I tested is it possible to reload surplus ammo with steel case. I wanted a handload that is safe to shoot from dragunov, in finland there is no hard primer like CCI 34 on the market so I have to improvise. I unload chineese surplus ammo with steel case and use the unfired steelcase and primer and reload it with new bullet and powder.
Unfortunately there's no reloading data for .311 bullets and no info for reloading steel cases. I tryed some loads with .311 bullets and wihtavuori powder.
1. load.
Hornady 150gr sp
COAL: 73mm
Powder: N135 46gr
avarang speed was 860 m/s with old type of primer (larger one)
And with newer type of primer speed went up to 890 m/s with same amount of powder! Presure went too strong, some of the steel cases crack in the shoulder.
2. Load (my friends load for ukko-pekka)
Sako .311 8g
COAL : 71mm
Powder: N135 49gr
Avarange speed 930 m/s. This load makes the magazine jam. The COAL is too short and ammo in the magazine start to move when shooting.
3. load
Sierra 174 gr
COAL: 75mm
Powder: N140 45,5gr
Avarange speed 785 m/s. Works well, exept load is too hot. Steel cases with old primers give more pressure than expected. Some of the cases cracked in little. Same loads with sako and lapua shells did not give any hot load symthoms, but I did'n mesure the speeds eitheir.
