Reloading surplus 7.52x54R components into 303 boxer brass or maybe Milsurp 7.62x39?

steelgray

steelgray

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Reloading surplus 7.g2x54R components into 303 boxer brass or maybe Milsurp 7.62x39?

Has anybody come with the magic formula for taking apart corrosive 7.62x54R surplus ammo and reloading the boolits and powder (presumably less of that powder) into boxer non-corrosive primed 303 British brass? I'm asking 'cause I'm not crazy about paying 59 bucks a box to feed my 303 British guns.

How about the formula for taking apart corrosive 7.62x39 surplus ammo and reloading the boolits and powder (presumably more of that powder) into boxer non-corrosive primed 303 British brass?
 
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The recipe will vary depending on the surplus you use. I have used both x 39 and x54. It will require load development on your part. Start very low with the x54 since the capacity and max pressure are significantly higher.
 
X39 just use as is in the 303 case. You can load up a gr at a time and watch for a good node.

Not sure of the x54 ammo maybe try reducing it to 70% the charge.


As stated below by M1-garand he used 78% the x54 charge so starting at 70% the charge and worling up wouldnt be bad

The x54 has 8gr more case capacity and runs 6000 psi higher on a max load.
 
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Its just easier to reload from scratch. If you don't like the surplus that you have, sell it off and buy more loading components. I've messed with re-purposing components but in my opinion its easier to load with known variables. Surplus is not always "known"
 
I have been doing that for years,the 7.62x54R holds about 50gr of a powder that according to my measurements with a Chrony has a burning rate very similar to 4895.
I load the same bullets and reduce the powder charge to 39 gr in the Enfields,for the SVT40 I just use the same amount of powder and the same bullet into a PPU case ,that way don't have to worry about flushing the barrel and gas system with water.
 
Thank you, M1-Garand this is exactly what I was looking for. I realized that situations will vary a bit - depending on whether the ammo is Russian, Chinese or whatever but this kind of guidance will help a lot in getting me on-track To repeat your positive experiences.

As for the person who asks “why not just start from fresh components”, that makes a lot of sense too - relative to paying up to nearly 60 bucks a box for 303 British. However, even finding the right components, at retail, to buy for such a reloading project is kind of hit and miss these days. I saw no .311 boolits in the weight range I was looking for at Cabellas the last time I was there. And anything that they had that was close to what I wanted was EXPENSIVE. 60 bucks or more for 100 boolits!

Getting back to the deal of just pulling apart 7.62x54R or 7.62x39 and using the components to reload common 303 British cases; doing that gets you shooting 303 British guns with non-corrosive ammo for about 9 bucks a box or less.

People who still don’t see the point probably are thinking of the bother of disassembling the donor ammo with one of those kinetic bullet pullers. Nope, the answer is to use one of those collet type boolit pullers that you use in your press.

M1-Garand said:
I have been doing that for years,the 7.62x54R holds about 50gr of a powder that according to my measurements with a Chrony has a burning rate very similar to 4895.
I load the same bullets and reduce the powder charge to 39 gr in the Enfields,for the SVT40 I just use the same amount of powder and the same bullet into a PPU case ,that way don't have to worry about flushing the barrel and gas system with water.
Click to expand...
 
A lot of people that question this practice are usually guys without the experience to know that it is not only completely safe but entirely practical for some cartridges. I had a guy swear up and down I was asking for trouble and no doubt I would end up blowing my gun to pieces. Several hundred rounds later I am still fine...
 
I have used the powder and bullet from 7.62x54R in .303 British cases at about 70% of the powder. Works just fine. I also use about 10-12 gr. of Unique and a 155 or 160 gr. cast GC Lee bullet in the 7.62x54R case and fire them off in a 91/30. No waste there.

I have done a few of 7.62x39 powder and bullet in .303 British. Nice load in an old .303 rifle. I will also use Unique and a cast bullet (varying formula of powder and bullet wgt.) in the surplus x39. I have a beater Chinese military SKS that we blocked the gas port with a hex socket screw to fire off the cast loads. Works just fine. No waste there either.

A good cleaning of the barrel and last swab of FLUID FILM deals with the corrosive primer leavings.
 
I did a google search as I was helping a friend with this load. And he ended up using 3/4 of the powder from the 54 into the 303 which is about 70% like the others have said. the rifle shot just fine. good accuracy as well.

we also did 762x39 into 303. we used 100% of the powder & projectile from the 39. I loved it. Lower recoil, very accurate and a very different "snappy" sound out of the barrel.
BUT.... because there was a smaller powder charge,.....once in a while you would get a delayed fire.
 
I have not tried the 7.62x39 into 303 yet,but the powder I salvaged from the Chinese 7.62x39 works really well in the 7.92x33 Kurz, I reduce the powder charge from 24.5 to 22 grain,gives abt 2200 fps from the BD44.
That powder is a very fine flake powder,meters very well and by my estimation has a burn rate close to 4198.
 
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