Alternative bullets for 7.62x39

[Unclenick]

The normal way to make the determination is to slug the barrel. This involves taking a pure lead ball, cast bullet, or fishing sinker that is a little wider than the bore, running an oily patch down the clean bore, then using a wood dowel or brass punch to hammer the slug into the muzzle and a cleaning rod to push it through and out the breech end. The lead ball is then measured across the groove marks with a micrometer to determine bullet size.

I don't know what tolerances the Czechs were working with, but in WWII, the U.S. tolerance for barrels was ±0.0015 inches for both groove and bore, so measuring is the only way to know exactly.

 

[res45]

I slugged both barrels on my Chinese and Yugoslavian SKS rifles and they are both closer to .311" than .310" I also have a NIB Black Bolt Russian SKS still in the original refurbished condition that has never been fired so I haven't slugged it yet.

From my testing with various jacket bullet mfg. off a bench rest over ten years ago using .308", .310" and .311" dia. bullets the .310" bullets made by Hornady shot the most accurately, The FMJ, SP and V-Max all shot about the same group sizes. The .311" dia. bullets opened up a bit by about a half inch as show in my post above.

The .308" dia. bullets could be used as a last ditch bullet if thats all you have but they were not that accurate for me out past 50 yds. but they were within minute of deer vitals.

I mainly shoot cast lead in all my SKS rifles these days and .002" over groove dia. of the SKS rifles chambers and shoot very accurately and cost me nothing but $20 each for a couple Lee molds and 2 cents for a gas check.