Taxidermy Cafe http://taxidermycafe.com If you are going to kill it, you might as well eat it! Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:56:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 7.62x54r Ammunition | The Right Load For My M-39 http://taxidermycafe.com/7-62x54r-ammunition-how-i-found-the-right-load-for-my-m-39/ http://taxidermycafe.com/7-62x54r-ammunition-how-i-found-the-right-load-for-my-m-39/#comments Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:49:27 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=114 Continue reading →]]>

Let me say at the very beginning that this is not a recommendation of any type. It is simply a method I used to develop a handload that worked very well in one particular rifle. The results may not be the same for you. Handloading can be a hazardous activity if not approached correctly. Please do not try this yourself!

The 1891 Russian 7.62x54 rimmed cartridge is still in service in some parts of the world, serving as ammunition for such varied pursuits as sniper rifle usage, and squad level machine-gun ammunition. Not bad for a round that turned 100 years old in 1991. 7.62x54r ammunition is available in a lot of types, and from a lot of places, and if you choose to fire it, please make sure that your firearm has been checked by a competent gunsmith before doing so.

I purchased a Finish M-39 to add to my military rifle collection. It was not one of the older lot, but seems to be one that was re-purposed in the 1970's. For those of you who may not be familiar with this weapon, it is built on a Russian M-91, or M-91/30 Mosin Nagant receiver, which is not the best action for a sporting rifle. Mosin Nagant accuracy suffered from a long and heavy trigger pull, and several other factors. The rifle fires the Russian M-1891 rimmed cartridge, which fires at velocities and distances just slightly below the venerable 30-06. The Fins used them because they were available as captured or conscripted Russian weapons. On this model, unlike the earlier M-28, the Fins removed the original Russian stocks, and replaced them with nice finger jointed stocks, like the M-28, they removed the barrels, and added heavier, better made barrels, and made other modifications to improve trigger pull, sighting, and other factors. The end result is a weapon that, although a little bulky and clumsy, functions well, and is capable of extreme accuracy with the right ammunition in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.

The problem was, that this one was a little finicky. No 7.62x54r ammunition that I tried would produce the results I wanted.

I had already gone through the sequence I use for checking a rifle, like making sure that the stock bolts are tightened correctly, the barrel to stock clearance was right, that there was nothing putting pressure in the wrong places, no barrel warp or bulges, and still, with the 4 different types of military Mosin Nagant ammunition, and the 3 different types of commercial ammunition, the groups were just too big at around 6 to 8 inches at 100 yards.

I set about developing a hand load to make it work. I used both Sellier and Bellot, and Norma cases, several different primmer brands, a variety of bullets in differing weights, and countless powder combination, I tried every conceivable cartridge, bullet, powder, and primmer combination, and still, nothing better. I did this by fits and starts over a 2 year period, and still no significant improvement. I kept careful notes.

I came by a case of 2 spam cans of 440 rounds each of ammunition which has been popularly called "Russian sniper ammunition", but which I suspect was really intended as PKM ammunition for the older Russian squad level automatic by Kalisnikov, but I have no valid evidence for either theory. Either way, I had a lot of well stored ammo dated 1986, with potassium perchlorate primers. If you are new to this field, pp primers are corrosive. They deposit potassium chloride into a hot barrel, and suck moisture in to rust your tube. Meticulous cleaning is needed after using them, preferably with ammonia, the minute the shooting stops. The weapon with which I had intended to use the ammo was a Tokorev rifle, and if you have ever field stripped one of these, you will know that cleanup, especially the meticulous type needed for corrosive primers, is intense! I hate corrosive primers, so I decided to try a little experiment.

I took some of the Soviet made ammunition, disassembled it, used Sellier and Bellot cases, and CCI primers, and used the same powder that the military cases had held, reduced by 5% from the original load. I started with the 5% reduction, and loaded 5 cartridges, made 5 more with one grain added, made five more with another grain added, and so on until I reached the original charge.

Just for kicks, I made 2 extra five round bunches, dropping each at one grain below the five% reduction, and went to the range.

I fired each in sequence at a 25 yard target, checking after the first round of each for primer flattening. The lowest charges exhibited almost no flattening, and the highest was never fired due to the flattening that occurred on the next to last batch, which, although not severe, or dangerous, indicated a little more pressure than I wanted to use in a rifle receiver manufactured in 1915.

The process produced some amazing results! Every batch was better than any of the factory ammo, and most were very good. One selection shot 5 rounds into a ragged hole about the size of a dime! This was a great starting point.

Using my Lee Classic Loader, I loaded 10 more rounds of the best performer for further testing. I continued with 5 rounds at the hundred yard target after making a slight adjustment to the windage, and repeated the initial 25 yard results with 5 rounds slightly under an inch! I advanced to the 200 yards with similar results. The only other guy at the range was also shooting at the 200 yard target, so after firing we retrieved our targets together. He tried to buy the rifle from me.

I tried a few more rounds the next weekend, this time I made half the rounds with a lee factory crimp. the results made a slight improvement. This was followed by several other trips to the range at longer distances, each one exhibiting sub MOA groups for the distance.

7.62x54r Finish M-39

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/7-62x54r-ammunition-how-i-found-the-right-load-for-my-m-39/feed/ 1 Reloading Manuals Handload Kits http://taxidermycafe.com/reloading-manuals-handload-kits/ http://taxidermycafe.com/reloading-manuals-handload-kits/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:42:11 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=102 Continue reading →]]>

Reloading, also known as handloading, is a great way to literally “get more bang for your buck”. Reloading can save you tons of cash over the cost of store bought cartridges, and has the added advantage of offering much better accuracy since you can tailor a load to fit your particular rifle with just a little very pleasant work and experimentation.

Handloading is a fun and interesting hobby on it’s own, and with the rewards it offers in improved accuracy, and decreased cost, it is a “no brainer”.

To get started, there are a few tools you will need, and you will probably be surprised at how little they cost. In fact, you can probably get started using handload kits with everything you need for loading one caliber for around a hundred bucks. That is the equivalent of the cost for 2 to 4 boxes of ammunition from the market. See: for more information and details.

One thing that you will eventually want to have for your reloading adventures is a reloading manual. Reloading Manuals offer information for cartridge loading, powder and bullet charts, and the proper use of reloading equipment to assure safety and accuracy. No matter how simple your handloading operation, you should have at least one manual, and several reloading manuals would be even better. With more than one manual, you can compare load data, and methods to pick out what works best for you.

Take a look at some of the reloading manuals available:

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/reloading-manuals-handload-kits/feed/ 0 Lakes And Ponds http://taxidermycafe.com/lakes-and-ponds/ http://taxidermycafe.com/lakes-and-ponds/#comments Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:39:24 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=85 Continue reading →]]>

For a number of years now, I have spent a good portion of my time on lakes in the eastern portion of the State of Texas helping East Texans to manage their private lakes. It is a fascinating line of work!

It requires a unified approach to manage a pond or lake, especially if you are trying to create a fishery. There are also a lot of questions that come up about individual issues like pond algae, lake weeds, lake weed killers, and water clarity. This seems like a good place to talk about some of these things.

If you have questions regarding the care and feeding of your private lake or pond, feel free to ask them here, in the comment section, and we will be happy to reply in a post.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/lakes-and-ponds/feed/ 1 A Deer Hunting Preparation Note http://taxidermycafe.com/a-deer-hunting-preparation-note/ http://taxidermycafe.com/a-deer-hunting-preparation-note/#comments Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:07:37 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=79 Continue reading →]]> Just a little note, about two of my favorite topics. Sighting, and ammunition.


If you are planning on changing ammunition this year, or if you are planning on using a different rifle, you should start making those choices now, and head on out to the range for some sighting in. Every ammunition shoots to a different point, and will have a different minute of angle value. If you start finding out what that is, and getting ready now, you won’t have to rush so much when the season gets near.

If you want a little information on why the ammo reacts differently, or some tips on how to pick the best for your rifle, check out the other posts on this subject on this site.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/a-deer-hunting-preparation-note/feed/ 0 Deer Rifle and Ammunition Combinations http://taxidermycafe.com/deer-rifle-and-ammunition-combinations/ http://taxidermycafe.com/deer-rifle-and-ammunition-combinations/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:41:52 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=61 Continue reading →]]> Deer rifle and ammunition combinations.

When a bullet exits the muzzle of a rifle, several things are happening. The gases from the ignition of the powder in the case, expand the case to form a seal against the chamber walls, and continue to expand forcing the bullet out of the case, into the throat, and rifling, which cause the bullet to spin with the rifling. It continues to spin after it exits. This stabilizes the bullet as it heads to it’s destination. The explosive force of the propellant, and the torque of the rifling, set up patterns of vibration in the barrel. When the bullet exits, it will exit at a particular point in that cycle of vibration. If the ammunition is consistent, and the operators hold is consistent, it will exit at the same point in the cycle each time it goes bang.

Good, or bad vibrations.

Different ammunition will set up different vibration patterns, and therefore produce different results. That is, the bullet will leave the muzzle at a different place. this may be only a fraction of an inch at the muzzle, but it can translate into several inches, or feet at the target end. If the barrel is vibrating upward, it will be higher, if downward, it will be lower if right or left, it will be right or left of it’s intended goal.

Try this. Take several boxes of differing ammunition for the same rifle to the range. Set up several targets, and fire five rounds each at 100 yards of each type. Some will be grouped tighter than others. If you have one that performs particularly well, you should make that one your ammunition of choice. Even if it lands low and to the left of the target, you can adjust the sights or scopes to put that group in the bullseye.

A personal experience.

I had a friend who had an old Enfield rifle that he was about ready to part with because he couldn’t keep it on the paper. He asked me to give it a try. I sat at the bench and fired five rounds of his ammo at the bullseye. None of those five rounds came within 8 inches of the bullseye, but they were all clustered in a nice little 1 inch or less cluster at the bottom right hand corner of the target. When he peered through the spotting scope at the spectacle, he changed his mind about the rifle. Damn the luck! I really wanted it for my collection!

Group size is important. Where the group lands is also important, but that is just a matter of moving the sights. A different ammunition might have put one round in the bull, and the rest in each corner. That would almost guarantee an hour of following a long blood trail through dense brush in a hunting scenario.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/deer-rifle-and-ammunition-combinations/feed/ 1 Sighting Your Deer Hunting Rifle http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-your-deer-hunting-rifle/ http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-your-deer-hunting-rifle/#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:35:14 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=59 Continue reading →]]> Sighting Your deer rifle.

Okay. If you have read up to this point, you know that any change in ammunition or weapon will change the projectiles point of impact. So, you now have both the weapon you will use, and a box of the ammunition you will use.

I know I probably stressed that point a lot earlier, but it is not just a major point, at this stage, it is the major point! If you have a box of 150 grain brand X cartridges, and you site in with them, but buy a box of 180 grain brand Y cartridges for your hunting trip, you are asking for trouble. I know it may sound silly, but I have seen it happen on many trips to the range when a guy at the bench next to me is sighting and practicing with a box of full metal jacket rounds, which you cannot, of course hunt with and when asked about that, he says that he is sighting in with this ammunition because it is cheaper than the ammo he will hunt with!

The mechanics.

You have your rifle, and the ammo you plan to hunt with. Go to the range, and set a target at the 25 yard backstop. If you are doing this on your own turf, or at a buddies makeshift range, set up the same way. This is, a bench, at 25 yards from a secure backstop, where stray rounds will only strike the dirt or an impenetrable wall.

We will assume (how I hate making assumptions) that you already have either bore sighted, or used some other method of getting a pretty good idea of where the bullet will exit the barrel, and wind up at this short distance. If you are using a scoped rifle, you should already be familiar with your scopes knob adjustments and which way you need to turn them to adjust for zero.

Insert a round into the chamber, and lock it. Fire 1 round at the bulls eye, using all the skills you have learned about such things as breathing technique, and gentle trigger work. If this puts you on the paper, great! If not, you have some work to do. We will add a supplement for just such a case. Adjust your windage and elevation knobs, and fire another round. If you are familiar with your weapon, this will probably cause the next round to be dead center in the bulls eye. If it does, you will want to set a target at 100 yards, if not, continue to do the same thing until it does.

Set a target at 100 yards. Return to the bench, and repeat the whole exercise again. If you are hunting in an open area, with more than 300 yards of opening, you can set your zero to place the bullet 3 inches high at 100 yards if you like. That should give you a clean kill at any distance within that range.

About distance:

I have seen several instances where friends came to the range with me to sight in a rifle, This is usually preceded by stories of 600 yard clean kills. When we arrive, and set up targets, they often ask why we are setting up at such long distances. “Why are we setting up at 300 yards?” “Well, we are not, we are setting up at 100 yards, that is 300 feet!” Most people miss judge distance. In my area, I have never seen a deer taken at a distance exceeding 75 yards.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-your-deer-hunting-rifle/feed/ 1 Sighting a Deer Hunting Rifle Some Preliminaries http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-in-a-deer-hunting-rifle/ http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-in-a-deer-hunting-rifle/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:00:59 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=51 Continue reading →]]>

Before we get started on the mechanics of sighting in, there are a few things that need to be said:

This assumes certain things like:

  • You are a *responsible hunter.
  • You have a rifle of the *appropriate caliber, which is safe and in good repair.

Other things that should be kept in mind when sighting a deer hunting rifle, or any weapon, should also be said here:

  • Ammunition change means a change in the bullet’s point of impact. Every change in component means a change on the target. *A different primer, powder, bullet, cartridge case, any and all of these things will send the projectile to a slightly different point downrange. A rifle should be sighted in every time ammunition is changed.
  • A change in rifle should include sighting it in. A new rifle will not shoot the same ammunition to the same point of aim as your old one straight out of the box.

I know these things sound elementary, but there are those who are not as familiar with these facts as we might assume.

Next: Sighting in.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/sighting-in-a-deer-hunting-rifle/feed/ 1 Put Away The Deer Hunting Games | Sight In Your Deer Rifle http://taxidermycafe.com/put-away-the-deer-hunting-games-sight-in-your-deer-rifle/ http://taxidermycafe.com/put-away-the-deer-hunting-games-sight-in-your-deer-rifle/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:48:39 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=46 Continue reading →]]> Time to put away the deer hunting games and sight in your deer rifle.

My son had one of those deer hunting games. The game had a feature allowing for choosing your rifle, and a provision for sighting in. It was sort of nice, and a little more realistic than the arcade type games we saw after I was grown, having grown up in the day when pinball was the rage, and before “pong” was even invented.

“Dad, this game sucks” he said, “I can’t hit anything, would you try?” I was a little reluctant, not having done much “gaming” before, but I set the rifle scope up where the cross hairs were resting on the shoulder area, you know, perfect for a broadside heart and lung shot, and gave the mouse a gentle little squeeze. What happened next surprised me. The dear fell of course, but what really surprised me was the rush that I got as a result of this game. It was strangely reminiscent of the same sensations in the field! I tried it a few more times, with the same result, and got bored. I gave him back his seat, and told him to be more gentle with the mouse when he clicked it, and that solved his problem.

A transferable skill.

It was one of those skills that transfered easily from one application to another, and was uncharacteristic of the games of the day, because it bore a resemblance to reality. If you jerk the trigger on a rifle, you jerk the rifle off target. If you apply that knowledge to the mouse, you get the same result.

Being accurate with your rifle is not only of benefit to the hunter, but is also the only responsible way to hunt! We should strive for accuracy not only for our sake, but also for the sake of your prey, and the safety of everyone else. I want to offer a few helpful tips on ammunition, and sighting in a rifle as a reminder for deer hunters and others.

Sighting a rifle, some preliminaries.

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/put-away-the-deer-hunting-games-sight-in-your-deer-rifle/feed/ 0 Taxidermy Cafe Forum http://taxidermycafe.com/taxidermy-cafe-forum/ http://taxidermycafe.com/taxidermy-cafe-forum/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:33:48 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=43 The Taxidermy Cafe Forum is open for comments, topics, bad jokes, whatever you like, as long as it’s not illegal. We will post a few ground rules later, but for now, have fun!

]]> http://taxidermycafe.com/taxidermy-cafe-forum/feed/ 0 Taxidermy Cafe: Wild Game Preparation Tips http://taxidermycafe.com/taxidermy-cafe-wild-game-preparation-tips/ http://taxidermycafe.com/taxidermy-cafe-wild-game-preparation-tips/#comments Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:50:08 +0000 james http://taxidermycafe.com/?p=38 Continue reading →]]>

Hey, we don’t really have a cafe, but we would like to know if you have any particularly great methods or recipes for campfire chow! Let us know how you make that back strap extra special, or your venison chili knocked the socks of of the judges at the chili cook off. Oh yea, don’t forget your tips and tricks for world class fish fries!

Sign in, log in, and make a comment or suggestion. Hey, if your going to kill it, you might as well eat it!

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