[trooper509]

Hi everyone! I'm a new member but a long time lurker. I have received tons of great information here. Thanks to everyone! I've been loading the 7.62x39 for about 5 yrs. Just basic hunting loads for whitetails. I've tried different bullets and found the Sierra 125 gr. FNHP to really knock'em down, at least at under 85 yds.(never shot at one past that) I was loading 25 grns. of IMR 4198 per the Sierra manual for a listed velocity of 2250 fps. I knew I was giving up a lot in down range ballistics with that bullet shape. Then I saw a load from Speer w/26 grns. of IMR 4198 (compressed) w/a 125 grn. SP. So I figured w/ the same bullet weight I should be able to use that w/ the 125 Sierra FNHP. But 26 grns. really fills up the case, even if I settle it down. Which got me to thinking if I could seat the bullet up a little higher,it wouldn't be compressed as much or at all. So I did the thing w/the bullet seated way out in an empty case and closed the action, and when I took the cartridge out it showed no signs of touching the rifling and it measured the same as when I put it in. Do these rifles have really long throats or what? It seems I could seat these bullets way out and make room for even more powder! I loaded a few up (starting low and working up) and shot them. No visable signs of high pressure. Am I off base w/my thinking? Comments please.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

30's do have a long taper to the lands due to the .311 bullets that are shot in it. I have done same as you, max OAL for that round is 2.2 and I've loaded it at 2.220 it still fit the mag OK.

 

[Walkenbear]

Depending on the year of manufacture of your mini 30 you may have a longer throat.
The early mini-30's, have a .308 bore and forcing cone.

Quoting from Shooting Times magazine Jan 1994:
"Unlike most rifles in this caliber, the nominal groove diameter of the Mini-30 barrel is a smaller .308-.309 inch, but an oversize chamber neck and long forcing cone-type throat allows the use of bullets as large in diameter as .311".

Newer Mini 30's are .311 from chamber to crown of barrel.

You might want to consider IMR-4227 or hodgon H4227.
I talked to Hodgon yesterday they bought out IMR. Hodgon discontinued their H-4227. They told me the two powders were identical and I can safely use The IMR-4227 & H-4227 load data interchangeably. IMR load data seems always to be on the low side as far as velocity. When I asked about that I was told it was probably a liability issue for IMR.

The IMR-4227 is now made in Australia for hodgon:

24 grains of IMR-4227 Max load should give you 2400 - 2425fps with a 125 grain bullet.
Start 20 % lower & work up.

That 125 grn flat nose is a deadly bullet at woods range.

If you have a early mini, with the long forcing cone/throat, the longer OAL may help accuracy and velocity a bit as you are cutting down on the empty space the bullet has to jump.

L8R
W B
:usa:

 

[trooper509]

Thanks for the reply's.
According to the Brownells website, Ruger switched from .308 to .311 barrells in 1992-93. I bought mine new in 2001, so it should be a .311. I for sure want to try another powder. IMR 4198 powder was easier to find close by here when I started handloading for this cartridge. I might also try the Speer 130 grn. FP 30-30 bullet. It has a better ballistic coefficient. It should hold it's velocity better down range. Just trying to get the most out of this great little gun.

 

[kurt]

Don't know about the 125 but I've tried 150sp out to 2.235 and worked fine . Just enough space in the mag to not touch basically . It was for the same reason . Really compressed load so I lengthened them out . Works fine here . Some where on this link I read another loader did the same with 150 for accuracy reason . He liked it also

 

[Snapping Twig]

I'm liking a .308 150g Nosler BT over 23.5g of H4198. This is squarely in the middle of the reloading data and shoots well in my 189 series mini 30.

For the 125g Nosler, I use 25.5g H4198, again, it shoots well. I size them to the maximum of my magazine as the charge is compressed in each case and the throat of a mini is so long going from .311 to .308 in my rifle's case.

I have some 4227 laying around, so I'll give that a try soon. I also bought some Speer 150g SP for practice since they were so reasonably priced, so I'll use them for experimentation and practice. Nosler BT is my hunting bullet.

H4198 showed the highest velocities with the lowest pressures, so that's why it was so attractive to me.

 

[steve4102]

Hey Trooper, just be careful seating those big flat nosed suckers to long. A big flat nose like the Sierra can give you feeding problems if it hangs out there to far. Specially hunting in these cold MN north-woods.

Don't be worried about a little powder compression. It will be just fine. Compressed loads are preferred by many for there accuracy and consistency. If you want to see compressed, I'll show you compressed.
A 240gr Sierra Matchking loaded into a 7.62x39 case.
http://www.accuratereloading.com/76239.html

 

[Tailgunner]

One thing you guys need to consider before you start stuffing 150gr .311-.312 slugs into a x39 case is your impact velocity vs the designed expansion floor for that bullet.
That's a fancy way of saying that a bullet that's traveling to slow dosn't expand on impact. The "heavies" are designed to expand reliably at 303Brit velocities, and at the x39 speeds your more likely to get a FMJ level of expansion (IE: none).
Now, if your mini likes the 150gr slugs designed for the 30-30Win, than your a little better off as these are designed to expand at a much lower velocity.

BTW, the opposite is also true, drive a bullet to fast and it will act like a light weight varment bullet on impact (IE a 150gr 30-30 bullet out of a 300Mag) and leave you with nothing but the sick feeling of leaving a wounded deer in the woods.

 

[steve4102]

Good point, Tailgunner. Finding an accurate bullet that would expand properly at these slower velocities was a real problem for me. Sierra 135gr Single Shot Pistol bullets were just the ticket. To bad they are now discontinued. I found that the Hornady 150gr 30-30gr RN and the Speer 130 and 150gr 30-30gr FN would worked just fine.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

wondering how much diff there is going to be in performance of a 125 gr slug (Hornady makes the .310 dia. with polymer tip, V-max I think it is I bought a bag of for my M30 loads) and a 130 or 150 gr. I can tell you that a frontal shot on a large doe to fill my tag with a 123 gr. Win 310. dia soft-nose went nearly end-to-end with the core stopping in the pelvic bone and the jacket seperated into the gut. the core was mushroomed well. doe made 3 leaps and collapsed kicking. right down the gullet shot. about 75 yards. I won't use them on deer again tho but they shoot OK.