AR15 7.62x39 for hunting?

[matai]

Hey I was thinking about building an upper for my AR15 in 7.62x39 with maybe a 20" barrel and a scope for deer rifle. I've never hunted before but I'd like to have something good for deer/washington game if I needed it.

So would 7.62x39 work for that? Isn't it similar to a 30-30?

Would it be accurate enough?

Also what would I need?

- Standard AR15 upper
- 7.62x39mm Barrel
- Standard AR15 Bolt carrier
- 7.62 Bolt assembly
- Standard AR15 Charging handle

Anything else?

Thanks!

 

[R.W.Dale]

7.62x39 as used in the AR platform really doesn't come into it's own unless you handload. Shooting factory ammo really doesn't exploit this gun/cartridge's combo to it's fullest potental.

But shooting finely tuned handloads the 7.62x39 AR is as accurate as any other chambering, and can kill any critter that the 30/30 is apropiate for.

Either way give my top sig link a click where I used a 7.62 AR to harvest a large Arkansas doe at almost 300yds

 

[zoom6zoom]

While the 7.62x39 is ballistically similar to the .30-30, unless you handload most of the available ammo isn't ideal for hunting. FMJ won't give the expansion you'd normally want in a hunting projectile, and the HP available in the caliber really doesn't expand.

 

[rbernie]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=480040

 

[dogtrainer]

Yes the 7.62 x39 works on deer

I harvested a 175 lb buck this year with the CZ 527 in this caliber. My load was a barnes ttsx .308, 130 grain with 26.5 grains or Reloader 7.

This round had very good penetration, however, was light on the shock effect.

 

[rangerruck]

I have used it quite a bit, I like the performance of the hollow point better, and believe it or not, you may wanna stick with a 16 or a max 18 inch bbl; I personally think performance for this round under 200 yds, actually improves with less velocity, and to be truthful, you do not lose a lot of velocity on this round, going from 22 inches all the way down to 16 inches. Not even 25 fps , per inch i would be willing to bet.

 

[R.W.Dale]

going from 22 inches all the way down to 16 inches. Not even 25 fps , per inch i would be willing to bet.

of course every bbl is different but my testing shows a loss of around 75 to 100 fps going from a 20" bbl to 16" or a gain of around 150fps stepping up to a 26" tube vs a 20 inch. So yeah 25fps per inch looks like a good rule of thumb

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5111739#post5111739