pulling 7.62X39 surplus bullets?
- Thread starter Power Pill
- Start date
I have a Hornady cam lock bullet puller, before pulling the bullets I but the bullet seating die in and push the bullets in a little, then try the bullet puller, assuming your using a cam lock type, and don't over tighten the handle, i just broke mine.
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Seemed pretty easy for me. Putting both the original to make snap caps, or barnes to make mexican match.
I also used the hammer puller without breaking the seal, just have to hit it harder, be sure to use a carpetted surface. Pulling the bullets, then weighing the charges gives some insight into the 3-5 inch groups most get with this ammo. Not a whole lot of consistancy involved.
I have puled three hundred or so using the RCBS Collet and the Hammer puller. As mentioned above bump the seated bullets in a bit with the seating die to break the seal and then use the puller of your choice.
I prefer the hammer puller because the collet puller may mark the bullets if you over tighten the collet on the bullet and pull it with the press. I use the Lee Classic Cast and it still takes a bit of force and sometimes a try or two to get them out.
With the hammer puller, use the press shell holder instead of the collet in the hammer. It is stronger and holds the case better and I use the end of a 1' piece of 4X4 in the house or a birch log on end if in the garage as the surface to hammer on. I have also replaced the sponge in the end of the puller with a cleaning patch. I find that the bullet comes out undamaged and all of the powder comes out as well, this gives me much more consistent charge weights on the scale.
Since I hate shooting corrosive ammo in my good 7.62X39 gun, I reload the russian powder less 10 percent in a brass case with a cast 155 gr Lee spire point bullet. Works great. I save the pulled bullets for use later and give the primed steel cases to a friend to reload and shoot in his sks. To date, he has loaded all the cases I have given him with his powder of choice and bullet of choice and never had any type of problem.
The best way to do this is in batches, take your time and watch the bullet and case in the puller. You will be able to tell when you are almost there. Some I have done in 4 hits and some in 15 so watching the case and bullet is the best way to see your progress.
Hope this helps,
Cactus
I prefer the hammer puller because the collet puller may mark the bullets if you over tighten the collet on the bullet and pull it with the press. I use the Lee Classic Cast and it still takes a bit of force and sometimes a try or two to get them out.
With the hammer puller, use the press shell holder instead of the collet in the hammer. It is stronger and holds the case better and I use the end of a 1' piece of 4X4 in the house or a birch log on end if in the garage as the surface to hammer on. I have also replaced the sponge in the end of the puller with a cleaning patch. I find that the bullet comes out undamaged and all of the powder comes out as well, this gives me much more consistent charge weights on the scale.
Since I hate shooting corrosive ammo in my good 7.62X39 gun, I reload the russian powder less 10 percent in a brass case with a cast 155 gr Lee spire point bullet. Works great. I save the pulled bullets for use later and give the primed steel cases to a friend to reload and shoot in his sks. To date, he has loaded all the cases I have given him with his powder of choice and bullet of choice and never had any type of problem.
The best way to do this is in batches, take your time and watch the bullet and case in the puller. You will be able to tell when you are almost there. Some I have done in 4 hits and some in 15 so watching the case and bullet is the best way to see your progress.
Hope this helps,
Cactus
This is also my method of Mexican Match.
Normally, just for plinking, I don't bother changing the milsurp. Anywhere I want to shoot allows FMJ.
However, when I want to hunt with my SKS and milsurp...
Pull the bullets from 50 cases. Dump the powder from 10 in the scale pan. weigh it, divide by 10. That is the charge weight I will load into each case (If I go to a 150gn bullet, I subtract 1.5gn from the charge).
So, I charge all the cases, seat 20 original FMJ bullets (using either rhw 123gn ones that I have just pulled or 150gn ones pulled fropm the 762x54R surplus) and 30 with appropriate hunting tips.
Sight in with the FMJ, final fine-tuning with the hunting rounds, and the go hunting.
This will easily cut the 100 yd group in half with an SKS, and with 150gn bullets and a 4x scope, that makes it a 200yd hunting rifle (4-5" group @ 200yds).
Still a little bit of work to get corrosive ammo, but at least I don't worry about the dang cases getting lost in the grass and bush when I am hunting.
