Pulling/Reloading 7.62x51

LostWomble

Hi
I have supply of Norinco 7.62x51 NATO and I want to change the FMJs for Speer SPs more suitable for hunting.

My question is this: If the the factory load is 40grn and the FMJ is 143grn, should I reduce/increase the load for speer 150grn?

If reduce, by how much?
If increase, what powder should I use in replacement if using the original primers?

I can find no load data for Norinco cases nor can I find out what powder they use in the factory loads.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, LostWomble

awinds

Free advice is worth just what you pay for it.
That said, reduce the powder charge by 10-15 % and
work back up slowly, watching for "bad" signs.
The best advice is "don't do it!!".

dtknowles

The short answer is that if you have to ask maybe you shouldn't be trying what you are thinking.

Most large ammo manufacturers do not use cansiter grade powder (powder with low lot to lot variation for use by reloaders). That means they don't and can't really tell you what powder they used.

You said "My question is this: If the the factory load is 40grn and the FMJ is 143grn, should I reduce/increase the load for speer 150grn?" If this is the best question your experience can provide then be very careful. You should have at least known that you must reduce the powder charge when ever you start a new load development. Your final powder charge, after you work back up toward max., should be less than the original charge because your new bullet is heavier than the original. A couple other variables that will be involved:

the actual diameter of the old vs. new projectiles .0005 inches is significant

the compressibility of the old vs. new projectiles, jacket thickness and core hardness

Projectile bearing area, length of the bullet that contacts rifling.

In my mind this kind of load development is not worth the effort or expense unless you have very many rounds all of the same lot and then you need to inspect the powder and bullets to make sure that they are the same as they could vary even within the same lot of finished ammo but should not.

Do have a chronograph?

How will you know when you have a good hunting load?

What rifle will you be shooting these handloads in?

What game will you be hunting?

How much do you like reloading?

How much do you like shooting this rifle?

If you like reloading, shooting this rifle, and have a lot of this ammo then this might be a good project. I got a very good deal on 1600 rounds of 30-06 non corrosive mil surplus berdan primed ammo many of which I have pulled down and used the powder, primed cases and bullets in various ways. I am always careful and conservative and expect that you will be too.

The bullet and the case are the two most expensive components in most ammo. Shoot the FMJ's for practice, save the brass and reload with the new primers, powder and your Speer soft points using normal loading development practices.

One last thing, did I understand you correctly and you were considering using two different powders in a single round of ammo? This is a serious no-no, maybe you need to practice reloading with starting loads per a manual for a while before you take on a more advanced load development task. Mistakes can be expensive and dangerous and it appears that there is a lot you don't know.

Please be careful

Tim

11b6r

STRONG NOTE OF CAUTION- the 7.62 NATO cartridge is NOT a .308 Winchester. Military brass is a different thickness, giving a different case volume. The same powder charge loaded in a civilian case and a military case will give higher pressures in the military case. You did not say if your Norinco is steel cased (copper washed steel)- but that will also impact your load. My advice (not that you asked) is shoot the Norinco ammo as is. And go buy two boxes of decent civilian hunting ammo- for hunting.

LostWomble

Thanks for the prompt and detailed responses guys.

I will take your advice, stop being a cheapskate, use the Norincos for plinking and load the speers into some decent brass using tried and tested load data.

Thanks again.