Cast bullets in my SKS rifles

[res45]

I've been working on some cast bullets loads for my SKS rifles for a couple weeks using the Lee .312 160 gr.tumble lube gas check bullet. I finally settled on 12.5 grs. of Alliant 2400 the MAX load in the 7.62 x 39 case would be 15.0 grs. This load is very accurate in both my Chinese and Yugo SKS producing identical groups,no leading and cycles both rifles dropping the brass about 5' from my shooting position.

The Yugo shoots a bit flatter than the standard Chinese SKS a rear sight leaf adjustment of 400 meters is required to hit the same point of aim with the cast bullet as the factory 123 gr. ball would at a 100 meter rear sight setting. I used the same 400 meter setting on the Yugo and it shot high by several inches as the target shows so 200 or 300 meter setting is probably going to be more appropriate for the Yugo.

The TL GC bullets were cast from straight WW alloy and water quenched,lubed once with Lee Alox that has been thinned with mineral spirits 1 oz. to the 4 oz, bottle and allowed to dry overnight,gas checks were then seated with a Lee .314 sizing die with no sizing applied to the bullet. Then TL once more and allow to dry before loading,the final bullet weight with GC and lube was 165 grs.

5 shots 50 yds.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/3ChineseCast.jpghttp://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/rhsikes/2YugoCastLoad.jpg

[dovehunter]

Wow, I'd always heard that the SKSs and AKs wouldn't hit the barn from the inside. Your guns and cast bullet loads sure disprove that notion.

[res45]

Thanks DH,my various jacketed bullet handloads do just as well as the cast bullet loads,the main problem with accuracy in the SKS and AK rifles is most people that own them never shoot anything but what the cheapest ammo of the day is.

Even if you can only afford to do the commie ammo find the one that shoots best in your rifle and stick with it,all the various X39 ammo's are not the same,if you want consistent accuracy feed it consistent ammo.

[Adam Helmer]

res45,

Welcome to the Forum; I see this is only your third post.

I shoot the Lyman #311410 130 grain plain base roundnose bullets in my Chinese and Russian SKS arms ahead of a dose of IMR 4198. I water quench my bullets right out of the moulds and have great accuracy and functioning.

Again, welcome to this site.

Adam

[res45]

Thanks Adam,I just found this forum a while back and was able to just start posting. I've only been casting for a couple months although I have shot commercial cast bullets for a long time in all my handguns but those days are over with.

I was really surprised at how good my bullets shot in the SKS rifle,at about 8 cents a shot there hard to beat,I can and have used the same bullet in my Mosin M44 with similar results. I reload for everything I shoot that will take a primer,I have about 25 years of reloading under my belt and I still use the same old Lyman orange crusher press kit I bought way back when.

I enjoy hand loading as much as I do shooting and taking a rifle or handgun and getting the best I can out of it. My 30-30 mold came in today so hopefully in a few weeks if it ever drys up I can get some loads downrange and see how they do.