7.62x39 loads for deer/boar

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
Hi, I picked up something chambered in 7.62x39 recently after looking at ammo prices and availability, and I was wondering if there are any loads you all would recommend for deer and boar?
Right now I have 2 boxes of Monarch 123gr HP, and I was also thinking about picking up some 123gr Winchester power point. I noticed just about everyone who makes it makes a Hollow or soft point load for it (Tula, Wolf, Red Army, PPU). Does anyone on here use 7.62x39 at all?
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
No. ;)
It will deliver a 1,000 ft pounds of energy at 100 yards but drops down after that. It will kill a deer if you hit it in the right spot (isn't that always the case) but I would not try it on bear.

One of my shooting buddies has a bolt gun in that caliber made by Ruger and he can consistently hit 12 inch steel out to 250 yards. But when he hunts deer with it he picks his shots and keeps them under 100 yards.
 
Last edited:

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
100 yards are most? The deer down here aren't that big :LOL:.

But really, it's123gr at 2450fps, it's basically a .30-30 "lite" . I was thinking up to 300 without seriously lobbing it in, the iron sights go to a generous 400. Not that any of my deer have been farther than 70.
 

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
I'm in the RDU area. so not many long range shots on the game lands or private areas around here.

1000ft/lbs is a bit generous for a 200lb white tail, don't you think? Some people are taking them with hot .357 and .44 magnum, and those are barely 1000 at the muzzle. I agree about not using it on bear, what are your thoughts on wild boar though?
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
One of my shooting buddies has a bolt gun in that caliber made by Ruger and he can consistently hit 12 inch steel out to 250 yards. But when he hunts deer with it he picks his shots and keeps them under 100 yards.
One of the guys on my Ga lease has one of the Ruger boat paddles in 7.62x39. He currently reloads for it, but before he was using the DoubleTap 150gr Nosler Accubonds. Worked fine on deer out to 150 or so. That’s as far as he stretched it on deer. It starts to drop like a rock much further out.

DoubleTap also makes or made anyway, a 123gr Barnes TTSX load for the 7.62x39. That would be acceptable for deer as well.

Hornady has a factory load with the 123gr SST that would work as well.
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I'm in the RDU area. so not many long range shots on the game lands or private areas around here.

1000ft/lbs is a bit generous for a 200lb white tail, don't you think? Some people are taking them with hot .357 and .44 magnum, and those are barely 1000 at the muzzle. I agree about not using it on bear, what are your thoughts on wild boar though?
Get close
Shoot em in the ear
You should be fine.
 

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
One of the guys on my Ga lease has one of the Ruger boat paddles in 7.62x39. He currently reloads for it, but before he was using the DoubleTap 150gr Nosler Accubonds. Worked fine on deer out to 150 or so. That’s as far as he stretched it on deer. It starts to drop like a rock much further out.

DoubleTap also makes or made anyway, a 123gr Barnes TTSX load for the 7.62x39. That would be acceptable for deer as well.

Hornady has a factory load with the 123gr SST that would work as well.
That's more like the information what I was looking for. Are those projectiles measurably better than the ones I listed (soft point/hollowpoint/powerpoint)? One does not often find Doubletap on the local shelf, and Hornady doesn't put in much effort either for metric calibers, but I'll order it if it will make a difference.
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
That's more like the information what I was looking for. Are those projectiles measurably better than the ones I listed (soft point/hollowpoint/powerpoint)? One does not often find Doubletap on the local shelf, and Hornady doesn't put in much effort either for metric calibers, but I'll order it if it will make a difference.
I was very impressed with the performance of the Accubond on deer. Even at the relatively low muzzle velocity (2100 fps) it did very well. Really good blood trails. He even shot through one that was hard quartering towards him, close to a full frontal shot, at about 120 yards.

If I were going to hunt with a 7.62x39 I would have no qualms whatsoever using the Accubond, whether in the factory load or a handload. I would just be very aware of its limitations.

That being said, if you can put hands on the Winchester Power Points easier, there’s certainly nothing wrong with those. Plenty of deer been killed with a PowerPoint.
 

Buffet Trout

Twelve Pointer
I’m not trying to actively sell, but see that you’re not too far down the road…if you’re ever in Greenville and interested in some 154 gr SPs, I’ll cut you a deal. I don’t have a rifle chambered in that anymore.
 

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
Wolf 154gr soft points work fine on deer and hogs. They perform just like 150gr 30-30 soft point loads for me. They have proven to be more accurate for me in my SPR-18, KS-47, CZ 527 and Ruger American Ranch rifles. There's been a few truckloads of depredation deer killed on local farms here with the 154gr Wolf load without losing one to being wounded.

<>< Fish
 
Last edited:

FishHunt

Old Mossy Horns
I’m not trying to actively sell, but see that you’re not too far down the road…if you’re ever in Greenville and interested in some 154 gr SPs, I’ll cut you a deal. I don’t have a rifle chambered in that anymore.
If he doesn't want them I'd be interested in them. I can trade ammo that you want/need or purchase.

<>< Fish
 

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
I’m not trying to actively sell, but see that you’re not too far down the road…if you’re ever in Greenville and interested in some 154 gr SPs, I’ll cut you a deal. I don’t have a rifle chambered in that anymore.
At the moment I'll let FishHunt take it, but thank you for the offer. I'll set some time aside to test what I have with my current set up before season starts.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I'm in the RDU area. so not many long range shots on the game lands or private areas around here.

1000ft/lbs is a bit generous for a 200lb white tail, don't you think? Some people are taking them with hot .357 and .44 magnum, and those are barely 1000 at the muzzle. I agree about not using it on bear, what are your thoughts on wild boar though?
How much energy is most bows pushing?
 

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
How much energy is most bows pushing?
This guy is thinking some big-brained thoughts. (y) I have heard anywhere from 500 to 1000ft/lbs as the "absolute minimum" for white tail, but results in the field tell a more complicated story.

All of my deer last year were with a 300 fps crossbow too. Sectional density+ permanent wound cavity are the name of the game.
 

Deerherder

Ten Pointer
The first 3 deer I ever killed were with an SKS loaded with 123 grain Winchester soft points. Ranges from 20-150 yards. The 7.62x39 is plenty of cartridge to kill deer within 200 yards & it is a really easy shooting, low recoil round.

For those reason, I was looking for a CZ 527 bolt gun in 7.62, but they are pretty scarce right now.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Hi, I picked up something chambered in 7.62x39 recently after looking at ammo prices and availability, and I was wondering if there are any loads you all would recommend for deer and boar?
Right now I have 2 boxes of Monarch 123gr HP, and I was also thinking about picking up some 123gr Winchester power point. I noticed just about everyone who makes it makes a Hollow or soft point load for it (Tula, Wolf, Red Army, PPU). Does anyone on here use 7.62x39 at all?
Hornady loads a steel case 123gr SST in 762x39

we shoot that and the Herters 123gr soft points on hogs and driven deer.
No shots over about 50 but they are both very reliable.
 

TobyScreams

Twelve Pointer
Got a cz527 in 7.62x39. I absolutely love it. It likes my hand loads but no better than it does the Winchester load. That being said my groups aren’t what they could be since I refuse to shoot anything other than irons on it. Even quick shots hit 6” steel at 100. Fwiw I’m stuffing 27gr reloader 7 under hornady bullets, both sst and regular sp. And I do mean stuffing!
 
Top