7.62X54r non steel ammo

[wolfstein]

I have my two "new" Mosin Nagant rifles (one is a Finn) that I really want to get out and shoot. I can get plenty military surplus ammo that contains steel. However, none of the ranges in my area allow this ammo, period. What is the best ammo for me to get and where can I get it? I notice there are a lot of different ones on line, but which are not "bi-metal" or steel bullets? I need the wisdom of you guys. Thanks.

[pacolo90]

I had this same issue, lol. I ended up locating a range(outdoor of course) about an hour from my house that allows steel core/steel casing ammo, gonna try it out this week for the first time... www.wheretoshoot.org is a cool site that can help you locate ranges near you... im pretty sure that no indoor range will ever allow steel core, plenty of outdoor ranges wont allow it either. As far as non-steel for ammo for the mosin goes, all i know is that its pretty expensive online. Where are you located by the way?

[Buckhead]

I had this same issue, lol. I ended up locating a range(outdoor of course) about an hour from my house that allows steel core/steel casing ammo, gonna try it out this week for the first time... http://www.wheretoshoot.org is a cool site that can help you locate ranges near you... im pretty sure that no indoor range will ever allow steel core, plenty of outdoor ranges wont allow it either. As far as non-steel for ammo for the mosin goes, all i know is that its pretty expensive online. Where are you located by the way?

Are you going to the Okeechobee range this weekend ? I wish I was going up this weekend but I was up to the house last weekend and have to work this weekend.
When I go I usually go in the afternoon around 1:30 or 2:00 if it is on Saturday or Sunday because it thins out a little. It is hot but at 10:00 am it is hot to. But what
ever you do have fun and let me know how you made out. Maybe some weekend we can shoot together. You also can bring your own targets. Have fun wish I could
be there.

[wolfstein]

I am located in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. So, South Carolina is just 12 miles from where I live.

[pacolo90]

Actually Im gonna head over there on Thursday, thats the day I dont have class or anything. It would be awesome if we could meet up some time to shoot... what kind of targets do they allow?

[Buckhead]

Actually Im gonna head over there on Thursday, thats the day I dont have class or anything. It would be awesome if we could meet up some time to shoot... what kind of targets do they allow?

They have big cardboard stands that you staple your target to. I usually shoot what ever targets I have at the time Usually Silhouettes. They do have targets there for sale.

[pacolo90]

I am located in the Charlotte area of North Carolina. So, South Carolina is just 12 miles from where I live.

Usually around the cities its hard to find a good range. Im sure you can find a place if you are willing to drive a bit. If you go into wheretoshoot.org you can put in your zip and distance from it you're willing to go. it'll give you a list of ranges with the types and their phone numbers... I wish I could help more. maybe someone on the forum knows of a place. Good luck

[Buckhead]

Actually Im gonna head over there on Thursday, thats the day I dont have class or anything. It would be awesome if we could meet up some time to shoot... what kind of targets do they allow?

They have big cardboard stands that you staple your target to. I usually shoot what ever targets I have at the time Usually Silhouettes. They do have targets there for sale.

Thursday is a good day as is Friday, In November when the Yankees come down it gets more crowded. I think you will like it out there. Might see you some time out there.

[WeldonHunter]

I have my two "new" Mosin Nagant rifles (one is a Finn) that I really want to get out and shoot. I can get plenty military surplus ammo that contains steel. However, none of the ranges in my area allow this ammo, period. What is the best ammo for me to get and where can I get it? I notice there are a lot of different ones on line, but which are not "bi-metal" or steel bullets? I need the wisdom of you guys. Thanks.

I can't help you with where to shoot. Also there's a few reasons ranges don't allow surplus ammo to be used. The main reason is the steelcore ammo can be hard on backstops and can start fires. Then there's some that won't allow steel (bi-metal, coated steel) jacketed ammo which most surplus is also even the leadcore for the same reasons. Then some won't allow steel cased ammo which most of this surplus is too. I've been told this is because they collect the brass at ranges that won't allow steel case and it's messes with the collecting/sorting machines. Some won't allow any ammo that a magnet will stick to on any part of the cartridge. I'd find why they are not allowing surplus and what part of the ammo specifically they're restricting about it and buy accordingly.

The chart below is all reloadable ammo that is brass cased and boxer primed. Not all of it is copper jacketed but I believe none is steelcore. I believe the Prvi Partizan is brass cased, boxer primed, copper jacketed and not steel core. The link above the chart goes to a page with all the ammo in the chart below and a lot more. Each listings description at the link is clickable and takes you to a page with a link to the vendors listing for the ammo.

http://gun-deals.com/ammo.php?caliber=7.62x54R

[Geek]

This may be a foolish question as I haven't gotten into reloading, but if one uses brass cased ammo, saves the cases, and now wants to reload, where does one find the right bullets, primers, etc. for reloading?

[wolfstein]

Thank you very much for the help. This is helpful. I appreciate your time and detail answering my query.

[WeldonHunter]

This may be a foolish question as I haven't gotten into reloading, but if one uses brass cased ammo, saves the cases, and now wants to reload, where does one find the right bullets, primers, etc. for reloading?

That's not a foolish question. Places like Graf and Sons, Widener's, Midway USA and a lot of other places sell the equiptment and components. If you are interested in reloading and have never done it make a post in the Ammunition and Reloading section of the forum and the guys that do this will be glad to help. There's a lot of guys here that reload all kinds of different ammo including 7.62x54R.

[res45]

On a side note Prvi Partizan make the Wolf Gold Line ammo and S & B makes the Winchester line of metric ammo. In general the PPU and S & B ammo will be a few dollars cheaper per box than the ammo they make for other brand names.

As far as reloading for the 54r it's no different than any other cartridge. The main thing to look at when reloading for the 54r is die types and bullet selection as it pertains to your rifle. Finnish rifles chambered in 54r tend to have much tighter bore dia. .310 dia. groove to groove or less than Russian or some of the other combloc rifles .311 to as large as .316 groove to groove.

Finnish rifles with those bore diameters will tend to shoot .308 dia. bullets fine and all 54r die sets come with a expander ball or rod. If you happen to have one of those other rifles with larger dia. bores the .311 or .312 dia. jacketed bullets will probably shoot best. RCBS dies come with both expand balls for either bullet dia. while the Lee die set only comes with the .308 expander rod,but you can purchase a separate expander rod from Lee designed to work with the 303 British for use with the larger dia. bullets for about three bucks.

If you cast your own,cast bullets are also an option if you want to shoot cheap and bypass the range restrictions. You can load cast bullets from subsonic to near full house and use them for paper punching to small and big game hunting. I load jacketed bullets for my M44 but mainly shoot cast bullets I cast myself form 90 to 170 grs.

Currently there is no cheap supply of reloadable 54r brass Graf and Midway are both out of stock so you pretty much have to either shoot and reload preloaded ammo or you can buy the more expensive Lapua brass which cost about $1 per case.

[Geek]

What I was thinking is just save the brass until I have enough to make reloading worthwhile, then get into it. The key is access to everything I need as a beginner. For instance, I don't think I want to start off casting bullets if I can just purchase them as I would for a more common caliber. Basically, does it make more sense to start reloading with a more common, or more modern, caliber, or is this as good a place as any to start?

[res45]

What I was thinking is just save the brass until I have enough to make reloading worthwhile, then get into it. The key is access to everything I need as a beginner. For instance, I don't think I want to start off casting bullets if I can just purchase them as I would for a more common caliber. Basically, does it make more sense to start reloading with a more common, or more modern, caliber, or is this as good a place as any to start?

First off I reload every centerfire cartridge I shoot especially any caliber that is not common in the US simply because you never know when the political winds may change and surplus or commercial ammo is no more or very expensive,plus I like to tailor my ammo to specific needs vs. shooting full power factory loads all the time. Not only is it less expensive in the long run but it save ware and tare on the bore as well.

Commercial cast bullets are available that fit the 54r but there about as expensive as jacketed bullets once you get the gas checked versions so there isn't much saving there,I cast bullets for everything I shoot and it just so happened that the mold for my SKS rifles also fits my 54r as they both share the same bore dia.

Other than the current non-availability of cheap reloadable brass that you can buy in bulk the 54r is as good a place to start as any. There are plenty of bullets from .308 to .312 dia. made by one of the many bullet mfg. depending on your needs and the 54r is give or take a few fps. somewhere between the 308 and 30-06 so they can all use the basic same powders and primers as well.

It just depends mainly on how much you plan to shoot say in a years time and where you can shoot what ammo as to whether you have to shoot factory or reloads or surplus ammo,and if the rifle may be called upon to do more than just serve as a recreational firearm.

[ditchtiger]

Lead core stuff goes for $84 for a 440 round can plus shipping.

[mrb7]

If you catch the PPU on sales at Cabelas in the bulk package it isn't terrible. Nowhere nearly as cheap as MilSurp, but it's lead core soft point and reloadable brass.

Plus I have been doing some meticulous note keeping about accuracy of preloaded rounds, and so far the PPU is winning. Mind you I haven't been buying any of the $38 a box match grade "touch me I'm blessed" ammo. That stuff might be magic, but I'll probably never find out.

[Junk Yard Dog]

What I was thinking is just save the brass until I have enough to make reloading worthwhile, then get into it. The key is access to everything I need as a beginner. For instance, I don't think I want to start off casting bullets if I can just purchase them as I would for a more common caliber. Basically, does it make more sense to start reloading with a more common, or more modern, caliber, or is this as good a place as any to start?

First off I reload every centerfire cartridge I shoot especially any caliber that is not common in the US simply because you never know when the political winds may change and surplus or commercial ammo is no more or very expensive,plus I like to tailor my ammo to specific needs vs. shooting full power factory loads all the time. Not only is it less expensive in the long run but it save ware and tare on the bore as well.

Commercial cast bullets are available that fit the 54r but there about as expensive as jacketed bullets once you get the gas checked versions so there isn't much saving there,I cast bullets for everything I shoot and it just so happened that the mold for my SKS rifles also fits my 54r as they both share the same bore dia.

Other than the current non-availability of cheap reloadable brass that you can buy in bulk the 54r is as good a place to start as any. There are plenty of bullets from .308 to .312 dia. made by one of the many bullet mfg. depending on your needs and the 54r is give or take a few fps. somewhere between the 308 and 30-06 so they can all use the basic same powders and primers as well.

It just depends mainly on how much you plan to shoot say in a years time and where you can shoot what ammo as to whether you have to shoot factory or reloads or surplus ammo,and if the rifle may be called upon to do more than just serve as a recreational firearm.

This is the way to go, I have been hoarding lead for years, for every pound I sell you guys I keep two I am not reloading for every caliber I have, but I have dies to do so, and all the needed equipment as I am reloading for some. I am still acquiring molds, but have a large selection already on hand for the important bullets.

[Blueliner]

Happily I know of one outdoor range that does not care about steel core and an private indoor range I am a member of that does not like steel core but doesn't mind non-brass cases. This morning I was exploring gun-deals (awesome btw) and noticed some Russian lead core surplus from the 40s-50s that seems to fit the bill and is very cheap to buy. Not being an ammo expert I do have a question for those that are.

How reliable should ammo that is approaching 75 years old be? My wife wants to be able to run a lot of rounds through the Mosins but I don't want her to have to put up with a lot failed rounds. Any commentary is welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I once fired 30-40 Krag rounds by accident that were made in 1907, they got mixed in with my new Winchester loads, I never noticed a thing. The Soviet stuff has been pretty good , not much heard about hangfires, or duds, every now and then a case neck might split but that's minor as you will not be reloading the stuff. The spam cans kept it pretty good, and you can find stuff newer that 75 years old