Has Anyone Tried This ?

[rideandslidejim]

Hello All
I need some 7.62 x 54r soft point ammo ( sooner than i can order it ) . I have a bunch of FMJ and 7.62 x 39 154 gr. soft point, so i pulled both bullets and pressed the soft point in, with a little fingernail polish as a sealer ! Opinions please !

Jim

DSCF3465.JPG

[Junk Yard Dog]

Extremely dangerous, load data is presented as so much of a particular powder measured in grains to a specific grain weight bullet in order to have a known pressure and velocity. It's the pressure part that can kill you, exceed the max pressure and the action can blow apart in your face. Never just swap components around like this, follow the manufacturers load data available from whoever manufactured the powder you are using. In this case there is none because you are reusing the commie powder, small variations in powder or bullet weight can make big differences in performance. Pull the bullets out, get a load manual from Hornady, or Lee, brass cases from Privi, and research a specific load before buying powder or bullets, or research what powder will work with the bullet's you have. Most important before you reload anything get and read the manual, a fuckup here can kill you or someone standing close to you.

[rideandslidejim]

Thanks Boss ! the FMJ was a 147 grain, the SP 154 gr. Both current production Wolf .

[Maine 20th]

Never done that never will. I load D166 .310 FMJBT 200 gr., Lapua brass, Viht N 135 or n140, winchester primers. Works well in "D", best in 91 model. Hornady 8th ed. God Bless America. Pro Libertate Patria

[bunkysdad]

Increasing bullet weight will increase pressure but I don't know by how much. I think if I needed ammo sooner than I could order it I'd have just taken the SKS or AK to the shoot.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[entropy]

Going to the shorter bullet will result in less accuracy, but pressures shouldn't be a problem. This is basically like firing Russian ammo in a 'D' barrel FInn.
If you have the equipment to pull and seat the bullets, why not just load up what you want?

[Darryl]

Going to the shorter bullet will result in less accuracy, but pressures shouldn't be a problem.

Potentially, that "shorter bullet" could be heavier (because it is lead core and not steel core). That would make the pressures higher if the bullet weighs more.

I'd pull the bullet, and not use the old powder. Then reload using your charts for that new bullet and what ever powder you are going to use. In other words, just use the brass and primer. But using the powder charge already in the bullet is an unknown. It is dialed in for a steel core bullet of a specific weight.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd be wanting to error on the safe side.

[entropy]

From his post, I assumed (Yes, I know!) that they were both 154 gr. I agree with you, dolk, that's why I asked why he didn't just load up what he needed in the first place.

[Darryl]

From his post, I assumed (Yes, I know!) that they were both 154 gr. I agree with you, dolk, that's why I asked why he didn't just load up what he needed in the first place.

re-reading it, it does sound like one of them (the lead core) has a weight. Even if they are the same weight, I'd be interested in making sure they are the same dia. also. That will change pressure. Like you said, just dump the charge and bullet and use new powder and the new bullet. That way you know what you have...exactly.

[awalker1829]

Use new powder. Old smokeless powder breaks down chemically over time and that can drastically increase the generated pressure. Germany discovered that the hard way-the barrels of their new Gew88s started popping several months after they entered service.

The investigation determined that the barrels were not at fault-they met each specification and proof testing. The chemists discovered that the powder was degrading at an unusually rapid rate. The breakdown of the elements in the powder resulted in excessive pressures when firing-enough to burst barrels. The solution came about with the reformulation of their smokeless powder.

[Brake Weight]

Hmm. The powder was breaking down and becoming more powerful/explosive.

[Junk Yard Dog]

The Germans reverse engineered the French smokeless powder, that's another way of saying the French invented it and the Germans stole it. To think they raised a stink when we stole the Mauser 98 design for our US M1903's They stole it, must have gotten something wrong in the translation, served them right.

[awalker1829]

The Germans reverse engineered the French smokeless powder, that's another way of saying the French invented it and the Germans stole it. To think they raised a stink when we stole the Mauser 98 design for our US M1903's They stole it, must have gotten something wrong in the translation, served them right.

They didn’t have much choice but to steal and reverse engineer-the French weren’t going to sell it to them. Either they got something wrong in the reverse engineering or they substituted one ingredient for something similar due to inability to secure that material.

They also managed to get their hands on at least one Model 1886 rifle and ammunition for testing in 1887. Who knows what they did to pull that off.

[entropy]

They also managed to get their hands on at least one Model 1886 rifle and ammunition for testing in 1887. Who knows what they did to pull that off.

Butterknife brigade on the Rhine midnight watch.

[Junk Yard Dog]

My guess would be they applied a large application of cash.

[silverado1999]

I once pulled down some Bulgarian steel cased 7.62X54R. Then loaded 5 of the same components in boxer brass cases. I first weighed all of the charges, then averaged them out and used the average for my largest charge, and reduced by .5 grains in the succeeding rounds and marked the cases so I would know which charge I was shooting. The first cartridge with the average of all initial charges was about as strong as the Bulgarain rounds. As I worked my way through the cartridges the report and kick reduced a little, but just noticeably.
My analysis was, I would use this method in a very tight pinch if I could measure everything. But with the amount of surplus ammo I have on hand it isn't worth the chance. I agree with the above posts, please be safe and only fire reloads you have developed yourself.