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?
There are a couple of ways you can go.
Cheapest method, knowing this is really all you ever want to tackle as far as reloading goes, and don't have a buddy that reloads to help you out:
Tools needed: (stick with Lyman or Lee to keep costs down)
- bullet puller (go with a press mount collet type like the RCBS unit with a .30 caliber collet. - I'm in the camp of saving the bullets because a) they are worth money, and b) the bullets in surplus 7.62x39 are actually quite good and consistent (for FMJ) - sell them to guys who reload .303))
- shell holder for 7.62x39mm
- dies for 7.62x39mm (all you'll need is the seating die)
- press (I'd recommend the Lyman Acculine - small, portable and quite cheap)
- .310 diameter bullets in a similar weight as your surplus pulled bullets (majority of 7.62x39 is 120 - 124 gr.)
Procedure:
- set up the press (mount it to a heavy bench for leverage) with the bullet puller installed
- remove each of the surplus bullets (don't dump the powder unless you have a way the weight each charge)
- switch out the puller for the seating die
- seat each of the new hunting bullets to the same depth as the surplus bullets.
Optional - once all have been seated, adjust you seating die (using the instructions in the die set) so it crimps the case back onto the bullet (just a light crimp).
Make more than you'll need as there will be a bit of a learning curve to this.
After, you can decide if it is worth investing time & money into more and better equipment.
Good luck
Lyman Accupress:
Bullet puller, surplus round and new bullet:
Bullet removed by collet and press (I didn't use the Lyman, as mine isn't set up at the moment):
New hunting round seated:
