Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 7.62x39 Improved Project

I have thought about a 9x39 on my mini-Mauser 223. Sounds like fun using the improved case and a 180 gr Barnes X or a hard cast WFN. Looks like a great gun for fun and compact, easy to swing full stock. Reminiscent of the old Steyr M/S. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Madmooner, I had not. Very cool!. I bought an aluminum replacement from DIP, but it is a the same pattern as the original. Had I know about this version I would have bought it. Maybe next time.

By all means do it. Looks great and works perfectly. Only way I'd stick with the DMs was if I was hopping in and out of vehicles. They make it for the .222 family rounds now too. I was going for the DIP unit before I saw the Oregunsmithing one.

They were out of sock when I got to the site. Put myself on the notification list. I agree with Madmooner and Pappy348. Bought one and keeping the DM. The latter with both a long and bobbed magazine. That way I have three options for the two barreled actions. Can't wait to try out the hinged floor plate. Maybe Legacy will take the hint and boot the bottom-plastic solution. Besiding being plastic, it breaks.

There is another option by Jefferson Outdoors.

Single stack hinged floorplate. Opens COAL a bit.

https://www.jeffersonoutdoor.com/shop/howa-mini-flush-bottom-metal

Pretty much given up on Legacy taking the hint on anything. It galls me that the boys from Oz still get SS, including Minis while we have to slum carbon steel and that crappy paint they push. Reminds me of the folks at Ruger who apparntly think we all want 16" .300 magnums.

Cool stuff!
But I bought the 76239 for cheap plinking and my boys hunting rifle. (Cz527)

I bought one as well for my grandson to use, but it was a Mini. Kills deer just fine. Now that I have the Oregunsmithing unit fir my Grendel, he has two magazines.

Yes, sir. Based on your prompt I googled and found Jefferson Outdoors. Put myself on the waiting list Will improve the profile of the Mannlicher.

I bought the complete bottom metal from Jefferson Outdoors. It was a perfect swap out for their aluminum mag well. It really cleaned up the Mannlicher profile. Very nice people to work with.

I would love to see a picture of a finished round!

Here is the link to the imagages

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...ies/15149116/7-62x39ai-ammo#Post15149116

posted a link of ammo for you.

That's pretty cool looking buddy!

The 30PPC with a 115 bullet is about 3000-3100FPS and very accurate. Same thing as a 7.62x39 ackley

Berger's, right? I am sure you are correct. I haven't gone that way yet. Because this is a little carbine, I was thinking more toward 150-160 grain bullets at moderate velocities like 2500 ish for medium game. While an accurate and handy hunting rig, this is no BR rifle. I don't think i "invented" anything unique. I was astonished about the similarities to the 30 Grendel, 30 ARX, and now the 30 PPC. It makes sense. 220 Russian, begat the 22 PPC, 7.62x39, then the 6.5 Grendel, back to the 30 Grendel, and the 30 PPC. All of these must be about the the same, except for minor dimensional difference and of course, bore diameter. Good call. Think I will google load data for the 30 PPC.

I believe the Grendel has a little more powder capacity. Mike Stinnet has the World Record small 5 shot 100 yd group at .0077" He calls it a 30PPC, but it was based on the 6.5 Grendel brass. He used 114 grain bullets at 2980fps with a very stiff load of H4198 in a 17 twist Kreiger.

Interesting, Butch. I bought a bunch of PK (American-Lapua PK brand) 7.62x39 brass. Necked it down to 6.5 Grendel. The PK 3 grains less capacity than Hornady-Grendel.

Anyway, I wanted to re-convert the Grendel back to 30. Found the extractor would not engage the case over the rim of the case. So, I necked a few over 30 cal, then back to 30 to get a false shoulder. Same problem ocurred. I could not get the Grendel cases back into use as 7.62x39 cases. This suggests my Grendel chamber must have a shorter shoulder dim than my 7.62x39 AI. Meanwhile the 7.62x39 is a pretty tight fit with factory ammo. So, I do not think the AI conversion was messed up. Is still fires factor ammo without any hitch.

What I do know is the re-conversion should have worked, but it did not. Ego, my Grendel may not be larger than my 7.62x39.

2980 is smokin' What about brass life at these levels. Also, my rifle has a 1:9.45 twist.

Dan

I don’t think I’d try to run the Howa Mini anywhere close to the pressure of a hot benchrest load. The bolt lugs are nowhere near as robust as any full size action much less a benchrest action. Just food for thought.

A Ladder test with 150 grain bullets in the 7.62x39 28 degree Ackley.

Today I set up a test using the following recipe: 150 grain .312 Speer bullet with H4198 powder. COAL = 2.325. Federal Match Large Rifle primer. This case holds 39.5 grains of fine ball powder to the case-mouth. Brass Geco factory brass, fire formed to improved chamber. (Once fired brass)

The rifle: Howa Mini. 20” light weight barrel. 7.62x39 Improved 28 degree.

The purpose was to see if the cartridge could duplicate 30/30 performance. I used 30 ARX load data as a reference. My cartridge has slightly more capacity than the 30 Grendel, 30 ARX, so I started with the lowest load and worked up. The test measured 3 rounds fired at each level.

Results

Grains Velocity (FPS) Comments
28 2297,2310,2296 ES= 13 FPS.
29 2341,2345,2331 ES=14. Case full to bottom of neck
30 2430,2444, 2438 ES=14. 100% load. Bullet seated on top of powder
31 2499,2491,2508 ES= 6 Compressed load. Absolute Max! Shiny ejector mark

Note1: Geco 124 grain FMJ factory ammo measured 2424, 2430, 2429 fps.
Note2: Hornady 130 grain spire point bullets with 30 grains of AA1680 chronographed 2750 FPS.

This cartridge definitely duplicates 30/30 performance. It does so with less powder, noise, and recoil. Time will tell if the cartridge will do more when I receive my supply of Lapua brass.

The last 30/30 I tested was a Savage 325 bolt action rifle, also with a 20” barrel. It chronographed 2094 FPS with 170 grain Remington Corelock, 2295, with 150 grain Remington Corelock, and 2365 with Hornady LeverEvolution 160 grain factory ammo. With hand loaded 30/30 ammo, I would call the pair of cartridges ballistic twins, as both cartridges can approach 2500 FPS with 150 grain bullets. Certainly no deer or hog would know which hammer had hit them.

The Howa rifle is a particular pleasure to shoot. With factory loads, it has been no trick to keep 3-4 rounds touching at 50 yards. As the barrel heats, groups open. While this ladder test did not measure accuracy, the minute ES suggest the rifle would delivery excellent accuracy with these loads also. The Howa is definitely easier for me to shoot more accurately than the Savage 325 or any lever 30/30 I have tried.