Your thoughts about 7.62 x 54r for hunting?

[B yond]

I just stocked up on Czech silvertip 7.62 x 54R ammo for my scoped and sporterized m44. I bought the ammo mostly for target practice but would like to hear from some hunters about its usefulness as a hunting round.

I'm an avid shooter but haven't ever been hunting, and don't know much about it. Would a 7.62 x 54R round with a lead core be better for hunting deer or boar than the steel-core silvertip, or would it even matter at distances under 300yds?

 

[gaweidert]

FMJ ammo is not legal for hunting in most tstates that I know of. You can get commercial hunting mamo. It does seem to have a bit more kick.

 

[Sunray]

The 7.62 x 54 will take any game a .30-06 or .303 Brit will, using hunting bullets with no fuss.
"...Czech silvertip..." If that is an FMJ ball round, it's illegal to use for hunting, like gaweidert says.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Buy some commercial ammo, such as Wolf and Wolf Gold. These softpoint rounds should do the trick. I'm going to buy 100 rounds of 200 grain Wolf SP ammo and 40 rounds of Wolf Gold 180 grain SP in about a week to use with my M44 (unchanged, original config, all matching serial #s) when I start hunting this year.

 

[Gord]

+1 on commercial softpoint from Wolf, S&B or Winchester/Remington (I forget which makes 7.62x54R... or do both?).

I'm pretty excited to move to OR and try hunting with my Mosins.

 

[grimjaw]

B yond, AIM has 150gr softpoint in a reloadable brass case. I bought 100 rounds of it awhile back, and it has acceptable groups out of one or two of my MNs.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Igman_7.62x54R_150grn_Jacketed_Soft_Point.html

jm

 

[rockstar.esq]

Brown bear loads soft points in two bullet weights. It's not bad but it is still loaded in steel cases.

 

[B yond]

thanks

Thanks guys, that's what I needed to know.

Didn't realize it was illegal.

 

[nico]

I realize that you probably get the point, but I just wanted to add that the issue isn't just legality. Even if FMJ ammo is legal where you're hunting, soft points are much more likely to kill an animal quickly and humanely.

The 7.62x54r is a fine hunting cartrige though. I've heard it described as being comparable to the 30-06, with the ability to be loaded a little hotter.

 

[rangerruck]

the wolf in the 200 or is it 205 grain bimetal, is a real killer, and i mean that literally! you should proly get a recoil pad on there, a medium sized one, if you wanna use that stout round.

 

[foghornl]

Barnaul Arsenal, [another Russian ammo maker] also loads a 200-gr SP in 7.62x54.

Should be pretty good stuff for hunting. Accuracy is better with that round in my M-44 Mosin-Nagant than the 147-Gr Albanian "Light Ball"

 

[Kymasabe]

I've tried Wolf and Wolf Gold in my M44's and for some reason the standard Wolf seems to work better. I can get a decent group with Wolf but can't keep it on the paper with Wolf Gold. Another member told me I may be shooting great groups with the Gold but just off the paper where I can't see it and I may have to re-zero the sights for the Gold. Was too much work for me, I'll stick to plain old Wolf, is accurate enough for hunting.

 

[fin54r]

Finnish MN

These Sellier and Bellot 7.62 X 54R SP 180GR
perform very well in may scoped out Finn MN
SUB MOA!!!


http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=ZYSBA76207

 

[EricW]

I have shot two Whitetail bucks in Northern Michigan with my 7.62 x 54R. I used 205 grain softips on those two but I just bought some 180 grain soft tips for this year. First buck was 60 yards and I dropped him in his tracks. Second one was 120 yards and he went 50 yards. It shoots good groups for me and I am not a real good shot with a rifle. Good Luck!!!!

Eric

 

[bowfin]

FMJ bullets aren't necessarily illegal in all states, my state of Nebraska being one where expanding bullets are not mandated.

That being said, almost everybody uses an expanding bullet.

 

[Cosmoline]

S&B 180 SP's are excellent, and will expand more reliably than the Wolf and Barnaul SP's. S&B also makes the Winchester 180 SP's. Norma is excellent but exceedingly expensive. Handloading opens up a lot of possibilities with the round. I've worked up a killer bear protection load using 215 grain woodleigh SP's. It's easy to get top notch brass on Midway. I like to use CCI's military 7.62 primers because they are easier to sink deep in the pockets, as the x54R prefers.

 

[Mannlicher]

most of the milsurp rifles in this caliber are not really set up for hunting, but the cartridge itself is just fine. There are, however, better platforms, and better cartridges.

 

[Cosmoline]

most of the milsurp rifles in this caliber are not really set up for hunting

Care to explain what you mean?

 

[PirateJoe]

most of the milsurp rifles in this caliber are not really set up for hunting, but the cartridge itself is just fine. There are, however, better platforms, and better cartridges.

ever heard of the m39?

 

[Stiletto Null]

My M39 is freakishly accurate, but it's also heavy as balls with the scope mounted.

 

[Cosmoline]

That's why I prefer a good pre-war 91/30 or a Tikka bored version. MUCH easier to heft afield than the M-39. Very light in the hand and well balanced.

 

[MTKlopo]

Last year I shot a doe at about 50yrds with one 180 gr FMJ round hit the shoulder broke it went through hit the lungs and stopped. Dropped and killed the deer in one shot dressed out she was about 150lbs. I actually used that round on accident as it was mixed in with the box of SP I had. Did the job though.

 

[PT1911]

What does it mean "not set up for hunting"? that makes Zero sense to me. I would feel perfectly fine walking in the woods with a mil spec mosin nagant if I got the notion and felt I shot well with the gun. What would be wrong with that? A gun does not have to be sporterized to be a hunter.. it may be handier but it wont be any more effective.

 

[nathan]

I can vouch for the Seller Belliot 180 gr SP. Tight grps with my M 39.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I see that thread necromancy is alive and well

pun intended