Reloading 7.62x25

[happydude]

If I remember correctly, 7.62x25 can be reloaded with cut down and formed .223 brass, but where does one find a source of bullets? I'd like to get a Tokarev, but I ditched my SKS because I didn't want to shoot corrosive ammo so the same will likely go for the Tokarev. I suppose I could track down a 9mm barrel and mags if that'll be easier, but I find it hard to justify a $100 barrel and $25 mags for a $250 gun.

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[happydude]

Someone here probably reloads for these things. Shipping ammo is expensive plus corrosive is a pain. ?????

[tiriaq]

Cut down .222/.223 was the method when 7.63 Mauser ammunition was hard to come by. The head diameters are not the same, .223 is somewhat smaller, so you are going to get some noticeable expansion. You are likely going to have to ream or turn the necks, to thin them down. Another option is to alter .38 Special cases, although that involves lathe turning the head to convert from rimmed to rimless. Notwithstanding your aversion to corrosive ammunition, cleaning an easily stripped pistol like a Tokarev is going to be a lot less work that forming a quantity of brass.

[JHC II]

use a 30 mauser pretty well the same thing, or get starline brass, its quite a zippy cartridge

[Claven2]

converting .223 is the cheapest solution if you have patience. I use a rotary pipe cutter to trim it close to spec, then I run through a sizing die and turn the necks a few thou. Not that hard really. And range pickup .223 is easy to come by.

[happydude]

There's tonnes of range range .223 at the local joint. the pipe cutter I can deal with, but I don't know how one turns down the necks a few thou. I don't have a lathe, but am amenable to picking up small usefully tools if there's something that will do the trick.

I'll probably get a case of surplus just for fun shooting, but I'd like to reload for it in the future to get a nice slow and quiet load for the indoor range in town.

On a related note, how are those Tokarevs from Epps? They're cheap and appear to have the same goodies as TradEx/P&S.

[tiriaq]

You don't need a lathe - you use a neck turning tool - a piloted tool akin to a case trimmer which has a cutter to shave off the ouside of the neck. There are also reamer dies which size the case and then you turn a reamer down in.

[Claven2]

Yeah, most lathe-type case trimmers have attachments for thinning the necks. I use a Lyman universal case trimmer for this type of work, though if I don't need to get fancy, I find the Lee piloted trimmers faster and more convenient. Can't thin brass necks with them though.

A "poor man's solution" is to chuck the case up in your trimmer and rotate it holding a fine file to the neck.

[davidjyoung]

if i were you id stick with starline brass if your time is worth any thing, as far as bullet,s for the 7.62x25 go any bullet for the 32 auto or 32 mag will work just fine . you can get load data from accurate powder manuel. hope this helps . and god bless you all

[Atrixium]

@happydude I've been reloading for the 7.62x25 for my Type 54 for awhile, using a home load I came up with for H110, 13 grains under a 90gr pill. I've been using cheaply available Starline brass from a local dealer here in BC. I got started after I bought a bunch of milsurp ammo only to discover that they jammed like SOBs in the Type 54's chamber, something about the lacquer sticking or something; every third bloody shot.

Anyways, I highly recommend the Starline brass like JHC II said, it works good and responds well to resizing.

@davidjyoung Thanks for the tip on the .32 ACP rounds, I didn't realize they were actually .309, I've been looking everywhere for some round nose FMJs to replace the hollowpoints I've been using. I've been relying on the Hornady 90gr .309 XTPs so far and they're not bad, bet every once in a while they'll jam in the feed ramp. Part# is 31000 if you're looking. Round nose feeds like a dream but has been a bugger to find.

As far as the .32 H&R Mag goes, I'd probably leave that one alone, I believe it's closer to .315 and I'd be a little leary about chambering a pill that tight. Having said that, I haven't actually seen one to measure it, so it's all just numbers I've read, I could be wrong.

As for the 9mm barrel, I've been looking everywhere and there very hard to track down north of the border, the best thing I've found so far is to buy a $100 Type 54 (Norinco M213) and cannibalize it for the barrel, bushing, link and pin. Canadaammo.com has the M213s on for $99 right now.

Anyway, a little lengthy for my first post but what can you do?