7.62x39 or 6.5 Grendel for pigs?

dust

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Frankfort, Kentucky
Sold a 20" upper last week, and have a hole that needs filled. Looking online, Hornady shows a 123 gr for both, but the 6.5G has a few hundred more ft/lbs at muzzle, and carries them much better. It seems to better choice, especially with the price coming down in other loadings.

But, is there any reason that a larger (7.62 as compared to 6.5)bullet, would do better? Use a 154 gr in the x39 and maybe change things?

Most shooting for now has been 100 yards or less. I have 2K rounds left for the SKSs we have. From the 123 fmj to 154gr Wolf softpoint. Wolf also does 120 MPT and 123 Softpoint, with many people having good luck with the 120gr MPT. I don't know how much I would shoot either one, but I know that shooting of a gun is inversely proportional the cost of its ammo. I am not travelling for several hours for a once in a lifetime, just going two counties over for a weekend.

Thoughts?
 
A buddy just took his first hog (small, about50lb) with a 7.62X39.
Worked fine. Shot it in the chest.
The outfitter said it should do fine inside 100 yards.
 
I've killed or been involved in the harvest of hundreds of hogs. I'm guessing that close to 100 have been taken with my AK47 in the hands of young shooters, using wolf 156 gr soft point ammo. these were all within 40 yds, and all dropped on the spot save one, which was hit in the neck just aft of and below the ear. It seems that the bullet managed to pass through between the Juglar and spine, and he ran off. We got a shot at him later, and he dropped with a heart shot..The 7.62X39 is more than adequate. --Caution---A lung shot on a large boar at relatively close range may give you a close up view of some dangerous cutters, even when using a much larger caliber.
 
Sold a 20" upper last week, and have a hole that needs filled. Looking online, Hornady shows a 123 gr for both, but the 6.5G has a few hundred more ft/lbs at muzzle, and carries them much better. It seems to better choice, especially with the price coming down in other loadings.

But, is there any reason that a larger (7.62 as compared to 6.5)bullet, would do better? Use a 154 gr in the x39 and maybe change things?

Most shooting for now has been 100 yards or less. I have 2K rounds left for the SKSs we have. From the 123 fmj to 154gr Wolf softpoint. Wolf also does 120 MPT and 123 Softpoint, with many people having good luck with the 120gr MPT. I don't know how much I would shoot either one, but I know that shooting of a gun is inversely proportional the cost of its ammo. I am not travelling for several hours for a once in a lifetime, just going two counties over for a weekend.

Thoughts?


For a real pig stopper I looked at all of the AR 15 uppers and went with the 450 Bushmaster.

The uppers are priced reasonably and ammo from Hornady is about $28.00 a box for the 250
grain.

It will knock them off there feet normaly and you wont have to look for them.

Workable Range is 250 to 300 yards. look at the ballistics.

Just another though.

J E CUSTOM
 
Actually, there's one very good reason to avoid the 7.62x39; feeding and reliability issues. You mentioned selling an upper, so it sounds as though you're building an AR upper, correct? The case geometry of the 7.62x39 mandates a much more pronounced curvature to the magazine (as in the AK itself) for reliable feeding. In a straighter mag, like those used in the AR platforms, they'll give you frequent feed issues and stopages. Go with the Grendal, or as had been mentioned, the 300 Blackout. No feed problems, and they'll both do the job nicely.

Ironic, the most reliable cartridge in the world (the M43 7.62x39), and one of the most reliable rifles (the M16/M4 family) in the world, but they don't play well together.
 
My upper fed fine. I sold it because I wanted to buy a carbine or a pistol. The length made it a little difficult to carry, especially considering the role I want it to take. C-Products, and ASC are GTG. The light strikes have been cured by Model 1 Sales, and the mags by ASC
 
Kev's got a point on feeding and reliability with x39 in an AR platform. I've got one that I run suppressed. Especially with blaster ammo, it gets dirty quickly and that really aggravates the situation.

Using the Hornady steel cased ammo with the 123grn bullet helped with much cleaner burning ammo. It whacks everything with authority, but still seeing relilability issues.

I ended up getting a 300BLK upper and no more issues of any kind. Sub-ammo stabilizes and full bang ammo both run with zero problems. All normal mags and bcg's run it, nothing but a barrel is required.

Of your two choices, based on shear hog killing ability only: 6.5g hands down, IMHO. It has an acknowledged ability for long range accuracy and that'll let you take longer shots than you'd normally shoot with a x39.

Good luck and even better hunting with your choice,
Breeze
 
Kev's got a point on feeding and reliability with x39 in an AR platform. I've got one that I run suppressed. Especially with blaster ammo, it gets dirty quickly and that really aggravates the situation.

Using the Hornady steel cased ammo with the 123grn bullet helped with much cleaner burning ammo. It whacks everything with authority, but still seeing relilability issues.

I ended up getting a 300BLK upper and no more issues of any kind. Sub-ammo stabilizes and full bang ammo both run with zero problems. All normal mags and bcg's run it, nothing but a barrel is required.

Of your two choices, based on shear hog killing ability only: 6.5g hands down, IMHO. It has an acknowledged ability for long range accuracy and that'll let you take longer shots than you'd normally shoot with a x39.

Good luck and even better hunting with your choice,
Breeze
What do you use as lube?
 
I don't have a 5.56/223 right now, only the 5.45. Without a can, the .300WTF makes no sense for me, especially with the amount of x39 I have. If I had 4 5.56s to feed and a reloading press...

ICANHITHIMMAN, I am thinking bigger is better at short ranges too, but at some point, which I don't know, SD is more important than diameter. There are also other options, but I am only considering a .204, 6.5G, and an x39 right now. I don't shoot enough/have enough places to shoot anything else, or honestly what I have.

Kev's got a point on feeding and reliability with x39 in an AR platform. I've got one that I run suppressed. Especially with blaster ammo, it gets dirty quickly and that really aggravates the situation.

Using the Hornady steel cased ammo with the 123grn bullet helped with much cleaner burning ammo. It whacks everything with authority, but still seeing relilability issues.

I ended up getting a 300BLK upper and no more issues of any kind. Sub-ammo stabilizes and full bang ammo both run with zero problems. All normal mags and bcg's run it, nothing but a barrel is required.

Of your two choices, based on shear hog killing ability only: 6.5g hands down, IMHO. It has an acknowledged ability for long range accuracy and that'll let you take longer shots than you'd normally shoot with a x39.

Good luck and even better hunting with your choice,
Breeze
 
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