Question from a newbie...

Patrick81867

I am reloading some 7.62x39 shells and the bullets do not seem to be seating tight enough because I can spin some of them with my fingers after they are seated. I am using .308 110 grain Sierra HP's with Remington brass casings. How do I get them to seat tighter?

Thanks.

bpost

DO NOT SHOOT THEM. If a bullet can be spun in the case it can be pushed back into the powder space during cycling of the gun, causing extreme pressure spikes and KABOOMS.

You need an expander ball on your sizing die of .308 diameter. The standard expander ball on 7.62X39 dies is a proper size of .311. You can use .308 diameter bullets but don't expect much accuracy.

You could carefully stone the .311 expander down to .308 by spinning it in a drill over a hard Arkansas stone, checking the diameter often so you don't take off too much.

It would be best to pull the bullets and get some .311 diameter bullets, the correct bullets for the 7.62X39 Cartridge case.

Patrick81867

Thanks for the heads up. I will get the .311's.

peabo

The Lyman dies that I have for the 7.62 x 39 came with 2 expander buttons - for the 308 and the 311.

You could use the expander button from a 308 or 30-06 set of dies if you have those dies. If not, just order a 308 expander button.
Maybe that will help.


Thanks---Peabo

bsdoyle

Just for my info. Are you sayin that the7.62x39 came in two bore diameters??????????????????? 308 and 311???I dont have one but that could be a problem unless you knew for sure what you had. Yes.???

sandwarrior

quote:Originally posted by bsdoyle
Just for my info. Are you sayin that the7.62x39 came in two bore diameters??????????????????? 308 and 311???I dont have one but that could be a problem unless you knew for sure what you had. Yes.???


bsdoyle,

Unfortunately, yes. The original diameter of the 7.62x39 is .311 (nominal). Some American companies made the bullets .308. Some other American companies also built rifles using .308 bores.

.308 bullets can be shot out of .311 bores, but with, IMO, horrible accuracy. ...even for AK's and SK's.

As long as you keep pressures low, you can shoot .311's from a .308. But since you and I and most everyone else can't determine what pressure is actually going on there, I would look to find .308 bullets for any bore of .308. And .311 bullets just work better in .311 bores for accuracy. Federal and Winchester have figured that out and their loads for the 7.62x39 are categorically anemic just for that reason.

You need to determine what size you have. Get the right dies and bullets for the size you have. Then load making sure you have a good fit so that you don't have happen what bpost describes.

peabo

As I understand it, the Ruger mini-30 was designed for .308 bullets.


Thanks---Peabo

llama

quote:Originally posted by peabo
As I understand it, the Ruger mini-30 was designed for .308 bullets.


Thanks---Peabo


From what I recall reading when they first came out, it is actually a tapered bore design...