7.62x39

[Unlucky7]

I'm sure this has been discussed , can you turn a 7.63x39 to a 6.5 Grendel ??

[A5BLASTER]

Like a ak47 chambered in 7.62x39?

Is that what your asking?

[Unlucky7]

Like a ak47 chambered in 7.62x39?

Is that what your asking?

Can you turn 7.62x39 brass into 6.5 Grendel brass to use in an AR

[Zeneffect]

https://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?17646-Forming-7-62x39-into-6-5-Grendel-Brass

[StoneHendge]

Yup.

IMG_20210312_182248_copy_648x486.jpg

[tdbru]

Unlucky7,
yes you can. it's a lot of work and a pia in general. i'd recommend neck annealing after reforming if you can. since most 7.62x39 cases use LRPs you'll have to adjust your loading accordingly because most 6.5 Grendel loads were developed with SRPs. i've had to reduce loads as much as 2 gr. when using re-formed 7.62x39 cases with LRPs. i use to do this back before factory 6.5 Grendel cases were hard to get and 7.62x39 once fired boxer brass was laying all over the range and you could just pick it up. i understand, at this time, why you're asking, however. but for me once 6.5 Grendel factory cases were more available, that's what I got and used because, like I mentioned, to me the re-forming was a PIA and a big time sink. once getting the brass reformed and loads adjusted accordingly, they worked just fine however. i still have some of them and still use them. but for the most part have gone to commercially produced 6.5 Grendel cases.
-tdbru

[lazyengineer]

Unlucky7,
yes you can. it's a lot of work and a pia in general. i'd recommend neck annealing after reforming if you can. since most 7.62x39 cases use LRPs you'll have to adjust your loading accordingly because most 6.5 Grendel loads were developed with SRPs. i've had to reduce loads as much as 2 gr. when using re-formed 7.62x39 cases with LRPs. i use to do this back before factory 6.5 Grendel cases were hard to get and 7.62x39 once fired boxer brass was laying all over the range and you could just pick it up. i understand, at this time, why you're asking, however. but for me once 6.5 Grendel factory cases were more available, that's what I got and used because, like I mentioned, to me the re-forming was a PIA and a big time sink. once getting the brass reformed and loads adjusted accordingly, they worked just fine however. i still have some of them and still use them. but for the most part have gone to commercially produced 6.5 Grendel cases.
-tdbru

Not to be contrarian, but I kind of don't agree with any of this. I've run hundreds of 7.62x39 ground pickups now, some as high as on their 4th or 5th cycle now. It's not a PITA at all. Turn down your sizer about 1/4 or 1/2 a turn (check against your particular chamber by sizeing and chambering, until you get one that clears and stop there), and then just lub and run per normal. Nothing special at all beyond that, just run per normal, and out comes 6.5 Grendel brass with a little extra body taper.

As to loads, you don't need fire-forming loads. But you do need a little lighter loads than standard 6.5 Grendel brass. But once you settle on one that shoots well and still gives decent velocity, dial that sucker in, and chug away. First fireforming or 4th loading, use the same load and it'll run fine, has been my experience. Just don't be pushing to max-pressure here, is all.

You don't need to anneal. I don't, and they are running fine. Again though, these are range pick-ups, so I don't really care, as they aren't supposed to last me a lifetime, and I'm not taking them on my once-in-a-lifetime hunt. Though I probably could.

For me, once you get it dialed in, just run and go, no extra effort beyond running straight Grendel brass. I will say, the 7.62X39 brass wall thickness varys a lot, so sorting by headstamp is advised. Also be aware that Lapua and GECO brass will require a little adjustment to their resizing, or they won't be sized enough, but no big deal once you know you need to to do that. From my handling and usage, I'm pretty sure Hornady 7.62x39 brass is run on their same equipment and spec as their Grendel brass, so those will mirror closest. They even make small primed 7.62x39 brass, and once you fireform, I can't tell the difference between Hornady 7.62x39 and their factory Grendel at all. All others will be somewhere in between on thickness.

You will get some cases that neck-fold on their first resizing and squeeze down. I lose maybe 5-10% of my casings that way; and don't care - just throw those away when it happens.

[rabiddawg]

[Constitutionalist]

"Not to be contrarian" but I'm in the middle on this. I enjoy reloading, casting, shooting, hunting, trapping, etc. and try to do a lot of all of them. Any of them beat sitting in front of a TV IMO.

Creating Grendel brass from free (range pick up) 7.62x39mm gives me cheap Grendel brass. I do use a fireforming load- S&B LPP, 6gr. Unique, and a 126gr PC cast bullet. I get the bullet back and can make a new one with it so I have 7 cents in the brass when it's formed and ready. Another thing I like about FF brass is I can use LRPs. Options are always good in times like these. I have over 700 rounds of fireformed Grendel brass (and more Hornady 6.5 Grendel brass than that).

I have occasionally had problems with the resized pre-FF brass feeding from the AR magazines and the FF load won't cycle the action but NBD to me. Once the FF load is popped it runs perfectly. I've also used near full power loads to FF too and found them to be amazingly accurate.

If you have the 7.62x39mm brass and want to mess with it- go ahead (and have fun).

My $.02

John

[LR1955]

I'm sure this has been discussed , can you turn a 7.63x39 to a 6.5 Grendel ??

Yes, it has been discussed in detail a number of times.

Run a search and you will find several very detailed threads on the subject.

LR55

[lazyengineer]

"Not to be contrarian" but I'm in the middle on this. I enjoy reloading, casting, shooting, hunting, trapping, etc. and try to do a lot of all of them. Any of them beat sitting in front of a TV IMO.

Creating Grendel brass from free (range pick up) 7.62x39mm gives me cheap Grendel brass. I do use a fireforming load- S&B LPP, 6gr. Unique, and a 126gr PC cast bullet. I get the bullet back and can make a new one with it so I have 7 cents in the brass when it's formed and ready. Another thing I like about FF brass is I can use LRPs. Options are always good in times like these. I have over 700 rounds of fireformed Grendel brass (and more Hornady 6.5 Grendel brass than that).

I have occasionally had problems with the resized pre-FF brass feeding from the AR magazines and the FF load won't cycle the action but NBD to me. Once the FF load is popped it runs perfectly. I've also used near full power loads to FF too and found them to be amazingly accurate.

If you have the 7.62x39mm brass and want to mess with it- go ahead (and have fun).

My $.02

John

I guess that's my point too. People act like it's some kind of exotic effort. No it's not, run it in your Grendel dies, load it with a non-hot Grendel load. And run it per normal.

Only difference is the dies typically need to be adjusted down a touch more.

That's it. No fireforming, annealing, or any of that other business needed at all. I've loaded mags full of non-fireformed first-loads, cycled just fine.(though normally I try to keep it to just 5, just in case; but never actually had a problem with my E-Landers)

You can shoot MOA with this brass, if you sort.

[41bear]

I'm converting Lapua 762x39 brass as we speak. Going to turn it into 6MM ARC brass as that stuff is nonexistent at this time plus, at the age I'm at, I have way more time than money so why not!

[LR1955]

I'm converting Lapua 762x39 brass as we speak. Going to turn it into 6MM ARC brass as that stuff is nonexistent at this time plus, at the age I'm at, I have way more time than money so why not!

41B:

FWIW I converted some IMI 7.62 X 39 brass to 6AR. Had to ream the necks pretty thoroughly and shot fifty rounds in practice. The signs of overpressure were so great that I did not try that again. The 6 AR is on the edge in terms of pressures I think and the thicker 7.62 X 39 brass pushed it over that edge. I was using minimal loads too. No way I would ever do that again. Just note that these had large rifle primers. Small primed brass may fare better but 7.62 X 39 brass still has less internal capacity than Grendel brass and that makes a big difference.

LR55

[Constitutionalist]

41B:

FWIW I converted some IMI 7.62 X 39 brass to 6AR. Had to ream the necks pretty thoroughly and shot fifty rounds in practice. The signs of overpressure were so great that I did not try that again. The 6 AR is on the edge in terms of pressures I think and the thicker 7.62 X 39 brass pushed it over that edge. I was using minimal loads too. No way I would ever do that again. Just note that these had large rifle primers. Small primed brass may fare better but 7.62 X 39 brass still has less internal capacity than Grendel brass and that makes a big difference.

LR55

Good point- 7.62x39 brass after fireforming will still have less capacity than factory Grendel. Load work-ups are required. The same could be said for different manufacturer's 45/70 brass. Capacity varies widely in the old war horse between Federal vs. Winchester vs. Remington. Work-ups by headstamp are common for rifle shooters looking for the best performance.

My loads are rarely near the top end. I load for accuracy first with a bullet and velocity that will perform my intended task; and if that happens to be up near the edge, so be it. It's pretty rare for me to find my best loads at maximum though. I've got my "best loads" for most of my rifle and pistol calibers worked out- and I reload 13 rifle calibers, 6 pistol calibers, and three shotgun gauges (if .410 can be loosely called a "gauge" which it actually is not). Interestingly enough, my preferred load with Nosler 123gr CCs in 6.5 Grendel is the same whether I'm using my FF 7.62x39 or Hornady 6.5Grendel - 29.5 gr. LVR with a CCI-200/CCI-450. With the 123gr SST its 27.0gr of IMR 8208 XBR in Hornady and 26.3gr. of the same in the FF 7.62x39. These work well enough for my purposes in my Grendel I. My Grendel II doesn't like any of them. It likes Hornady brass with 31.0gr of H335, a CCI 400, and a 90gr. Nosler Varm which shoots "OK" in my Grendel I.

With reloading we have options:

1. Max out velocity and energy while often sacrificing some amount of accuracy
2. Focus on accuracy while often giving up a little velocity and energy
3. Striking a balance we are comfortable with

I think we've all heard the old saw about the bullet engineers focusing on what a match bullet does right up until the point it reaches the target. After that they don't care.

A lot of folks right now are putting ammo and components up to hedge their bets against the Feds banning or taxing them. Some want the most accurate ammo they can get while others want to maximize terminal performance. Others are focused on increasing their numbers of rounds while keeping costs down.....

Make your own choices. Just be safe about it. And like I said before- have fun!

John

[41bear]

41B:

FWIW I converted some IMI 7.62 X 39 brass to 6AR. Had to ream the necks pretty thoroughly and shot fifty rounds in practice. The signs of overpressure were so great that I did not try that again. The 6 AR is on the edge in terms of pressures I think and the thicker 7.62 X 39 brass pushed it over that edge. I was using minimal loads too. No way I would ever do that again. Just note that these had large rifle primers. Small primed brass may fare better but 7.62 X 39 brass still has less internal capacity than Grendel brass and that makes a big difference.

LR55

Thanks for the heads up. At this point I'm doing only 10 each, L 762x39 & H 65 Grendel to compare results. Weight/volume between those two to see if its worth my time or just pay those outrageous 6MM ARC ammo prices and be done with it.