[PerversPépère]

Anyone got some experience with Mosin-Nagant 7,62x54R loads using Lee's cast bullet #90385 (C312-155-2R)?
I want to build a nice plinker load with that bullet and some fast burning powder (Red Dot or Blue dot).
Any advice?
PP.

 

[Chief RID]

I have tried a lot of stuff, all jacketed, in my M44 with less than acceptable results. I would love to hear how it goes with the lead. My barrel is real rough and I know it would lead badly. My best groups so far have been with the surplus stuff. I have even tried the 303 british bulets without sucsess. After seanon we need to do some work on these things. Have you got a Darrels Mount yet?

I've got Blue Dot, Universal and Green dot sitting around.

 

[PerversPépère]

7,62x54R

I have tried a lot of stuff, all jacketed, in my M44 with less than acceptable results. I would love to hear how it goes with the lead. My barrel is real rough and I know it would lead badly. My best groups so far have been with the surplus stuff. I have even tried the 303 british bulets without sucsess. After seanon we need to do some work on these things. Have you got a Darrels Mount yet?

I've got Blue Dot, Universal and Green dot sitting around.

I do not intend to put a scope mount on my M-91 Finnish Mosin as it is in very collectible shape, but nevertheless, with that 31 1/2" barrel, one has enough sighting plane to do some effective target work at 100-200 yards.
Did you try cleaning your barrel with the Outer's Foul-Out unit? It does wonders.Alternated sessions with J&B or Iosso bore paste should do the trick unless the barrel is a complete loss.
M-44 tend to have rather largish bores like .312". If you cast bullets you could get by with it by having a slightly oversize mold made. But first, have your barrel slugged to determine the exact bore.
Speaking of .303 bullets, did you happen to use the Hornady's 174gr. FMJBT #3131? They are a little undersized at .3105" and may not go along well with the M-44 bore.
My Mosin's is .3095 so they fit a bit tight and give great results.
I'm looking at a plinker load giving around 1900-2000 fps with a bullet in the 160-180gr. range.
Ed Harris lists a load for about any rifle using Lee's .312-155-2R and TL .312-160-2R designs seated atop 13 gr. of Red Dot, 12 gr. of 700-X, 16 gr. of 2400 or 20 gr. of 4227. He casts a mix of 1 part linotype to 5 parts of wheelweights and quenches directly from the mould if he wants to exceed 1800 fps. He fills the grease grooves with Lee Brand Alox and then gives them a tumble lubing in Lee's liquid Alox.
He shoots them unsized. If you have access to a sizer-luber, try a .313 die to grease them without touching size.
That way you could have bullets that fit your M-44 just nice.
Good luck!
PP.

 

[Marshall Stanton]

M-44 tend to have rather largish bores like .312". If you cast bullets you could get by with it by having a slightly oversize mold made. But first, have your barrel slugged to determine the exact bore.

Indeed, you're absolutely right. Customers sending me slugs from their M44's vary in bore diameter from .310" to .3155" depending upon manufacure date and maker. These guns have the potential to shoot very, very well when bullets are sized to fit the gun. Too, as a general rule these rifles, as do many military arms, have HUGE throats in them, both in length and diameter, so typically, loading bullets to fit the throats of the chamber tend to tighten groups considerably. Although you might have a barrel with a .311" groove diameter, but having a throat of .314" diameter, choose to fill the throat if shooting cast bullets, and the gun will perform much better than when using a bullet simply at groove dimensions. You won't spike pressures, and the bullet won't tip or cock in the throat before entering the lands, but will instead enter straight and true to the axis of the bore, thus ensure a bullet that's concentric to the bore every time you light-off a load.

Too, if you have a dark, or somewhat rough bore, a few fire-lapping rounds down the bore will do wonders to slick things up, and make an otherwise cantankerous barrel behave properly!

God Bless,