Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles What Is The Correct Bullet For The 7.62X39

I'm in the process of getting a Howa Mini in 7.62X39. Why I'm doing this, I don't know, maybe out of boredom. Anyway, Howa says the bore diameter is .311. I have a lot of the steel cased ammo in 7.62X39 that I could try, but I want to test the rifle for accuracy, and know that the cheap ammo isn't the best. Anyway, I have primers, powder, access to dies, and have found a good deal on some Starline brass. So, all I need to load up some ammo are the bullets. In doing some research, results are all over the board, as to what is correct diameter to use. Midsouth lists the .310 diameter as being the right one for 7.62X39, and referring to the .311 bullets as being the size for the 303 and 7.7. So, does anyone here have any experience loading for this cartridge, and if so, what are you using?

All I use in my CZ 527 is the .310 bullet. Some rifles, I believe the Ruger Ranch, is set up to shoot .308 bullets. Also try some Wolf 7.62X39 for kicks it shoots extremely well for me. These are from 2013 so I can't say this is still true. You will also find some brands of brass, Hornady for example, sell brass with both large and small primer pockets. Some dies come with both the .308 and .311 expander balls. Be sure you have the right one on.

Send me a PM is you need bullets, brass, dies etc....

Good luck and have fun!

Both my Ruger Ranch and Mini Thirty bores slug .3105" and handle either .308" or .310/.311" bullets equally well. I should add that the Ranch is amazingly accurate and the Mini Thirty is lucky to keep all it's rounds in 3" at 100 yards. The difference is the barrels. The Ranch has a great barrel and the Mini Thirty barrel sucks with tight and loose spots throughout its entire length. My Colt AR also slugs .3105" and shoots very well with both diameters. Try both bullet diameters in your Howa to see which it prefers. Maybe you'll get lucky like I did and it will shoot both equally well. As mentioned previously, make sure you use the correct diameter size button.

I load mine with .310 and they shoot pretty accurately.

I believe Sierras are .311".

I have a Ruger rancher 7.62x39. I load Hornady .310 123 gr. SP bullets for it in Norma once fired brass. I had good luck with the first load I tried and haven't bothered to experiment further.

I bought it for a low recoil plinker and deer rifle. Last season I loaned it to my nephew and he shot a nice young six pointer with it. DRT at seventy yards. Here's a target and the deer shot with that load.

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I had two Ruger limited edition (Davidson's) MKII 7.62x39s; bought new about thirty years ago. These guns were advertised as having .310" bores. I used mine primarily as cast bullet rifles, but they shot everything very accurately from .308" diameter on up as far as jacketed bullets. With cast I used a .311" bullet size die; bullets came from that die at slightly under .311".

I think you will really enjoy this rifle. I think Americans have a stigma that’s it’s a sloppy AK round.
My cz is so much fun to shoot and even with cheap silver bear ammo it’s right at MOA and I just don’t see the benefit (for me) in rolling my own for that price.
Let us know how she does

Dre,

The Rancher Russian is a blast to shoot. Everyone who has shot it, loves it. I've got to the point that I take it to the range almost every time I go. My nephew that used it on the deer is haunting the heck out of me, wanting it.

I agree with your comment on loading for the 7.62x39 except for hunting loads. I bought Norma Tactical FMJ ammo for $9.00 a box. That's cheap practice ammo from a quality manufacturer with brass cased, boxer primed ammo. I'm getting similar accuracy and point of impact from the Norma ammo as the handload posted above.

And lately, I've seen quality soft point ammo from Federal and Fiochi for those who don't want to bother loading hunting ammo.

Sounds like a fun caliber! It would be a good pig Wacker!

I load for a 7.62x39 Ruger American Ranch. I’ve had good results with Hornady .310 bullets and CFE-BLK.

My most recent test was the 123 gr SST. For Shooting a light rifle off bags with a LPVO at 6X, I’m pretty satisfied with this level of accuracy.

I agree. Shooting cheap ComBloc surplus steel case through AKs does not represent the capability of this cartridge.

Loaded up some and shot several combinations of bullets and powder. H322 and 120 Gold Dots gave the best accuracy. 1680 powder and 123 SST's shot just so-so, although I didn't experiment much. All were .310 bullets. I'm probably going to sell or trade the rifle, as I don't need a short range deer cartridge, and that's pretty much what the 7.62X39 is. If I do end up keeping it, I'll do more testing.

My CZ shoots several steel cased loadings to the same POI and more than adequately accurate. I too see no reason to reload for it, but fortunately I stocked up on ammo for it back when it was like $3 or $4/box.

I have a Ruger Mini 30 that I've had for over 30 yrs and have shot just about everything that it would chamber. The Mini 30 isn't known for accuracy and most of the ammo that went down the barreldid good to group within 3" @ 100 yds; however, I bought some "125 gr .308 Factory Seconds" from Midway and they give mea 2" group @ 100yrs. Not sure what brand, but look like HDY's.

The actual major problem with the 7.62x39 in the US is that just about every maker of the guns themselves, in the US, has put a different style barrel in their guns, example only: Bill Ruger introduced the Mini 30 with a .308 barrel and with a 1-10 twist barrel, a year and a half later the Mini barrel was changed to a .311, no announcement, just done. So it is very important to know what groove diameter and what twist barrel you are buying if you want the best accuracy. Barrel and ammo should match up.

I own three 7.62x39 guns, not one barrel has a .311 barrel in it, all are .308 and I shoot Ren 150 FBSP bulk bullets in them with 1680 at 2,500 fps. I use Win 7.62x39 brass and get .3 inch groups. The cartridge and barrel also makes a good cast bullet / subsonic combination.

Old die sets came with a .311 sizer and a .308 sizer, with the expander balls to go with them in the box.

If Howa said .311 then load .311

Or slug the barrel