7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

[bohem]

Since there's probably many of us with old bolt actions in these calibers, lets' see some data out there for them.


My loads:


<span style="font-weight: bold">7.62x54R</span>
147 FMJBT mil-surp
55 grains BLC-2
Seated to 3.030"
S&B brass, neck resized only
CCI LR primer
Velocity ~ 2900 fps, chrony acting strange
MN 91/30 with full length barrel, iron sights.
No pressure issues, rounds fired within 2" at 100

150 FN Cast lead, gas check
14gr Unique
CCI 200 primer
S&B brass
Seated to ~ 2.7" (bullet has practically no ogive)
No velocity data (chrony is now broken)
Shoots 1.5" low at 100 yards from 147 FMJ above
Groups held within 2" again
No pressure signs, Unique is nitroglycerin based, so not pushing the load.

Total cost per round ~ 10.4 cents including primer, gas check, powder, etc.

I'll post some more when I get a chance, lunchtime is over.

 

[witnessing]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

7.5x55 swiss 165 Hornady Interlock BTSP/FB, 57gr VV N160 with 1/2 turn crimp from Lee Factory Crimp all into converted 284win brass. I give the bullets 0.020" jump(2.88 col in my rifle). Winchester large rifle primers are all I've ever used. Velocity averages 2812-2822 fps usually hot or cold from a k31. One inch or less three shot groups are the norm,with the first two shots usually touching at 100 yards.

 

[Raygun]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

I've developed a load that is about 0.75 moa at 100 yards from my K31 (scoped). The barrel is floated, but not bedded.

I went cheap with military surplus pulled 175 SMK and 37gr WC846 (BL-C2) military surplus pull-down powder. Privi brass and CCI #34 primers. Seated to the length of the magazine, which is about the same as the chamber.

I've used loads with more expensive powders, but none can significantly improve on WC846. So why not use the cheap stuff.

 

[witnessing]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

The only component I have to buy is the expensive powder. The other components are free thanks to my Cabelas Club VISA. That's twenty-nine cents per round for premium big game hunting ammo. It matches my mil-dots out to 700 yards...cheap enough for me. I have another load that shoots just as good using 43gr of pulled down '55 Yugo mauser flake and 150gr Speer btsp . It runs 2700fps. That stuff(powder) was really cheap but not anymore. I bought 900 rnds for $59 then, the same is about $300 now. That cheap powder now costs more to get than Vihtavuori. It's not sensable or as useful!

 

[bohem]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

Witnessing, you might look at trying to get ahold of some US MilSurp powder. All the various CR rifles that I have get fed WC844 or WC846 almost exclusively.

I do have a load that works well in the 303 Brit with W760 though, but that's just because my dad had some on the shelf he let me have.

303 Brit
R-P Brass
CCI 200 primer

45.5 gr W760
Hornady 150 SP

 

[dmbleess]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

My first handloads / reloads for my 7.62x54R ROMAK / PSL / FPK

http://www.dragunov.net/romanian_psl.html

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=948956&l=9c5d8acb48&id=1627922972

I plan to fire them Thursday evening at the range. Three different cases. Lapua (new), PPU (prvi partizan -fired once), Winchester (fired once). The PPU case primer pockets are deep and I seated the primers in as far as they would go. I'm not certain the firing pin will engage them. I used CCI #34 7.62 mil-spec primers on all 15 rounds - 5 of each case brand. Hornady size die with a 303 british seater die.

Anything that doesn't work in there I will try in my Mosin.

Bullet
Hornady
H3135C SST150gr .311 (Grafs)
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6291

Seated to just short of cannelure

Case Trim
2.084"

Powder
45.8gr Varget

The whole thing is just an experiment to see how controlled, high-quality [relatively

], handloads compare to factory and milsurp rounds in my "low-end" Designated Marksman rifle.

 

[dmbleess]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

I did a chronograph run on my test rounds:

H3135C-sst150 / Bc ??
Powder Varget / Primer CCI34 / seated to just short of cannelure

My Lot Number / Case
Case Trim / Grains Powder

100711ADh150sst457V / New Lapua 4PH7215
2.084 45.7 Average Velocity: 2870

100711BDh150sst476V / 1x Win
2.084 47.6 Average Velocity: 2961

100711CDh150sst485V / 1x PPU
2.084 48.5 Average Velocity: 3025

100711DDh150sst490V / New Lapua 4PH7215
2.084 49.0 Average Velocity: 3067

100711EDh150sst495V / New Lapua 4PH7215
2.084 49.5 Average Velocity: 3124


I was referencing the Hornady load data for 3120 SP 150 grain .312 for powder loads.

Hornady expected Varget max 49.5 grains = 2800fps As you can see, my experience with this substitute bullet was very different.
I suspect I was inadvertenly in test-fire land.

I *was* watching for signs of case stress and saw none. Regular ejection abuse of the cases, no splits noted and no signs of primer stress.

Of note however is that these primers are CCI #34 NATO 7.62 semi-auto primers that are stronger than normal to keep a free-floating firing pin from denting them as easy and setting them off when the bolt is dropped. Light cratering but no more than normal and no obvious increase with increasing charge.

Since I am getting 2870 with the base charge, I'll probably load only to the 45.5-45.7 grain load unless/until I can get some proper load data from Hornady.

 

[bohem]

Re: 7.62x54R, 7.5x55 Swiss, 303 Brit, etc

Sturgeon

Sounds like you are on to something. Keep in mind that a lot of book data is light for lawyer reasons so you can many times load hotter with judicious testing.