5.45X39 chronograph data..

[Bolt2Bounce]

FYI I e mailed Dave at Ch4D and asked if their 5.45X39 dies were in stock, they are, which is nice, it is always a good thing to have choices..in products.. Ch4D, as I said, I like their workmanship and quality.. but they are $78.25 + a Shell holder which is $7.83 additional plus Shipping in the US which is $10 more.. The total $96.08.. The Lee 5.45X39 dies with a shell holder are $60.00 plus $5.60 Flat rate shipping, for a saving of $30.48 over the CH4d product.. Lee also has the .221 dia bullet resizing die for $25 with the money you save, getting lee's product, you could buy both for less $$ that just the dies from CH4D.. B2B

[Bolt2Bounce]

My latest 545 load is a 60 gr Amax 545 bullet with 18.8 gr RL 7 CCI primer RP cases.. B2B

[1norcalvarmintHunter]

I need some dies still have any?

[Noonanda]

Well went out and tested out some 5.45 loads using Varget and 60Gr Hornady ballistic Tips out of my AK-74. I seated them a tiny bit to far out, some tips were scraping the front of the magazine. I also tested some Surplus and some Wolf for comparison. My Chrony gives the data in meters, so I made a worksheet thast converts it to feet as well as does the math steps and formulas for me.

Load data ( 222 Rem formed to 5.45x39)
Caliber / Bullet Size: 5.45 .221 Hornady
Bullet Weight : 60 Type: Ballistic tip Boat Tail
Powder: Varget Charge: 20.0
Primer : CCI COAL: 2.278 B.C. 0.265

Shot # Vel. MPS Vel. FPS Deviation from Avg velocity
1 693.9 2276.5 -2.15
2 694.3 2277.9 -1.75
3 705.3 2313.9 9.25
4 702.6 2305.1 6.55
5 698.9 2293.0 2.85
6 697.7 2289.0 1.65
7 691.4 2268.3 -4.65
8 682.2 2238.2 -13.85
9 708.3 2323.8 12.25
10 685.9 2250.3 -10.15
Total 6960.5 22836.0 65.10

Average Velocity: 696.1 MPS 2283.6 FPS
High Velocity = 708.3 MPS 2323.8 FPS
Low Velocity = 685.9 MPS 2250.3 FPS
Extreme Spread: 22.4 MPS 73.5 FPS
Average Deviations: 6.5 MPS 21.4 FPS
Standard Deviation: 8.26

This was a starting point for Varget, as you can see its a pretty slow load with an Avg velocity of 2283.6 Feet per second, while surplus 60 Gr FMJ Ammo had a Avg Vel of 2983.3.

Wolf 60 Gr HP had an Avg Vel of 2366.7 FPS, so I might not go much higher, maybe .5 Grains max, I will probably load up some in .1 increases up to 20.5 and see what I get.

I am still learning about and how to use my chronograph (got it for christmas)

[Gowking]

Gotta ask, did you guys anneal the cases after forming them from the 222 Rem? How smooth was the forming process using the Lee dies? I have a set but haven't tried them out yet.

-G

[Noonanda]

Gotta ask, did you guys anneal the cases after forming them from the 222 Rem? How smooth was the forming process using the Lee dies? I have a set but haven't tried them out yet.

-G

I did not for the few batches I have worked up, they expand more around the middle due to the cases being a little out of spec

[Bolt2Bounce]

I've formed the case with out anneal the cases and also after annealing does't seem to be too much difference, But sometimes getting the case gets too soft and it will crush the shoulder easier.. I've gone to annealing after forming the 545 case and trimming it to length.. B2B

[buffybuster]

B2B,

Any issues with the smaller casehead diameter of the .222Rem cases. Do you get a bulge near the casehead after firing?

Ironically, the Soviets reinvented the .222Rem as their Assault Rifle Cartridge, 20yrs after the US determined it wasn't adequate.....

[Bolt2Bounce]

I had no issue with the smaller case head, yes it does bulge around the case head, in front of the web, I expected it to do that, it's not getting resized back down, after fire forming so it's not a big problem, the cases will work for several loadings. That is all I can ask..out of a military semi auto..factory brass will surface at some point, of that I have no doubt.. B2B