7.62x39 handload terminal performance (deer)

I had the opportunity to take a young hunter on their first deer hunt the other day, and chose my Savage 7.62x39 bolt action for the task, using a handload I created specifically for deer hunting. It's a very pleasant rifle to shoot, esp. for younger and smaller folks.

Fortunately, or unfortunately (you be the judge) we had a chance to recover the bullet, so I was able to see how it performed.

The load is a Lapua case with RL-7 powder under a 160-grain Hornady FXT, the same bullet Hornady uses in their 30-30 LeverEvolution ammo. I thought it would be a good choice for this caliber and the velocities it generates. This bullet left the bore at 2225 fps, about 100 fps slower than it leaves my Model 94 Winchester in the 30-30 LeverEvolution ammo.

The deer was sharply quartering away, and the bullet entered at the point of the Right rear thigh, then traveled basically the length of the deer and lodged in the front Left shoulder blade. Obviously there was no exit hole. While quartering that shoulder, we noticed a hole in the ribcage but not through the shoulder, so I knew we probably had the bullet in there still. When we boned out that shoulder, sure enough there it was, still intact.

You can judge the expansion for yourself. The bullet retained 114 grains of weight (71%).

I was a little concerned about the shot when she hunched up like most gut shot deer do, but she only went about 40 yards. There was no blood trail due to the location of the entrance wound and no exit hole. I estimate the bullet traveled about 38" through the deer.

With this information, I'm curious whether I should change bullets or stay with this formula. Constructive thoughts are welcome.

Thanks.

Incidentally, according to the Hornady ballistics calculator, this bullet should have been traveling approx. 2000 fps at impact.

Dunno. Went gutless b/c I didn't want to see what was on the inside. I'm sure it was a mess in there.

Yea, I'd like to see that. Having something in that 7.62x39 class that's necked down to a 7mm would be ideal IMO. Maybe it's the 6.5 grendel. I dunno.

Mike Clay said:

I am new here and new to reloading. This is the first thread I have read and I already learned something. Thank you newtosavage for sharing.

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my pleasure. I found it interesting and hoped others would too.

LoonWulf said:

Yeah Horsey mentioned you might be working on a project like that. If were talking hunting rounds with decent 120ish bullets, and trying to cram them into a sub 2.35coal, i think the 7mm might be just the ticket.
If you got to the 140class they start getting pretty long unless you go with a flat base, which is fine again at the ranges the round would be considered for. If longer coal were available, say in a savage short action, than you could likely see some improvements with the 140class, while still holding a significant bc/sd advantage over the standard .30 cal bullets. Qloads is predicting 2600ish with a 120Btip, and 2500ish with a 140SST.
no luck on finding the bullet

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Sorry to hear that.

I'm a big fan of Savage now, and have been looking for a SA to tinker with. I'm not going to rebarrel my 7.62x39 scout. I know when to leave a good thing alone. But when I find a cheap SA to play with, I'll pull the barrel and get crackin'

I agree that a 140-grain 7mm bullet in an AI'd 7.62x39 case would make one dandy little deer load.

Thanks Lou. I'd rather take someone hunting than go hunting by myself.

I was choosing bullets designed for the 30-30 with the hope the expansion would be good at those velocities. Essentially, my 7.62x39 handloads are a 30-30 LeverEvolution load minus 100 fps.

Playing more with the monoflex copper bullets tomorrow...