res45

I would start with the "UNIVERSAL LOAD" which is 16.0 grs. of Alliant 2400 it's a tried and true tested load in many 30 cal. military cartridges that just works. I shoot this load in my 300 Sav. & 7.62 x 54r and you can cover 5 shot with a nickel at 50 yds. all day long with my 150 to 170 gr. gas check cast bullets sized to .311" for the Sav. and .314" for the Mosin. A good read http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?13425-Cast-Bullet-Loads-for-Military-Rifles-Article Although the Lyman cast bullet manual list a max charge weight of 24 grs. of 2400 with 150 gr. gas check cast bullets I doubt that you will be happy with the results. A velocity range of 1600 to 1800 fps. with long heavy bullet generally give best results. Be very careful with what load data you use as you can go overpressure with 2400 very easy if you go over known published data. With a FMJ bullet you also going to generate more pressure with an equal charge weight due to the added resistance of the jacketed bullet vs. the softer lead bullet. For J bullets in military cartridges I would recommend "The Load" http://members.shaw.ca/cronhelm/TheLoad.html

The CCI NATO spec primer are also Magnum primers which may or may not pose an issues with your loads. http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/primers/primers.aspx?id=30

+1 on that,not my first redio either,better to have an not want than to want and not have. You just have to stay ahead of the curve and put back some extra even when things appear to be somewhat normal. If I can do it after the past five year of being unemployed for two working part time an making half the income I did in years past and still shoot want I want when I want,than I'm sure anyone can. Just be thankful it only reloading components and not your next meal your looking for.

I started running Linux Mint 11 about a year ago and never looked back. Tried out lots of different Linux versions via. Live CD/DVD and settled on Mint. I run FireFox and Thunderbird in the same configuration as I did in Windows. Other applications I use are VLC media player for videos and music,Open Office Suite cross compatable with all MS Office files,K3B CD/DVD Disk Writer software,Adobe Reader for PDF files,Shutter for making and editing screenshots,gThumb and Gimp for photo browsing and editing and a whole lot more programs than I can mention. I haven't missed Windows at all.

The are many variations of light weight training/pratice ammo as well as sabots plastic/polymar bore inserts used to hold jackated, lead or various other types of projectiles smaller than the original bore dia. I've shot several of these in various caliber rifle cartridges mostly European calibers like 7.62 x 39,54r and 7.62 x 25. The Czechoslovakians preduced a 44 gr. plastic core copper or brass half jacket bullet for use in the X39 and 54r training ammo back in the 60's MV is 3200+ fps. at the muzzel but drops off to 2400+ fps. at 50 yds. and 1700+ fps. at 100 yds. Although for training purposes it's still deadly at close range. The x39 ammo is pretty hard to come by but the 54r is still around and can be found on occasions. http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinAmmo013.htm I also have E. German pratice ammo,it shoots a thin steel jacket copper coated plastic core bullet,it cycles through my Chinese SKS without a hitch fairly accurate at 50 yds. which is about as far as I can shoot in my back yard. Penetration was around 14" and the bullet tumble pretty readily. Another option is the Sabot,there stillused today from centerfire rifle cartridges to US Military Abrams tank killer rd.,Remington used to produce loaded ammo called the Accelator http://www.ammo-one.com/RemingtonAccelators.html I produce my own version for use in my SKS rifles,accuracy is minute of pop can at 50 yds. pretty respeciable considering the sabots are .308 dia.

I have an old Sav. 170B 30-30 pump gun I use for general purpose plinking,small game and larger game. The rifle gets a steady diet of cast lead bullets that I cast myself. For the plinker/small game loads I use the Lee 32 cal. 90 gr. tumble lube SWC cast from pure lead and sized to .311 and load it behind 3.0 to 3.5 grs. of Allaint Bullseye MV average is 950 fps. if you use the max. load which isn't really a maxinum load but accuracy and leading may become an issue if you load it much faster. Plus the load being subsonic it's pretty quiet as well. For Med. to large game I cast and load the Lee 170 gr. RNFP gas check bullet. For a heavy plinker/game load I cast the Lee bullet form WW alloy leave the GC off and give it two light coats of Lee Alox/JPW lube and push it with 7.0 grs. of Allaint Red Dot. MV runs in the 1250 fps. range. For Med to large deer size game I cast the same bullet for 30:1 Lead/Tin alloy for a little expansion apply the gas check with the Lee .311 push through sizer and ranch dip or pan lube my bullets. I push these bullet with 28.0 grs. of H-335 MV at 2K fps. Accuracy with all loads is excellent,they shoot 2" or better out at 50 yds. with the irons which havea pretty fat front bead. A scope would probably benefit me greatly but around here 50 yds. is about the longest shot you will get in thick woods. 30-30 plinker/small game load shot at around 30 yds. The 3.0 to 3.5 gr. Bullseye load and 90 TL SWC sized to .311 can also be use in 300 Sav. 30-06 and 308 Win. as well with basically the same results. On a side note the 90 gr. SWC originally cast at .314" give me excellent results in my SKS and Mosin rifles. 2.7 to 3.0 grs. Bullseye in the X 39 cartridge and 3.0 to 3.5 grs. Bullseye in the 54r,all loads in the charge weight range give velocity in the 1K or less fps. range.

A better substitution would be Small Pistol Magnums. Dimensionally the same as SRP, but with a thicker cup and more compound than SSP. In fact, I believe at least a couple companies have admitted that Small Pistol Magnums and SRP are same product in different boxes. That may be correct but I've only received confirmation for one source.

Well not necessarily,I tend to let the bullet design as well as the load/powder determine the amount of crimp I apply. My cast bullet of which I cast several have a variety of crimp groove depths,angles and widths. Excessive crimp applied in the wrong place or to the bullets style can deform the bullet,bulge the case and make for hard loading into the chamber,to light of a crimp may allow the bullet in some instances to move in the case under recoil and jam the cylinder or cause the powder to not burn completely. Basically it just going to be trial and error with your bullet of choice till you get the feel of things,at which point you can pretty much pick up any bullet and have a pretty good idea just how much crimp you going to need to apply to that bullet to get good results.

The V-Max is a good shooting bullet in my SKS rifles,this is a load I worked up in my Chinese SKS. I purchased about 500 of those when Graf started selling them.

List of currently mfg. bullets for the 7.62 x 39. Barnes: 123gr. Triple-Shock X .310 dia. 150gr. .311 dia. Hornady: 123gr. fmj .310 dia. 123gr. V-max .310 dia. 100gr HP/XTP .312 dia. 150gr Interlock ssp .312 dia. Privi-Partizan: 150gr. psp .310 dia. 123gr. sprn .310 dia. Remington: 125gr. sp .310 dia. Sierra: 125gr. Pro-Hunter spt .311 dia. 150gr. spt .311 dia. Speer : 123gr. Hot-Cor sp .310 dia. 150gr. spt .311 dia. Winchester: 123gr. Power point .310 dia.

Thanks for the info. I see why you load at 26gr. As long as everything functions, I should be safe at 24gr. and 2.190 to start. I'll let you know what happens when I get to the range. Thanks again, Bake AA1680 is one of my favorite powders for use in the 7.62 x 39,I've found it to be the most accurate of the powders I tested in my SKS rifle loads using the Hornady 123 gr. SP and FMJ. I load 26.0 grs. and a CCI #34 LR primer in Win. cases. OAL 2.200"

Thanks for the reply guys,I haven't used any new powder in quiet a few years been using the old standbys,I've read that it can be pretty loud and flashy but that's not a problem since I shoot in my back yard. I now have to gather up some load data from various sources to use with my jacketed,cast and plated bullet. I mostly use 115 gr. plated RN and FN bullets in my 9mm and 150 to 160 gr. cast SWC and RN bullets in my 38 and 357 loads that I cast myself.

What's your experience with the powder,I want be shooting any matches or anything with it just general shooting. I've never used the powder in 9mm,38/357 loads but I got a chance to get a 4 lb. jug for $35 and couldn't pass it up. Thanks for all your input.

Thanks for all the tips,well I want sweat the case length,for the to short or long cases I'll just turn them in to 9 x 18 Mak. brass. I shoot in the back yard and marks my cases so nobody handles the brass but me. I get what your saying John on using the profile of the 115 gr. FMJ I'll give that a try over the weekend.

Hi all I'm not new to reloading,I've been casting and reloading for almost 25 years. I recently started reloading for 9mm and had a question about case length. I've noticed that in most cases nobody seem to trim 9mm brass,I have quiet a bit of brass from all mfg. and it all runs different lengths mostly between the Min. and Max with a few under and over but not very many. I've separated all my brass by headstamp and will load and shoot it as such. My question is how much does the difference in case length affect the headspace,crimp and bullet seating depth,seem to me that a short case would set the bullet further from the rifling an a longer case would set it closer. Is there really enough difference between the case lengths to really matter or am I over thinking this. I'm also using Berry plated 115 gr. FP and Rainier 115 gr. HEX HP's which I can't find any OAL data for but I've worked up a couple loads that seen to shoot ok. Any help,ideas or tips are appreciated,I'm just looking to work up a nice general plinking load the powder I like are TiteGroup,W231/HP-38 and Bullseye.