My first reloaded rounds

**lexnaturalis** · March 10th, 2009, 10:19 PM

I just made my first 12 reloaded rounds (7.62x39mm). Thanks to everyone who posted in my initial thread and for those that gave help via PM (and especially Xringshooter who let me come to his house and gave me some hands-on help).

I'll go to the range later this week to test the bullets out, but the entire process went fairly smooth. After a few initial snags* of figuring out how to set the dies, I think it went well.

I was hesitant to reload ammunition, but you all made it sound so easy and gave me the confidence to try. I'll try to post my results at the range and hopefully I'll have great success to report.

Thanks everyone!

*I ended up with 3 bullets pushed all the way into the case!

**rtrageser** · March 10th, 2009, 10:43 PM

Glad it worked out for you. Like you said, there is really nothing to it, yet you still have to be ultra careful and observant. Hope everything goes well when you shoot it, I'm sure it will.

Also good to hear that you started out with a small number of loads. I see a lot of people come up to the range, and they'll have like 20 or 25 of one load, and it won't shoot for shit. If it doesn't group with the first 5, it ain't gonna group with the next 20. Good luck, let us know how it shoots

One other hint, when i set my seater die, I always seat the first bullet just a little at a time, and mic it to see when it gets close. Once it is real close, you can back the screw out, run your bullet up, then turn the screw down to it. After that, it's all fine tuning from there.

**lexnaturalis** · March 14th, 2009, 09:00 PM

Well I went to the range and fired off the rounds that I made. Then I made some more and shot about 20 of them and not only did they work perfectly, but they were more accurate than the factory ammo I was shooting.

Thanks again for all the advice you all offered.

**Bib** · March 14th, 2009, 09:31 PM

I posted this before but in case anyone missed it....if you take out the gas piston from an SKS (and I assume it would work on an AK-type as well), it will function like a straight-pull bolt action and you won't have to chase your brass all over the place to retrieve them.

**brian** · March 14th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by lexnaturalis

but they were more accurate than the factory ammo I was shooting.

i was using factory loads as a bar as well....thinking it was higher than it really was.

**lexnaturalis** · March 15th, 2009, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bib

I posted this before but in case anyone missed it....if you take out the gas piston from an SKS (and I assume it would work on an AK-type as well), it will function like a straight-pull bolt action and you won't have to chase your brass all over the place to retrieve them.

I need to give that a try, since I lose at least a few brass every time I go to the range.

**Bama Man** · March 15th, 2009, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bib

I posted this before but in case anyone missed it....if you take out the gas piston from an SKS (and I assume it would work on an AK-type as well), it will function like a straight-pull bolt action and you won't have to chase your brass all over the place to retrieve them.

Thanks for the tip. I believe I will try this myself. I also lose my SKS brass on semi-auto.

**Bib** · March 15th, 2009, 08:15 PM

Somebody sent me a p.m. and posed the question as to removing the gas piston would affect the velocity of the bullet. I'll be honest....I don't know! I suppose it would. I had heard about taking the piston out and I tried it during one range session where i had gotten a scope mount for my SKS but hadn't gotten a proper (short) scope for it yet. I had a full length rifle scope mounted on the gun and the brass would have struck the scope when it ejected. Once I got the proper scope I never felt a need to do it again since I was using surplus ammo and not saving the brass. That's all I can tell youns.