Everything you could possibly want to know about 7.62x39 ammo

[wlnt 2]

Edited October 27, 2007 by louielouie

[UnidenStew 1]

Yeah, it's treasure chest of knowledge. Heres the original link: http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ak47ak74/ak_rifle_ammo.htm

 

This is also a good read from the same guy about reloading the Russian cartridges: http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ak47ak74/reloading.htm

 

According to the author, the reason we get such mediocre accuracy from the Russian 7.62X39 is because the powder charges are not consistent. He's published the date he found in the article, so it's worth the read.

 

What he recommends is that you take 10 random cartridges and weigh each one. Take the average of those numbers and reload the steel cases with the new average. I'm going to try it. All I need is the bullet puller, an inexpensive Lee Press, and the bullet seating, crimping die. You don't have to resize the case, so pouring the powder in your pre-set powder measure will do the trick.

 

The only question I have is do I need a special bullet seating, crimping die for the steel cases? Anybody?

[wlnt 2]

Yeah, it's treasure chest of knowledge. Heres the original link: http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ak47ak74/ak_rifle_ammo.htm

 

This is also a good read from the same guy about reloading the Russian cartridges: http://home.midsouth.rr.com/ak47ak74/reloading.htm

 

According to the author, the reason we get such mediocre accuracy from the Russian 7.62X39 is because the powder charges are not consistent. He's published the date he found in the article, so it's worth the read.

 

What he recommends is that you take 10 random cartridges and weigh each one. Take the average of those numbers and reload the steel cases with the new average. I'm going to try it. All I need is the bullet puller, an inexpensive Lee Press, and the bullet seating, crimping die. You don't have to resize the case, so pouring the powder in your pre-set powder measure will do the trick.

 

The only question I have is do I need a special bullet seating, crimping die for the steel cases? Anybody?

 

MacMan,

I really appreciate the websites you noted. The photos are much sharper in the original.

 

About reloading steel cases, YOU DON"T.

 

I reloaded for 20 years or so (before selling my reloading stuff) and have only heard of a couple of guys who reloaded steel cases and they only did it ONE TIME.

 

 

Most commercial ammo is loaded in brass because brass is malleable and can be loaded 7-10 times depending on the loads and how good the brass is. Some military ammo is loaded in brass because it is more forgiving i.e. not as likely to explode. Brass will bulge before it "blows out". Steel on the other hand is not prone to bulging. A good example would be a weak cartridge wall. Steel will most likely split but brass will "give a little".

 

Steel was never meant to be reloaded. Cracks are going to form around the mouth of the case, and or you could get splits in the walls, etc.

 

The second problem you will have is Berdan primers. If you look inside of a fired steel case and look at the "bottom" you are probably going to see 2 holes. Those holes are there for the exploded/burning primer compound to pass through the bottom of the case and ignite the powder in the case.

 

Most brass cases have a Boxer primer and the cartridge primer pocket has one hole in the bottom. They function the same way as the Berdan primers but with one hole in the primer pocket instead of two.

 

To reload a case you have to push the old burnt primer out (from inside the case) and after cleaning the primer pocket in the case, you seat a new primer in the pocket.

 

If you have to push Berdan primers out, you can imagine the fun of trying to locate the 2 holes with a decapping (primer removing) tool.

 

If you have to push Boxer Primers out there is only one hole in the bottom center and a decapping tool will find it very easily.

 

I started with a Lee Progressive Press (cost $200 with dies, access) that had 3 dies and you got one loaded round with each full stroke of the handle. It was an OK press, but if I were to do it over again, I would start with a single stage press.

 

With a single stage press you have to concentrate on only one function with each pull of the handle and therefore it keeps you focused.

 

When I stopped reloading I was using a Dillon 650 (cost $600 with dies, access). It is the Cadillac of reloaders and is the choice of most shooters who earn their living by winning shooting contests. They all load their own.

 

MacMan,

You need to do a lot more research on reloading before you try it. You must realize that one bad round could cost you a lot more than money.

 

louielouie

 

p.s. I found a good NON-LEE site that is about Lee loading, and reloading.

 

http://www.geocities.com/leereloading/

Edited October 27, 2007 by louielouie

[Mindfork 0]

So nobody makes 7.62x39 in brass cases? Not that I want to reload any time soon, but I do save brass for the future.

[taurussvt 0]

So nobody makes 7.62x39 in brass cases? Not that I want to reload any time soon, but I do save brass for the future.

Off the top of my head, Winchester, Federal, and Remington all make brass cased 7.62X39

[SaigaNoobie 66]

So nobody makes 7.62x39 in brass cases? Not that I want to reload any time soon, but I do save brass for the future.

Off the top of my head, Winchester, Federal, and Remington all make brass cased 7.62X39

 

 

Sellier & Bellot make brass cased 7.62x39. Not as cheap as Wolf etc. but cheaper than Win/Fed/Rem. 6.99 for a box of 20. Or $350 per 1000 rds. (don't know if you can get a deal if you do big number buys.)

 

Still if you reload it, 4 times you might end up saving money over milsurp.

[wlnt 2]

So nobody makes 7.62x39 in brass cases? Not that I want to reload any time soon, but I do save brass for the future.

 

 

Be very serious about this; there is brass and then there is brass. The quality of brass used to made a 50 cal. cartridge for a handgun will be much better than the brass used to make a 50 caliber round of military ammunition. Brass is expensive and military ammo is usually left where it falls after it is fired. Let's be honest, how many soldiers have the time or energy to pick up the fired brass after a "fire-fight".

 

You have to be very careful when reloading and here is where headstamps come into play.

Most of you probably know what a headstamp is, but if you don't, it is the letters and or numbers that are on the primer side (end of the cartridge).

 

Military headstamps usually have the last two digits of the year and some code (maybe 2 other numbers opposite the year digits). Sometimes it will be the 2 digit year and the abbrev. of manufacturer. For example 95 with WCC opposite it on the headstamp means it was made in 1995 by Winchester Cartridge Company.

 

As I started to say military brass is usually just enough brass to keep it from rusting. Commercial brass can usually be reloaded 5-7 times. An example of a commercial headstamp is W-W opposite 45 AUTO.

You know it is 45 auto caliber made by Winchester.

 

I think I have said way too much, but after reloading for so many years and knowing what can happen I will always raise a flag of caution when people start talking about reloading.

 

Reloading is work, that should be done in a place with no distractions, when you are fully awake and know exactly what components you are using.

 

Reloading can also be very rewarding when your reloaded rounds are more accurate than commercial ammo.

louielouie

[Willie D 2]

Prvi and Igman from Serbia are 2 other brass cased cartridges to consider. Both can be sometimes be quite inexpensive.

 

I bought some S&B FMJ and Soft Points but have yet to shoot them (they were steel jacketed and I can't used them at the range I bought them for)

[SaigaNoobie 66]

http://www.aimsurplus.com/cgi-bin/sh000001...l%23a1164#a1164

 

S&B ammo for 6.25 a box.

[Mindfork 0]

Definite serious stuff. Got it.

 

So do you recommend NOT reloading 7.62 at all?

 

So nobody makes 7.62x39 in brass cases? Not that I want to reload any time soon, but I do save brass for the future.

 

 

Be very serious about this; there is brass and then there is brass. The quality of brass used to made a 50 cal. cartridge for a handgun will be much better than the brass used to make a 50 caliber round of military ammunition. Brass is expensive and military ammo is usually left where it falls after it is fired. Let's be honest, how many soldiers have the time or energy to pick up the fired brass after a "fire-fight".

 

You have to be very careful when reloading and here is where headstamps come into play.

Most of you probably know what a headstamp is, but if you don't, it is the letters and or numbers that are on the primer side (end of the cartridge).

 

Military headstamps usually have the last two digits of the year and some code (maybe 2 other numbers opposite the year digits). Sometimes it will be the 2 digit year and the abbrev. of manufacturer. For example 95 with WCC opposite it on the headstamp means it was made in 1995 by Winchester Cartridge Company.

 

As I started to say military brass is usually just enough brass to keep it from rusting. Commercial brass can usually be reloaded 5-7 times. An example of a commercial headstamp is W-W opposite 45 AUTO.

You know it is 45 auto caliber made by Winchester.

 

I think I have said way too much, but after reloading for so many years and knowing what can happen I will always raise a flag of caution when people start talking about reloading.

 

Reloading is work, that should be done in a place with no distractions, when you are fully awake and know exactly what components you are using.

 

Reloading can also be very rewarding when your reloaded rounds are more accurate than commercial ammo.

louielouie

[wlnt 2]

Definite serious stuff. Got it.

 

So do you recommend NOT reloading 7.62 at all?

 

Mindfork,

 

Do I recommend it ....NO.

 

NOW BEFORE YOU GET 100 RELOADERS TELLING YOU HOW WRONG I AM LET ME SAY ON THE RECORD...

 

I can only speak for myself, but

If I had known when I started reloading how demanding it is in regard to:

-time

-safety

-actual cost

I would not have started.

 

Some people think of it as a hobby and I did to for a while.

 

THAT IS MY ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION AND THIS IS WHY I ANSWERED NO.

 

 

It's kind of like going fishing but digging to find worms for bait. By the time you have the worms you don't have as much time to do what you started out to do; and that was to go fishing.

 

 

- time it takes - how much is your time worth? When I first started reloading it was a hobby. I quit because it wasn't fun anymore and the rounds I was loading weren't even as accurate as the cheap commercial stuff.

 

- safety factor - static in a primer tube, slam fires because of a high primer, squib loads, any of these can be very serious or even life threatening.

 

- actual cost - Not just how much it costs to get started but also to keep reloading. The components (powder, brass, primers, bullets) are consumed. If you want to try a new powder you have to buy a pound for about $20 just to see if you like it. IF you have it shipped by UPS, add another $15-$20 for a HAZ-MAT fee.

 

Bullets are the same;i.e. if you want to try a different bullet you have to buy a 100.

Brass can be free if you happen to find it at the range. If not then I used to buy a fairly inexpensive box of loaded ammo, shoot it, then reload the cases.

 

I got to the point that I reloaded more than I got to shoot and that was the end of reloading for me.

 

louielouie

 

 

P.S. Another factor is that 7.62 ammo is still very cheap.

Edited November 2, 2007 by louielouie

[Mindfork 0]

Nice to hear about the other side of reloading, and that's pretty much why I just save brass at the moment. I'd rather trade brass for already reloaded bullets, honestly.

 

Thanks,

MF