7.62X39-Red Headed Step Child In The AR World

[CaptnC]

I have had many AK's that I have run many, many cases of CS ammo through. My current inventory (hugely reduced because of ammo prices) of eastern block pieces; SKS-Yugo, M70 AB2 and one custom build that I did in 2008 or 2009. I have to admit they are the most fun to build. When the Romanian kits were $99.00 I was building them regularly, but those day are gone too.

Last year I sold my last $99.00 Rome Kit for $400.00 to help finance my second 6.5 Grendel build.

But the way my 7.62X39 AR's shoot with quality hand loads...they are finding their way back into the woods with me!

 

[John Klingenberg]

Hirtenberger used to make a 154gr softpoint that was dandy on hogs. I haven't broke mine out in years, you just planned my Saturday for me.

 

[ntsqd]

Still wanting an off the shelf 20" X39 barrel if anyone knows of a source.

 

[J E Custom]

Yes sir, I'm guilty of it too!

I have owned X39 AR's since 2005, but only thought of it as a 100yd solution to the pitiful 5.56 for hunting deer and hogs.

I've had reloading dies for over 10 years and just recently decided to break them out so I could load for this little red head!

In the last month I have come to the conclusion as to why it's not respected more. Poor quality loaded ammo!

I have 3 AR's chambered in this caliber. One is a16" barrel, X3 digital NV, piston driven upper so it's zero'd at short range that will soon be wearing a can. Another one is also 16" and piston driven, but wears a scope. I just upgraded my old reliable 20" X39 to a RH side charge and full floated 15" key mod HG.

Well the two later have both been out to 200 yards with my hand loads! Wow what a surprise, both rifles shot extremely well...especially with me being on the trigger!

View attachment 138173
This is the 16" at 200yds.

View attachment 138174
The bullet impact to the left was a scope adjustment...the hole to the right was me being me! But again at 200yds.

MV on these is over 2300fps with CFE BLK powder.

I had to see what it would do at 400yds and shot a 5 into a nice 6" group! Sorry no pictures...too lazy to walk back down there!

So I now have a lot more respect for this little Red Head!

Any cartridge can be accurate if placed in the right format and fed good ammo.

The 762x39 has always been plagued with poor bullets, poor cases, poor factory loading's and poor rifles for accuracy (The AK's). so it's not surprising that they have/had a bad reputation for accuracy. velocity was also another factor with the long range crowd but the sub sonic bunch found it to be good for what they wanted.

It still has more power than the 223 by a couple of hundred ft/lbs and with the right bullet can be used for hunting at limited range. I don't own one anymore and use mine for fun at the range like everyone else.

Always thought about a bolt gun but never got around to building one.

No surprise that they can be built for accuracy with everything done right. and it has its place for certain game.

J E CUSTOM

 

[ducky]

I was looking for a shorter bolt action rifle for use in the blinds of Oklahoma deer hunting. A mini-Mauser in 7.62X39 was on my short list of rifles. I happened into a Ruger American Ranch .300 BLK for real cheap so that's what I went with instead. I don't regret that decision it's a good but different cartridge, I don't want to start any debate here.

I probably won't get the 7.62X39 in any form unless the right deal comes along as I'm trying to simplify my safe. My buddy built an AR and has been impressed with it as well in X39. He did a 16" piston upper on a X39 lower that takes AK mags.

 

[ntsqd]

As I've said, we really didn't shoot the Howa Mini for group size, more about plinking while breaking in the barrel, but at ~100 yards slightly uphill it hit a pass. car brake rotor at will from a standing position using Privi SP's & FMJ's. Given the large hole in the middle of the rotor that meant about a 2" X 2" zone of opportunity. The 16" AR upper was slightly less accurate using garbage for ammo.

 

[John Klingenberg]

That guy at Accuracy Systems Inc makes a superbly accurate mini 30. I have a Hollywood friend that ordered a nice setup and had me work with it before he took it home. It was an honest MOA or better with a special batch of Black Hills.

 

[crkckr]

Like RT2506 I have found some of the most accurate bullets for reloading are the Hornady 123gr. SP's (.310). Shooting them out of several SKS's & an AK, I get groups about half the size of the average dog-food steel cased ammo available. I would have no problem using them as 100 yd. deer rounds. They expand well and penetrate well, too. Surprisingly enough, they also seem to hold together, too, even at close range.

I've also loaded 110gr. SP bullets (.308) and while they'll push some impressive velocities, the accuracy leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally, if you want a fairly devastating bullet, the tips of FMJ ammo can be "clipped" with a good pair of dykes making them a sort of hollow point. The bullets come apart quickly at short range and surprisingly, it doesn't make much difference with accuracy (of course, this ammo is minute-of-elephant anyway). Cut them too short & you'll have potential feeding problems.

I have no doubt that if an accurate bolt gun were put together and fed decent handloads (especially if it were using a .308 bbl & bullets), it would be a very accurate rifle out to 200 yards. It has a lot more potential than most people give it credit for.
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[RT2506]

Be very careful cutting the points off FMJ bullets. A FMJ is basically a SP bullet made backwards. If you clip too much off the front there is a real potential of pushing the core through the jacket leaving the jacket in the bore and causing a barrel obstruction. I have seen the results of this a few times over the past 50 years. With my first high power rifle I worked all summer of 1969 mowing, putting up hay, working in tobacco fields and anything else I could do to make some money to purchase it. A 1903A3 Springfield 30-06 UNISSIED cost me $40. My cousin was in the National Guard and every month when he went to muster he would bring me a 250 round can of ammo. I was talking about cutting off the tips to make soft points and he as well as one of my uncles that was retired out of the Army told me NO, and then told me why. I know some had done this with no problem but I have also seen people pump gas with a cigarette in their hand without getting burned up also. If it was to happen one time you would not want to be on the receiving end of it. Oh, by the way, I stupidly traded that rifle off 4 years latter for a Marlin 336 in 30-30 Win.

 

[CaptnC]

I've actually shot some very acceptable 200yd groups with .308 bullets out of a 16" AR X39. They were 125gr HP pushed by a near max moad of H335.

I have some more that I want to run out of the 20" AR...but I need a better scope. I've got a couple Athlon scopes coming.

 

[bushmotornv]

On a whim,I built an ar15 in x39. C Products 20 rd mags feed flawlessly, and are available from Cheaper Than Dirt. I'm loading 123 grain Hornady soft points with 24 grains of H4198 in Starline brass and WLR primers at 2300 fps. I'm getting moa or better at 100 yds with a Trijicon reflex sight. I'm impressed to say the least! And I've managed to eliminate all of the rogue rocks at the range!
I've got some 123 gr gold dots to try.

 

[John Klingenberg]

I once received a Accuracy Systems Inc mini 30 that was built to the 9s. I was tasked with scope mounting and sighting it in with a test batch of ammo from a big name maker. When i got my hands on it i thought to myself why would anyone spend this much on a custom rifle in x39. Man was i shocked when i got it on paper. That thing was 1/2 to 3/4 minute all day long. I couldnt believe it. Then i wanted it. I put nearly 300 rounds through that rifle. I finally built an AR but it wasnt nearly as accurate as the custom was. I also had to put super powerful hammer springs in to run the Russian ammo. I shot quite a few hogs with it. I found some Hirtenberger ammo with the 154gr soft point. That ammo is a hog killing load! After you guys brought it up i may have to blow the dust off that upper. Its been a good 8 years since ive touched it.

 

[snox801]

I've looked at these over several years I've always thought that you could make them accurate if given the same care as others.
But never felt the need to. Compare it to the 300blk and it's juts not for me. Cheap ammo shoots like crap outta the x39 so the biggest reason to get one went out the window. Plus I can make all the my brass out of old .223 which works great for me.
I have a friend who is die hard x39 and we have talked about doing a comparison with similar ammo for distance and penetration

 

[ntsqd]

I don't own a Dillon, so the idea of reloading for an autoloader is abhorrent. I haven't directly compared it to the .300 BLK, but the few specs that I have seen give me no reason to look at the .300 any further. I've often wondered if most of its appeal is the straighter case walls and that it works in 5.56 magazines. Not everyone has a can.

I did just look a little deeper. In like weight bullets you're giving up 200-400 FPS, roughly 8%-16%, at the muzzle. No attraction there. No suppressor so no need for sub-sonic heavy bullet loads. Just nothing there for me. The uppers that I have are all at least plinker class accurate. I haven't been interested in shooting them for group, but I suppose that I should.
To each their own.