7.62 NATO Loads

flyingtorpedo

Thought I'd ask to see what others are loading for 7.62 NATO loads for my M1A. I was thinking of trying IMR 4895 first because I have a bit of that right now. Got lots of CCI 34 primers a year back because they were on sale. Using 150 grain bullets and military brass. I was brousing the data center from IMR's website and they show a 150 nosler and 42.6 grains IMR 4895 (I think, didn't write it down because I'm not loading it yet)as the starting load at 42,000 PSI. My Lyman shows a starting load at 40 grains of IMR 4895. With the CCI 34 primers and military brass I figure that might be a good place to start. Not going for max loads, just plinkning. So what loads do you like?

Pearyw

I load 42 gr of IMR 4895 with 150 gr bullet and a CCI LR Primer in a military case. I shoot these in my M1A and FALs.

Ambrose

I use 42/IMR4895 with the 168 gr Sierra HPBT match bullet. It's a mild load; runs +/-2500 fps over my chronograph screens from my bolt action rifles and groups are very good. So I would think cutting back to a 150 gr bullet with the same power charge would cause even less strain on your rifle. 4895 powder was formulated around the M1 rifle so should be a good powder to start with in your rifle.

e8gm

I have shot the M1A in competition for years. 42 Grs of IMR 4895 behind a 168 gr Sierra Match King has won more matches for me than I can count. According to the Sierra manual 42 grs of 4895 behind a 150 gr. will get you about 2550 fps.

Wulfmann

Hold on there buckaroo, not so fast with dim dar #34 primers and 4895 powder!!!

Seriously, #34 are much hotter than regular magnum primers and magnum are "NOT" recommended for 4895 either.

#34 with BL-C-2 needs some tweaking (The powder it was intended for) compared to book loads with magnum primers.

As an example for 308 loads. The Speer book says 40 gr of BL-C-2 with magnum primer should get 2372FPS.
I load 38.75gr BL-C-2 with #34 primers and get 2500FPS

See what I mean???

If 4895 is your powder for this get LR (not magnum) primers (and certainly not #34).
If you want to sue the #34 primers get a ball powder like H335, BL-C-2, TAC, AA2460, AA2520 etc etc etc.

IMO

Wulfmann

Rocky Raab

I have no personal experience with #34 primers and was thus reluctant to post, but what I read confirms what Wulfman says. Those things are POWERFUL as well as being very hard (to resist slam fires in semi-autos).

If you can't find a ball powder like H380 to use with #34 primers, look for regular LR primers to use with your 4895. If you can't find either, you might think about not loading until you do.