Charles Daly Mini Mauser 7.62 x 39.

[jwhite]

I have one of the Charles Daly 7.62x39's and it is a real tack driver. The bolt can be a little sticky sometimes but that rifle has the smoothest barrel I have ever seen. I have a 165gr LFN mold that Veral Smith cut for me based on a chamber cast I sent him and it is awesome. Several youngsters around town have used this gun to shoot their first deer and it always works like a champ. The Remington versions while the same gun do not seem to have been finished quite so well which is too bad as it soured a lot of people on these little rifles. I have shot a pile of rabbits and squirrels with a 95gr SWC @ 1100fps.

JW

[richhodg66]

That's good to hear, I'm thinking of this as primarily a walking varmint and small game rifle; adequate for coyotes, but not too much for squirrels and rabbits.

By the way, I meant SR7625, I got several pounds of it new dirt cheap at a gun show a few years ago and have been using it for light pistol loads, seems to work OK in some cast rifle loads too.

[NoDakJak]

My favorite load in my CZ is with the Lee 155gc ahead of 18.0 grains of 1680. A friend has the same rifle and swears by 311241 ahead of 4895. Both these loads are accurate in our rifles and work well on deer. Neil

[richhodg66]

Thanks Neil. Just recently got some 115 grainer flat nosed plain based bullets to try, a little lighter than the 311241, I think, but I will definitely try similar loadings.

With all the Christmas activities and deer season going on, I haven't gotten it to a range yet, hopefully soon.

[NHlever]

When I had a CZ in 7.62 X 39 I shot a lot of the Lyman #311008 115 FN boolits in it over around 8 grains of Unique. It was very accuratee, and fed well after CZ modified the magazines for that caliber.

[richhodg66]

NHlever, is that bullet gas checked or plain based? Eight grains of Unique would be real easy for me, my go to pistol powder.

[NHlever]

NHlever, is that bullet gas checked or plain based? Eight grains of Unique would be real easy for me, my go to pistol powder.

I used both the 311008, and an older Lyman 3311316, that is very close in shape, and weight. For the 7-8 grain loads of Unique with these boolits, it didn't seem to matter much whether I used the gas checked boolits, or not. They both would shoot one hole groups at 25 yards, and very good groups at 50 yds., and I never tested them beyond that. My goal was to duplicate the old 32-20 loads with about the same amount of powder. I expect that Red Dot would work real well in this application too.

[richhodg66]

That sounds great, I'll experiment with heavier bullets later, right now, I kind of want a "minute of fox squirrel" load. This ought to be the ticket.

[txpete]

I began experiments with 165-200 gr jacketed Sierra .308 bullets in this rifle years ago for 50-150 yd hog hunting. Most pleased with the 200 gr SPBT. Wicked on the receiving end and grouped the best of everything tried (about like a 25 cent piece at 100 yds). I attributed the good groups to the fact that I could load right up to the lands and still have some bullet in the neck in that long-leade chamber. I ended up putting a .308 Win magazine box in it to accomodate the Jimmy Durante looking cartridge.
SAFETY REMINDERS: 1) I use .308 jacketed, .309 cast (My barrel is .308)
2) My chamber has a looong leade
3) My OAL is looong - 2.50" for jacketed; 2.34" for cast

0 Buck shot works for squirrels, too.

Let me know what you discover.

dac

dave what powders were you using with the 165 gr bullets?.I found one of those rugers yesterday NIB and it followed me home.
thanks
pete

[David Caldwell]

Pete,



Sierra's .308 165 gr BTHP Game King was about the lightest bullet I could get to approach the lands while seated in the cartridge case. (This "nearly touching the lands" business seemed to get the groups from 3-4 moa to 1-2 moa.) With this bullet, at OAL=2.374", I tried:

18.0 gr AA1680 - Not enough pressure to obturate the cartridge case! Probably unsafe. Decent obturation began about 21 grains.



24.5 gr AA1680 - 1.7 moa; 2192 fps; pressure signs on primers (and we know their limitations) seemed OK, but about enough.



24.5 gr IMR 4198 - An honest 1.0 moa; 2185 fps; pressure signs probably OK but getting kinda high.



24.5 gr IMR 4064 - 1.5 moa; 1819 fps; pressure signs were mild.







With Speer's 165 gr BTSP @ 2.462" and 24.0 gr AA 1680 - OK pressure and four shots in one hole at 100 yds. (a fluke, I'm sure) I never got around to trying it again as I migrated to 200 gr bullets so I could seat a little more bullet in the case neck.





Let me know what you come up with.



dac

[richhodg66]

Ultimately, this is going to be a cast bullet rifle, but I managed to finally get it to a range and shoot some of the cheap Wolf ammo today. The one group I shot at 100 yards with it, four shots went into an inch, I threw one out (the trigger on this needs some serious work). I'm pretty sure I can best that stuff with handloads pretty easily. Neat little rifle, I wish I had gotten it developed enough to use it deer hunting this year.

[txpete]

anyone try the lyman 311359 ?. I have one on the way and should be here fri.
thanks
pete

[txpete]

well I did make it to the range.I didn't get to loading up any cast loads yet .I did bring along some wolf 122 gr hp ammo.
its a shooter and next time out I will have some handloads ready to try.
pete

100 yards

[hicard]

I just picked up a new Ruger Hawkeye compact in 7.62x39 w/16 1/2" barrel and it looks like a winner. Had a great time at the range yesterday but I do not know the dia. of the barrel. Anyone know if it is .308 or .310 or .311?

[NHlever]

I think Ruger switched to the larger bore diameter some time ago. Your's should be .310-.311.