7.62 x 25 Project

One often reads about a desire to shoot various bullet profiles from a 30-caliber carbine. The choices of what can be fired from the carbine action is limited by it's length and what will fit in the magazine and feed. The shorter length of the 7.62 x 25 facilitates the loading of various projectile weights and profiles. The case capacity is about 80% of the 7.62 x 33, still plenty of room to load-up to 7.62 x 33 charges and not compress the charge. One can blow-up anything if they try, but using 80% full 7.62 x 33 charges in the TOK cases have shown no signs of over-pressure stress. If anything, it shoots a bit milder that Sellier & Bellot commercial loads. Pictured here are some 125-grain 300AAC pulled projectiles built to an OAL of 1.52. They feed and chamber well from a 30-caliber magazine. Also shown are some .223 cases after they are trimmed and ran thru the 7.62 x 25 sizing die. The issue with a re-chambered 30-caliber carbine barrel is the leade remaining in the chamber. The longer the OAL of the TOK load, the less this becomes a deterring factor. Necks can be left longer than the spec 7.62 x 25 case, which enhances tension and improves accuracy by taking-up the leade. I have not got around to any chrono work yet, been working on functional loads that deliver reasonable accuracy. The 110 and 125-grain loads have proven to be as accurate as the average 30-caliber carbine at the distances I have tested. The lighter 85-93 grain loads....not so much, but longer necks improve accuracy.

You might not gain much by building a 7.62 x 25 Tokarev to 7.62 x 33 performance, but it is a new playground that facilitates a much broader range of what you can shoot. The brass is easily made, it loads with the same components as the 7.62 x 33 and it's a great project for fighting boredom.

10-gr. H108, 110-grain X-treme, mv 1650, pf 182

10-gr. H108, 125-grain Spitzer, mv 1722, pf 215

10.5-gr. W296, 110-grain X-treme, mv 1777, pf 195 

I mention power factor as a comparison to 30-carbine at 2,000fps, which works out to 220. Just as a measure of how bad I might be beating the carbine up. 

I generally load my 30-carbine stuff in the area of 1800fps. It won’t be much of a stretch to load the 7.62 x 25 up to that velocity.

Anyways……just information in case anyone is interested.

Felt recoil (power factor) and bolt thrust might not be directly and mathematically comparable, but it has to be a good indicator of the strength of what one is shooting, if only ballpark. Besides, PF is much easier to calculate😁.

This configuration allows one to load and shoot any .308 projectile they are willing to try as long as cartridge OAL does not exceed what the magazine will accept and that’s 7.62 x 33 OAL. 

Oh yes. My partner in crime 03man did as well. Don took a little different approach. He does not hand load and wanted a chamber to specifically match the Tokarev. I left the free bore in my barrel chamber, which allows me to load longer and use longer projectiles. Don worked some magic and built an insert for his barrel to 7.62 x 25 specs.

Simply re-chambering a 30-carbine barrel leaves free bore and with commercial ammo using light projectiles, it’s just not that accurate. I can build cases all way out to 30-carbine oal, which takes up the free bore.  Both our conversions are as accurate as any 30-carbine we have. I shoot 1-inch groups at 25-yards. 

If one wants to use commercial ammo, I would suggest acquiring a un-chambered carbine barrel and chamber it for Tokarev.

But…..it is fun to shoot, brass is easy to make and mine feeds from a spec. USGI magazine. It is a reloader's delight and allows the use of about any .308 projectile.

My favorite load chrono’s at around 1725fps, but that can easily be pushed a bit.