7.62 x 54R Bullet Diameter

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  • Last Post 18 January 2017
CB posted this 08 April 2011

I just the Lee die set for my Moisin M91. I have been the die information from Lee. They say that the .308 diameter bullets will well in the surplus Moisin rifles, but an expander for the 303 Brit round maybe neccessary. Currently I can't slug the bore, but noticed that my Wolf Gold cartridges have .308 bullets. Plus I have the Lee 312-160 bullet mold in the hopes that the bullet being slightly over sized would make up for the worn bore. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jerry  

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nimrod posted this 08 April 2011

Bet you it isn't big enough. Probably side a .316 in a fired case, just guessing.

Richard

Missourians for Mosins

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CB posted this 08 April 2011

Richard,

Do you have a suggestion on a bullet mold?

Jerry

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72coupe posted this 08 April 2011

Jerry I have a Romanian copy of the MN44 that has the best trigger I have ever pulled on a military rifle. The throat slugs .314 though.

I shoot a Lyman 314299 in it that falls out of the mould at .315. I size it to .314 and lube it with Orange Magic and it shoots very well.

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DAMRON G posted this 08 April 2011

I use .312 to .314 in three Russian 91-30's with good luck.A model 44 i had needed .315 to shoot reasonably well.

George

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tturner53 posted this 09 April 2011

Just started messing with the Lee CTL-312-160R myself. I didn't expect much due to the diameter being so much undersize for the throats but it shoots pretty good for a start. I shot it in an MN in a CBA postal match last month and it was fair with 13 gr. Red Dot. Not a winner but decent accuracy.

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nimrod posted this 09 April 2011

I've had some good accuracy from the Saeco 305 mine cast .314 to .315. Also recently received a NOE .316-365 that measures .316 that shoots very well in both the Russian and a Finn. On the Finn I size it down to .314.

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DAMRON G posted this 09 April 2011

tturner53 wrote: Just started messing with the Lee CTL-312-160R myself. I didn't expect much due to the diameter being so much undersize for the throats but it shoots pretty good for a start. I shot it in an MN in a CBA postal match last month and it was fair with 13 gr. Red Dot. Not a winner but decent accuracy.

I to have found many .312 bullets do well if not driven too fast(1500) and the nose is at least .302.I think too many people pass over .312 bullets.

George

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CB posted this 09 April 2011

George. In another thread you had mentioned the Lee 312 mold. If I want a rifle to make a loud “kaboom” and hurt my shoulder, I will shoot my Nitro Express. I think 1,200 for a cast load is really enough for this retired Russian rifle. I am doing this to have a fun rifle, when I ordered 100 rounds of reloadable ammo, the Lee die, CTL-312-160R mold and the Lee 314 sizer kit, I spend more on those items than the price of the rifle, so this must be a hobby.

Jerry

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DAMRON G posted this 09 April 2011

Jerry I agree, and seldom shoot over 1500 and most of my 7.62R loads are plainbase @ 1100-1200.The Lee 155 Harris without GC shoots very well with 11g of TrailBoss.I imagine the Lee .312 you have will do good as well as a PB.

George

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Ed Harris posted this 11 April 2011

Determining factor in bullet size is throat diameter, not groove. Only way to tell is to upset a throat slug and to measure it. Some WWII Russian M91/30s I've checked had throats as large as .318 but chamber necks were .339 so you could not use a large enough bullet to get decent results. Finn rifles have tighter throats usually .312, and WWI era Russian rifles .313-.314.

In most of these rifles you can get good results with Lee C312-155-2R cast of wheelweights, shooting as-cast and unsized, putting the GC on in a .313 or .314 die, and using either Lee LLA or 50-50 Aox-Beeswax with 15-16 grs. of #2400.  To use the Lee bullet without GC try 11 grs. of #2400, 7 grs. of Bullseye or 8 grs. of Unique, 7625 or PB.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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giorgio de galleani posted this 11 April 2011

As per Ed's instructions I use an old Nei bullet  marked 313-165  6 cavity mould,passed in a 314 lubrisizer die.

It drops from the mold a large 317 the nose is enormous. Its weight is around 190 grains, it is a copy of Lyman 314299  but with correct dimensions.

I have to try a large 200 grainer from Lbt .

The Nei -Harris  155 grs Kalashnicov is too short for this rifle,and its diameter does not reach 314.  

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giorgio de galleani posted this 11 April 2011

The rifle is a mod 44 with very good bore.

I should enlarge the neck of the chamber and cut a longer throat to shoot the 200 gr LBT bullet.

The Mosin feeds a flat point bullet. but it has no safety an it is too heavy to carry in the hills.

I had the bullet made for an enfield jungle carbine,which does have an useful safety ,and is liht but the SMLE do not feed blunt bullets,they like only pinted balls.

I should find a Lee Speed at an affordable price.I saw a decent Army&Navy carbine that fed my bullet , the asing price was 2.500 euros.

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sart256 posted this 10 October 2011

Jerry, I have been using the Ranch Dog TLC-311-165RF in 303 British with good results at the range. My mold drops them out at312.5 andI size them to 312. Ammo Guide shows the 303 and the 7.62X54R very similar and was going to use them in that as well as soon as I get some reloadable brass.

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Ben Cartwright SASS posted this 10 October 2011

People talk of nose diameter, where do I measure nose diameter on the bullet?

in the picture above, one is flat point and the others appear to have a very small flat area, is that where I would mic?

Dumb question but I noticed it is a question on the Postal Match form.

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giorgio de galleani posted this 10 October 2011

I measure the diameter of the nose at its largest point, just in front of the driving band.

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jhalcott posted this 15 October 2011

Giorgio, I sent you a pm about the MN safety

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4060may posted this 15 October 2011

I have a Ranch Dog 1165gr FN 6 cavity mold, casts at .314, should work for the M/N

I use a group buy fatter .30 6 cavity LEE mold, group Buy a few years ago, .306 nose, .316 driving bands,weighs 192grs w/GC,  sized to .315, with battle sights and wc820 powder will group 5” at 200yds with really old eyes, front rest (bench cross sticks) only no rear bag

This is in a 1943 M/N 91/30, I think factory refurbished, looks new but the numbers are crossed out and re-stamped...

I also have a model 27 Finn with a Tikka barrel, slugs .300-.3005 bore, groove ,308-.309 best as I can read it. much better trigger.  shoots more consistently than the 91/30 

In the Finn I use the Lyman 314299 sized to .311

Rifle is has a heavier barrel and better wood than the 91/30...

Jerry if you are up my way PM and I will give you some of the bullets I use

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sart256 posted this 18 October 2011

That CTL-312-160 mold can also be used for 303 Brit and 7.62X39. I have not tried it in my Enfield yet but, it does well in my SKS, thanks Ed. I have had good results with a Ranch Dog bullet originally designed for 30-30, the mold I have drops them out at 312.5 and sizing them down to 312 does good for my rifle. Yes, I thought of trying those in the SKS also but the flat point of the TLC-311-165-RF won't feed out of the magazine.

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res45 posted this 17 December 2011

In my Russian M44 I use the Lee CTL .312 160 RN cast from WW alloy with two coats of Lee Alox/JPW lube and gas checked with 16.0 grs. of 2400 or 13.0 grs. of Red Dot.

Bore dia. is .312 and Max. bullet dia. that can be chambered is .314,the bullet drops right at .313.5 so I just use the Lee .314 push through sizer to apply the gas check.  Same bullet works equally as well in my SKS rifle which both have .312 grooves.

'Artisan' in Lead, Brass & Powder.

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res45 posted this 17 December 2011

'Artisan' in Lead, Brass & Powder.

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vonriga posted this 28 October 2016

If it is any use, I used the Lee .312 185gr mold, gas checked, with 12.7 gr of trail boss. Mostly they were leaving the barrel of my 1943 91/30 at 1325 fps. Light on the recoil, so you can shoot all day.

I cannot comment on groupings though, because the gun is more accurate that I will ever be.

Happy shooting!

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JeffinNZ posted this 09 December 2016

Measure the inside of the neck of a spent case. That's the bullet diameter you want.

Cheers from New Zealand

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Dirtybore posted this 10 December 2016

I ended up using the Lee, 185 gr bullet designed for the .303.  I was lucky in that it casts a bullet .315” in diameter, the same as the groove diameter.  

I stumbled on this when I test fired a box of factory ammo and the target looked like it was hit with a shotgun load.  The next test was with Hornady .312 ” diameter bullets and the target looked like the rifle could actually shoot.  By then I knew something was amiss with the bore so slugged the bore and discovered it to be .315".  

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skeet1 posted this 15 December 2016

In my 91 30 I use the Lyman 314299 sized to .314” and lubed with Carnuba Red. It shoots very well. If I remember correctly the groove dia. is .312.

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docbob posted this 18 January 2017

I too use the 314299 w/gc sized to .311, ahead of 16.0 grs of 2400 for several of my MN rifles, including a model 27 with a tight mint bore.

            DocBob

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