7.62x39 in AR?

[mavracer]

I like my ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39, but if I were still in the consideration stage.....I would consider a .300BO or .350Legend in case I got an opportunity to hunt in a "straight-wall only" state.

I would agree with this unless I had a ton of X39 ammo and was set up to load it already, the Blackout and Legend work better in the AR platform. The Blackout isn't a 30/30 but it's a good short range deer rounds. The Legend in an AR is absolutely the modern equivalent to a '94 30/30.

 

[adcoch1]

I have several ar uppers in different calibers, and for pure fun factor the 16" 7.62x39 upper is unbeatable. Lots of impact on close range targets, deer, hogs, or steel, but it kinda falls on its face outside of 200 yards. I also have a few 300 blk that I love, but the x39 will throw a much heavier bullet faster with careful handloading. I load 308 bullets in 150 grn and can get around moa at 100 vs 2moa or more from most other x39 guns excepting my cz527. I really like the 7.62x39, it gets a lot done for very cheap. It's not a 30-30, but you can double tap with a semi auto. My son commandeered my upper and mags for his first ar, so I need another one...

 

[Lennyjoe]

Reloader 7 works great with 123 gr bullets in my 7.62x39 AR.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

No need for an adjustable gas port unless using a suppressor. I would recommend the Windham Weaponry SRC carbine as a very high quality out of the box solution. A reliable, cheap option is the AR Stoner/Bear Creek Arsenal version. I have AR’s in all 3 brands mentioned above In 7.62X39. Duramags (formerly C-Products) are very reliable

i plan to reload for 7.62 X 39 for these and a bolt gun, just haven’t gotten started yet so nothing to share. I also run 6.8 SPC which is superior in most ways but that’s something that I started more recently.

 

[someguy2800]

I have 4 7.62x39 AR’s now. 3 of them only ever get steel case wolf. I do handload for one of them. Back when steel case ammo was $4/20 I used to pull the bullets on wolf ammo and neck size them to use .308 bullets. I see no difference in accuracy between .308 bullets and .311 bullets so definitely give it a try if you have a .308 bullet in mind you want to use. For me CFE BLK is THE powder for x39. I get 2600 fps with a 125 nosler accubond from a 16” barrel. Have also loaded nosler ballistic tips, 125 SST’s, 125 TNT’s, 130 gr speer, and 123 gr gold dots with good success. I just got some 150 gr gold dots I want to try.

 

[Havok7416]

My friend went with a 7.62x39 upper. He has issues finding good mags. Personally I don't see the point, so I went with the PSA KS-47, which uses the AK mags I already have and doesn't require me to use the heavy and clunky AK itself. They are only $700-750.

 

[someguy2800]

If you already have AK mags and you want to have 30 round mags that seams like the way to go. For my uses I just use 10 round C products mags and they work perfectly

 

[adcoch1]

If you already have AK mags and you want to have 30 round mags that seams like the way to go. For my uses I just use 10 round C products mags and they work perfectly

I also really like the 10 rounders from c products. Have a couple 30s for it too, but I prefer the 10. Reminds me of the old SKS...

 

[tactikel]

In the days where “spam cans” of 7.62x39 were cheap it made sense, those days are gone. A better choice for the AR platform is the 300 blackout. Realize it is about 75% of a .30-30 but a fine short range deer option. My SIL took 3 deer with 3 shots with the .300 blk, longest shot was 65 yards. It would be ok out to 150 yards with good shot placement.

 

[adcoch1]

In the days where “spam cans” of 7.62x39 were cheap it made sense, those days are gone. A better choice for the AR platform is the 300 blackout. Realize it is about 75% of a .30-30 but a fine short range deer option. My SIL took 3 deer with 3 shots with the .300 blk, longest shot was 65 yards. It would be ok out to 150 yards with good shot placement.

May I ask why the 300 blackout is a better choice? I have and use both, and I handload for both as well, but the x39 still is 25% cheaper to shoot factory ammo out of...

 

[highlander 5]

Not a hunter but I think the 300 BLK would be the better choice bolts and mags are the same you can turn 223 brass into 300 BLK with minimal effort. Bullet weight 110-220 grs .308 bullets are easier to come by than .310/.311 and.308 bullets have a much wider selection from Speer,Hornandy, Sierra,Nosler.

 

[tactikel]

May I ask why the 300 blackout is a better choice? I have and use both, and I handload for both as well, but the x39 still is 25% cheaper to shoot factory ammo out of...

the blackout uses standard 5.56 magazines, standard bolt, is designed to feed in the AR platform, and you can form 300 blk from cheap .223 brass, the blk can be loaded with 110 gr thru 220 gr bullets. Magazines and a bolt can offset a lot of the 15 cent per round savings. If you have a 7.62x39 great, it is fine, just starting out I’d go with the 300 blk.

 

[someguy2800]

I am a fan of both. Making 300 blackout brass is an incredible bore. I had enough of that forever after making about 500 of them. You can buy already converted 300 blackout brass very economically though 7.62x39 brass cases on the other hand are somewhat rare and expensive so 300 blackout has a significant advantage for handloading if your not recovering your brass. Bullet selection is a non issue for either one as 308 bullets work just fine in 7.62x39. My most accurate loads are all 308 bullets in a 311 bore. It’s typically easier to find the powders that work well in 300 blk And brass too. 7.62x39 powders like 1680 and RL7 are hard to come by but CFE BLK which is the best X39 powder by far is easy to find. Overall 300 blk has the edge for hand loading mainly due to brass, but you trade a lot of performance for the convenience.

You can get fast twist 7.62x39 barrels for shooting suppressed but blackout makes better sense for shooting subsonic suppressed. I personally decided subsonic 300 blackout was too expensive to buy and too much work to make, so I use 9mm for shooting suppressed.

300 blackout with supers is my favorite for a defensive gun or for 3 gun match type shooting because it has significantly less recoil impulse and faster follow up shots, and although I have literally zero reliability issues with my 10 round mags, 300 blk is probably more reliable in 30 round mags. 7.62x39 is still cheaper for range ammo but lately I’ve been getting AAC 110 gr vmax 300 blk from AAC for like 0.60 a round which is damn good for range ammo that will also be very effective defensive ammo! When wolf ammo was $0.20/rd and 300 blackout was $1.00/rd it was a no brainer, but they are pretty similar now.

For hunting, 7.62x39 ever day of the week and twice on Sunday. Handloads I get 200 fps more with the same bullet and I have no issues loading either 308 or 311 bullets. 2600 fps with a 125 gr bullet from a 16” barrel with CFE BLK. I’ve done it with 4 different 308 bullets and 1 311. The only 311 bullet I’ve ever bought is the speer gold dots.

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

I've killed a lot deer with my PSA 7.62x39 upper and Hornady SST bullets...........I don't like or want any rifle chambered in little legend or BO.

 

[Riomouse911]

I like my 7.62x39 AR. It is a 16” AR/Stoner upper from Brownells that I put on an Aero lower as a range play toy. It hits steel plates with a bit more oomph than my 5.56 and has a similar recoil impulse to my shoulder.

The C Products magazines I have are all 10 rounders, to date they have been very reliable.

My only addition to the complete upper I bought was a Black Rifle Arms enhanced firing pin, similar to the pin @js8588 posted above.



These things arent very pricy, which is a big plus in my book.

Stay safe.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I have two PSA KS47s, which use standard AK magazines.

Both are more accurate than my four AKs.