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

[fstdraw]

I've loaded a ton of steel cased 7.62x39. I've gone back to paying .30 per and that's a money savings all day long. Too costly to reload this cartridge. Figure it out, .20 plus for bullets, .05 and up for primers, maybe .08 for powder. Assuming you've got the brass/steel case, that's over the .30 each for steel cased ammo. You will not improve on steel Russian ammo accuracy by loading your own. Shop around and buy steel case Euro ammo here or other places.

Brass ammo is a different story.

BTW, Berry's is a poor 7.62x39 bullet out of an AK.

 

[dondoo1315]

I've loaded a ton of steel cased 7.62x39. I've gone back to paying .30 per and that's a money savings all day long. Too costly to reload this cartridge. Figure it out, .20 plus for bullets, .05 and up for primers, maybe .08 for powder. Assuming you've got the brass/steel case, that's over the .30 each for steel cased ammo. You will not improve on steel Russian ammo accuracy by loading your own. Shop around and buy steel case Euro ammo here or other places.

Brass ammo is a different story.

BTW, Berry's is a poor 7.62x39 bullet out of an AK.

ive found factory new 7.62x39 steel cases primed for 220 dollars for 2000 cases which is 11 cents a piece and i found bullets for 15 cents a piece. so if i add another 8 cents a round for powder im up to 34 cents a round and havent found any loaded ammo for any where near that cheap the cheapest ive found was like 43 cents a round for fedarm steel case ammo on alantic fire arms and i bought some. the cheapest ammoseek has it is for 37.7 cents a round. i love reloading and have loaded thousands of 9mm on a single stage press since pre covid. the reloading/ time aspect doesnt bother me as much as not being able to to get it in the future.

 

[dondoo1315]

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.

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.

and yes thats where i was going to get the cases.

 

[dondoo1315]

I've loaded a ton of steel cased 7.62x39. I've gone back to paying .30 per and that's a money savings all day long. Too costly to reload this cartridge. Figure it out, .20 plus for bullets, .05 and up for primers, maybe .08 for powder. Assuming you've got the brass/steel case, that's over the .30 each for steel cased ammo. You will not improve on steel Russian ammo accuracy by loading your own. Shop around and buy steel case Euro ammo here or other places.

Brass ammo is a different story.

BTW, Berry's is a poor 7.62x39 bullet out of an AK.

I could also get bullets from Everglades ammo for about the same price!

 

[Knobgoblin]

Sounds like you don't mind investing time and energy.
My 7.62x39 efforts are focused on scouring the classifieds and running it down in person. Lately it's been costing me just over .30cpr (steel) and just under .45cpr (brass Yugo)
I believe I'm right around 13k rounds on hand. Much of this was bought over the last few years, typically @ .20cpr .
But I don't mind paying right around .40 per if I can get at least a case of 1000 in one trip.
Digging the reloading idea, but keep 1 ear to the street for deals too.

 

[dondoo1315]

Sounds like you don't mind investing time and energy.
My 7.62x39 efforts are focused on scouring the classifieds and running it down in person. Lately it's been costing me just over .30cpr (steel) and just under .45cpr (brass Yugo)
I believe I'm right around 13k rounds on hand. Much of this was bought over the last few years, typically @ .20cpr .
But I don't mind paying right around .40 per if I can get at least a case of 1000 in one trip.
Digging the reloading idea, but keep 1 ear to the street for deals too.

If I could find a 1000 rounds for 20 cents a round I'd be on a ramen diet lol. But that's kinda what brought me back to north west firearms is the good ole classifieds. And all you great people of course.

 

[Knobgoblin]

If you have a stash of 5.45 you might could trade it out for 7.62x39 at a net gain .
7N6 seems to be enjoying a brief moment right now.

 

[MikeInOr]

I've loaded a ton of steel cased 7.62x39. I've gone back to paying .30 per and that's a money savings all day long. Too costly to reload this cartridge. Figure it out, .20 plus for bullets, .05 and up for primers, maybe .08 for powder. Assuming you've got the brass/steel case, that's over the .30 each for steel cased ammo. You will not improve on steel Russian ammo accuracy by loading your own. Shop around and buy steel case Euro ammo here or other places.

Brass ammo is a different story.

BTW, Berry's is a poor 7.62x39 bullet out of an AK.

Would you mind sharing your setup / procedure for reloading steel cased ammo? I am not ready to dive into such a project but it would be nice to under stand how the process differs from brass from someone that has done it before should the need ever arise?

1) Were you reloading factory primed steel cases like @dondoo1315 is considering or where you supplying the primer? Berdan primers I would guess?
2) Do you full length size the steel cases? Or just neck size? With what type of die?
3) What did you use to crimp the case around the bullet?

Just curious more than anything, thanks!

 

[fstdraw]

I have purchased Berdan primers over the years so I used my steel cases. I decamped them using the hydraulic method and no primer crimps to worry about. Steel cases were range or shooting spot pick ups.

I full length size because of all the different chamber sizes. Any of the major dies worked. I do have separate steel case and brass case sizing dies. Never a problem with AK's chambering rounds.

I've never had to crimp the steel cases. By the time you wedge a .311 bullet in the case mouth, it's tight! Although a Lee FCD would not hurt.

Rust: If you don't lacquer the exterior of the steel case, you might experience some rust. Two coats of spray lacquer will cure the problem.

 

[Dima Prok]

Hmm... I am sitting on 5k of 123gr Berry's, recently they were 11 cents at powder valley but OOS now. They actually shoot quite well in my 300 HAM'R sized to .308 (come out .3088) or un-sized. They are rated for 2000fps but in slow twist rate 1:15 I pushed them to 2500fps with good accuracy! They are absolutely horrible in 300 blackout with 1:7 twist rate. I have a bunch of 1680 already and 7.62x39 dies, all you would need to do is neck size them with a collet die - no lube required. I might even try making 6.5 Grendel out of them

 

[dondoo1315]

Hmm... I am sitting on 5k of 123gr Berry's, recently they were 11 cents at powder valley but OOS now. They actually shoot quite well in my 300 HAM'R sized to .308 (come out .3088) or un-sized. They are rated for 2000fps but in slow twist rate 1:15 I pushed them to 2500fps with good accuracy! They are absolutely horrible in 300 blackout with 1:7 twist rate. I have a bunch of 1680 already and 7.62x39 dies, all you would need to do is neck size them with a collet die - no lube required. I might even try making 6.5 Grendel out of them

if i get any 7.62 brass cases I'm definitely making 6.5 grendel with them!

 

[Dima Prok]

if i get any 7.62 brass cases I'm definitely making 6.5 grendel with them!

I convert about 1000 from the brass and they work fine, but I got Starline brass now. I just wish 7.62 x 39 was small primer then I could convert all day long. Free Zinc cast bullets and SW Heavy Pistol powder in bolt action.

 

[dondoo1315]

I convert about 1000 from the brass and they work fine, but I got Starline brass now. I just wish 7.62 x 39 was small primer then I could convert all day long. Free Zinc cast bullets and SW Heavy Pistol powder in bolt action.

i like the 130 grain eld they shoot pretty good groups with xterminator powder

 

[wired]

Ive done a lot of loading 310-312 bullets in steel cases . Doesnt really load much different than standard brass cases. Makes no difference if the bullets have been pulled either.

 

[Dima Prok]

if i get any 7.62 brass cases I'm definitely making 6.5 grendel with them!

Does it not concern you that when you enter the website there is pop-up on every page that the people who own the business are being sued for theft?? I am concerned about that.

 

[dondoo1315]

Does it not concern you that when you enter the website there is pop-up on every page that the people who own the business are being sued for theft?? I am concerned about`

well I recently bought fed arm ammo so i know its real. and i was reading said letter and it talks about how the company was three entities and now two of them are suing the other. plus one of the entities that is suing is Wyoming owned company and I'm from the great state of Wyoming and will support Wyoming and its people any chance I get. And at the end of the day if i get scammed of 220 dollars i will just have my bank deal with it like i had to before when i tried to buy primers from a company in Washington.

 

[Dima Prok]

well I recently bought fed arm ammo so i know its real. and i was reading said letter and it talks about how the company was three entities and now two of them are suing the other. plus one of the entities that is suing is Wyoming owned company and I'm from the great state of Wyoming and will support Wyoming and its people any chance I get. And at the end of the day if i get scammed of 220 dollars i will just have my bank deal with it like i had to before when i tried to buy primers from a company in Washington.

That's cool, I don't mind supporting legit businesses as long as money is not getting screwed over. Please update when you receive it, if all it good, I want to order some too. Got lots of powder and bullets in this caliber and it would actually make sense to reload.

 

[dondoo1315]

That's cool, I don't mind supporting legit businesses as long as money is not getting screwed over. Please update when you receive it, if all it good, I want to order some too. Got lots of powder and bullets in this caliber and it would actually make sense to reload.

will do

 

[Dima Prok]

will do

Any updates?

 

[DunRanull]

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.

I do reload, mostly for pistol OR hunting ammo. I've got so much milsurp ammo it's my lifetime supply and reckon my heirs will have some too. So I basically load .308 and some .223 but not much of that. But surplus has been so inexpensive it just hasnt paid to reload except as I said, for hunting. I do load up .38/.357, and .44sp&magnum "bar-thumpers" for my Rossi.
9mm is another surplus I used to reload but except for HPt I no longer mess with that either. When I carried a 1911 a lot I loaded .45acp xtp. As others have pointed out, for many calibers stocking up case lots is often a more cost-effective way to go. ALL THAT said, however, being ABLE to reload your basic calibers is a good thing too.
Personally I wouldnt mess with reloading for the AK now... but who knows what the future will bring? Might be useful in the future...