Cast bullets in the SKS (Lee 312-155-2R)

7.62Man

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I plan on making some cast bullets for the SKS using the Lee mold 312-155-2R. The bullets would be cast from used wheel weights and would be sized and gas checked using there cast bullet sizer.

Anyone used cast bullets in the sks? Anyone used the Lee 312-155-2R mold?
 
7.62Man said:
I plan on making some cast bullets for the SKS using the Lee mold 312-155-2R. The bullets would be cast from used wheel weights and would be sized and gas checked using there cast bullet sizer.

Anyone used cast bullets in the sks? Anyone used the Lee 312-155-2R mold?

I have that mold and tried 20 rounds with a load that sent them out at about 1300 fps. Wouldn't cycle the action very well and ended up failing to completely eject six or seven of them, ruining the cases when the action closed on them. arrrgh :mad:

Being a semi-auto, you need to be fussy on not only the MV of the bullet, but the burn rate of the powder chosen to yield that MV. The cycling of the SKS action depends on gas port pressure, and the gas port is out towards the end of the barrel. A fast powder reaches its peak pressure relatively early, and pressure has eased considerably by the time the bullet reaches the gas port. A slower powder will reach peak pressure later (meaning micro-seconds later), and pressure will be higher when the bullet passes the gas port. So for semis you have to choose a powder within a fairly specific range of burn rates.

I think that if I bump the MV up to about 1800 fps, and choose the right burn rate for that MV, I'll get good cycling and keep the brass in the same time zone.

I'm going to try a few loads with varying burn rates (from slower to faster):

12.0-14.0 gr of Alliant 2400;
16.0-18.0 gr H4227 or IMR 4227; and
24.0-26.0 gr of H4895

and have a look see.
 
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i don't know much about the SKS but If it has a gas port you may find that it gets fouled up to easily using cast bullets...you may have to go with the j-word.
 
Would love to buy a yugo 59/66, anyone selling one?

I plan on loading with reloader 7, using 21-22 grains should give me a fps of 1900-1950. I hope the faster FPS will help the rifle cycle.

The story Lee Percision is telling me is that the Lee mold 312-155-2r was designed by C.E. Harris for the sks/ak.

As for gas port fouling a little steel wool and ATF along with elbow grease will cure that. Unless someone wants to sell me there yugo 56/66:)
 
7.62man:
You may have to go to either water dropping or oven hardening for the velocity you are likely to need for functioning the rifle. Try them and see is the way to go.
 
I have used this same cast gas checked water quenched bullet sized to .311 using orange magic lube. I worked up loads using 4198 till the action would fuction properly in a SKS and VZ 58. It took a bit more powder to get the VZ working. My chrony told me I had 1950 fps on the max. load Fired 100 rounds through both guns with no bobbles or any sign of leading of bore or gas system problems. I was getting about 6" groups at 100 meters.The cast functioned well but was no hell for accuracy.
 
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