# 7.62x39 for bears?



## chrislibby88 (Dec 2, 2018)

Looking into a 7.62x39 bolt gun for hunting deer/hogs/ possibly bear at close ranges. Just wondering if you guys think it’s an appropriate cartridge. Ballistics are very close to 30-30, which I would assume to work fine on bears. I have a .308 bolt gun that I normally hunt with, but it’s pushing 11 lbs loaded with a scope and I would rather carry something lighter into the mountains.


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## twincedargap (Dec 2, 2018)

.30-.30 is a great gun. Short. Light. Easy to carry, nice balance. If ballistics were same I’d stick with what’s reliable and used plentiful cheap ammo.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 2, 2018)

I have killed a bunch of deer and hogs with the 7.62x39. I built an AR chambered in that round that is my go-to woods and mountain gun nowadays. I haven't shot a bear with it, but if it performs well on deer and hogs, it'll put down a bear just fine. It has more energy than the .44 mag carbines that are commonly used for bear hunting around here.


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## Joe Brandon (Dec 2, 2018)

An 11lb .308? Do you have a rocket launcher attached to it?


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## lampern (Dec 2, 2018)

I’d get a 30-30


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## 7Mag Hunter (Dec 2, 2018)

I hunted with a Ruger Ranch rifle in 7.62x39 for several years and it did a fine job on deer..I did use SP ammo...


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 2, 2018)

Joe Brandon said:


> An 11lb .308? Do you have a rocket launcher attached to it?


Tikka T3 tactical .308. Kinda heavy contour 20in barrel, 10 rd box mag, railed reciviever, high Leupold steel rings, and a big 2.5-10x56mm scope, and a SiCo muzzle break on the end, (and hopefully my suppressor in the next few months) It all adds up to a heavy rifle. Shoots like a dream, and is great for hunting over ag land in middle GA, but isn’t very exciting to carry in hill country.


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 2, 2018)

7Mag Hunter said:


> I hunted with a Ruger Ranch rifle in 7.62x39 for several years and it did a fine job on deer..I did use SP ammo...


That’s what I’m looking at actually. A .30 cal bolt gun with a 16 inch barrel. They are shorter than 30-30s and a good bit lighter too.


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## goshenmountainman (Dec 2, 2018)

It will work fine, just put it where it needs to be.


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## Gator89 (Dec 2, 2018)

I added a CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62x39 that I am quite infatuated with, see my avatar picture.

I would not trade my CZ for a 30 30, unless it belonged to John Wayne or Chuck Connors.


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## Gator89 (Dec 2, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> That’s what I’m looking at actually. A .30 cal bolt gun with a 16 inch barrel. They are shorter than 30-30s and a good bit lighter too.



I believe the Ruger Ranch rifle is a version of the Mini 14/30, the bolt guns are Ruger Americans.


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 2, 2018)

Gator89 said:


> I believe the Ruger Ranch rifle is a version of the Mini 14/30, the bolt guns are Ruger Americans.


Sorry, Ruger American Ranch.


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## Joe Brandon (Dec 2, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> Tikka T3 tactical .308. Kinda heavy contour 20in barrel, 10 rd box mag, railed reciviever, high Leupold steel rings, and a big 2.5-10x56mm scope, and a SiCo muzzle break on the end, (and hopefully my suppressor in the next few months) It all adds up to a heavy rifle. Shoots like a dream, and is great for hunting over ag land in middle GA, but isn’t very exciting to carry in hill country.


Now that sounds like a FUN setup!!!!! I love the ease in which Tikkas chamber!!!


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 2, 2018)

Joe Brandon said:


> Now that sounds like a FUN setup!!!!! I love the ease in which Tikkas chamber!!!


Dude I love this gun. I would get one of Tikkas lighter offerings, but the lighter contours don’t have enough meat to thread at the muzzle and I’m not sure I wanna get one cut down and threaded. Might be a project for next year.


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## strothershwacker (Dec 2, 2018)

7.62x39 is a sufficient round fer deer, bear and hog. I question the .223? They make Core-lokts far em now. What y'all think? Big nuff? Since where talkin tactical here.


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## LEON MANLEY (Dec 3, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> That’s what I’m looking at actually. A .30 cal bolt gun with a 16 inch barrel. They are shorter than 30-30s and a good bit lighter too.




I have a Rem 700 ADL 30-06  that I'm going to have cut down to 16" for a brush/tractor gun.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 3, 2018)

The Hornady SSTs have been a good performer on deer for me with the 7.62x39.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 3, 2018)

strothershwacker said:


> 7.62x39 is a sufficient round fer deer, bear and hog. I question the .223? They make Core-lokts far em now. What y'all think? Big nuff? Since where talkin tactical here.


Could you kill all of the above with a .223?

Sure.

Would I hunt big game with mine if I have other options?

No.


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## model88_308 (Dec 3, 2018)

Everyone likes what they like. Compactness and light weight applied, I'd opt for a Marlin in .35 Rem.


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## GAbullHunter (Dec 3, 2018)

I almost never hunt with anything other then my SKS.. Love it.. It does get a bit heavy at times but also works as a good push up pole when climbing when needed. I dont have to worry if I drop it or if a tree limb smacks it. ( I don't do any this on purpose) but you get my thought.. It will kill whatever you shoot with it if you aim at it an shoot in a kill zone as with any basic gun. These guns are easy to pack away if you had the need to do so. I use a good sling an do a cross body carry when I am packing a load an climbing. Ive shot this gun my whole life an hope to continue using it. 7.62x39 sks is a pretty good gun.. I like the irons on it but also the scope comes in good when you got a gun that can make those long range shots like a SKS can.


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## 35 Whelen (Dec 3, 2018)

Would not be my first choice, however, if that was all I had I would hunt with it.


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## fiddlinduke (Dec 3, 2018)

Joe Brandon said:


> Now that sounds like a FUN setup!!!!! I love the ease in which Tikkas chamber!!!


I had used my T/C 300 winmag early bear hunting. Then I picked up my tikka 30-06 and decided it was the gun for lugging around the mountains. I used it to kill my bear last month. aint nothin to tote.


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## transfixer (Dec 3, 2018)

With some good ammo I'd be okay with using it for bears in Ga,  I don't think I'd want to use the soft points made in China or Russia,  same for the Russian hp ammo,  modern bolt actions put the 7.62x39 in a whole different category of usefulness than the sks's and ak's do,   Its rare you get an sks capable of 2moa accuracy,   but a modern bolt action should be able to get moa or under with good ammo.  Shot placement as always would be the key.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 3, 2018)

transfixer said:


> With some good ammo I'd be okay with using it for bears in Ga,  I don't think I'd want to use the soft points made in China or Russia,  same for the Russian hp ammo,  modern bolt actions put the 7.62x39 in a whole different category of usefulness than the sks's and ak's do,   Its rare you get an sks capable of 2moa accuracy,   but a modern bolt action should be able to get moa or under with good ammo.  Shot placement as always would be the key.


I have had mixed results with East-bloc softpoints on game. I use the Hornady steel-cased ammo loaded with SSTs now, and they are the hammer of Thor on deer-sized critters. The 7.62x39 in an AR platform is short, maneuverable, and quite accurate. Now my go-to woods rifle. I doubt if I would buy that caliber in a bolt-action, too many other good choices in that platform.


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## transfixer (Dec 3, 2018)

I've been eyeing a 7.62x39 upper lately,   one of the suppliers I buy from has put them on sale a couple times recently,  and I've got plenty of surplus ammo for plinking,  I remember you saying some of the mags were troublesome,  but you mentioned some that weren't ?    I put together a .458socom a while back,  powerful little cartridge,  but not sure I'll end up keeping it.  So a 7.62x39 may be in my future.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 3, 2018)

transfixer said:


> I've been eyeing a 7.62x39 upper lately,   one of the suppliers I buy from has put them on sale a couple times recently,  and I've got plenty of surplus ammo for plinking,  I remember you saying some of the mags were troublesome,  but you mentioned some that weren't ?    I put together a .458socom a while back,  powerful little cartridge,  but not sure I'll end up keeping it.  So a 7.62x39 may be in my future.


You just need dedicated 7.62x39 mags instead of trying to use the standard 5.56 mags. Standard 5.56 AR mags tend to have feeding issues with this caliber, because they don't have enough curve. I bought some CPD mags, and they run flawlessly. I have run probably a couple thousand rounds through my 7.62x39 AR, and so far, have never had a FTF or FTE. I use the ten-rounders for hunting, but the 30-rounders function the same, they are curved like an AK mag. Since I built my 7.62x39, I hardly ever pick up my 5.56 AR.


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## lagrangedave (Dec 3, 2018)

I have s 700 in a youth gun in .308 with a Boyd’s thumb through laminate stock topped with a Vortex scope. It’s light, short and has killed everything that I have shot at with it. I shot a fork horn left handed in the ham and it died on the spot. Does Remington still make youth rifles. Mine is old and came from a flea market in Alabama


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## ripplerider (Dec 3, 2018)

Bears arent particularly hard to kill if you place your shot well. In my experience they dont run as far as a similarly shot deer and seem to give up the ghost more easily. Your mileage may vary but I'd be fine with that caliber myself. As much as I love my Model 700 30-06 it's days are probably numbered for toting in the mountains as my shoulder get worse. A lightweight .243 is looking like it's in my future.


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## Gordief (Dec 4, 2018)

a 16in.bbl on a  308/3006 is to much muzzle blast for me...
shoot one before u decide... ie... ruger american compact.


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 7, 2018)

Found a lighter .308 that’s a better overall package than the Ruger American ranch: Remington model 7 Kuiu with a 16.5 inch threaded barrel. I may skip the 7.62x39 bolt gun for now, but I like the idea of it and may grab one in the spring or summer and see how I Ike it before I hit the woods with it.


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 7, 2018)

Gordief said:


> a 16in.bbl on a  308/3006 is to much muzzle blast for me...
> shoot one before u decide... ie... ruger american compact.


It will have a suppressor on it, so aim not too worried about the muzzle blast. My paperwork should be back anytime now. Sent it off in June.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Dec 7, 2018)

There's a much better selection of ammo out there for the caliber than I think a lot tried. Handloads in 7.62X39 with quality big game bullets could be interesting! I hunted deer with a Mini-14 for many years as my woods gun. I now Hunt with the an M1A Socom. Best rifle I've ever had in the woods!


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 7, 2018)

WoodlandScout82 said:


> There's a much better selection of ammo out there for the caliber than I think a lot tried. Handloads in 7.62X39 with quality big game bullets could be interesting! I hunted deer with a Mini-14 for many years as my woods gun. I now Hunt with the an M1A Socom. Best rifle I've ever had in the woods!


There’s a lot of factory hunting loads for x39. We aren’t just limited to European imports. Still won’t beat ammo selection for .308 though. I think I need both. Another compact .308, and a 7.62x39. Just wish the fit and finish was better on the Rugers. All of the Americans I have handled were rough and jagged, and the bolts sounded like a zipper and the stocks were flimsy garbage. Guess my Tikka spoiled me.  I’ve pretty much heard universally that the Rugers shoot well though. 

I haven’t handled the Remington 7 compact that I have been eyeing but I already know it’s gonna feel at least a little better than the Ruger. Plus it’s .308, which has a little more oomph than x39, and I wouldnt question popping a bear with .308 out of a 16 inch barrel inside 150 yards.


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## chrislibby88 (Dec 7, 2018)

WoodlandScout82 said:


> There's a much better selection of ammo out there for the caliber than I think a lot tried. Handloads in 7.62X39 with quality big game bullets could be interesting! I hunted deer with a Mini-14 for many years as my woods gun. I now Hunt with the an M1A Socom. Best rifle I've ever had in the woods!


And those M1As are heavy man. Fun to shoot though. I had a mini for years until I sold it to my brother.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Dec 7, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> And those M1As are heavy man. Fun to shoot though. I had a mini for years until I sold it to my brother.


Mines not so bad. I have it in a Birch stock and a red dot. it has a 16" barrel and I use a 5rd flush mag. just over 9 pounds but wort it imo. I got a bear and 2 bucks with it so far this season.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Dec 7, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> There’s a lot of factory hunting loads for x39. We aren’t just limited to European imports. Still won’t beat ammo selection for .308 though. I think I need both. Another compact .308, and a 7.62x39. Just wish the fit and finish was better on the Rugers. All of the Americans I have handled were rough and jagged, and the bolts sounded like a zipper and the stocks were flimsy garbage. Guess my Tikka spoiled me.  I’ve pretty much heard universally that the Rugers shoot well though.
> 
> I haven’t handled the Remington 7 compact that I have been eyeing but I already know it’s gonna feel at least a little better than the Ruger. Plus it’s .308, which has a little more oomph than x39, and I wouldnt question popping a bear with .308 out of a 16 inch barrel inside 150 yards.


I know what you mean about newer production rifles. I own a machine shop and gunsmith as a hobby. I've smoothed out a few of the new rugers and mossbergs. For the price and quality/potential. unbeatable.


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