Loading for the MN M44

[Lambo]

Test Loads,
Bullet: Military Surplus .311 147gr FMJ Steel Core
Powder: IMR 4895
Load(s): 45grs, 46grs. & 47grs
Primer: Federal LR
Case: Mixed, Winchester & Wolf Gold
Case Trimmed to: 2.105
COL: 2.870

anyone else have a recipe?

 

[j8064]

Lambo,
Using the same milsurp 147 bullets's you have, I've tried IMR3031 and IMR4350 in fired and full length resized Win cases w/ CCI LG Rifle primers in all my Mosins. Don't have all my notes on OAL, case length etc. in front of me at the moment.

IMR3031 @ 42grs shot well and much lighter than milsurp rounds. Used Lyman's recipe for a 150 gr jacketed bullet @ their recommended starting load + one grain. I use a lot of 3031 in other milsurp cartridges and it's worked well.
IMR4350 @ 50 grs w/ the 147's (Lyman book startng load) produced some nice muzzle plumes similar to milsurp ammo.

When the weather warms up I'll work on developing a good and consistent load for my Mosins. If you find a good recipe...please share (and I know you will).

 

[Half-cocked]

Lambo, I bought a couple hundred of these from JSW a while back, I too am planning on working up some loads with these and IMR 4895, using Graf (Prvi) brass, for my M91/30.

I'll let you know how it goes; it will probably be a few weeks before I have a chance to get up to the range, though.

 

[Lambo]

I myself Loaded a few and likewise haven't had the chance to put them to the test.

 

[j8064]

Guys, please post your results.
I saw Graf's had Prvi 7.62x54r brass back in stock and ordered some a few days ago.
Got some more Mosin loadin' to do...
Testing loads in icy weather sucks.
Is it spring yet?

 

[Half-cocked]

I found this, it might be helpful:

http://www.realguns.com/loads/762x54r.htm

...btw, looks like Spring is here! Unfortunately I'm trapped inside with the flu.

 

[Lambo]

Range Report:

Went to the Range today,
Firearm Used from 100 yds,
Mosin-Nagant M44,
Russian Manufacture,
Arsenal, ? ..........Barrel is stamped with a circled y a Crest depicting what appears to be Olive Branches incircling the Hammer & Sickle and dated 1946. ID please?
Loads were consistant in Windage but Elevation varyed. No problem with Pressures! It was the 46grs that seem to hold the tighter Group, 3 to 4" @ the 400 meter elevation setting to Xring.

 

[8milimeter]

Here is my hunting load for my M44 sporter.
Sierra 180 (.311) Pro Hunter 49.5g IMR4350 .010-.015 off the lands, Lt Crimp
This is a consistant sub 1" group at 100 yards.

 

[guthook]

Range Report:

Went to the Range today,
Firearm Used from 100 yds,
Mosin-Nagant M44,
Russian Manufacture,
Arsenal, ? ..........Barrel is stamped with a circled y a Crest depicting what appears to be Olive Branches incircling the Hammer & Sickle and dated 1946. ID please?
Loads were consistant in Windage but Elevation varyed. No problem with Pressures! It was the 46grs that seem to hold the tighter Group, 3 to 4" @ the 400 meter elevation setting to Xring.

Is there a triangle with an arrow in it below the date stamp?

Where do you guys get your milsurp bullets?

 

[alucard0822]

123gr FMJ bullets (pulled from 7.62X39)
49gr H335
2.70" OAL
privi brass
CCI LR primer
about as accurate if not more so than surplus, however it has a similar trajectory within 200yds as silver tip light ball, but about 1/2 of the recoil. Still exceeds 7.62X39 velocities by quite a bit, so it is nothing to sneeze at.

115 gr hardcast bullets (intended for 32 cal revolver loads)
8-10 gr of trailboss
bullets seated to the crimp groove, moderate crimp
CCI LR primer

With the sight set on 600 meters, this is a fairly accurate 100 yard load, not a lot of leading in good bores, but you definitely want to clean thourougly after shooting these before switching back to full power FMJ loads. Recoil is needless to say almost non existant, and this is also fairly quiet, sounds almost like a 22, but deeper, this is also a dirt cheap load, you can get about 400 loads to a 9oz can of trailboss, and the bullets run about &60-$80 per thousand, so in reality the primers are the most expensive part, and if you keep with a light to moderate crimp, they do not set back, and you do not stress the neck of the cases any more than you need to. This load normally clocks about 1200 FPS in my M44, so about on par with 9mm ballistics wise, so plenty of power for squirells and small critters.

To dial in the load, start at 8gr, work up in .5gr increments with 10 being max, from there and see what gives the best group, once the group starts to spread out, reduce by .5gr, and stick with that, any hotter, and you will get leading. This same recipe and dialing in method works in 303brit, for 308/30-06/7.5X55 swiss, the bullets can be swaged down a little, I don't have a swage die, so I just use the same bullets in my K31 with the same load, and it shoots fine, but leads a little bit.

 

[Lambo]

Is there a triangle with an arrow in it below the date stamp?

yes

 

[guthook]

It's from the Izhevsk factory.