Does any reloading data exist for 7.62x54R using .311 dia bullets?

[jandmtv]

ive gone through alot of reloading data sites, and books, and i have a feeling that all of the reloading data i came by was for .308 diameter bullets, which brought me to think that the 3 different types of 7.62x54R ammo i had at home were in fact loaded with .308 bullets.

the ammo i have are

Olympic 180grn
Winchester 180grn
Lapua Naturalis 180grn (Lead Free, for Hunting)

and my digital calipers confirmed that all 3 of these brands of bullets were in fact using .308 diameter bullets.

thats why my mosin 91/30 shoots poor groups.

i hope to get some input from some of you out there that reload 7.62x54R bullets. do you use .308 bullets? or the proper size .311 bullets?

would it be OK to load 150grn .311 bullets using load data intended for 150grn .308 dia 7.62x54r?

[762cavalier]

The hornady manual lists loads for their .312 diameter bullets in 174 grains.

You should be able to substitute fatter bullets using .308 load data just reduce by 10% and work up from there looking for signs of excess pressure.

[supersonic]

The hornady manual lists loads for their .312 diameter bullets in 174 grains.

You should be able to substitute fatter bullets using .308 load data just reduce by 10% and work up from there looking for signs of excess pressure.

+100

[sunborder]

If your mosin's bore is truly .311 instead of .30, you should be fine. Just work up like normal. Using .311 jacketed in a .308 bore would be bad.

[jandmtv]

If your mosin's bore is truly .311 instead of .30, you should be fine. Just work up like normal. Using .311 jacketed in a .308 bore would be bad.

i measured it with digital calipers, its actually 312.5, but i dont think i want to use .312 bullets.

i just think .311 bullets will give me much better accuracy out of that gun than .308 will.

[ETD1010]

HRm.. considering how badly dinged up my bore is on my mosin, I've had relatively good accuracy with .308 bullets. When I tested them by placing them tip first into the muzzle, I noticed that they did seat rather snugly. What kind of accuracy are you getting now?

[supersonic]

i measured it with digital calipers, its actually 312.5, but i dont think i want to use .312 bullets.

That's a HUUUUUUUUGE bore!!!!!! That would make it a BIG NEGATIVE on using .312 bullets! That would be like trying to shoot a marble down the Holland Tunnel!!!! You'll be just fine with .312 projectiles (.0005" will be unnoticeable.)

[jandmtv]

HRm.. considering how badly dinged up my bore is on my mosin, I've had relatively good accuracy with .308 bullets. When I tested them by placing them tip first into the muzzle, I noticed that they did seat rather snugly. What kind of accuracy are you getting now?

about 2" groups.

[jandmtv]

That's a HUUUUUUUUGE bore!!!!!! That would make it a BIG NEGATIVE on using .312 bullets! That would be like trying to shoot a marble down the Holland Tunnel!!!! You'll be just fine with .312 projectiles (.0005" will be unnoticeable.)

most of the time, you dont make any sense!

[supersonic]

most of the time, you dont make any sense!

Read your post that I was joking about - carefully.
BTW:[QUOTE]I have a feeling....[QUOTE] ain't gonna cut it in reloading. I would suggest reading up more until that "feeling" is either confirmed or denied!!!
The only way to get an accurate measurement of your bore's diameter is to slug the bore. Period.Using calipers to do it (especially on a surplus rifle) to use for determining the exact diameter of bullets you will be firing down that bore (assuming you are reloading) just ain't gonna cut it, either. If your rifle is of Finnish origin, the bore diameter (in the GROOVES) when it was new was .308". Russians were .312" in the grooves. The actual EXACT diameter is almost sure to be of different measurement now, considering time/wear/storage conditions, etc. That probably doesn't make any sense, does it? It's all about not injuring/maiming/killing yourself or those around you.

[sunborder]

Slug your bore, fire jacketed bullets that match the grooves, and PB bullets that are .001 or .002 over the groove size. How hard is that?

[supersonic]

Slug your bore, fire jacketed bullets that match the grooves, and PB bullets that are .001 or .002 over the groove size. How hard is that?

I rest my case.

[jim933]

I agree with Supersonic.. slug the barrel and be safe ( or at least precise )!
Too small a bullet and you'll be frustrated by poor results too big a bullet and nasty things could happen to you and your rifle.

Slugging is very easy to do. I slugged my mosin nagant and got 0.311". Great link at:

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

I'm going to do it a few more times to get an average rather than just one number. Takes less than 5 minutes. Clean the barrel 1st and don't be stingy applying grease to the slug.

[45acpninemm]

Old Mosin and oversized bullet

I have been trying to get a satisfactory hunting round for my 1928 sporterized Mosin 91-30, I slugged the barrel and came up with .301 X .314 and the machining looks like it was done with a plow. I have shot 3 different brands of .308 bullets and a .311 speer and a ,312 Hornaday Used 4 different powders
all in S and B cases. I started out hitting my neighbors target and have just now got down to a 1" group at 100 yds. The load is 49.0 imr4064 behind the Hornaday150gr. .312 It cronos at just a hair under 2900 ft/sec. and the cases have been fired at least 8 times and still look just fine. I am very pleased with the results. Naturally I worked up to this load very slowly and checked my cases carefully. this is a load that is suggested as near or just past maximum for .308 bullets in this rifle in 3 of the 5 different loading manuals I have. So approach with caution. I did find along the way that this particular rifle likes the hot loads and a dirty bore. My first shot from a clean bore is often a "flier".

[gorblimey]

.314 is awesome; gotta love those MNs. And welcome to CGN!

Btw, is the bullet you got to work with a hot load of the exposed-base type? That just might be the ticket for successful obturation.