Ruger American 7.62x39

[Trigger Mike]

I got an email that Ruger is making a bolt action in 7.62x39.  I've hunted with a SKS in that caliber but never got anything.  once scoped how flat a trajectory does that round have and how far out is its maximum effective range?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Think of it as a .308 Winchester 'short'.

No where near as accurate, either.

OLG

[Utah Bob #35998]

I can see no reason for it as a large game cartridge.

[The O'Meara Himself]

The 7.62 round has abut the same energy's a .30-30 but is much less accurate.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Sixteen and a half inch barrel...  bet it's a loud booger.  

[Alpo]

The "inaccurate" comments. In what gun?

 

SKS or AK, which are designed for "minute of man" at 300 yards - yeah, that's probably gonna be inaccurate.

 

But in a good bolt gun?

 

And "less accurate than a 30/30"? It should be more. You've got the same velocity with a better bullet design.

 

Now, I've not tried any "long range shooting" with it in a scoped bolt gun.

 

But y'all that are saying it's inaccurate - have you? Or are you just repeating what you've heard/read?

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Most imported 7.69 X 39 ammo is not of target grade, and will not likely produce accurate results.  Carefully handloaded ammunition made with quality components can indeed be accurate.  But "accurate" from a 16 1/2" barrel is a relative term...  

 

And it'll still be a loud booger.  

 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

5 minutes ago, Alpo said:

The "inaccurate" comments. In what gun?

 

SKS or AK, which are designed for "minute of man" at 300 yards - yeah, that's probably gonna be inaccurate.

 

But in a good bolt gun?

 

And "less accurate than a 30/30"? It should be more. You've got the same velocity with a better bullet design.

 

Now, I've not tried any "long range shooting" with it in a scoped bolt gun.

 

But y'all that are saying it's inaccurate - have you? Or are you just repeating what you've heard/read?

 

If that was the 'case'(pun intended)why aren't others making the 7.62X39mm on bolt guns?

The round is a 350-400yd military round at best.

Having fired a few thousand rounds of the 7.62X39 in many different weapons. I'll stand behind my remarks.

No disrespect to Ruger here-But they are not known for real precision rifle builds. That is, an ave of 1/2moa for 5, 5 shot groups.

FWIW: The 7.62X39 does not use the std 30 cal bullet of .308" dia, it uses a .310".......

As to bbl length-I have a 18" barreled rifle from G.A.P. that will just about outshoot any rifle I have ever owned.

http://www.gaprecision.net/ga-precision-2016-custom-rifles/ga-precision-gladius.html

Barrel length is not the issue with the 7.62X39mm round-IT'S the round it'sownself is the issue.

OLG

 

 

 

[Blackwater 53393]

I once had an old PolyTec SKS with a 24" barrel that would shoot 1 1/2" five shot groups at 300yds on a reasonably calm day.  I couldn't shoot it that well, but a steady handed friend of mine did it often and did it with old Wolf or Brown Bear steel cartridge FMJ rounds.

 

I traded the rifle for a D model SKS that uses AK magazines.  I love the new rifle, but I often wish I had that old PolyTec back!!

 

I calculate that it's mostly the shooter that influences accuracy as much as any round or barrel or rifle.

[G W Wade]

A friend bought a CZ bolt gun for his son's first deer rifle. As said before they are very similar ballistically to the 30-30.  He was very pleased with it. Was built on a scaled down action,      GW

[Badlands Bob #61228]

On the plus side, the ammo is cheap and plentiful.  

[Trailrider #896]

I can't see a 7.62x39 bolt action when a .30-06 will do a lot more for hitting power and range (although I don't believe in taking shots beyond 300 yds). 

[Pat Riot]

7.62 x 39 is very much like the 30-30 in power and trajectory...maybe a little bit better in trajectory due to the pointed bullet.

In the right gun it can be pretty accurate if you aren't using military ammo. I had 2 SKS's. 1 Russian, 1 Chinese. The Russian gun was pretty and was good for plinking.  The Chinese one though, that thing was pretty accurate for what it was. With Federal hunting ammo I could get 1 MOA with that thing. I took it deer hunting in SoCal, basically hiking with a gun, but I never doubted I could hit what I would have aimed at with it. 

 

I have fired many AK-47s and to me they are about the most useless gun on the planet...unless you like to just waste ammo having fun with it. They aren't made for anyone taller than 5'7".

 

A bolt gun for 7,62x39? I would bet it would be a pretty good white tail gun for wooded areas where shots are around 100 yards or so.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

Over the years I have listened to a lot of talk about accuracy.

The main thing always is consistent ammo. Right down to the crimp on the round.

Cheap ammo from a third world country is probably not going to give target groups.

Ive shot well made guns and those can show just little changes in ammo can increase or

decrease group size....  This seems to be the rule whatever the caliber.

Most accurate was a Remington in .222 which a friend tuned and found just the right

mix for ammo. 

It could be interesting to compare bulk vs a well developed round mix.

And remember playing machine gun with any rifle is going to hurt the barrel.

One varmint hunter said the one round a minute was 'too abusive' on his rifle barrel.

It could be a fun gun to try.

Best

CR

 

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

Though they're often compared, I never considered the Rusky round very close to the .30/30. I must admit I never shot anything that bled with it, but done in quite a few deer with a .30/30. Other than cheap ammo, I would see no point in a bolt gun in that caliber, at least not for hunting. I had an SKS for some years, gave it to my son when I got a PTR-91. The cartridge itself should not be inaccurate. When I shot IHMSA very similar cartridges were very popular. I guess no one used the 7.62 because of its oddball diameter. Life is simpler for a handloader with a .308" bore.

JHC