7.62X25 - bore diameter vs bullet diameter question

[Kokopelli]

My wife's Tokarev has a .311 inch bore diameter. The PPU JHP factory ammo that she shoots has a .3065 inch diameter. So, I'm thinking of reloading for better performance. But manufacturers don't offer many 311 bullets. There are some .308 and a bunch of .312 for the 32 caliber pistols.

What are you Tokarev reloaders using for bullets? Am I over thinking this and should I just go for anything from .307 to .314?

[pacrat]

and a bunch of .312 for the 32 caliber pistols.

.001" in bullet dia increase will have no dramatic effects since you will be reloading for them.

Rule #1..........Start LOW, work up SLOW. Will negate any minor pressure variation due to the increased start pressure.

[think shooting .358" bullets in a .357" bore] Done all the time without ill effects.

But by going undersize. You risk lack of proper bullet stabilization/accuracy because of poor rifling engagement.

JM2c

[Kokopelli]

I should have stated that I'm talking jacketed bullets. I do shoot .358 cast in my .357 mag and practice proper load development techniques like starting low.

[CSACANNONEER]

Why not try some .312-.313 cast bullets?

[pacrat]

I should have stated that I'm talking jacketed bullets. I do shoot .358 cast in my .357 mag and practice proper load development techniques like starting low.

Jacketed bullets, is pretty much understood, in order to utilize the capability of the impressive 7.62x25.

CSACANNONEER........ Why not try some .312-.313 cast bullets?

Definite possibility for light target loads.

[Kokopelli]

Cast is an option, as I'm already setup for 38/357. But I want to go jacketed and brew some personal defense ammo for her. Something heavier than 85gr JHP, slower and a little quieter.

[chknlyps2]

I ordered a small box of Berrys and 100 ct. Magtech box to try. I have not loaded any yet. I am hoping the Berrys will hold up to a good medium strength load in my Tok.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/554?

[Kokopelli]

Looking forward to the results of your load. Have you measured the bore in your Tok??

[pacrat]

Kokopelli said

Something heavier than 85gr JHP, slower and a little quieter.

That's a switch. For personal defense most folks go faster and noisier. To maximize hydrostatic shock and increase stopping power.

But your reasoning is sound IMO. When buying a S&W Shield. I went with the 9mm over the 40. Figuring several well placed hits, work better than several secondary close misses.

JM2c

[chknlyps2]

Looking forward to the results of your load. Have you measured the bore in your Tok??

Not yet, I may get around to it this weekend.

[stilly]

You can reload for the tokarev?

Wow. Every time I pick up my brass to look it is cracked. I figured it might as well be polycase ammo since you can't reload it... :\

It would be really cool to shoot some PC out of my PPSH-41...

[jericho89]

Stilly, the best way to reload for 7.62x25 is to take 223 brass and resize it to that caliber. I would just cut the 223 down to just over an inch, debur, then run it through the 7.62x25 sizing die, then trim to proper size. You then fire form it by either biscuit burning or just reload and go. I would load so that my brass would drop 2 feet to the right for easy recovery. Do a search for brass conversion for 7.62x25

[Joseph Lee]

Look for a Lee push-through bullet sizer. It works fine for jacketed as long as you don't try to push them through dry.

In fact...http://www.midwayusa.com/product/523...t-311-diameter

I'm not a fan of Alox (comes with the kit) for sizing jacketed and would recommend moly. I personally use powdered graphite but some people don't like to deal with the mess.

[Vlad 11]

Reloading the 7.62x25 is trickey in many ways.

The barrel dia in pistols vary. I have 4 for CZs znd TTs and they are .309 .310 .311 and .312

And the typical commercial and surplus cartridge have 308 bullets

So just load bigger bullets? Not that cut and dry. Once you go above .309 you're likely to run
into chambering issues due to increased neck size. The chambers are typically tight. You might be able to ream some but the necks are thin to begin with.

Converted .223 brass has to be reamed or turned significantly at the neck

One bullet i like is the Hornady XTP 90gr @ .309 . But not a lot of choices of commercial bullets

[jericho89]

Maybe it was my chamber, but I did not have to turn the necks of my resized brass, and I was casting my own pills for it. Never had a chamber problem, failure to feed, or failure to eject (once I got the powder level to operating level. As I stated I made mine to just punch holes in paper and ran it so that the brass burped out. I got tired of trying to find surplus brass that would shoot 40 feet out.