lead bullets with gas semi action

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  • Last Post 05 November 2011
idpasharpshooter posted this 23 October 2011

so i've been thinking of getting a lee mold for my .312 guns and was wondering if shooting lead causes any problems with the gas system in ak's and sks's and do the lighter loads still work the action properly.

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idpasharpshooter posted this 23 October 2011

on a side note can a .312 bullet be swaged down to .309 for my .308 bore gun?

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CB posted this 23 October 2011

I'd suggest a hard alloy & gascheck, but there are people shooting cast in AKs. Make certain your bullets are 1-2 thousandths over actual bore diameter, slug the bore & measure the slugs accurately, since there's practically no chance that your bore is perfectly dimensioned according to the “book". As far as the .308 goes, I size everything for my 30-06 to .311 because it will chamber perfectly in my rifle. Once again, you need to know your rifles exact dimensions, and size accordingly.

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99 Strajght posted this 23 October 2011

I use 15.5gr 2400 and the Lee 155gr cast from WW. I have shot maybe 1000 rounds so far with out a problem. No sizing and only Lee lub. My bore is also .308.

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Brodie posted this 24 October 2011

I would suggest a push through sizer such as the lee for that kind of operation. I have sized .462 and .459 bullets to .451 using Lee push through sizing dies without any problems. Brodie

B.E.Brickey

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runfiverun posted this 24 October 2011

you can most likely shoot them at 310 or 311 in your 30 cal. your sks will probably like them at 313 if you have a bore riding nose thats where the mold differences come into play. 304 v.s 301

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sart256 posted this 25 October 2011

I use the Lee CTL-312-160-2R sized to 312 with a gas check lubed with LLA and doing well so far

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gregg posted this 25 October 2011

Just a thought.. Reg primer in a SKS for me anyway can slam fire and go full auto.

Hate it ,,Makes it hard to find your brass..:X:X:X:X:X:X:X 

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idpasharpshooter posted this 26 October 2011

so what do you use gregg. in my ak and sks i use cci primers as i belive them to be the hardest out of cci, win, fed and rem primers. even still sometimes i will see a small dent when eject an unfired round after it being chambered. i also plan on building some sort of brass catcher for my ak so i don't have to chase down the brass all the time that stuff goes a long way. i shot a few matches and lost a bunch of twice fired winchester brass because i didn't plan ahead enough to buy some steel case ammo.

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gregg posted this 26 October 2011

idpasharpshooter wrote: so what do you use gregg. in my ak and sks i use cci primers as i belive them to be the hardest out of cci, win, fed and rem primers. even still sometimes i will see a small dent when eject an unfired round after it being chambered. i also plan on building some sort of brass catcher for my ak so i don't have to chase down the brass all the time that stuff goes a long way. i shot a few matches and lost a bunch of twice fired winchester brass because i didn't plan ahead enough to buy some steel case ammo.

That was the last time i reloaded for that rifle.. I'm with you THAT I understand CCI as  a hard primer. What would I do?  Looks like to me that is cci working find for you I would stay with it.I know nothing of AKs but have seen SKSs that have been treated bad (rusted up) and still work find. The slan fire thing just did not want you to be there with your pant down. In fact if I reload for the SKS again that what I will try.

DARN I HATE LOSEING BRASS:X

http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/primers/primers.aspx?id=30>http://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/primers/primers.aspx?id=30

<>Mil-spec sensitivity <>Initiator mix optimized for ball/spherical propellants <>Available in large (No.34) and small (No. 41) rifle <>Use the same data as CCI Magnum primershttp://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/primers/primer_chart.htm>View Usage Chart

USAGE: <*>Military-style semi-automatic rifles

<>Mil-spec sensitivity <>Initiator mix optimized for ball/spherical propellants <>Available in large (No.34) and small (No. 41) rifle <>Use the same data as CCI Magnum primershttp://www.cci-ammunition.com/products/primers/primer_chart.htm>View Usage Chart

USAGE: <*>Military-style semi-automatic rifles

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res45 posted this 05 November 2011

I use the Lee CTL-312-160-2R in two SKS rifle,my M44 in 54r and my Sav. 99 in 300 Sav. 

A little background on the rifles,of my two SKS rifle one is a Chinese /26 I bough NIB several years ago the bore slugged out a .312” The Yugo M59/66A1 was a factory refurb that either wasn't shot much or had a new barrel put on it, it also slugged out a .312” groove to groove.  Since the two SKS rifles have free floating firing pins I use either CCI#34 primer or Wolf LRM primers in the Yugo the Chinese seem to do just fine with standard Win. LR primers when I did several primer bolt drop test on primed only case and get no dimpling.

Both SKS rifle will shoot pretty much the exact same groups with the Lee bullet but the Chinese will cycle every time with 12.5 grs. of Alliant 2400 MV @ 1450 fps. where as the Yugo requires the 14.5 grs. MV @1900 fps. to cycle.  The Chinese gets pretty much most of the action since the light charge of 2400 drops the brass right at my feet and the 14.5 gr. charge throws the brass about 15' in both rifles.  I could do the SKS gas tube mod. to change the ejection pattern but haven't come across any cheap gas tubes as of yet.

My Lee TL mold throws a slightly larger bullet at .313.5 on the back driving band which is the fattest part of the bullet right in front of the gas check.  I use water quenched WW alloy,apply the gas check with the Lee .314 push through sizer and apply my mix of 50/50 Alox/JPW lube one light coat before applying the check and one afterward.  On occasion when I have the time I ranch dip the TL bullet on the second go around and the next day I push it back through the sizer gas check first it really packs the lube into the grooves and leaves the bullets nose with just a light coat of lube.

I get a little buildup in the gas tube in front of and on the gas piston but it takes a couple hundred rounds before it needs cleaning and it's not that big of an issue.  As a side note I use the same bullet configuration in my M44 Mosin as the SKS it has a .312 groove dia. bore as well and get amazing results with either 16.0 grs. of 2400 or 13.0 grs. of Red Dot.  .309 is probably going to be a bit small to size the TL version down to that pretty much wipes out the TL grooves,I've sized it down to .311 and used it in my old Sav. 99 in 300 Sav. with excellent results.

I'll post some pics when I can get into my photo bucket account the site is running very slow today.

'Artisan' in Lead, Brass & Powder.

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