First for the MN in 7.62x54R or just about any military caliber C. Ed Harris of Ed's Red fame has a couple of great reduced loads he has published: one based on Alliant 2400 power for cast lead bullets and the other one for jacketed bullets based on a Red Dot shotgun powder (sometimes call The Load).
The other main source of reduced load information is Hogdon powders and their information on using H-4895 for "youth" loads or cast bullet loads. If you go the the Hogdon power website and look up the information on youth loads they will tell you that you can use H-4895 at down to about 60% of a full power load with jacketed bullets as a youth reduced recoil load. If you use cast bullets and call them, they will tell you that with H-4895 you can go down to about 50% of a full case of powder with cast lead bullets.
If you are into reduced loads, those are loads carved in stone and you should familiarize yourself with them.
Here is what I can tell you about my MN loads in 7.62x54R that I have worked up and enjoyed...
Slightly less than full power load, but should be good for hunting; about 3-inch groups at 100 yards with 1939 Tula MN 1891/30:
180grain .311 Remington 180 grain bulk Core-Lokt RN SP (Purchased through Midway on internet) 41.8 grains of Hodgdon 4895, Winchester Large Rifle Primer, Winchester brass, OAL about 3.024 inch.
Reduced loads for target shooting.
175 grain cast lead gas-checked bullet,Lee Liquid Alox, 33.6 grains of H-4895
155 grain cast lead gas-checked bullet, Lee Liquid Alox, 15.4 grains of Alliant 2400
Both of the above reduced loads are about as accurate at the 180 jacketed load, much easier on the shoulder, but require the rifle iron sights to be adjusted for a theoretically farther distance due to lower velocity.
Once my MN1891/30 site is zeroed by adjusting the front site to be right on at 100 yards for the jacketed load, the following sight adjustments result in "in the black shots."
175 grain----rear site to 400 meter setting for 100 yd zero
------------rear site to 600 meter setting for 200 yd zero
155 grain----rear site to 600 meter setting for 100 yard zero
Good luck and have fun reloading for your MN.
With iron sights and old eyes, I get about 3 inch groups at 100 yards most of the time. Both cast bullet loads are very easy on the shoulder.
P.S. I have some 110 grain cast lead bullets that I have tried everything on and not been able to make an accurate round out of. I suspect that they just will either not stabilize at the velocities I am trying to shoot them at or they ares so short that something happens in the throat on their way to entering the barrel that makes accuracy impossible
