Casting for the SKS?

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Cactus

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Good day,

I want to start casting some bullets for my sks, based on my internet reading and Utube watching I see that the rifle takes a .311 or .312 diam bullet.

I have also noticed that the lee moulds throw a slightly bigger bullet than they say on the box. My question is should I be getting the Lee .311 mould for the sks or go with a .309 since I don't have a bullet sizer? My Lyman 46th manual says .308 for 7.62 Russian so I am a little confused.

Thanks,
Cactus
 
cast boolits site in the USA has the info you are looking for

You need to slug your barrel and you need a cast bullet that is 0.001 to 0.002 larger than that (cast size could be even larger)

You need a sizer to put on the gas check and to lube/ size bullet

You need to save/find buy reloadable BRASS--- You can not reload Steel case

as well as all the other reloading stuff
 
Thanks for the reply

I already cast and load shotgun and reload 9mm. I guess my questions should have been what is the mould that the reloaders here use for thier sks and are gas checks necessary for mid load plinking rounds? I have all the supplies I need except for gas checks and a mould to cast the bullets.

Thanks
Cactus
 
Since it is only a SKS, you can shoot .309 sized bullets out of it. It will just barely grab the rifling so accuracy won't be like a target or varmit gun but they will work. Again, it's an SKS so...

As for the Lee mold, I can't say. For my SKS and a buddy's Mini30, we use the RCBS Silhouette .30 calibers with good results. Again, they aren't target guns to begin with so they work fine. Again, sized at .309 since these bullets get used in 30/30 and .308 and 30-06 as well.
 
I just read the instructions for the die set I got and it came with a 2nd decapping/sizer pin for 308 as well. It's kinda cool to be able to load for two rifles with 1 die set. Once I get started, I will have to get a 308 rifle as well!

Cactus
 
it is actually possible to reload the bulk military brass... there are a few extra step needed for it though. new flash hole drilled after removing center hump and may have to swage the primer pocket to hold the new primer.
 
not a good idea.

the lead residue will soon mess up the gas port of your sks and make it unreliable at best.

try plated bullets, they should work.
 
incognyto said:
it is actually possible to reload the bulk military brass... there are a few extra step needed for it though. new flash hole drilled after removing center hump and may have to swage the primer pocket to hold the new primer.
Click to expand...

BS!!!!
the bulk brass is all steel cased.
please tell us how you can reload steel cases and post some pictures when you are drilling out new flash holes, that might be funny.
Even better make a video...
 
Bulk Mil ammo is not all steel cased. The stuff that everybody has in stock right now in 7.62x39 is steel (the Czech stuff).

And since when do we have to waste money on copper bullets out of a gas port gun? So you mean my M14, AR, SKS and handguns and friends Mini14's & Mini30's are plugged? After many outings, they are still fine. Base things on REALITY, not what you read on the net first.
 
Many people load cast bullets and fire them in gas rifles with great success, also there are a few people who do reload berdan primed steel cased ammo.

Lee offers a 155 and 160 gr .312 mold that would be suitable for the 7.62x39 SKS. The closest sizers they make are .311 and .314. Lee will make a custom order sizer for almost any size you want, and the Lee sizers will seat gas checks. Gas checks would probably be reccommend for this round, but may not be absolutely needed depending on a few factors.

Cast Boolits forums have a lot of good info.
 
I wish now that I saved the reloading info when I loaded cast for a friends SKS. What I do remember is it shot better with cast than with either factory or jacketed reloads.
 
I ordered the .309 155 gr Lee mould so, based on my reading it will throw .310 or .311 which sshould be good to go as cast. I will be gas checking the bullets and some not checked to see how things go.

Once I get the mould, I just need some good weather to get the casting started.

Thanks for the info
Cactus
 
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