Bolt action 7.62x39

[hackercat13]

Hey all!
I have 2 rifles chambered in 7.62x39 (AK and SKS), and so I have a ton of ammo. I would like a bolt action scoped rifle for some intermediate range target shooting, and possibly for deer hunting. I know Ruger (among others) make a rifle chambered in that caliber, but how accurate is that cartridge at range? I am looking for 200-400 meter range.

Anyone own a bolt gun in this caliber? Experiences? Thoughts? Opinions?
Thanks a ton!
Chris

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[parsons_12b]

Hacker I have heard it works quite well in a bolt gun at those ranges

 

[dennis682003]

There was 7.62x39 converted mauser with a thumb-hole stock & 50mm at the gunshow in vancouver recently! Older local guy. Will probably bring it next time if it didnt sell.

 

[Mark W.]

7.62 X 39 in factory ammo suited for deer hunting (NO FMJ ALLOWED) like Federal Preminum 123gr soft point travels at 2300fps

Hornady Leverevolution 30-30 with a 140gr pointed plastic tip travels at 2465fps

So a bolt action in 7.62 X 39mm sighted in at 100 yards with the above ammo will drop 25" at 300 yards and will only have 646ftlbs of energy. 78%b that of the 30-30 round shown below.

A 30-30 sighted in at 100 yards with the above ammo will drop 12.5" at 300 yards (1/2 as much drop with a heavier bullet) and have an energy of 850ftlbs

SO in a nutshell a bolt action or any other action 7.62 X 39mm will not be as effective as a hunting caliber as a 30-30.

In the 200-400 meter range it will be worthless unless you want to hit the animal straight down on its back.

 

[mjbskwim]

I was gunna ask why when there are way better rounds for hunting?

 

[hackercat13]

Because I have alot of 7.62x39 ammo, and I like having multiple firearms using the same cartridge. Unfortunatly, same issue for a 5.56x45 bolt gun. Plenty of .223 available, not the other way around. It was just a thought, but all the 7.62x39 bolt actions I have found (Ruger, CZ USA, etc) are all in the $600 dollar range. Perhaps another cartridge is the way to go after all.
Chris

 

[accurateone]

BEFORE you GIVE UP on the Bolt 7.62 (.311)x 39 gun please have another look.
As Mark W stated the stats don't look great comparing a commercial winchester load, True. But... consider this first.
In general, Europian manufacturers load two rounds hotter than US manufacturers. 1st is the .380 or 9mm Kurtz (short). If you buy actual european RWS or Sellior & Belliot loaded for the .380 and fire it in your PPK variant and then load Winchester white box you won't need a chronograph to tell the difference. The same with the 7.62 x 39 Try a Sellior & Bellot hunting round, or a RWS, or hand load for deer. You will still be able to enjoy cheap plinking with your extra AK ammo and good hunting with a Hunting round from one of the russian makers.
One of the first AK videos I saw was of Kalishnakov himself putting down a huge beast with one shot from his own name sake gun... No disrespect to the venerable 30-30 but you can't plink with it cheaply switch MAGS and be ready to hunt like you can the bolt 7.62 x 39.
Regards,
Accurateone
PS. as per hitting power, I wouldn't want to be hit with a 30 cal. round fired from an AK or SKS at 200-400 meters, and seeing how no cartridge energy is bled off to cycle the action of a bolt gun it should hit even harder than the SKS fired round. Just a thought.

 

[joken]

Mini-Mauser, it's an awsome little rifle and available in that caliber. Touch one before you buy something else.

 

[Mark W.]

Sellior & Belliot's 7.62 x 39mm hunting load is rated at 2437 with a 123gr slug speed on par with the heavier (140gr) 30-30 load

And the OP is looking to use ammo he has on hand. I doubt he was buying .75 cent a piece 7.62 x 39 ammo. Granted for the target stuff FMJ is just fine. But Hunting is a different matter.

for the 600.00 the OP says the rifles he is looking at he would be better off with a $350.00 Savage package in his favorite hunting caliber.Then put a good scope on it.

 

[darkminstrel]

Model 799 Bolt Action Centerfire Rifle

I also adhere to the 'one calibre; multiple platforms' mantra. You should graduate to x54r though!

 

[ORHunter79]

Hornady Leverevolution 30-30 with a 140gr pointed plastic tip travels at 2465fps

So a bolt action in 7.62 X 39mm sighted in at 100 yards with the above ammo will drop 25" at 300 yards and will only have 646ftlbs of energy. 78%b that of the 30-30 round shown below.

A 30-30 sighted in at 100 yards with the above ammo will drop 12.5" at 300 yards (1/2 as much drop with a heavier bullet) and have an energy of 850ftlbs
.

Hate to pick a fight, but I don't think your giving the 7.62x39 a fair shot. First off let's compare oranges to oranges, so if you will quote Hornady for the 30-30 do the same for the 7.62.

7.62x39 - Muzzle (20" barrel) -2350 fps/1508 ft-lbs, 300 yards-1502 fps/616ft-lbs, Trajectory at 300: -14.8" drop. Link to round: <broken link removed>

30-30 Muzzle (24" barrel) -2465 fps/1889 ft-lbs, 300 yards-1653 fps/850 ft-lbs, Trajectory at 300: -12.4" drop. Link to round: <broken link removed>

Notice there isn't that much difference. The 7.62 is slower and is also being shot out of a 20" barrel vs the 24" for the 30-30. Trajectory is identical.

I love my 30-30, but have harvested plenty of deer using my 7.62x39 rifle (SKS).

IMO and experience the 7.62x39 is damn fine hunting round.

 

[ORHunter79]

But to answer the OP. Here is the one rifle that comes to mind. CZ-USA -> CZ 527 Carbine

Your looking around $650-$700. You can push it out to 300, but beyond that you better make a good wind call with such a light round.

Would I spend that much money on this rifle, no probably not. Mark W. recommended a 30-30 which I agree with. You can pick one up at Wal-Mart for around $350. Get decent glass for $250 and you have a very good hunting rifle. Good hunting.

 

[FMJ 911]

I have a Win Model 94 .30-30 Carbine (20" barrel) and it's a good "Hunting Gun", but since I have a lot of 7.62x39mm laying around, I would consider a 7.62x39mm Bolt-Action rifle. Use the "Cheap" ammo for target shooting, and use the "Expensive" ammo for hunting. I'm always open to new ideas, and this one sounds good.

I can't plink with a .30-30, too expensive.

 

[DieselScout]

Because I have alot of 7.62x39 ammo, and I like having multiple firearms using the same cartridge. Unfortunatly, same issue for a 5.56x45 bolt gun. Plenty of .223 available, not the other way around. It was just a thought, but all the 7.62x39 bolt actions I have found (Ruger, CZ USA, etc) are all in the $600 dollar range. Perhaps another cartridge is the way to go after all.
Chris

So, if you main reason is you've got alot of 7.62x39 ammo I have to ask, is that ammo legal to hunt with? If the answer is no, then you'll be buying specific 7.62x39 ammo to hunt with, which kind of defeats your reason for buying it when there are better option out there for the yardage your talking about, like the .308, 7mm-08 or the good old .30-06. These will give you a better selection of loads and bullet weights much better suited for that dream 400 meter shot.

 

[nubus]

I understand where the OP is going with this. I also own a CZ 527 in 7.62x39. I waited patiently for a used one to come up and snagged it for $450.00. I would never have paid $700 MSRP. Now I also hand load 150gr Hornady SST rounds and get around 2200 fps out of them. I also only intend to use it for 200 yards or less. But at those ranges with my hand loads it's every bit as capable as a 30-30 and shoots .308 (not .311) projectiles just fine. It is light, handles well and has an amazing trigger. Now if I needed to I can use use cheap bulk ammo in it as well as I have other rifles in this caliber a fair amount of ammo, some of it soft point or hollow point. I believe in duplication and versatility, I would exploit a caliber that is in my list of "should haves" before I would buy an additional caliber. So I say watch and wait for a good deal. I wanted a Ruger really bad, but the 527 is what came along. Unless anybody wants to trade a 527 for an M77?