interested in loading steel cased 7.62X39 need to know what dies i would need

[dondoo1315]

so apparently I got in AK's way to late and 7.62X39 prices are ridiculous nowadays. i have found a website that sells primed 7.62x39 cases by the boat load but it is steel cased. so basically I would just need to drop some powder into it and put a bullet and a crimp on it. I'm sure its berdan primed and I don't want to reload it i just want to make a ton of it. But what I don't know is would i need a special set of dies for this or would a normal set of rcbs or lee dies work for this. thanks in advance for any help and also sorry if this isn't in the right post area.

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[Hooyah DeepSea]

Good question . . . I've no clue; but even though you are not resizing (hopefully) I'm sure that your dies wouldn't last as long.

Also, remember that AK's and SKS's normally use .311 diameter boolets, not .308. Of course you could use .308's, and heck, they might even work decent. But it would be experimental.

Good luck.

 

[dondoo1315]

Good question . . . I've no clue; but even though you are not resizing (hopefully) I'm sure that your dies wouldn't last as long.

Also, remember that AK's and SKS's normally use .311 diameter boolets, not .308. Of course you could use .308's, and heck, they might even work decent. But it would be experimental.

Good luck.

im glad you brought up the bullet diameter. I reload a bunch of 300 winmag for long range shooting and was planning on buying some lighter .308 bullets but i guess ill have to find some .311 bullets instead!

 

[Hooyah DeepSea]

@dondoo, .300 Win Mag is supposed to be .308, not .311. .311 is pretty much only used for rooskie stuff and 303 British.

 

[dondoo1315]

@dondoo, .300 Win Mag is supposed to be .308, not .311. .311 is pretty much only used for rooskie stuff and 303 British.

Yeah I use.308 bullets for 300 winmag and I found some hornady bullets for the7.62x39 project!

 

[dondoo1315]

Just was looking at my reloading book and saw this hornady list the bullet diameter as .308 but hornady sells 123 grain soft points in .310 for 7.62x39 so I may have to contact them as well and see what they recommend

 

[gmerkt]

If you are loading primed, unfired cases, the standard die set should be fine for that. All you're doing is seating a bullet. But the bullet has to be consistent with the unfired case used. As a guess, the steel cases are probably from overseas and take a .311 bullet but verify.

I've never tried it, but I wouldn't advise any kind of crimp of a .311 bullet being seated with a .308 seating die.

If you were to resize cases, you'd want a sizing die that was specific to the diameter bullet used. That is, .308 or .311.

.311 is the Russian / Chinese standard for this cartridge. One thing I wonder about with your primed, unfired cases. Are they virgin, or were they at one time loaded ammo and then the bullet was pulled and powder dumped? If this happened, it's possible you will have neck tension issues when seating new bullets in correct size. Although metal has a memory, sometimes necks don't spring completely back to where they were once a seated bullet has been pulled. They may require neck sizing to get the proper neck tension on the bullet. Then back again to the issue of proper die size.

There are US-made bullets for reloading in .311 specifically for the 7.62x39.

Just for the record, .311 is also the Japanese 30 caliber, 7.7mm. The distinction between the two systems is, measurement of the bore off the lands or grooves.

You can buy a separate bullet seating die without going for the set, but the cost for the single die is more than half the cost of the two die set. If you need to neck size, there is a separate die for that.

If you are just slapping together blasting ammo, buying Lee dies will be good enough. The Lee die set includes an expander for .308 and .311, so would be compatible for both sizes it would seem.

 

[dondoo1315]

If you are loading primed, unfired cases, the standard die set should be fine for that. All you're doing is seating a bullet. But the bullet has to be consistent with the unfired case used. As a guess, the steel cases are probably from overseas and take a .311 bullet but verify.

I've never tried it, but I wouldn't advise any kind of crimp of a .311 bullet being seated with a .308 seating die.

If you were to resize cases, you'd want a sizing die that was specific to the diameter bullet used. That is, .308 or .311.

.311 is the Russian / Chinese standard for this cartridge. One thing I wonder about with your primed, unfired cases. Are they virgin, or were they at one time loaded ammo and then the bullet was pulled and powder dumped? If this happened, it's possible you will have neck tension issues when seating new bullets in correct size. Although metal has a memory, sometimes necks don't spring completely back to where they were once a seated bullet has been pulled. They may require neck sizing to get the proper neck tension on the bullet. Then back again to the issue of proper die size.

There are US-made bullets for reloading in .311 specifically for the 7.62x39.

Just for the record, .311 is also the Japanese 30 caliber, 7.7mm. The distinction between the two systems is, measurement of the bore off the lands or grooves.

You can buy a separate bullet seating die without going for the set, but the cost for the single die is more than half the cost of the two die set. If you need to neck size, there is a separate die for that.

If you are just slapping together blasting ammo, buying Lee dies will be good enough. The Lee die set includes an expander for .308 and .311, so would be compatible for both sizes it would seem.

On the website it just says it's surplus primed new steel cases and that's good info thanks for taking the time to let me know all of that!

 

[gmerkt]

On the website it just says it's surplus primed new steel cases and that's good info thanks for taking the time to let me know all of that!

One thing I left out on purpose before. I thought I might be ladling on TMI all at once. But if it turns out they do need neck sizing, you don't really need to buy a separate neck sizing die. You can pull the decapping pin from the expander ball and use the basic sizing die provided with the set in a pinch. Maybe not on a Lee die, it might be one piece.

One other thing. Some steel cased ammo has a lacquer finish. Which might be an issue if neck sizing was needed. In which case, you'd need to use lacquer thinner or some other nasty solvent to remove it from the mouth of the case.

 

[gmerkt]

On the website it just says it's surplus primed new steel cases

Call and ask, "Is this from pulled-down ammo?"

 

[Saladfarmer]

Is it this that you are buying to reload?

7.62 x 39 New Primed | FedArm

fedarm.com

From my own snooping on the web. the best you get .311 projo's is about 25 to 30 cents a piece, plus powder (and time now) And BiMart has sterling steel cased 7.62x39 on sale for 8.99 a box of 20
you'd be better off just ponying up for the loaded stuff honestly. Or buy brass cased which, which at this point is about the same price and reload that for less after shooting it.

 

[po18guy]

A few thoughts. 1. Steel case into steel die? Unless neck sizing (might work in an AK since they tend toward "combat" tolerances) I can only see stuck cases and Tylenol. 2. Lee collet neck sizer "might" work, but I would call or email Lee. 3. Die life - unless heat treat specifically for steel cases, is going to be shortened. 4. Berdan primers? More Tylenol.

 

[DunRanull]

@dondoo, .300 Win Mag is supposed to be .308, not .311. .311 is pretty much only used for rooskie stuff and 303 British.

And for 7.7 Jap, if anyone actually loads for that nowadays. A fine round, just not in much use.

 

[Hooyah DeepSea]

If you were to resize cases, you'd want a sizing die that was specific to the diameter bullet used. That is, .308 or .311.

And if you have to resize, you would probably need to lube the case, or at least the neck area. The lube can ruin the primers if it gets down there. That's why we always do our resizing prior to repriming.

 

[gmerkt]

And if you have to resize, you would probably need to lube the case, or at least the neck area. The lube can ruin the primers if it gets down there. That's why we always do our resizing prior to repriming.

Good advice. There have been times when I've had to neck size primed cases. I try to use as little lube as possible. I apply it sparingly by hand, then remove it by hand with lacquer thinner and a rag.

 

[ar man]

Also one would want to find out what primers they have the cases loaded up with to make sure there not corrosive loaded.

 

[oa98pistol512]

Just was looking at my reloading book and saw this hornady list the bullet diameter as .308 but hornady sells 123 grain soft points in .310 for 7.62x39 so I may have to contact them as well and see what they recommend

From my experience with brass. Using .308 in a ak splits quite a few case necks. I load for a mini 30 .308 and ak ,311 ish... Splitting cases regular is not good for the chamber

 

[MikeInOr]

I would try Lee collet dies. I think they have a 7.62x39 collet neck sizing die and a collet crimp die. Collet dies take a fraction of the force that conventional dies require and they will last much longer. Because the collet compresses the case instead pushing the neck through a steel ring you might even be able to get away without lube... but I would use lube anyway.

I use Lee Factory (collet) crimp dies for most all calibers I reload. Even when the other dies are another brand.

 

[dondoo1315]

this is all good info! thank you guys! i actually just bought bimart out of all there sterling 7.62x39 tonight lol before getting onto nwf

 

[dondoo1315]

Is it this that you are buying to reload?

7.62 x 39 New Primed | FedArm

fedarm.com

From my own snooping on the web. the best you get .311 projo's is about 25 to 30 cents a piece, plus powder (and time now) And BiMart has sterling steel cased 7.62x39 on sale for 8.99 a box of 20
you'd be better off just ponying up for the loaded stuff honestly. Or buy brass cased which, which at this point is about the same price and reload that for less after shooting it.

i bought out my local bimart tonight and i have found berrys plated .311 bullets for 15 cents a piece and the loaded cases are produced and sized in a american factory for 11 cents a piece and then i would just need to find the right powder and price that out.