Turning surplus fmj 7.62x39 into hunting ammo?

Bushbum40

Bushbum40

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I was thinking about pulling the fmj bullets out of surplus corrosive ammo, and replacing them with soft point bullets to make cheap hunting ammo.
I have no experience with reloading. Anyone know what tools would be required to do this properly? Also, where to find the appropriate weight soft point bullets?
 
To do it properly you would need a single stage press and a bullet seating die. If you replaced the FMJ bullet with the same weight soft point and made sure your overall length was the same then that would be the entry level method.

If I were going through the trouble of getting a press, and dies, I would either buy ammo for hunting as I use very little hunting compared to target shooting, or I would load using components with brass cases. This is because I would want at least a 180 grain projectile and I would have to dump the factory powder so I would only be using the steel case and corrosive primer. When I hunt, I generally do not want to clean my gun every day, so I would make my own with non-corrosive components, since I would have to work up a load anyway.

A buddy of mine reloads 7.62x39 using a lee turret press and the investment for him was about 300 bucks, 350 including components to make 100 rounds.

As for bullets, my bud got his at budget shooting supplies, as site supporter with link in the title.
 
dakotamar said:
how many are you planning on shooting? The shell is typically steel cased, so that is a challenge right there.
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The cases are malleable iron and form easily. It's just a matter of pulling the original bullets, weighing 10 or more powder charges to find the average weight of powder that should be in each case, then, put the powder back in the cases with measured weights and reinsert the bullets.

By the way, as mentioned, you do need the proper equipment or it isn't worth the effort. You will need an inertia type puller as well, there is very little or nothing on the military projectiles for a clamp type bullet puller to grip.

Speer makes some very nice 125-135 grain projectiles that would be appropriate. So do the rest of the bullet makers.
 
If the cases are steel don't waste your time. Steel cases are not reloadable. Despite the nonsense you see on the internet. The mild steel used in 'em is not elastic like brass is and will not resize correctly. It's the necks that would need resizing, not the whole case. In any case, you'd need a beginner's reloading kit. Runs around $500ish.
Bullets are no big deal. Most of the bullet makers make a .311" 123, 124 or 125 grain SP that will do nicely.
 
MFS hunting ammo in 7.62x39 was less than $20 a box last time I bought some. That's pretty cheap. If you're only shooting a box or so of hunting cartridges each year it's probably not worth the cost of getting set up to pull and replace the bullets.
 
I would be shooting quite a few. Maybe a couple hundred. I would use them for practice at the range to sharpen up for next season. I don't see 123 grain projectiles being a problem for island deer. I took one last season with pricier hunting ammo.

Looks like we have a few different opinions on how to do this. Seems to me that if i have to get a press it might be more of an investment than i planned for.
 
kennymo said:
MFS hunting ammo in 7.62x39 was less than $20 a box last time I bought some. That's pretty cheap. If you're only shooting a box or so of hunting cartridges each year it's probably not worth the cost of getting set up to pull and replace the bullets.
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This is the way I see it too. When deer season comes around I only shoot the .270 a few times anyways. This is why I don't reload .270 yet , it'll take me another 30 years before I have an abundance of empty cases to reload anyways.
 
you can find new or used loading equipment in single stage for a set up under 200ish depending how fancy and brand snob you want to get and if you find you enjoy loading you can up grade to the fancier /progressive and digital /and power equipment and sell off the beginner set up for hardly any loss
 
You can probably find a single stage on the EE for a reasonable price,, a set of RCBS dies in 7.62 x 39 for around $25. you can probably get set up for under $200 easy. Just save your brass. Pulling the bullets from surplus ammo will require that same investment as reloading brass anyway..
 
CanAm is selling LCW 7.62x39 HP. Their test shows expands well in clay. Wonder if that can be used for hunting?
 
It is easy to do.

I pull the FMJ bullets using a pair of sidecutters on the bullet when it pokes up above the die hole on the press.

No need to weight the powder charges, if you don't spill any. Just seat a soft point to the same OAL.

Find a buddy with the basic loading equipment, and he will show you how. You don't need 7.62x39 dies. A 308 seater (or 303) will work just fine.
 
I have watched Why Not? just grind the FMJ nose until the lead is exposed and voila, soft point ammo.......This was 8mm Mauser surplus and I asked him how they shot, he said good enough for his purposes. Sounds to me that this maybe the easiest answer for you. It does work too, they are legal because lead is showing and they do expand according to Ted.
 
Just a wild guess, would you be using a sks for this hunting? Cause the gun and surplus ammo is cheap, and the gun makes 3-5" groups, i deffinately would not recommend it, they have terrible accuracy, ammo doesnt have much of a punch out far and it drops like a rock. Imo its not worth the hassle unless your at one of the clubs that ban steel core, then either way id be buying a different rifle. .22lr for plinking and something with better ballistics for hunting in .308 or 30-06 in a bolt action. Semi autos tend to have more open groups in a blowback action.

As for the pull and " mexican matching" bullets can be done, ive tryed, use a press, pull in a collet puller as surplus ammo has a sealant around the bullet, reinsert and use a 30 cal collet and crimp the neck back to the bullet.
 
c-fbmi said:
I have watched Why Not? just grind the FMJ nose until the lead is exposed and voila, soft point ammo.......This was 8mm Mauser surplus and I asked him how they shot, he said good enough for his purposes. Sounds to me that this maybe the easiest answer for you. It does work too, they are legal because lead is showing and they do expand according to Ted.
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I've heard of instances where the lead 'squirts' through the jacket when this is done due to most FMJ's having an exposed lead base. This can leave the jacket lodged in the bore, a nasty surprise for your follow up shot.
Also, a lot of the commie surplus is steel core or steel jacketed under the copper, just to complicate things a little further.
 
Bushbum40 said:
I was thinking about pulling the fmj bullets out of surplus corrosive ammo, and replacing them with soft point bullets to make cheap hunting ammo.
I have no experience with reloading. Anyone know what tools would be required to do this properly? Also, where to find the appropriate weight soft point bullets?
Click to expand...


you would need a single stage press, Lee challenger is $100, Lee reloader "C" press is $45. Die set for x39 is $25. Shell holder is $5. Side cutter pliers is free. So well under $100 if you want to use the "C" press which will work great no matter what you may be told here, but you can add more as you think you need it.
Bullets are available dang near everywhere. Don't know your exact location, but several site sponsors have what you need.




yomomma said:
Well first thing to do is buy a bunch of reloading manuals and READ them. Then do a lot of searching on the internet.
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There is no requirement to buy manuals and read them, and he is searching now. The man is NOT reloading, simply Mexican matching bullets. Take out FMJS, put in hunting tip.


dakotamar said:
how many are you planning on shooting? The shell is typically steel cased, so that is a challenge right there.
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What is the challenge, he is not resizing them, just pulling a bullet, seating a bullet.


sunray said:
If the cases are steel don't waste your time. Steel cases are not reloadable. Despite the nonsense you see on the internet. The mild steel used in 'em is not elastic like brass is and will not resize correctly. It's the necks that would need resizing, not the whole case. In any case, you'd need a beginner's reloading kit. Runs around $500ish.
Bullets are no big deal. Most of the bullet makers make a .311" 123, 124 or 125 grain SP that will do nicely.
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Guess you don't bother reading... NOT RELOADING THEM! And a beginners kit DOES NOT RUN $500ish! Less than $100 for what he wants to do.


Ganderite said:
It is easy to do.


I pull the FMJ bullets using a pair of sidecutters on the bullet when it pokes up above the die hole on the press.


No need to weight the powder charges, if you don't spill any. Just seat a soft point to the same OAL.


Find a buddy with the basic loading equipment, and he will show you how. You don't need 7.62x39 dies. A 308 seater (or 303) will work just fine.
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Dang, there it is.
Really, this isn't anything complicated. For those of you telling him to load brass, he is probably hunting with an SKS. If that is the case, then the brass is gone when he fires it. The most expensive part of reloading disappears -non-recoverable in tall grass or new snow. Not a good reason to help extol the virtues of reloading.
I have Mexican matched thousands of bullets and have used everything from 125gn to 220gn bullets with good results. There is no way I'm gonna shoot brass-cased ammo from an SKS. And 4 deer gave fallen to Hornady 125gn interlocks from an SKS, one of those by my wife at 140yds.
OP, one thing to remember, it is sometimes easier to seat the existing FMJS a little deeper to break the lacquered seal and THEN pull them.
 
rookie wildcat said:
Dang, there it is.
Really, this isn't anything complicated. For those of you telling him to load brass, he is probably hunting with an SKS. If that is the case, then the brass is gone when he fires it. The most expensive part of reloading disappears -non-recoverable in tall grass or new snow. Not a good reason to help extol the virtues of reloading.
I have Mexican matched thousands of bullets and have used everything from 125gn to 220gn bullets with good results. There is no way I'm gonna shoot brass-cased ammo from an SKS. And 4 deer gave fallen to Hornady 125gn interlocks from an SKS, one of those by my wife at 140yds.

OP, one thing to remember, it is sometimes easier to seat the existing FMJS a little deeper to break the lacquered seal and THEN pull them.
Click to expand...

Good advice.
 
sunray said:
If the cases are steel don't waste your time. Steel cases are not reloadable. Despite the nonsense you see on the internet. The mild steel used in 'em is not elastic like brass is and will not resize correctly. It's the necks that would need resizing, not the whole case. In any case, you'd need a beginner's reloading kit. Runs around $500ish.
Bullets are no big deal. Most of the bullet makers make a .311" 123, 124 or 125 grain SP that will do nicely.
Click to expand...

Steel cases are reloadable, use google there are plenty of people who do it and even have documented with pictures. They aren't as easy as brass though, and generally most people don't bother.. but it is possible.

On topic I would recommend a Cam lock puller over the inertia puller, I just got the Hornady one and it works great with minimal marks on the bullets. It is also much faster and easier then the inertia.
 
Matty308 said:
Steel cases are reloadable, use google there are plenty of people who do it and even have documented with pictures. They aren't as easy as brass though, and generally most people don't bother.. but it is possible.

On topic I would recommend a Cam lock puller over the inertia puller, I just got the Hornady one and it works great with minimal marks on the bullets. It is also much faster and easier then the inertia.
Click to expand...
I agree, I have both inertia AND an RCBS collet puller. The inertia puller absolutely sucks pulling milsurp bullets, even IF you break the seal first, but a collet puller is only needed if the OP wants to keep the FMJS for something else. Otherwise, just use a pair of side cutters and save the $60 for the puller and collet.
 
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