Thread: larger deer with 7.62x39 & your loads

Im just curious to see what you kiwis are running in the 7.62x39 over there? out of which platform and with what ingredients?

Red deer are 'tweeners of what im chasin , so it would be a good start to see what some of you blokes are poking them with..

i just loaded and blooded a 150gr load , an have shot one fallow with a 124gr sellor bellot factory- i think this round is fantastic.

ive had to load 150grains to be "sambar legal" of over .270 cal an 130grains of projectile...


keen to hear.
cheer

the 125grn nosler balistic tip .308cal projectile pushed along with lilgun powder worked well for me... shot some 150grn old school winchester silvertips pushed by same powder to good effect too. at 25-50 yards you poke something decent into chest and its night night nursey everytime.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the 125grn nosler balistic tip .308cal projectile pushed along with lilgun powder worked well for me... shot some 150grn old school winchester silvertips pushed by same powder to good effect too. at 25-50 yards you poke something decent into chest and its night night nursey everytime.

25-50 yards... poke it in the eye too.

how bad was the "accuracy" when you loaded the .30 cal projectiles?
ive done this before in 303 british specifically the Ruger , which is a bit silly to begin with.. but this bore is .311 or so, no .308x39 here- have alot of 130gr Woodleighs in .308 cal, that hold very tight in the case...


ive stepped up cartridge from .222 to the 7.62x39 for my young bloke to attack ze deers- so we need something 'accurate' to 200 meters.... both above mentioned loads are suitable for 200m...
that SB runs about 2450fps an the 150 is around 2100 in 20 inch..... thats plenty

im reading this thread also FYI an a few others
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....78/index3.html

would like a few loads in one place from experience killen ze deers

I just use the barnaul 125 gr soft points, yes I know you can't get them any more but I accumulated a case and a half after the "buy back" from disgruntled ak owners and have enough to probably wear my howa out.
It's moa and im happy to take a shot at up to 250 metres on a red deer if it's a good presentation. The bullet looks ugly but is very effective.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the 125grn nosler balistic tip .308cal projectile pushed along with lilgun powder worked well for me... .

mouse fart loads?

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

I just use the barnaul 125 gr soft points, yes I know you can't get them any more but I accumulated a case and a half after the "buy back" from disgruntled ak owners and have enough to probably wear my howa out.
It's moa and im happy to take a shot at up to 250 metres on a red deer if it's a good presentation. The bullet looks ugly but is very effective.

you guys still allowed ARs? everything online is mostly American AR related but some Ruger info coming out with the Ranches.

Originally Posted by Rees

you guys still allowed ARs? everything online is mostly American AR related but some Ruger info coming out with the Ranches.

No AR's anymore. I used to run a 7.62x39 upper on my AR and it was my go-to deer rifle. One shot kills every time on red deer out to 150m and very little meat damage which maximized the yield. After the great confiscation I purchased a Ruger Ranch bolt gun since my 10 round Ruger Ranch semi-auto mags were still valid in that rifle.

I use 127gr Highland factory ammo (now branded as PU). Never needed anything else.
If reloading, best to use projectiles designed for the 7.62x39 as opposed to other 7.62/.308 projectiles because the jackets are lighter in construction for the slightly lower velocity round.

Originally Posted by hotbarrels

No AR's anymore. I used to run a 7.62x39 upper on my AR and it was my go-to deer rifle. One shot kills every time on red deer out to 150m and very little meat damage which maximized the yield. After the great confiscation I purchased a Ruger Ranch bolt gun since my 10 round Ruger Ranch semi-auto mags were still valid in that rifle.

I use 127gr Highland factory ammo (now branded as PU). Never needed anything else.
If reloading, best to use projectiles designed for the 7.62x39 as opposed to other 7.62/.308 projectiles because the jackets are lighter in construction for the slightly lower velocity round.

thanks man, im just reading some of your posts in another thread from a few yr ago actually.

Originally Posted by Rees

25-50 yards... poke it in the eye too.

how bad was the "accuracy" when you loaded the .30 cal projectiles?
ive done this before in 303 british specifically the Ruger , which is a bit silly to begin with.. but this bore is .311 or so, no .308x39 here- have alot of 130gr Woodleighs in .308 cal, that hold very tight in the case...


ive stepped up cartridge from .222 to the 7.62x39 for my young bloke to attack ze deers- so we need something 'accurate' to 200 meters.... both above mentioned loads are suitable for 200m...
that SB runs about 2450fps an the 150 is around 2100 in 20 inch..... thats plenty

well thats where it gets interesting...I believed and still maintain that the x39mm is a 150 yard rifle..and thats it..... yeah ok past there on small critters or in open country with medium critters you might push it a bit past there.... accuracy was always below 2" which fitted in with my thinking... its still going to be inside the vital bits.... we got caught with good red stag we THOUGHT was 150ish but was closer to 225 and bullet went into lower leg...3 hours tracking led us into place we shouldnt have been and abandoned in rain with trail washed out.... that still remains the only animal we shot and wounded and couldnt recover with any cartridge.
keep the range close and it wont let you down. the .222 or .223 falls into same territory unless you got fast twist and use heavies to make it a nearly .243

Originally Posted by Rees

mouse fart loads?

nope full noise...lilgun NOT trailboss..... trail boss is fun fun fun and great for finishing shot up close..not so flash for general use FOR ME....

if you can find the hornady 50 pack with red plastic tips grab with both hands..its a SST /amax type projectile and works very very well... we used half a box one night spotlighting some large wallabies and nothing needed 2nd round to finish it off.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

well thats where it gets interesting...I believed and still maintain that the x39mm is a 150 yard rifle..and thats it..... yeah ok past there on small critters or in open country with medium critters you might push it a bit past there.... accuracy was always below 2" which fitted in with my thinking... its still going to be inside the vital bits.... we got caught with good red stag we THOUGHT was 150ish but was closer to 225 and bullet went into lower leg...3 hours tracking led us into place we shouldnt have been and abandoned in rain with trail washed out....

Yep its wise to err on the side of caution , why not..
i think you are onto it, shooting at extended ranges demands a range finder, or knowing the range within -+ 20m in my opinion. there is SFA in drop from any Cartridge in 20m under Realistic shooting distances an scenerios one would somewhat find themselves in a typical, normal, without looking for LR, type hunting scenerio.. which is what i want to keep this rifle for, basically a point an shoot at 200m with 200 often being a slight holdover but still on fur..

its like with any big Centre fire, most can point an shoot to 300meters, but anything beyond this is alot of time a guess and a stroke of luck, if not ranged... yeah of course , it is way easier with a "prc" of course.....


Easy to talk about an nit pick online but cheers for the experiences, at this point in time i must re iterate the fact i need to use 150 grain projectiles for legal reasons.

i'll be hunting sambar at some point this coming week with the 150gr load an of course, hunting is the game....close is the aim.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

if you can find the hornady 50 pack with red plastic tips grab with both hands..its a SST /amax type projectile and works very very well... we used half a box one night spotlighting some large wallabies and nothing needed 2nd round to finish it off.

Thanks il keep it in mind if kangaroos are ever on the menu an for some reason the 222 is out of gas

I will dig out the loads I used as lilgun is not a powder often used and had mate do the quickload thing for me.... ar2206 is just about a perfect powder for the wee cartridge,you could JUST ABOUT (well actually you could) fill case to base of neck and pop projectile on top of it..it is litterally impossible to overcharge the case with projectiles up to 150grns.try it some time and you will see what I mean.