Getting ready to reload for the x39.

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Bolt action ruger american rifle in x39. Still collecting consumables. So far I've got all the dies, plate, brass, expander(.311) Powder - cfe black. Looking for LRP and bullets. Don't know if LMRP can be used instead. Need more reading.
Luckly several different bullets can be used in .311 dia. Just have to have the right lenght/ weight bullets. I had assumed bullets that would work would be easy to find, not so. Most are +180gr which " I think" are too heavy. Trying to stay in the 123- 154gr. Area. At work now so plenty of time to peruse the internet and order some. Needing soft points for hunting. Found some lead bullets with the hi tek coating, still reading on these.

*** using loading data from the hornady book.

 

[SAWMAN]

How do you know your guns bore diameter is .311" ??
And even if it is,why do you feel,that you MUST stick with 311's and no just go with 308's ?? ---- SAWMAN

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

How do you know your guns bore diameter is .311" ??
And even if it is,why do you feel,that you MUST stick with 311's and no just go with 308's ?? ---- SAWMAN

Per Ruger it's .311. In the lands, grooves. Correct bullet for the bore. A true ak bore.

 

[SAWMAN]

okaaaaaaaay .... that's one ansewer. (???) ---- SAWMAN

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

okaaaaaaaay .... that's one ansewer. (???) ---- SAWMAN

Hey, I could be wrong. That's why I started this. Maybe a .308 bullet would work? Still reading. If the .308 and .309 dia. would work I have some of those.

 

[Daezee]

I've slugged the bores on 4 Ruger M77's in 7.62x39. All were .310-.3105" groove to groove. Of course someone else's micrometer could give a different measurement. I've not slugged an American Ranch bore in 7.62x39 cause I don't own one. Two of the M77's tried with .308" bullets shoot excellent (specifically the 108gr M160 frangible bullets), with one of them owned by me and the other by a friend.

I also have some thousands of pulled 123-124gr fmj AK bullets. They're in the .310" range mostly. I shoot them in the 300 Blackout with fine accuracy. "Fine" means while my Barnes handloads can give 1" at 100yd, the AK pulls give around 2" or less, which I consider fine for what those bullets were made for (BTW no steel inside the bullet or steel in the jacket).

The point is you never know what will work until you try it.

 

[SAWMAN]

Damn Bruce, he has either been listening to the X39 "guru's" or been reading MAD MAGAZINE again.
I told him the exact same thing as in your above,seems like years ago now,but he just seems to want to keep it unduly convoluted.
But then again ..... he could just be a perpetual "tinkerer" like me.
He's just gonna shoot dirt clods and beer bottles with it anyway so. - -> no crime,no foul.
Problem is,when someone that knows something tries to tell him something,he doesn't believe them. HUH !!
And now he wants to shoot 150's+. Pretty soon he will want load advice on the 220gr SMK's. ---- SAWMAN

 

[Dave308]

I had a hard time finding.310, .311 bullets as well. Last year Speer had a sell on .311 123gr SP and I think I bought them all. I did see some hornady .310 123 gr in Ranger Firearms yesterday. Located in Fort Walton.

 

[72sofsme]

this is interesting information

 

[Daezee]

Picked up my Ruger American Ranch Rifle (RARR) 7.62x39 today.

1) It needs Sawman's touch on the trigger. Worst trigger pull of any of the Ruger American's I've pulled (not bad, but when you're used to smoother, lighter, and no creep...well it's the worst one). Bolt is not as smooth running as my oldest RARR that's been shot around a thousand rounds.

2) Measuring the muzzle (using a 308/30-06 muzzle wear gage it was less than "1", and about like 0.66, like a brand new 308 or 30/06 bbl) and sticking bullets in the muzzle, it seemed tighter than other .310-.311 bbls I have. Let's slug the bbl. Bore diameter .303". Groove diameter .309". I like that snug groove diameter.

Looking at my .308-.311 bullets weighing 108 to 125gr, I have 5 possibles. Looking at my powder, I have at least 5 (or more) possibles, so lots of combinations to work with. Tomorrow I start testing. Eventually I'll test it with Barnes 110gr black tip Blackout bullets (Sawman will like that if they work).

In keeping with the rifle's smaller size, I put a Burris 2-7x scope on it.

The shop that received it for me also had received one via their normal distributer a couple of days ago. I called a friend who'd been looking all over for one, asked the shop to pull it off their wall and put my friend's name on it. He arrived within an hour to buy it.

 

[SAWMAN]

I have a bunch of them 30321's if you need more. --- SAWMAN

 

[ccc]

Could y’all not use .50 cent words like convoluted and perpetual? I’m trying to keep up ! Lmao

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Picked up my Ruger American Ranch Rifle (RARR) 7.62x39 today.

1) It needs Sawman's touch on the trigger. Worst trigger pull of any of the Ruger American's I've pulled (not bad, but when you're used to smoother, lighter, and no creep...well it's the worst one). Bolt is not as smooth running as my oldest RARR that's been shot around a thousand rounds.

2) Measuring the muzzle (using a 308/30-06 muzzle wear gage it was less than "1", and about like 0.66, like a brand new 308 or 30/06 bbl) and sticking bullets in the muzzle, it seemed tighter than other .310-.311 bbls I have. Let's slug the bbl. Bore diameter .303". Groove diameter .309". I like that snug groove diameter.

Looking at my .308-.311 bullets weighing 108 to 125gr, I have 5 possibles. Looking at my powder, I have at least 5 (or more) possibles, so lots of combinations to work with. Tomorrow I start testing. Eventually I'll test it with Barnes 110gr black tip Blackout bullets (Sawman will like that if they work).

In keeping with the rifle's smaller size, I put a Burris 2-7x scope on it.

The shop that received it for me also had received one via their normal distributer a couple of days ago. I called a friend who'd been looking all over for one, asked the shop to pull it off their wall and put my friend's name on it. He arrived within an hour to buy it.

Look forward to reading it. Tku.

 

[Daezee]

I have a bunch of them 30321's if you need more. --- SAWMAN

Got plenty on hand. Thought it’d be a fun experiment. Goal: accurate and a velocity of more than 2400 FPS.

 

[SAWMAN]

I also have some appropriate powders on hand that might help out in the speed dept.
You you have an old but working electric tooth brush ??
This will help with loading density also. Another 0.5gr or so. Works great !! (ESPECIALLY WITH TRAIL BOSS) ---- SAWMAN

 

[Daezee]

Ok..will try brushing my teeth while reloading.

 

[Daezee]

Tested M160 frangible bullets today. Turns out my RARR 7.62x39 doesn't like them. "Fair" results at the best with 3"-4" groups at 50 yards. Some barrels don't like them so I'm disappointed, but not surprised. I'd hope it'd like them for plinking.

Next was my idea of using Barnes 110gr black tip bullets designed for the Blackout so I could get a higher velocity. However, when loaded to the max oal for 7.62x39, the long bullet for its weight was pushed far enough into the case that the neck no longer held the bullet in place so I ended up with a loose bullet.

Tomorrow's testing will be 2 brands of steel case FMJ factory ammo and 8 different reloads with pulled 7.62x39 FMJ (no steel in them) bullets. In a rifle that likes those pulled bullets, they give 2" or less at 100 yards.

 

[72sofsme]

mentioning "pulled" bullets here, have you thought of "mexican match" with factory loads?

 

[Daezee]

mentioning "pulled" bullets here, have you thought of "mexican match" with factory loads?

If the loaded ammo one is starting with was free, then mexican match could be attractive, but not in this case for me when I've bought both factory loaded steel ammo and those pulls I mentioned. Earlier I'd bought thousands of nice pulled 7.62x39 bullets for use in Blackout bbl wear testing and plinking. In reloading the 7.62x39 I found that normally reloads with pulled bullets were more accurate than factory steel ammo. So I use my reloads in the Ruger bolt guns and factory steel in semi-auto 7.62x39's. Bolt guns have scopes; semi-auto have open sights or red dots.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

If the loaded ammo one is starting with was free, then mexican match could be attractive, but not in this case for me when I've bought both factory loaded steel ammo and those pulls I mentioned. Earlier I'd bought thousands of nice pulled 7.62x39 bullets for use in Blackout bbl wear testing and plinking. In reloading the 7.62x39 I found that normally reloads with pulled bullets were more accurate than factory steel ammo. So I use my reloads in the Ruger bolt guns and factory steel in semi-auto 7.62x39's. Bolt guns have scopes; semi-auto have open sights or red dots.

I was impressed with the accuracy from the RARR with the factory steel case ammo. Especially tula.