I'd like to cook up some really dynamite self defense 7.62 loads for my AK, but I have never reloaded for it before, so I was wondering if I could use .308 diameter bullets in the 110-130 gr range, and still expect decent accuracy from my AK with its .311 bore.

NO!

Must use bullets made for 7.62x39!

I have an RCBS 7.62x39  full length 2-die set, and it came with an alternate sizing ring which (the instructions claim) will resize the neck for .308 bullets.

Quoted: I have an RCBS 7.62x39  full length 2-die set, and it came with an alternate sizing ring which (the instructions claim) will resize the neck for .308 bullets.

So I gather you've never tried it then. Right?

all my SKS,s, my AKs, my vz58, my Rashid, and of course, my Rugers all shoot .308 bullets out to 200 yards w/about half the size groups of .311 surplus, they all have great rifling

I did slug some w/lead a decade ago, (and recovered fired bullets), my bullet/rifling engaged great, doesn't the back of bullet swell to fill the bore when powder is ignited??

In my testing, thought the .308 bullets were better quality than the few .311 choices

I can only speak for my guns/my shooting at 200 yds. but after that distance, I go to .308 Win.

I have a prog. press set up to run 125 gr Rem SP currently, Nosler  BT are fav. of mine with all time best groups

I also have had good results w/.308 147/150 gr in the past, but prefer 125 gr. past 100 yds.

Would it hurt anything to buy a box of 50 and load em?   Do some A/B testing-dif. bullets/dif. powder charges

But hey, I also shoot 9mm bullets out of .38 super.....

I only use proper .311" diameter 762x39 bullets, you can get Winchester and I think Remington SP's for about $10/100, why temp fate?   I remember the Ruger Mini 30 has a .308 bore to make it more reloader friendly to using .308 diameter bullets.

Quoted: Quoted: I have an RCBS 7.62x39  full length 2-die set, and it came with an alternate sizing ring which (the instructions claim) will resize the neck for .308 bullets. So I gather you've never tried it then. Right?

Right. I get good enough performance out of available .311 bullets. I just use my AK for plinking anyway. They're deadly accurate at rock-throwing range!

Quoted: NO!

Now HERE is a guy who has never tried it!!

My SKS shoots tiny little groups with the handloaded .308" slugs I use.

Your best bet for SD loads is the 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. Explosive expansion and positive feeding are guaranteed with this little number.

BTW the .311 slugs I got for reloading shoot like crap in my Yugo 59/66 compared to the .308's.

And I too use RCBS dies, and I did turn the .3085" expander button down to .3075" to get a better friction fit. This decreased group sizes even further; at 50M I regularly get one-hole five round groupings.

To say this isn't possible, when people have been doing it for over 50 years, is not real bright, fellas. I do it all the time with better results than I ever got from any factory x39 load or slug.

Best of all, with the Yugo 59/66 the gas system can be bypassed which makes the one I shoot even more accurate by virtue of no moving parts screwing with the barrel's harmonics.

Best regards,

Eric

In 1986 there were not any .310" or .311" bullets that weighted under 150 grains. So I loaded every .308" bullet made by Hornady,Speer,Sierra,Remington,and Winchester in the 100-130 grain range. Shot them in SKS rifles which all shot groups at 100 yards that were 6"-8".
It wasn't untill the late 1980's when I got a hold of some pre production Hornady bullets that were 123gr .311" that  I could get groups down under 6" with reloads. This bullet and the Sierra .311" 125 grain bullet gave groups that were 2"-4" depending on the rifle/sights.
The only 150 grain .308" bullets I tried was Remington which gave the same results as the lighter .308" bullets.
This bullet would fill the bill of "dynamite self defense load" for short ranges if your rifle will feed them.
www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=336780