Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Blooded the MGM 7.62x39

Recently received a 24" MGM 7.62x39 barrel with a.308 groove diameter, for my TC Encore .I hunted with it through our antlered white tail season but saw only young bucks that I chose not to shoot.

WV has a late doe season that started yesterday, so I went out and took one. The shot was about 120 yards, and she went straight down.

The load used was a Barnes 110 grain Tac-TX (300 Blackout bullet) at 2600 fps.

Congratulations! Using the 308 barrel was smart. More bullets to use and better quality ones too.

No flies on the little Ruskie for Eastern whitetails, even bigger ones. My grandson has taken three bucks with his Howa Mini, including a 200-pounder using 123gr SST factory stuff.

Busy today with company coming, and tomorrow I’ll probably be recovering from that, so I’m probably done chasing Bambi until the Mountaineer Heritage Season.

Anyway, nice work, and nice rig.

I been wanting a 762x39 but almost everything I look at has a .311 bore and I've been down that road already. May have to give MGM a call. Very nice doe also. She will eat real good.

Thanks guys. Pappy, my youngest son used the 7.62x39 with a hand load, (Hornady 123 grain, H335), from an SKS years ago to take his first deer. I had him carrying it single loaded, and it worked just fine.

Psychodog, you should call MGM, and get yourself one. Mine is a tack driver, and the .308 groove barrel opens up a world of options.

In the pic below, left to right, Speer 150 grain BTSP, Speer 130 FPHC, Sierra 125 Pro Hunter, Barnes 110 TTSX, Barnes 110 Tac-TX, Hornady 110 V-Max.

I’ve been thinking about getting a 6.5 grendel barrel for mine. I wanted to set up a contender in 17 WSM, but I don’t think they make one anymore.

I’ve enjoyed tinkering with the 7.62x39, both in a very accurate scoped SKS, and a switch barrel for a Ruger 77.
I shot a doe at 135 yards with some Remington factory ammo and 123 JSP ammo. I believe the x39 is totally capable for whitetail deer, and handloading it was enjoyable.
The SKS is gone (sadly) but a Ruger No.1 in x39 is in my safe now. I just need some range time so I can go shoot it!

A number one would be very cool. You'll have to let us know how it does.

You should call it a .308x39 . I like your Encore, what does it weigh?

I honestly don't know, don't have a reliable scale. It's a bit heavier than it could be, MGM doesn't offer the thinner barrel taper of the original 24" barrels that the T/C factory offered when they first started making the Encore. The difference though is likely just a few ounces, as the same forearm fits both my original 24" 7mm-08 and the MGM barrel. It's light enough to carry all day though, and I'm getting to be an old guy.

It's funny that you mention .308x39, as that's the exact way I originally typed it when I first contacted MGM by email to enquire about ordering. They had no idea what I meant.

I was kicking around the same idea. I settled on a g2 contender in 30-30 AI. Mgm 22" bull barrel. With 3x9 scope it comes in at just over 6#'s. Those 110gr. Black tips drop deer,like a ton of bricks. I have a Encore pistol that is too clunky for my liking. I just picked up a wood stock for it. I just don't know what to do with it, yet.