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7.62x39 lapua brass in saiga..worth it?


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Would lapua brass for reloading the 7.62x39 round be worth it if exclusively fired out of an ak action or would it just totally beat the brass to shit with no hopes of it lasting longer than a more economical option? They claim "dozens and dozens of reloads" but i know aks are pretty hard on brass. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

I appreciate the help yall!

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AKs are super hard on brass - the shoulder likes to get dented by the dust cover during ejection.

You could probably mitigate the effect by cutting back your dust cover or figuring out some way of padding it slightly - dunno.

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Would lapua brass for reloading the 7.62x39 round be worth it if exclusively fired out of an ak action or would it just totally beat the brass to shit with no hopes of it lasting longer than a more economical option? They claim "dozens and dozens of reloads" but i know aks are pretty hard on brass. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

I appreciate the help yall!

LuPiN8oR,

   ROBERTRTGDOTCOM HAS VALMET EJECTION PORT COVERS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO FIT, AND CUSHION THE BRASS, THOUGH THEY'RE TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK.

 

   DON'T FAINT WHEN YOU SEE THE PRICE........

 

   THEY MAY BE AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE...GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND.

 

   JESS1344

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Thanks jess, i tried googling the valmet buffer but apparently they are extremely rare. I may be forced to get creative unless theres something else that might work.

LuPiN8oR,

   EITHER WAIT TILL RTG HAS 'EM BACK IN STOCK, AND PAY THE FREIGHT, OR YOU MAY TRY FOLDING A PIECE OF LEATHER AROUND THE OFFENDING EDGE OF THE TOP COVER AND RIVETING IT IN PLACE.

 

   DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD CLEAR THE BOLT, HOWEVER.

 

   GUESS YOU COULD TRY CUTTING THE PORT FURTHER BACK, BUT I THINK I'D TRY OBTAINING A CHEAPIE COVER TO TRY THAT ON FIRST.

 

   JESS1344

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Thanks jess, i tried googling the valmet buffer but apparently they are extremely rare. I may be forced to get creative unless theres something else that might work.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

Heat and reform the cover, rubber block rivit in position

 

But cheaper brass is out there as well

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Lapua brass in an AK is like putting dragster fuel in a Ford Escort. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying the AK is a lesser gun, only that using expensive high end brass in it isn't going to improve accuracy or performance. Lapua is good stuff, but for an AK, I would be happy with Winchester or even foreign brass that is reloadable. Even if you do achieve a few extra loads out of it, I wouldn't think it would make up for the cost difference in the initial investment in brass. Just my 2 cents

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Why not get some of that S&B ammo? I've heard good things about their brass in general, though nothing specific about this caliber other than verifying that it is boxer primed. Back when I was looking into getting 7.62x39, that is what I had decided was the best overall deal. Aimsurplus sometimes has really good prices on it.

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Also, for the bumper on your dust cover, there are a few good ways. As Jim said One is to rivet on a chunk of rubber, such as from the side wall of a tire. You can oil it and shape it on a belt sander to look really nice.

 

I would try something less permanent first though: Clean the cover with a solvent such as alcohol. Then make a sort of mold from masking tape and use some black urethane caulk such as is sometimes used for automotive windsheilds. Roofing grade would probably do well too. It might take a couple attempts, but I think I could get a shape that looks "factory" within a couple tries. Another variation would be to use a similar method to shape epoxy into a backing for a rubber or urethane bumper just on the edge. 

 

The other thing is that you can reload brass that has some dents in the side. The neck and shoulder matter more. Most of the time even really bad looking .223 will iron out when you size it. I'd do what I could to mitigate brass damage, and then just use anything that is safe to use.

 

You are going to want a brass deflector or catcher. I don't like the usual mesh types. They interfere with reaching the charging handle and can cause malfunctions by bouncing brass back into the open bolt. Most of them can shift around and get in the way too. What I did for my cousin's fancy LWRC .308 will make the elitists cringe, but it works really well: I took a ~5"x8" piece of .125" thick leather, and dyed it black with shoe dye, then punched four holes in it. These holes allow me to zip tie it to the scope rings. The leather is stiff enough to stick out an inch or two as it curls downward and hangs down about 5". I have not had a single malfunction, the brass all lands in a neat pile on the bench or at my feet, and I can easily inspect/ access the ejection port area. Simply tilting the gun lets the flap flop out of the way. Bubba? Maybe, but it works great, and was all but free. No lost brass.

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I haven't reloaded it, but the S&B ammo is fucking beautiful. I paid way, way too much for it (12 bucks a box) in '08, but I have 4-6 boxes of brass-cased S&B soft point. Next time I take a rifle in that caliber on a hunting trip - that's what it'll be loaded with.

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Thanks for the replies guys, i guess i did ask a multiple tiered question lol. Jess, I'll check in with that site often but if a couple months passes ill probably snag a dust cover and attempt what gunfun and/or you outlined. Gunfun, that leather brass 'backstop' is a great idea, i have leather and zip ties as is, im sure i can rig something up! Spacehog, i was only thinkin lapua because in the description it said that it could be reloaded dozens and dozens of times--figured if i was shellin out the cash and if it really could survive an ak itd be worth it lol! :) and shandlanos, i have about 200 herters brass/boxer SP that ive heard was repackaged s&b--they are really nice, just cant find anymore of the pointed sp--and i don't know if the round nose stuff will feed right. Thanks again guys, ill let yall know what i come up with.

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SGL,

   CHECK OUT ROBERTRTGDOTCOM, THEY HAVE NEW POLISH TOP COVERS FOR $15.00.

 

   THE POLISH VARIANT IS WHAT LINCH USES FOR THEIR TOP COVER, AS IT IS THE THICKEST AND MOST RIGID.

 

   ON THE SUBJECT OF CARTRIDGE CATCHERS, THAT JOGGED A MEMORY.

 

   BACK IN ABOUT '85 OR SO, WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO AK'S, I BOUGHT A KYDEX (?) BRASS CATCHER (E&L?) AND HAD IT CONVERTED INTO A BRASS CATCHER/DEFLECTOR.

 

   I HAD ONE OF THE CARPENTERS AT WORK RUN IT THROUGH A FINE TOOTH BAND SAW, AND CUT OFF THE BRASS CONTAINER PART OF IT AT AN ANGLE.

 

   I THEN TOOK SOME 2" WIDE VERCRO AND USED IT ON ONE SIDE TO MAKE A FABRIC HINGE, AND ON THE OTHER, AS A CLOSURE.

 

   WHEN THE CATCHER PART BEGAN TO GET FULL, YOU JUST RIPPED THE CLOSURE VERCRO OFF, AND THE CATCHER PART SWUNG DOWNWARD AND DUMPED THE BRASS.

 

   IF YOU JUST WANTED TO USE IT AS A DEFLECTOR, (TO PREVENT WHANGING AK BRASS OFF EVERYBODY FOR 30FT. TO YOUR RIGHT) YOU JUST LEFT THE CATCHER PART OFF ALTOGETHER, AND THE BRASS FELL AT YOUR FEET.

 

   AFTER A WHILE, I OBSERVED THAT THE OPEN CASE MOUTHS WERE  BEGINNING TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE CATCHER, JUST AFT OF THE EJECTION PORT, SO I SLICED OFF A PIECE OF TUBULAR HARD FOAM RUBBER, AS USED ON 10-SPEED HANDLEBARS, AND SUPERGLUED IT IN PLACE.

 

   I STILL HAVE IT AROUND SOMEWHERE, IF I RUN ACROSS IT, I'LL POST SOME PICS.

 

  JESS1344 

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GUYS,

   CRAP, LOOKS LIKE I'LL HAVE TO DO THIS IN TWO BITES, AS MY PICS ARE TOO PIXEL HEAVY.

 

   JESS1344

 

post-45478-0-11571500-1406323050_thumb.jpg

THIS IS THE VELCRO CLOSURE,

RIP IT LOOSE TO  DUMP THE BRASS.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-44788300-1406323190_thumb.jpg

IT ORIGINALLY HAD A PIECE THE LENGTH OF THE CATCHER,

THAT SNAPPED OVER THE TOP COVER, BUT I WAS ALSO TRYING

TO MAKE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL AK SCOPE MOUNTS WORK,

A B-SQUARE, AS I RECALL, AND HAD TO CUT ALL OF THAT LONG LIP

AWAY, EXCEPT FOR THIS FINGER, TO CLEAR IT.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-21442400-1406323688_thumb.jpg

CUT THIS NOTCH IN IT TO BE ABLE TO EASIER PRY THE

REMAINING FINGER BACK OVER THE TOP COVER,

FOR REMOVAL.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-56054800-1406323844_thumb.jpg

THERE'S THAT SLICE OF HANDLEBAR COVER.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CASE MOUTHS HAVE BEGUN TO SLOWLY EAT INTO IT.

JUST ABOVE THAT, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CASE MOUTHS HAD

BEGUN EATING UP THE PLASTIC BODY OF THE CATCHER.

Edited by JESS1344
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So that just snaps on? Definitely nicer than most, but it looks like it still blocks access to the charging handle and the ejection port if you need to clear a jam. Is this the case?

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SGL,

   CHECK OUT ROBERTRTGDOTCOM, THEY HAVE NEW POLISH TOP COVERS FOR $15.00.

 

 

Great suggestion.  I appreciate the heads up.  I wasn't even looking to buy one but I grabbed a spare.

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So that just snaps on? Definitely nicer than most, but it looks like it still blocks access to the charging handle and the ejection port if you need to clear a jam. Is this the case?

GUNFUN,

   THAT IS THE ONLY DOWN SIDE TO IT, YOU NEED TO ALREADY HAVE A ROUND IN THE TUBE (SAFETY ON, OF COURSE), BEFORE YOU SNAP THIS THING ON.

 

   IF YOU HAVE SOME TYPE OF LEFT HAND CHARGING SYSTEM, HOWEVER, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

 

   AS TO JAMS..............AHEM.......WE ARE TALKING AK'S HERE.........

 

   SERIOUSLY THOUGH, ALL KIDDING ASIDE, YES, IT COULD BE AN ISSUE, BUT, IF YOU HAD A LEFT HAND CHARGING SYSTEM, BY REMOVING THE MAG, AND VIGOROUSLY CYCLING THE LEFT SIDE SYSTEM, YOU COULD PROBABLY CLEAR 99.9% OF JAMS/STOPPAGES.

 

   JESS1344

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Thanks. My concern was more that brass catchers can cause brass to ricochet back into the action causing a jam. I don't think AKs are immune to that.

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Thanks. My concern was more that brass catchers can cause brass to ricochet back into the action causing a jam. I don't think AKs are immune to that.

GUNFUN,

   THAT IS A POSSIBILITY, AND IT BECOMES MORE POSSIBLE THE FULLER THE CATCHER BECOMES.

 

   THAT'S WHY I CUT IT AND PUT THE VELCRO ON IT, SO YOU COULD DO A QUICK DUMP ON THE CATCHER.

 

   LIKEWISE, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF USING IT AS A DEFLECTOR, PILING THE EMPTIES AT YOUR FEET, AND NOT HAVING TO WORRY AT ALL ABOUT IT FILLING UP.

 

   GUESS I COULD BORE YOU WITH ANOTHER PIC OF THIS THING, ACTUALLY ON A GUN, FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION, EH?

 

   JESS1344

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GUYS,

   SORRY IF I'M BORING ANYONE HERE WITH THIS BRASS CATCHER/DEFLECTOR THING, BUT HERE IT IS ACTUALLY ON A GUN; IN THIS CASE A SIDE-FOLDING NORINCO, THE SECOND AK I BOUGHT CIRCA '85 OR SO.

 

   JESS1344

 

 

post-45478-0-27913900-1406388615_thumb.jpg

IN THE "CATCHER" CONFIGURATION.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-36627600-1406389176_thumb.jpg

IN THE "DUMP" POSITION.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-60421700-1406389273_thumb.jpg

IN THE "DEFLECTOR" CONFIGURATION.

 

 

 

post-45478-0-98345400-1406390464_thumb.jpg

HERE'S AN OVERALL PIC OF THE GUN.

NORINCO PURISTS FEEL FREE TO SCREAM IN HORROR....;~)))

FSC-47 MUZZLE BRAKE, GREEN NC-STAR LASER, AN OLD FENIX LD2 LIGHT,

A ROMANIAN FRONT GRIP, COMPLETE WITH A BIT OF

TRENCH ART, A RUBBER RECOIL PAD, NOT FOR THE RECOIL

BUT TO KEEP THE STEEL BUTT FROM SLIDING IN

THE SHOULDER, HELD ON BY BLACK IR-RESISTANT TIE WRAPS,

AND A CHINESE 20RND MAG FROM THE SELECT-FIRE VERSION

OF THE SKS THAT TAKES AK MAGS.

 

 

 

 

post-45478-0-12252300-1406389424_thumb.jpg

OTHER SIDE, WITH CATCHER IN PLACE.

Edited by JESS1344
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