slugged my mosin for reloading

[arslin]

Hello-

I am starting to reloading. I am starting with the 54R for 2 reasons. A) I have more option for ranges when I shoot something other than the crap ton of surplus ammo I have. B) I want to get my accuracy up and try for 300+ yards shooting. It is not for cost... I have 2 spam cans of cheap ammo.

I just slugged my mosin, and to my surprise, it came out at 308 (I took a picture to prove to myself), and not 311 like many people talk about. Some say that is a good omen for a mosin that has not seen a lot of use. Is that correct?

Does that mean that I can use the more available 308 bullets?

Lastly: Any cocktails that people would recommend? I think i would like to stick to the 150g bullet, but I'm game for anything that works for precision. The dies should get here this week, but I have not purchased any components.

[jeffsenpai]

How do you "slug" your mosin? I have heard the term, but do not know what it means/entails

[arslin]

It is where you take a fishing weight and push it down the barrel. The resulting marred up hunk of lead can be measured so that you know the size of your bore.

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinSlug.htm

[sixoclockhold]

Hello-

I am starting to reloading. I am starting with the 54R for 2 reasons. A) I have more option for ranges when I shoot something other than the crap ton of surplus ammo I have. B) I want to get my accuracy up and try for 300+ yards shooting. It is not for cost... I have 2 spam cans of cheap ammo.

I just slugged my mosin, and to my surprise, it came out at 308 (I took a picture to prove to myself), and not 311 like many people talk about. Some say that is a good omen for a mosin that has not seen a lot of use. Is that correct?

Does that mean that I can use the more available 308 bullets?

Lastly: Any cocktails that people would recommend? I think i would like to stick to the 150g bullet, but I'm game for anything that works for precision. The dies should get here this week, but I have not purchased any components.

What model Mosin do you have? Here are the specs, I'm sure tolerances were at least +/- .001

http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinSpec.htm

You should be ok shooting the .308 diameter bullets

I might note, if you have 00 shotgun shells at home, you can take one of the shots and grease it up. They are a perfect snug fit for Slugging.

http://www.hodgdon.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html Hodgdon website will have the data your looking for proper loads.

[Vlad 11]

Ive never seen a Russian Mosin that slugs less than .311 groove

Yea 00 buckshot works great for slugs

[sixoclockhold]

I would think any primer would be fine. I just use CCI. As far as powder I buy 8 lbs. of Hodgdon H 4895, its a little faster burning than Varget and has been around a loooong time. It also carries the ability to make "youth" loads or 60% of max recommended grains where most powders don't. This could come in handy if you go to plated bullets or reduced loads in other rifles.

The higher the coefficient of a bullet the straighter it should shoot. I like speer hot core.

[sixoclockhold]

Ive never seen a Russian Mosin that slugs less than .311 groove

Yea 00 buckshot works great for slugs

Thats why I asked him, he probably has a Finn

[Agustav]

and make sure you are measuring the groove diameter...

Even for Finn, 308 groove diameter is pretty rare (My Finn M91, M91/30, M28, and M39 all slug out to >.309)!

[arslin]

it is a 1942 izzy 91/30.

basically... I'm measuring the widest spot.

[mosinnagantm9130]

The lowest I've seen a Russian 91/30 slug was .309, so it's possible. You can use .308 bullets.

[arslin]

The lowest I've seen a Russian 91/30 slug was .309, so it's possible. You can use .308 bullets.

so is it that low by mistake, or is that all Mosins were at one time .308, and have worn down to an average of .311.

[sixoclockhold]

Did you buy it from a dealer?

Always possible the grooves are full of lead as in someone leaded up the barrel and sold it.

[arslin]

Did you buy it from a dealer?

Always possible the grooves are full of lead as in someone leaded up the barrel and sold it.

It was a big five special about 9 months ago.

[sixoclockhold]

It was a big five special about 9 months ago.

Ok good. When you slug the bore there is a drag or tightness as you push the slug through. Was it consistent more or less or areas of tightness. Might want to do it again. You might have some copper fouling build up near the chamber so give it a good clean and looksie. If all good, reload and shoot those .308's, good score.

Remember the slug is only measuring the tightest area of the barrel.

[arslin]

It was very tight at the muzzle (very tight actually) , and I do not see anything in the bore. I think the tightness was that I had fattened the plug up a little (as the tutorial said to) and at the muzzle it was a little too big.