Cast 7.62X39 accuracy?

[CBS220]

I've been loading up some cast bullets for my SKS, and try as I might I can't get any sort of group out of them.

I'm using the Lee 155 Grain bullet, which is the same as one NEI made, IIRC, and 2400 powder (14.8 grains cycles perfectly).

Any decrease in charge leads to malfunctions, and at this level I am getting no leading and beautiful ejection. This is primarily a blasting load, so extreme precision is not required, but does anyone else have a different load, or some recommendations for me?

 

[David Wile]

Hey CBS220,

I have had a Lyman .30 cal 2-cavity mould for nearly 40 years now, and the bullets it makes have worked very well in a lot of .30 cal rifles as well as two Russian SKS rifles. The bullet is 150 gr., Loverin design, with gascheck, and usually drops from the mould at .311 or .312. When used for most .30 cal rifles, I usually size them to .310. For the SKS, however, I use a .312 die which lubes only and seats gas check without sizing any. I used a pretty hard alloy with the gas checked bullets, and never had problems with bore leading.

I don't think Lyman is making this mould any more, but if you call them, they may be able to give you the name of the company they sold all their old inventory. I forget who it is, but I bought a discontinued Lyman mould from that company about two years ago.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[SSN Vet]

are you shooting them as dropped from the mold?

or are you sizing them in a lubrisizer or Lee-Alox-lube-die?

how are you lubing?

are you using the Lee .312-155 or the .312-155 TL (tumble lube) mold?

From what I've read, the match between the bullet diameter and your bore groove diameter is the critical factor in cast bullet accuracy.

Have you slugged your bore? Read up on it......basically you tap an oversized soft lead B.B. (shot gun pellot) into your muzzle and then pop it out and measure the groove diameter. Then you size your bullets to match.

You can buy a sizing die to match. or if you can't get the exact diameter, lap out the closest size under untill you get what you want.

I'm very interested to hear how this all works out for you as I too have the Lee .312-155 mold and am going to smelt my first ever batch of wheel weights as soon as it warms up around here.