7.62x39 SKS and Mini 30 with LEAD boolits

[PolarFBear]

Just acquired an SKS along with my son's Mini-30. I load for a Moisin-Nagant 7.62 with IMR 4227. It is my ONLY rifle powder. I use a Lee 185 grain with wheel weights for the Moisin (and a Lee-Enfield). I would like to use either the Lee 185 or a Lee 160 grain lead "pill" over IMR 4227. I can find no load data in my recipe books. Lots for gilded bullets but nothing for my cast boolits. I realise neither of these firearms are known for accuracy but I am a "paper" shooter. Suggestions for accuracy will be appreciated. Oh, yes, I have searched through old post without much success. Thanks.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

A Mini-14, or a Mini-30? The Mini-14 is chambered in .223/5.56x45.

 

[PolarFBear]

Aquila Blanca: Thanks, It is for a Mini 30. My son had the "30 cals". I had the .223's, AR and Mini 14. Now, I've got all 4.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

In my experience it’s not a good idea using lead bullets with a gas gun. Small amounts of lead can shave off in the port and just make a mess of things and can be quite difficult to rectify. Extreme Bullets makes a copper plated bullet specifically for this application and they aren’t terribly expensive. Weight wise they aren’t as heavy but for just plinking/paper punching they work fine. Powder wise Accurate1680 or BlC2 work well. Just some thoughts.

 

[mikejonestkd]

I use 123 GR berrys plated in a mini 30, SKS, mosins, and lee enfields with good success. Load light enough to keep them from coming apart, but just enough to cycle the action.

I have used Trail boss in the bolt guns and the min load data with H4895 in the semi autos. H4895 tends to reduce well and still burn clean.

 

[PolarFBear]

mikejonestkd: I can obtain the Berry's. Just loaded 500 9mm with Berry's 115 grn FMJs. H4895 is availble in this area and I do use Tailboss for pistols. Never considered T/B for rifle ue. What are your charge weights you use in each firearm? And your source for the receipe? "jetinteriorguy" added a good thought on lead and gas guns. I'll acceed to his advice and stay jacketd/plated. 123 grain seems like a very light bullet to use in the Mosin and Enfield.

 

[mikejonestkd]

Polarbear,
For TB loads in the bolt guns (7.62 x 54R and .303 Brit) I use 12.5 gr under the 123 plated berrys bullets. They stabilize fairly well and make a nice 100 yard plinking load. The POI is significantly off from full power loads so you have to make a bit of elevation adjustment.

For the mini 30 and SKS I'll have to check, but I believe 28 gr of H4895 and the Berrys 123 plated bullets shot well enough to plink with, and just cycled the actions. Your Mileage may vary. Do not push them too fast, as they can't handle it.

 

[hikingman]

My preference for lead is muzzle velocity under 1k. The .223 loads that I would consider are much faster, and would not meet my lead criteria- nowhere close!

 

[PolarFBear]

hikingman: For pistols, I agree on the ~1,000 fps limit. I usually go less. For my Enfield and Moisin I push it up to about 1600/1700 with lead boolits and Lee liquid Alox plus gas checks over 22.1 grains of IMR 4227. No leading yet. I'm a paper shooter so no need to go higher. Though I did have to dispatch a badly wounded deer with the Moisin. Did the deed OK at about 25 yards. I have seen some folks loading with lead for the .223. Have not investigated that since FMJ's are affordable.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...can find no load data in my recipe books..." You won't find data for those bullet weights for the 7.62 x 39 anywhere. It's not the same cartridge as a Moisin-Nagant. There is 150 grain 7.62 x 39 jacketed data on Hodgdon's site though.
And, for a fee, cast bullet data here.
https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/762x39-762x39mm-Russian-Cast-Bullet-Loads/464
You may want to rummage around here as well.
https://castbulletassoc.org/forum

 

[res45]

PolarFBear I've been shooting cast lead bullets in my three SKS rifles from three different countries of origin as well as ever other rifle and handgun I own for more years than I can count.

Both the Lee .312" 155 gr. SP with standard grease groove and .312" 160 gr. RN tumble lube bullet pictured below are gas check designs and were designed for the 7.62 x 39 cartridge. I have the 160 gr. which is a longer bore rider version and I find it to be the more accurate of the two. Load data for both those bullets can be found in the Lyman #4 Cast Bullet manual. IMR-4227 is one of the powders listed with both those bullets.

As to the Lee .312" 185 gr. RN there is no listed data for that bullet in the 7.62 x 39 cartridge but I've shot it in my SKS rifle for years. A good powder to use with the 185 gr. GC RN bullet is either IMR or H-4895, I like 24.0 grs. for a nice little thumper load, neither powder will go over pressure even with a compressed load, but 24 to 25 grs. is a good load.

If you are powder coating your bullets and using a gas check you can mix that wheel weight alloy 50/50 with pure lead and quench the bullet right out of the toaster oven after the bullet cures. GC,size and let them sit about two week to age harden, load and shoot away. I'm pushing bullet cast from the 50/50 alloy powder coated and gas checked up to 2300 fps. with no issues and excellent accuracy.

Like the Lee .312" 185 gr. RN the Lee .312" 160 gr. RN tumble lube bullet will do double duty in the Mosin rifles if it cast large enough. Powder coating will add a couple thousands to the dia, I size all my bullets for the SKS and Mosin rifles to .314" The Lee 160 gr. GC TL bullet will shoot very well in many standard US 30 Cal. rifles as well. I've used it sized to .311" in my 30-06 and 300 Sav. with excellent results. 16.0 grs. of Alliant 2400 is a excellent load with the Lee 160 gr. TL bullet sized to .309" to .311" which ever the larger dia. best fits your standard 30 Cal. rifle. The same loads is also excellent in the Mosin rifles as well with my bullets sized to best fit the throat of the gun.

 

[rc]

I would avoid the lead in the mini 30 as the gas system may be hard to clean. In the SKS should not be a problem as the gas system comes right apart. I would go with heavy bullets for the caliber to slow things down a bit. I think you could use 4198, 4227 and several other powders. I would avoid 1680 for this purpose.

 

[Unclenick]

I've shot a fair amount of lead through the Garand and M1A at cast bullet velocities using gas checks and never seen a problem show up in the gas systems. The gas checks prevent gas cutting of the bullet quite well. Just don't let them be under your groove diameter. A smooth bore in good condition helps avoid lead fouling buildup which might conceivably contribute to lead getting into a gas port.

 

[res45]

Lots of cast lead bullets especially with the addition of the powder coated bullets have been shot through the M1 Garand, M1A, AR-15, 300 BO and various other AR platforms in various calibers with no problems.