JCooperfan1911
member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2020
- Messages
- 2,709
Throughout my years I have heard some say the 7.62x39mm cartridge is a rather pathetic and impotent round. That it isn’t capable of ethically harvesting deer, is barely a step up from a .30 carbine, and has unimpressive internal wounding characteristics.
This might be so, but there are some interesting loads out there that take this light round and bump it up a notch:
These 125 grain soft points seem to be decent. The load tested, a commonly available and affordable one at that (Barnaul), generated 2,500 FPS from a 16” AK47 barrel for 1,743 ft-lbs of energy. The bullet expanded dramatically and expended all of its energy in the first 15” of the block.
Now this is comparing apples to oranges in a way, but at the end of the day it is comparing effectiveness to end the threat to effectiveness to end the threat. We have all heard about the legendary “stopping power” of the devastating “King of the Street/Hit like a Bolt of Lightning” of the .357 Magnum 125 grain SJHP fired from a service revolver. From the typical 4” revolver we get a muzzle energy of 583 ft-lbs from 1450 FPS velocity.
Now there are many who hunt deer with .357 magnum revolvers and they see them as more than adequate. So that’s something to think about. More on this later.
Here is a comparison of the energies to the above 7.62x39mm load:
So the “puny” AK delivers almost exactly 300% more energy to the same length wound channel as the .357 125 SJHP will also penetrate roughly the same amount. Additionally, the 7.62x39mm easily breeches the 2200 FPS threshold for “hydrostatic shock” though that is a hotly debated topic we won’t get into today.
So this might not be a far comparison at all, and I’ll give you that it probablt is not, but when someone claims the .357 magnum is a manstopper but an AK is “underpowered” I just shake my head. I’m not convinced. Yes this is comparing a handgun to a pistol, but people will still compare effectiveness to effectiveness no matter the platform. Some with the wool over their eyes and no concept of sounding ballistics deride the “wimpy commie” AK round” while simultaneously singing the praises of the massive knockdown of the .357 on their hip. This post is for those so ill informed.
This might be so, but there are some interesting loads out there that take this light round and bump it up a notch:
These 125 grain soft points seem to be decent. The load tested, a commonly available and affordable one at that (Barnaul), generated 2,500 FPS from a 16” AK47 barrel for 1,743 ft-lbs of energy. The bullet expanded dramatically and expended all of its energy in the first 15” of the block.
Now this is comparing apples to oranges in a way, but at the end of the day it is comparing effectiveness to end the threat to effectiveness to end the threat. We have all heard about the legendary “stopping power” of the devastating “King of the Street/Hit like a Bolt of Lightning” of the .357 Magnum 125 grain SJHP fired from a service revolver. From the typical 4” revolver we get a muzzle energy of 583 ft-lbs from 1450 FPS velocity.
Now there are many who hunt deer with .357 magnum revolvers and they see them as more than adequate. So that’s something to think about. More on this later.
Here is a comparison of the energies to the above 7.62x39mm load:
So the “puny” AK delivers almost exactly 300% more energy to the same length wound channel as the .357 125 SJHP will also penetrate roughly the same amount. Additionally, the 7.62x39mm easily breeches the 2200 FPS threshold for “hydrostatic shock” though that is a hotly debated topic we won’t get into today.
So this might not be a far comparison at all, and I’ll give you that it probablt is not, but when someone claims the .357 magnum is a manstopper but an AK is “underpowered” I just shake my head. I’m not convinced. Yes this is comparing a handgun to a pistol, but people will still compare effectiveness to effectiveness no matter the platform. Some with the wool over their eyes and no concept of sounding ballistics deride the “wimpy commie” AK round” while simultaneously singing the praises of the massive knockdown of the .357 on their hip. This post is for those so ill informed.
Attachments
Last edited: