.311 and .312 Bullets

[Gator Weiss]

If you reload 7.65 Argentine, 7.7 Jap, .303 Brit, 7.62x54R and 7.62x39, bullets of .311 / .312 are essential. These are all great cartridges. The supplies seem to be going away. Does anyone have any news on this topic?

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Just the same old, “We’re trying to meet the needs of our loyal customers but…”
Rising costs of materials, labor shortages, regulations, global supply chain issues, foreign conflicts… put the above phrases on a wheel and spin for the excuse of the day.
Basically, the world needs 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and 9mm. Everything else is an unnecessary luxury.

 

[Catpop]

You can certainly use boolits to fill the bullet void! I do. Either cast your own or buy ready made from MBC or the like.

 

[Archie]

I use bullets for .303 British for the 7.62x69mm round. Hornady makes them (used to anyhow) but I haven't looked for much lately.

I do know that for most uses, up to .003 oversize is not noticeable in most cases.

 

[JSneezy]

I just ordered some 150 grain Hot-Cor from Speer not too long ago. They seem to run out pretty quickly as they lost them available, but keeping an eye out and checking every once in a while they come back occasionally. Bruno's also had some 174 grain Hornady FMJ, so I don't think production is stopping, just a matter of when they can get to it because they're focused on other calibers. The one that worries me is Lapua suspending brass production on these casings.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

These work good in my Mosin and RAR 7.62x39. But not in my Arg. Masuer. And they are available as of now. Load with cast data.
Spire Point Bullet | Bulk Bullets | Copper Plated Bullets (berrysmfg.com)

They are on sale too. Just ordered a 1000.

 

[JSneezy]

Here's a link for the Speer: https://www.speer.com/bullets/rifle_bullets/hot-cor_rifle_bullet/19-2217.html

And Hornady from Bruno's, looks like they have some options. Their shipping is somewhat reasonable last time I had an order shipped, but their primers are high, and their hazmat is about double everyone else.
https://www.brunoshooters.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=hornady_303

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

The Speer 150 grain work well in my ARG Mauser.

 

[Soonerpesek]

I just recently purchased PPU brass and Hornady bullets for the 7.7 at Graf's................components are out there........

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I get my brass from gaffs too.

 

[AJC1]

If I was desperate, and I may be soon, I'd try .310s from ak/sks rounds. It's obviously not ideal, but that would be my next step.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I have used these sized to .311” from time to time and they are good for deer at .303Brit range - 200-300yds over clear cut - with a P-H TZ 4/47 sight on my No.4 Mk.1* Faz. They don’t shoot well out of all my .303’s and the 180gr version shoots better in my Argies, so I suggest buying a few and trying them in your rifle before buying a larger qty. Good bullets, no leading even when pushed hard with IMR 3031, and they are minute of Whitetail accurate but a little pricey.

 

[FROGO207]

The manufacturers will run with the most pipular bullets, brass, ammo, etc. Untill the market is saturated to keep from downtime when changing dies to make different stuff. When we actually stop buying it hand over fist they shift to lesser produced components and produce limited runs. You have to know what you want and haunt the sellers sites so when something appears you can jump in and purchase. Eventually things will slow down and the oddball stuff will also be more plentiful. Goimg with cast lead orcast with gas checks seems to come back before all the jacketed stuff does for what I am reloading. Good luck out there.

 

[ballman6711]

This may help, Midsouth Shooters.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....174-grain-round-nose-with-cannelure-100-count

chris

 

[Soonerpesek]

Better hurry........!!

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6288

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6287

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I was at the Scheels in Overland park yesterday and they didn't have any .311 either.
Primers and some powders tho...

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve reverted to using cast bullets for my .31”s.

However, the both (#4Mk1 Fazerkerly, referb. And Izvesk 91/30 post WWII referb.) both shoot better with the .312” Hornady than .311” Speer or PrviPart.
Both are astonishing accurate with the discontinued Hornady 174gr .312” BTHP that only Grafs carried.
I still have a box and a half left. Placed in a CMP Vintage Military match with my #4mk1 with the Hornady’s...
Doubt I’ll ever see them for sale again at affordable prices.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I’ve reverted to using cast bullets for my .31”s.

However, the both (#4Mk1 Fazerkerly, referb. And Izvesk 91/30 post WWII referb.) both shoot better with the .312” Hornady than .311” Speer or PrviPart.
Both are astonishing accurate with the discontinued Hornady 174gr .312” BTHP that only Grafs carried.
I still have a box and a half left. Placed in a CMP Vintage Military match with my #4mk1 with the Hornady’s...
Doubt I’ll ever see them for sale again at affordable prices.

Gotta love the Faz!
I have a 5-groove No.4 Mk1* that shoots .311” really well but it isn’t typical. I also have about 500 Speer 180gr JSP .312” I’ve been hoarding since they vanished from the catalog a few years back. The GT’s are a good hunting bullet and they shoot like jacketed mostly. But they are still cast.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Mines a 5-groove, too! New wood and barrel circa 1951. Imported by Century circa 1980’s.
I replaced the flip rear sight with milled 1100yd Fazerkerly stamped (“F”) one. Per CMP rules I JB Weld filled the rear aperture and drilled it out with a .056” bit...
I modified a SKS front sight tool to allow fine adjustments to the front sight...
It’ll hold the 10 on an SR-2 target at 200yds, if I can...! Mostly X’s from sand bags...

 

[dh1633pm]

My M39 Nagant shoots .308’s just fine. It helps make the 311’s and 312’s go farther.

 

[JSneezy]

My M39 Nagant shoots .308’s just fine. It helps make the 311’s and 312’s go farther.

The M39 was a Finn Capture, and had been rebarelled to shoot .308 if I remember correctly. My '43 Izzy 91/30 shoots about 8 MOA with .308, though last time I had tried that I only had the irons. I'm getting right around 1 MOA with Speer Hot-Cor .311 150 grain over AA2495 and CCI Large Rifle. A lot of changes have been done to the rifle since I didn't get it with the Russian stock, and the receiver had already been drilled and tapped for an optic mount.

 

[armoredman]

When I was handloading for 7.62x39mm my favorite bullet was an NOE 129gr .314 cast, gas checked and sized to .311, and powdercoated. They worked wonders in my CZ-527M, vz-58 and SKS.
Still have that mold somewhere...