Best 7.62x39 load for Bear

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thing is to claim its good for bear is a pretty broad statement. Most bear around here go 200 or even a bit less. A 3030 or 762x39 loaded with a good bullet like a power point will kill them dead as hell. But theres allways the chance your going to run up against a 500lb bear and if a big one like that came strolling in 20 yards from me id want a bit more gun. Im sure the little 30 would get it done but youd best be placing that bullet with the skill of a surgeon. I dont claim to be an expert on the 762x39. Ive killed two deer one pig and one bear with it and it did well but i knew its limits and stayed within them. Ive killed a truck load of deer and quite a few bear with the 3030 and if you really want to hear my opinion it smacks things harder then the 762x39 and id rather be out there with a 3030 loaded with 170 corelocks then any 762x39 load you can dream up when that 500 lb bear shows up.
 
Guys please do not forget that with a semi auto there are lots of shots available. It is not like a single shot rifle.
 
I guided my sister in law to a nice boar this spring.
She shot it with a Ruger M77, in 7.62x39.
I loaded a .308", 150grain Sierra spire point with H335 powder.
She shot the bear at about 125-150 yards.
One shot, the bear ran 30 yards, done.
More than adequate caliber.
 
I see some have mentioned using FMJ or military surplus ammo. In area I have hunted, FMJs is not legal. Make sure it is acceptable where you hunt.
 
June 8, 2012, 07:48 PM #17
TexasPatriot.308
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Join Date: July 9, 2009
Location: Luling Texas
Posts: 1,285

7.62 x 39 for bear? dont forget your bayonet, you may need it.
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+1, black bears can reach nearly 900 pounds in the wild although obviously quite rare here in the lower 48. Get the right gun with adequate penetration for bear. Can it kill a bear, of course, but remember that bear hunting can quickly turn into bear defense. I would pass on the 7.62X39 mm unless of course you add the bayonet.:neener:
 
I picked up 100 rounds of those PRVI Partizan soft points a while back. Haven't shot them yet, but they truly are evil-looking rounds. The 7.62x39 round is often referred to as the "ballistic twin" of .30-30. However, the 7.62x39 starts out a little more powerful and maintains its velocity better because of its Spitzer bullet type. The .30-30 normally has a lot more wounding potential, though, because its round nose. These PRVI Partizan rounds are the best of both worlds. I've read they feed fine in most AK's and SKS's, too.
 
Well, there ain't no bear in south or most of west Texas where I've hunted and they're illegal to shoot where they are, so most I take on with an SKS is the occasional hog. I just think of it as a .30-30 autoloader. :D .30-30 has taken about everything on the north American continent including brown bear, though I think there are better choices for something THAT big. :D All in where you put the bullet, though.
 
havent killed a bear with one but have killed a few deer and pigs. Mostly ive used the 123 vmax. I know its not suppose to be a game bullet but its performed well for me. My thoughts on bear hunting are that for most situations its plenty of gun but occasionaly your going to run into a big bear. A black bear that weights 400 lbs is a differnt critter alltogether then one that weights 200 and id want a bit more gun when that big one comes wandering in.
 
The 7.62x39 round is often referred to as the "ballistic twin" of .30-30. However, the 7.62x39 starts out a little more powerful and maintains its velocity better because of its Spitzer bullet type.
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And like a lot of "often referred to" references, it is not true. I don't mean to be offensive but where did you find load data that shows the little Russian cartridge starting off with more power with any bullet than the .30-30. I just looked in five reloading manuals (Lyman, Sierra, Hodgdon, Speer, Hornady) and not one shows a load the 7.62X39 that starts off more powerfully than the .30-30.
One set of loads, in Sierra, does show 150 grain boattails at similar velocities to the .30-30s RNs so there may be some truth to enhanced downrange performance when those bullets are used.
using the standard 123/125 grain bullet, the Russian case maxes out - in any load data that I have seen - at about 2400fps. the .30-30 will shoot that weight bullet at 2600 fps.
The bigger advantage of the .30-30 is that it can throw heavier bullets more effectively than the Russian case. using 150 grain bullets, the .30-30 is 200 fps faster with any propellant (except in the Sierra data, an interesting anomaly).
 
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So, what's a couple hundred FPS? I still consider the SKS a semi auto .30-30, okay, slightly downloaded. I've shot 150 grain .30-30 factory stuff from a 20" barrel that didn't clock more'n 2100 fps over MY chronograph. I used to load Sierra 150 spitzers to 2400 fps for my Savage M340, but I no longer have that rifle. But, I never fired a factory .30-30 that would run a full 2400 fps. Probably is because I never bought any ammo for the gun that was more expensive than what I could get Winchester for at Walmart. Hell, I mostly just wanted the brass.

If I want more, I have a .308 and a 7mm Remington Magnum in MY gun cabinet. The only .30-30 I now own has a 12" barrel, a Contender. It's taken five deer out to 90 yards. I'd shoot a bear with it, probably use the Barnes 140, though. I handload it with a 150 Nosler BT for deer to 2150 fps and it hits 2200 with the Barnes bullet.
 
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Hunting bear and bear defense are two different things. Most folks do not feel comfortable with a 30 30 as a bear defense gun although it certainly has worked in many cases.

Not my cup of tea. Go big and and slow or fast and small, but a lot faster than the gun in question. 30-06 with minimum 180 gr. is where most folks start.

Lastly, some states have strict regulations on bear guns and I seriously doubt the 7.62 x 39 is going to be on any of those lists.
 
ill say it again! silver bear soft points! cheapish and actually expand fairly well. the DRT deer have zero complaints.
 
Gunnerboy said:
Alright so my bear season is coming up... 60 days to be exact. so im needing some recommendations on the best ammo out there for shooting black bear in 7.62x39. None of this nonsense of pick another caliber or some silly stuff like that, For im set in my ways of using my sks for the wide variety of critters that i can come upon on my hunting trip.
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OK, I won`t there just ain`t no good ammo for 7.62x39 for bear !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I kinna have to agree with Tom, there is no 7.62x39 load that I would want to use on bear black or otherwise. Sure a heavy soft point could do the trick but it is a marginal choice at best for game larger then whitetail. And no the 7.62x39 does not outperform the 30-30, by all acounts the 30-30 wins out by about 100+fps and is available with quality 170gr soft point bullets that give it a large real world advantage on larger game. If you honestly think a 154gr silverbear will perform like a 170gr Partition you really need to go back to terminal ballistics school. The 7.62x39 is a solid choice for game up to large deer, but I personaly would not push it any further then that. Lackluster penatration is your limiting factor not the diamiter of the wound tract.
BTW 154gr Silverbear SPs loose their jacket on expansion, I have seen them tested in ballistics gel a few times, this further reduces penetration on top of the already marginal SD.
 
Kachok said:
I kinna have to agree with Tom, there is no 7.62x39 load that I would want to use on bear black or otherwise. Sure a heavy soft point could do the trick but it is a marginal choice at best for game larger then whitetail. And no the 7.62x39 does not outperform the 30-30, by all acounts the 30-30 wins out by about 100+fps and is available with quality 170gr soft point bullets that give it a large real world advantage on larger game. If you honestly think a 154gr silverbear will perform like a 170gr Partition you really need to go back to terminal ballistics school. The 7.62x39 is a solid choice for game up to large deer, but I personaly would not push it any further then that. Lackluster penatration is your limiting factor not the diamiter of the wound tract.
BTW 154gr Silverbear SPs loose their jacket on expansion, I have seen them tested in ballistics gel a few times, this further reduces penetration on top of the already marginal SD.
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+1, well said.
 
Kachok said:
I kinna have to agree with Tom, there is no 7.62x39 load that I would want to use on bear black or otherwise. Sure a heavy soft point could do the trick but it is a marginal choice at best for game larger then whitetail. And no the 7.62x39 does not outperform the 30-30, by all acounts the 30-30 wins out by about 100+fps and is available with quality 170gr soft point bullets that give it a large real world advantage on larger game. If you honestly think a 154gr silverbear will perform like a 170gr Partition you really need to go back to terminal ballistics school. The 7.62x39 is a solid choice for game up to large deer, but I personaly would not push it any further then that. Lackluster penatration is your limiting factor not the diamiter of the wound tract.
BTW 154gr Silverbear SPs loose their jacket on expansion, I have seen them tested in ballistics gel a few times, this further reduces penetration on top of the already marginal SD.
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I have to agree with Kachok, & the 7.62x39 barely out does the 7.92 Kurz let alone the 7.62x51R, I load .30-30 to capacity with LVR & a Sierra 150gr. HPBT, they are pushing 2700 fps on the chrono for use in my Handi-rifle, but don`t know if I would shoot a bear with it, maybe a SMALL black bear..........
 
Looks to me as though the efficacy of the cartridge would depend on the method of the hunt. For instance, most Florida hunters I've read of or talked to have hunted from a tree stand, and the shots were pretty close. Easy enough for precision as to shot placement.

I dunno. You go with what you got, and the main deal is don't be stoopid. It's no sin to pass on a difficult shot.
 
Most of the time i see bear where im at is either 200+ yds or less than 30yds and for all those who are worrying about the effectiveness of 7.62x39, I am not taking any shot that is over 50yds mainly because I got a 12 day vacation to hunt them so why take a risk at a poor shot, besides its fun to try and sneak up on them critters :D
 
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