DCRA 7.62 Conversion Range Report |
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rufrdr
Newbie Joined: February 16 2021 Location: North Carolina Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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When I was on active duty an NCO in my small arms shop told me that the AMU recommended breaking the sealant on 7.62mm ball rounds by seating the bullet until you felt/heard it give, usually just a hair's breadth of movement. The intent was to give uniform release of the bullet, round to round.
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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Yes, particularly for match ammunition. I don’t recall if I did this in the tests I ran for this post. Cases are crimped into the bullet for ball ammo and that tar really takes a set.
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450 Fuller
Groupie Joined: June 07 2022 Location: New Mexico-AK-A Status: Offline Points: 40 |
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BritR-
Interesting but valuable comment about using cast lead bullets in our Enfields. I have used them in my 7.62 as I had a supply of 168 gr GC versions. There is however, a potential gas check problem that I personally experienced in another rifle, a custom pre-64 Model 70 Winchester in 338-06. This appears to be a problem almost unique to bottleneck cartridges like the 7.62 or parent 30-06 cases. If, for ANY reason the GC releases from the bullet base during or after the bullet seating process, it either falls on top of the powder or sticks lower in the neck area. Either condition results in a spike in pressure. The gas check acts as an obstruction: bad things can and will happen. A Model 70 action is a bit stronger than a SMLE, in my judgment-and the Enfield may not weather the extra pressure well. I was lucky, but no longer use any cast lead bullets in any of my Model 70 sniper or hunting rifles. I still use them regularly in my 1886 and Model 71s, but they are 45-70s or other almost straight wall cases like the 450 Alaskan. This is an older but valuable thread. Trying to catch up through other's experiences. |
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Only the dead have seen the end of war-Plato
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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450 Fuller,
I’ve yet to try cast in my LE’s. I’ve shot a lot of cast in my Dad’s .577-.450 Martini Henry, no gas checks. My Dad did some cast bullet shooting in his No. 4 rifles, with gas checks, and many others have too. Shooting gas checked bullets in bottleneck cases has been done for many years, perhaps more than 60? This issue is new to me, but I can imagine that a gas check coming off of a bullet in the case is probably not good. I think it is possible to get fine accuracy with cast. Something I’ll work on once my supply of jacketed bullets is exhausted or gets too expensive to replace (which is quickly approaching!). |
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Strangely Brown
Senior Member Joined: April 05 2022 Location: Wiltshire Status: Offline Points: 324 |
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Nearly 20 years a large quantity of .303 South African surplus came into the UK and was almost immediately labeled as rubbish by some users; on close inspection the ammunition was heavily varnished due I suspect to the climatic conditions in SA. The above trick by breaking the varnish coating turned "rubbish" ammunition into a similar quality to that of HXP, albeit not reloadable brass. The footnote to this is a friend (now passed) who purchased 1100 rounds and gave half of it away to the youngsters in his club to use as plinking ammunition before discovering the trick.
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Mick
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britrifles
Senior Member Joined: February 03 2018 Location: Atlanta, GA Status: Offline Points: 6539 |
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Recalling my accuracy tests on the Canadian 7.62 Ball ammunition, I don’t think the bullet sealant was the cause of poor accuracy. One of the Loads I tested (Load 2 in the OP) was substituting a 150 gr Sierra MatchKing for the 147 gr service bullet, retaining the original powder charge. Accuracy was poor. For this ammunition, it was the very inconsistent powder charges that gave the vertical stringing.
I’ve know about the trick of breaking the bullet seal in a bullet seating die, and I may have done this on the first two groups I called Load 1, the as issued 7.62 Ball ammunition.
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