Does anybody have any kind of info. for using a Nosler B-Tip, IMR-4895, IMR-4350, ( powders in that order ), and a Win. Lg. rifle primer, and S&B brass? This idea popped up in my head a couple of weeks ago, and I figured it "might" work, Thank You in advance, Cledus

What weight Nosler? you may also want to slug your barrel as most of my Mosin's are .311 as opposed to .308.
FWIW, I've been using 42 gr of H380 under a 150 gr Hornady .308 FMJ bullet.Brass is Privi Partisan,primer is a CCI 200.This is my plinking load.Most of my Mosins prefer a heavier bullet(180-200 gr range).Hope this helps a little.
BTW start load for IMR 4895 is 35.9,40 gr max with a 150 gr bullet.IMR4350 starts at 44.1 and maxs at 46 gr under a 180 gr bullet(from Modern Reloading by lee).Also,S&B brass has what some would consider a shallow primer pocket.Just be aware of it.Like I said,hope this helps!

As Burke says, the bore diameter on the Soviet bloc rifles varies quite a bit, and this makes a BIG difference in pressure.

My Finnish M39 slugs at a trifle over .310. When shooting Sierra .311" 180 grain bullets, 53 grains of H4350, CCI 200 primers, and S&B brass give me 2650 fps out of a 27" bbl. The rifle is instrumented, and this load gives me 51 KPSI. Your rifle will be different.

One reason there is so little "adult" reloading data is that people shoot .308, .309, .3105, and .311" bullets in bores ranging from .309" to .314". In the Mosin, you can be quite a bit over your safe load before you start to see pressure signs.

Before launching into this, I suggest you slug your bore. If it is .310, you might get decent accuracy out of .308 bullets. If your bore is a bit larger, you might get really good performance out of the Speer HotCor or the Hornady Interlock.

In any event, it is a lot of fun to explore... good luck!

I have used .308 bullets in both .303 British and 7.65mm Mausers with very good accuracy. They should also work OK in a Moisin unless it is GROSSLY oversize (they are nominally around .310").

O.K. 165 gr. B-Tip, .308" bore slugged size. Rifle is an M-39, so stamped near the muzzle it came from C.A.I. St. Albans, V.T. . Sorry about not being more specific guys, my apologies.

Wow! A .308" M39. Well, it does happen sometimes--lucky you! If it slugs at .308, then any of the popular .308 caliber bullets should work just fine.

You might try the 180 grain recipe that I mentioned. I use CCI 200 primers with my load, and primer choice does make more difference than most people seem to think.

Crazy Cledus,
I like Lapua brass, 180 gr Sierra soft point .311" bullets, and 47 gr of IMR4895 [the bolt gets sticky at 50 gr].

I know another guy who uses the same bullets, but with 51 gr of IMR4350 and Norma brass. He has been shooting deer with this, I have only shot targets.

Denton,
I find that I get NO increase in pressure from larger bullets. The only way I can rationalize this is that the added pressure from swaging bullets into a bore is at a different time than the peak pressure from the powder burning. This is counter intuative. This is different from the huge pressure spike from bullets pinched in the chamber. A big bullet can cause a pinch, so neck turning is neccasarry for big bullets in small bore experiments. That is how I shot 8mm bullets in a 303.

This phenomeina of large bullets working in a small bore without pressure spikes is documanted in P.O. Ackley 1966 "Handbook for Shooters
and Reloaders Vol 2" chapter 7 "additional pressure tests":
"..30 cal barrel pressure barrel was fitted to the test gun, but the neck and throat was enlarged to accept the 8mm bullet, with the bore remaining the standard 30 caliber. A Remington factory 30-06 cartridge with the 150 gr bullet had been tested and previously gave 57,300 psi, for a velocity of 3030 fps. The the bullets were pulled from two more Remingtom 150 grain cartridges and were replaced with 8mm 150 grain bullets. To everyone's surprise, although the velocity was rather erratic, these loads averaged 2901 fps, with a pressure of 40,700 psi."

Or are you talking about bullets that are too small vs normal?

I would not bother to buy .311" bullets for this gun if it has a .308" groove diameter! There is a much broader selection of .308" bullets, which I'd use if possible!

Clark...

VERY interesting test. Thanks for the info. I had just assumed that the bullet diameter would make a lot of difference. I've never tested it... just assumed.

Eldeguello...

I absolutely agree. A true .308 bore is a very lucky find, for exactly that reason!! The best of all worlds...

the only .308 bores you'll see are some of the finn's, with a sako or tikka barrel...

Mine's .310... and while the lowest sights hit 4" high at 100, it's about 1.75 with yellow tip ball... and about 1.5 with reloads..

forwhatitsworth...

I used to pull the yellowtip 183 grains apart, throw away the powder, and reload with 3031... for my nagants and my one svt... great fun, and i just used the milsurp for primed brass and bullets...

150gr .311s gave sub inch in my tovarav

jeffe

Thank You guys, What a big help, although, this rifle is somewhat sporterized, I did not do this, I got it from my friend who bought it like that from a local gun shop. It has an Advanced Technologies stock, a BSA scope, with an illuminated reticle, a "cantilever styled" scope mount a modified bolt handle that is held in with a hex head bolt. Denton, what the 180 gr. recipe again if I may ask?

[ 05-04-2003, 08:36: Message edited by: Crazy Cledus ]