7.62x54R Bullet Seating Die to seat 7.62x51?!

Infantry-Soldier

Infantry-Soldier

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Hey lads...

I know I put out a lot of questions on this reloading section.... Sorry!

Anyways, I went digging through my ammo trunk looking for some soft point 7.62x51 ammo to throw in my truck tomorrow w/ my m14 to use as this years deer gun.

Anyways, the only ammo I had for it is all FMJ.

I have some soft point lapua bullets, and lapua brass, waiting to be loaded... The brass is all brand new. I just don't have the .308 dies yet.

Can I go ahead and use my x54R die to throw together some rounds for my M14? Or should I wait to get the die set and full length size, etc before loading the new brass?


It's not a super big deal, I can always just take my M44 w/ my lapua handloads (which are DEADLY in my m44!) but I just wanted to use the M14 as it was from my wife as a welcome home from the sandbox gift...



To Reiterate, do I need to fl size new brass? And will the x54r seating die work, if I don't need to FL size it...

Thanks!


IS
 
take your m44 if you know its POA vs POI.

Wait and get a FL die for your m14.

You seriously use lapua brass on an m14? Every m14 I have shot gangrapes the brass. I find thick NATO brass, and even nickle brass lasts the longest.

If you have time, go and buy a hundred corelokt 308, and shoot some on paper to see where they go, then hunt with the norc. I took mine out a couple of times this year. Beats scoped rilfes on the heavy snow days. ;) In past years, the corelokts have worked well in my m14.
 
I bought the lapua on a whim, because it worked so well in my M44, figured I'd try it... And I needed brass.... Maybe a sin?!

Yea, my only scoped center fire is a tricked out enfield, but the rings keep sliding on the rail every time I fire it.. :( Was frustrating when I tried to zero it, and the rounds were making a big circle on the paper... Then I realized my rings had slid about 3 inchs forward!!!

Bottom one in the pic :D

Picture017.jpg



I suppose I can go buy some .308 for my norc... Just wanted to save some money, is all...


Now what should I do w/ my 100 lapua brass?!
 
I still dream of owning a nice Rem 700 or preferably a FN SPR a1 or other variant in .308... So I can always hang onto it I suppose...

Yea, shipping would probably be a bit high...
 
Your 7.64x54 die will seat the 308 bullets just fine. Runnout might be more than usual, but not an issue in a hunting rifle.

When you pull the bullets from the brass and then seat new ones, the neck tension would probably be less than it was. When switching bullets it is a good idea to neck size part of the neck, to make sure the bullet is nice and tight.

Try pulling one bullet and seating one new one. Then push the bullet hard against the bench and see if you can push it in by hand. If not, it is tight enough to use.
 
Infantry-Soldier said:
.....the rings keep sliding on the rail every time I fire it.. :( Was frustrating when I tried to zero it, and the rounds were making a big circle on the paper... Then I realized my rings had slid about 3 inchs forward!!!

Bottom one in the pic :D

Picture017.jpg
Click to expand...

That is because you don't have the front ring mounted far enough ahead to contact the stop lug. The stop is stamped/pressed into the forward end of the rail. Take a close look and you will see it.

As well, those Millet rings are not the best for this application.

BTDT,
Ted
 
All new brass needs to be FL resized, checked for length, trimmed as required and chamfered and deburred.
Neck sizing only in a semi-auto will give you no end of feeding issues.
A 7.62 x 54 die won't seat a smaller diameter bullet properly.
 
Why not? said:
That is because you don't have the front ring mounted far enough ahead to contact the stop lug. The stop is stamped/pressed into the forward end of the rail. Take a close look and you will see it.

As well, those Millet rings are not the best for this application.

BTDT,
Ted
Click to expand...

That was what my gunsmith installed when I asked him to put a rail on my Enfield..... The first time firing it, the ring went past the stop... Second time I reinstalled it, at the stop, and it went past it again, somehow...



sunray said:
A 7.62 x 54 die won't seat a smaller diameter bullet properly.
Click to expand...

Well I use .308 bullets in my M44, and I would be using the x54R die to seat .308 bullets in a 7.62x51 so it is the exact same bullet. I think it would work, and it's only a difference of 3mm... I figure i'd just have to adjust the seating die a bit..
 
Ganderite said:
When you pull the bullets from the brass and then seat new ones, the neck tension would probably be less than it was. When switching bullets it is a good idea to neck size part of the neck, to make sure the bullet is nice and tight.

Try pulling one bullet and seating one new one. Then push the bullet hard against the bench and see if you can push it in by hand. If not, it is tight enough to use.
Click to expand...



Don't think I mentioned doing that...? Never even occured to me. And I can't anyways, as I don't have dies for .308.

***EDIT***

I also don't have a kinetic hammer... lol rules that one out.
 
Infantry-Soldier said:
That was what my gunsmith installed when I asked him to put a rail on my Enfield..... The first time firing it, the ring went past the stop... Second time I reinstalled it, at the stop, and it went past it again, somehow...
Click to expand...

Like I posted, those Millet rings are not the best for this application. :(

Get a set of Weavers, and they will stay put.

Ted
 
Unless I am mistaken, which I may be because my knowledge of scopes/bases/rings/etc. is very limited, it looks like it has weaver rings on it already... Here's a couple pics:


Um, don't mind the dog hair/dust... I think I need to clean this one! :eek:


IMG_0151.jpg


IMG_0150.jpg
 
OK, I re-read the original question. You have virgin brass. Load it up and seat with the 762x54 seater. Should work just fine. It would take a pretty good match rifle to see any difference from using the right die.....
 
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