Anybody reload the 5.45 x 39mm?
I heard a while back that you can use fire formed 222 cases but can't find the note I made.
I think it also used .224 bullets resized.
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Anybody reload the 5.45 x 39mm?
I heard a while back that you can use fire formed 222 cases but can't find the note I made.
I think it also used .224 bullets resized.
I received the brass ordered from Buffalo. It is made from the .30 Remington ans is Remington brass.
The bullets I pulled from the surplus ammo are .221 so I will need to swage the bullets.
Buffalo does sell .30 Remington brass at $30 per hundred as compared to $2.30 for the formed 5.45 X 39 brass.
OK,
I have been away from the project for awhile but now to update.
They were out of 30 Remington cases so I ordered some 6.8 SPC. This is based on the 30 Remington but is a little shorter. I also purchased the RCBS full length sizing die set.
In addition I made a set of forming dies. It takes about 8 steps to get the brass ready for the final sizing in the RCBS die.
This includes swaging to reduce the base and head diameter, re-cutting the primer pockets and making the primer holes uniform. This is because the swaging reduces the diameter of the primer pocket and hole.
I use a LYMAN primer pocket tool and primer hole uniforming tool in between swaging steps to prevent having to fix the pockets once they are too small to fix with hand tools.
The swaging is done is three steps until I have the base down to the required diameter. Then I re-cut the rim and extractor groove to spec on a small lathe.
I also swage the case neck to 0.2420 and case just below the neck to 0.7430.
This allows easy entrance into the RCBS die for the final sizing.
This sound like a lot of work for ammo that can be currently purchased but as the election gets nearer the cost is going up and if the liberals stop imports in will be not available.
For now I have not stocked up on bought ammo because I get my Primers, Powder, and Bullets for free. So all this work is worth the effort. Of course I will make a brass catcher so I do not lose the brass after all this work.
Can you tell us how well they shoot?
Thanks,
Jerry
It will be awhile before I get to the range, but I will update the thread with finished brass photos, chrony, and target results.
Has it been "awhile" yet?Quote:
Originally Posted by single shot