Reloading the 7.62x54r for hunting

[Guest AK4ME]

I used my M38 carbine to take my first deer last November and I plan to take another with it this coming season. I used the Brown Bear 204gr. SP bullets available to me at the time and it done its job. But....

I'd like to find a bullet with some expantion,a nice heavy hollow point or ballistic tip to handload with. I have heard of some people having luck with .308 bullets but I believe my barrel is .310

I hope someone here has a tried and true recipe

[9teeneleven]

S&B makes a match hollowpoint boat tail 7.62x54r in 174gr. I've got few boxes and have seen them on the net too.

7.62x54R 174 grain HPBT Match Ammunition 20/box

Sellier and Bellot 7.62x54R 174 gr HPBT Match 20/box - Natchez Shooters Supplies

[Guest Matchguy]

FWIW a friend rolled some of his own using domestic 170 grain blunt-nosed .30/30 bullets. His load is good, accurate ammo in his M44 and mine as well, but hasn't been field tested yet. But since the .30/30 is the all-time top deer gitter, and since your M38 is capable of higher velocities than most lever action .30/30s, it seems to me this is a very good bullet choice to get started on if you're going to load for deer, especially for use at .30/30 distances. IMHO.

MG

[gearyr]

I have a M91/59 Mosin Nagant. I have been reloading for it a while. What you need to do is slug the barrel. Take 00 buck shot grease it up and shove it thourgh the barrel. Then take a caliper and measure the diameter. I did that on mine. I have been using the Sierra .311 150 and the 180 grain SP bullets. The fun part is finding brass. Their is a place called Chestnut Ridge that sells 7.62x54R bras that is already primed. I can't remember the exact load data that I am using. I will look it up and post it later. Here is the one I have used.

BULLET SIERRA 150 GR. .311

POWDER 51.0 GR. IMR4320

PRIMER CCI LR

CASE GRAFS

COL 2.95

Hope this helps. gearyr

Collecting and Shooting the Mil-Surp Rifle - Slug, Measure, & Match: Using the Right Bullet for the Right Barrel Diameter

Go to this web site. It will explain how to slug your barrel

Edited October 1, 2009 by gearyr
more info

[Guest 1shot]

The cheapest way to get good cases to reload is to get some Prvi Partizan or Wolf Gold (It is the same ammo) ammo and shoot it up. These are very good cases.

As others have said you need to slug your bore. If the slug measures out on the high spots .310 to .3105 use a .311 diameter bullet. If it measures .3105 to .3115 use a Hornady .312 bullet.

These bullets will expand nicely.

I have many rifles in 7.62X54R and they all really prefer heavy bullets. 174 to 180 gr bullets. The all shoot this load very accurately. 50 grs Accurate Arms 4350, CCI 200 primer, Prvi case, .311 Sierra 180 gr SP, OAL 3.000. For rifles that need .312 bullets use the Hornady 174 gr RNSP with an OAL 2.790 and I use a Lee Factory Crimp Die on all loads. It makes them more accurate.

One note: If you use Lee dies you will need to get a de-capping rod made for the 303 British to use .311 diameter bullets. The one that comes with the Lee die for the 7.62X54R is for use with .308 bullets and I have never seen one of these rifles that would shoot worth a hoot with .308 bullets. If you try to use a .311 or .312 bullet that has been sized with the Lee die with the rod for .308 bullets you will end up crushing the shoulder down when you try to seat these larger bullets. I would suggest that you get RCBS dies. They come with both size buttons and it turns out cheaper for them than having to order the proper size rod for the Lee dies.

Most of these rifles will shoot 3 to 6 inches high at 100 yards. They are battle sighted for 300 meters to hit a man size target. I have removed the post in the front sight by drilling out from the bottom of the sight ring and then replace the old post with a finishing nail the same diameter but make it taller than the old sight post. Use some JB Weld to hold the new post in the sight ring securely. Find your most accurate load and then file the front sight post down in small amounts at a time to bring your POI up to where you want to zero the rifle.

If you want to go to a good web-site to learn more on how to make your rifle more accurate take a look here. OpenDNS Go to the forums and go down the list to the Russian/Finish rifle thread. Open this thread and at the top of the page there will be some sickies. In these you will see a thread on accuracy tuning for the Mosin Nagant. It is easy and it really works.

[Garufa]

FYI, the 7.62x54r is a .311 diameter bullet. That's the spec.