Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 7.62x39 for deer and/or hogs?

What load and rifle are you using?

How’s that working out?

My buddy has been using a CZ 527 with good results on WV deer. A handy little rifle. Just using factory soft points of all kinds

The cz527 is a great little rifle

-Jake

Sorry David, I don't have any direct experience. I was so close to buying a Ruger #1 in 7.62x39 a few years back. I did a lot of research on bullets and loads. I'd like to see one of the manufacturers make a premium .311 bullet. About 2 years ago it seems to me that Nosler did a limited run of Accubonds in 311. It'd be nice if they were still available. Sierra doesn't get a lot of love on this forum, but their .311 125 or 150 Pro Hunter would be a good place to start. I might even be inclined to try 125 grain BTs. There was a discussion on here a while back about that bullet, and the consensus is that it is a surprisingly tough bullet. I think MD even commented on its toughness.

Mine is an sks and it is a great hog gun but still going through boxes of wolf ammo from years ago- so I don't load for this rifle.

I did take my first deer at about 120 yards with Dad's (now sold) Mini 30 - and would love that even more.

I have shot many hogs with different rifles but prefer open sites with the SKS or my B92 lever action 44 mag for quick followups and chance at a second hog. I can say the SKS has consistently outperformed the 44mag.

I could easily see a CZ527 becoming a very endearing rifle. To me it is kind of on par with a Model 7 or a micro bolt but even handier . I think the 7.62x39 round is better suited than standard rifle rounds in that type platform. Extremely pleasant. As for CZ's I own a 550 and love it even with its famous rough bolt. Sweet set trigger as a bonus.

In any case- answering the OP - Before recommending a load I suggest you read this short article on reloading for the 7.62x39. Some great pointers on matching loads to rifles etc...

Rifle shooter- 7.62x39

I used the Prvi Partizan soft point out of my CZ. I bought a few boxes of various brands and that one shot the best. I had no plans to lob bullets so the Prvi were more than adequate. I didn't hunt with it much but it worked fine on a couple does/hogs.

I am developing respect for the .30 125 PH. It sure seems to do a good job on deer at 2,500fps.

nephew uses one, some load of 125 ballistic tips. His family thinks unless you are blowing primers you have weak loads... what can I say.

I have used his on a few deer, a couple of pigs, one coyote that was on out there....

We used the Sierra single shot pistol bullet years ago in the 30-30 and it would not expand in a contender, so for this use the softer ballistic tips seem to work just about right.

Ruger Ranch American, suppressed, Factory Hornady 123 SST. Two deer last year and a big boar hog two days ago. Works really well so far. One of the deer and the big boar dropped on impact. The other deer ran, but only for a short distance, maybe 20 yards.

My boy has used the Federal 123 gr Fusions with good results. I think he has used them in an SKS and an AK a few times with no problem on whitetails. I have a Ruger No.1 that shoots the Fusions well but have not shot anything but paper.

For reliable expansion at any velocity check out CBB (Cavity Back Bullets). I used them on hogs and it dropped a couple pigs very quickly. Also used the 125 PH’s with complete satisfaction.

Is that the .311 diameter Pro Hunter?

Big fan of the CZ.



Lapua 125gr SP

SCGunNut,

Was that recovered bullet from factory ammo?
How does it perform accuracy wise in your gun?

Federal Fusions in SKS...

Yes, that's the Lapua Mega SP from that buck. He was quartering away and I shot him behind the shoulder angling forward. Stopped just under the hide in the off shoulder. That ammo shoots about 3/4" in the CZ. Unfortunately, it seems they no longer import the SP ammo and I'm on my last box. The CZ isn't picky and shoots well with just about anything I've tried, but that Lapua load is stellar.

Yes, 125gr Sierra .311 pro hunter. Shot them in a Howa Mini with very good accuracy. I also opened up one of the Howa Mini 7.62 chambers with a 6.5 Grendel reamer up to the shoulder and made a 30 Grendel with the .311 bore. Gets the 125's over 2500fps and provides a little better velocity window for expansion.

I had a Ruger boat paddle stainless bolt action in 7.62x39 that I hunted with for two or three years. I used factory ammo that I think was 123gr. I always had good results on whitetail deer here in Georgia. Most were pass through lung shots.

silver bears from my cz at 100 yards. thought I had 10 rounds in there. turned out to be 8. hence 2, 4 shot groups
[img]https://i.imgur.com/yJQA6N8.jpg?1[/img]

Pass through?

Which suppressor are you using?

+1 for the SKS and $2.00 for 20 box of misc Russian
ammo.
Most of the people I knew then spent their $60.00
for their SKS and one or two of us would spend the
money for a cheap case of ammo and some of the
soft points or hollow points to hunt with.
They worked just fine in the bottoms where we hunted
I had an AK for a while, but it wasn't as accurate as the
SKS although just as reliable

I've got a Howa Mini 7.62x39 topped with a Redfield Revolution 2-7 that shoots the PPU 123 grain soft point ammo really well. It is my goal to knock over a whitetail with that combo this season.

Besides a PSA KS-47, I have a Ruger #1 in 7.62x39. The #1 has a 22" barrel and a long throat, so can be loaded to somewhat better velocity than a 16" barrel.

I took a small spike (okay, actually it was a dink) with a 123gr Hornady SST; it worked fine but did not exit, and was a bit too frangible. I also grabbed a few hundred of the Nosler 123gr Ballistic Tips, when they were available at their Pro Shop. I killed a decent size sow with it. Again it worked fine but core & jacket separated.

Out of a 16" barrel I think either bullet would be good for 2 & 4 legged predators. I have some of the Speer 150gr .311 bullets and I think these would be a better choice for the #1, but I've not tried them yet.

123 gr Federal Fusion was amazing on deer and hogs for me. And accurate.

123 grain Golden Bear in a CZ-527. It is my daughter's rifle. She has killed 5 whitetails and none of the 5 ran more that 25 yards. One was a 168 yard shot on a big doe in Kansas. I have use the rifle to kill 2 whitetails at a range of less than 100 yards. Both my daughters used the rifle in Africa to kill Blesbok and Impala at ranges of a bit beyond 100 yards. Sub 200 yards that rifle and ammo are great for deer.

Are you aware the 6.5 Grendel exists?