly is you can try on a bunch of pants and eventually find a fit, or you can measure and get the right size. Ifin' ya don't like the fit you can go from there, but you need a starting point...
 
Reading these posts which is interesting, slugging the barrel was mentioned
not being familiar with the term I looked it up. My question is instead of pushing a soft lead ball through the barrel can a machinists entry mic or small hole gauges be used to obtain the same measurements. The entry mic would give you the measurement and you would have to mic the small hole gauge to obtain the measurement seems to me it would be easier than stuffing a lead ball through the barrel.
 
Interesting that more than one person said H4895 was a bad choice - my CZ 527M and vz-58 would beg to differ. :) Yes, it was a wee bit slower, (28 grains of H-4895 with the 123 gr Hor Spire Point chrono'ed out to 1934 FPS, but I didn't think that was too bad. My go-to load with that bullet, 27grains for AA 1680 gives 2318 FPS. Data from a ProChrono, BTW.
The H-4895 did decently for the CZ 527M with the Berrys bullet...



I should point out that was with iron sights, not a scope.

Cast loads in this caliber are fun, being doing that for a while...my favorite bullet right here.



Good stuff Maynard, if you like that sort of thing.

Good luck, it's fun to experiment!

BTW, if using cast bullets in a gas operated semi-auto, powder coating makes a difference. ;) Mix of 129 and lee 160 grain slugs.

 
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Slugging the barrel will give you the groove diameter of your barrel. Plug gauges will give the bore diameter. For best bullet to gun fit, groove diameter is important and the dimension most use. I don't believe an "entry micrometer", or caliper would give accurate ID measurements of a "hole" (as needed to find the dimensions of the grooves) as the jaws would have to be sharp, knife-like to off set the radius and the jaw thickness mis-match, plus some barrel's rifling uses an odd number of grooves making it very difficult to directly measure the groove diameter.

Slugging is fairly easy, and gives accurate dimensions, plus it tells you the condition of the bore (rough spots, bulges, constrictions). I'm not a youtube fan, but you can find videos there on "how to slug a barrel"...

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=how to slug rifle barrel
 
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"Yes, it was a wee bit slower, (28 grains of H-4895 with the 123 gr Hor Spire Point chrono'ed out to 1934 FPS, but I didn't think that was too bad. "

Maybe, if all you intend to do is toss bullets at paper, 1934 fps is OK. For hunting, it's disappointing at best. The cartridge is already at the lower end of suitable velocity and handicapping it by using an inefficient burn rate powder makes it worse.
 
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