Looking for knowledge on the 7.62 X 39 Cal rifle.

[NDAR15MAN]

I have couple freinds that have bought some very low priced 7.62 x 39 cal AR15 uppers 2 weeks before xmas. Very , Very low priced complete uppers. They have been shooting STEEL CASE TULA AMMO IN 122 gr FMJ. If i had not see both of their targets yesterday I would not belived it and made them swear it was 100 yard groups on the targets with scopes and both said yes. They could not belive it ether ! Both of these uppers shot 1 inch groups at 100 yards with Lowers from other AR guns they own. They just switch them out and re-sight in. They shot 2 or 3 boxes in a row , they said not a fluke. ! I guess I beleive it becuse I offered them both $150.00 more on the spot then they paid for them , they both said are you crazy. Then they showed me a picture on their phone with 3000 rounds each of ammo UPS brought them stacked on thier kitchen tables. They paid $181.00 per thousand for Tula ammo and they said they are buying a lot more ammo for them guns next week. They said they want enough of this ammo to take them to the rest of their life. I guess i would too if i had a gun that shot that good at 18 cent per shell. ha ha ha. I tried to buy a AR15 upper just like theirs yesterday from the MFG and the customer sales rep said they are completly sold out of every thing ! They said their sales were unbeilveable the last 45 days before and after xmas. Sales rep said Sir we know we sale cheaper price uppers and complete guns but are quality and accuracy has really come a long way in the last 6 months. He said it will be a couple weeks before we get caught up on orders and build up a inventory but i could place order and hold your spot and price. I said i would think on it.
We all know its the luck of the draw with ALL guns with factory ammo on accuracy. I have had 50 years of good luck on guns i bought with good accuracy and function till the last couple guns which I have had alot issues with , but i am finally getting the bugs worked out of them. But sure must be nice to hit the jackpot like my 2 freinds did last few weeks on these 2 guns , just unbeliveable.
ha ha ha. So after writing this book here to set up my Question HERE IS MY QUESTION....HA HA.
On this 7.62 x 39 cal has any one here ever owned or heard of one these cal guns in a bolt action rifle platform that shoots good groups with this steel case wolf ammo ? If so what brand and model of rifle was it ? I am also very interested if any one knows if this cal of gun is being produced in a longer barrel bolt rifle like a 22 or 24 inch barrel ? It will give me a starting point research on what bolt gun to buy. It seems this cal is huge in the SKS , AK47 , AR15 platforms but in 50 years of shooting I never seen this cal in a bolt action gun. After seeing my freinds AR15 7.62 X 39 cal targets using this 18 cent steel case ammo I HAVE THE WANTS REAL BAD , REAL BAD.
I have not been the luckiest guy with my last 2 gun purchases (being AR15 guns , accuracy and function issues out of the box) so just wondering if i might have better luck with this cal in a bolt action gun. Your thoughts please on a bolt gun , after this too long of post/question.
thanks. MD

 

[GreenDecoy]

I enjoyed the book!

Several good bolt guns in x39 now on the market. Ruger American and Howa 1500 Mini come to mind. I think the Ruger American Predator comes threaded and may accept AR style mags, which would be a big bonus in my mind.

But, having said all that, why not go with the AR upper your buddies got? (And why not name the MFG for us here who also now have the wants?) You know it shoots.

I had a PSA upper in x39 for a while. It shot great (1.5 MOA w/steel and a 1-4x optic) for what it was. With proper mags, the x39 makes a great chambering for an AR.

 

[Zen Archery]

I ran with a Ruger American x39 for a while. They make a good gun but ammo is inherently questionable. I reloaded and could maintain sub-MOA groups but that beats the purpose in owning a x39! Cheap ammo!!!

 

[Hoss50]

I have a CZ 527 in 7.62x39, and love this gun. It shoots well with all ammo. Lapua, reloads, and steel case.

I shot it it 10 rounds @ 100 yards with iron sights and had roughly a 3" group. It was quality lapua ammo, but still 10rds with iron sights, that is pretty good.

 

[mtwarych]

Kinda sounds like a Bear Creek Arsenal.

I got lucky with a 6.5 Grendel upper that shoots sub MOA with my reloads.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Did not know If I should name the upper since I have not place my order yet. Let's say they go by 3 initials in the AR15 industry. Its still hard to believe their guns have shot that good of groups with ammo that I would never have bought. MD

 

[NDAR15MAN]

mtwarych..... As my Freind would say winner winner chicken dinner. Ha ha ha. I just can't believe 1 of these uppers shot that good with 18 cent around tulo steel ammo let a lone 2 of them. I have had so much bad buck luck with my AR15 350 legend out of the box last month and then last year the AR 223 out of box. So much wasted time on my part trying to figure them out. Just hate to go through it again if I get a 3 moa gun. Ha ha ha. But I know that is the risk you take.
**** I am just wondering with the new ammo loading machines , bullets , technology that has come along in the last few years maybe the Tula , Wolf ammo has improved a lot in the last year or 2 causing much more accurate ammo then when I shot it in a 179.00 AK47 40 years ago.
Maybe they have changed the recipe on the ammo ?
same goes with the gun / barrel makers. Maybe technology has improved a lot on cutting rifling in barrels etc. MD

 

[GreenDecoy]

Kinda sounds like a Bear Creek Arsenal.

I got lucky with a 6.5 Grendel upper that shoots sub MOA with my reloads.

Ooph. Not mine. But it was a great deal for a barreled upper. I ultimately rebarreled it to a 6.5G Ballistic Advantage.

 

[Tony243]

PSA. I have one and it shoots great! 1" at 100yds. Shooting 123gr Hornady SST with a hefty load of CFEBLK near 2500fps. This is now my go-to short range deer rifle and my 300BLK will stay in the safe!

 

[mtwarych]

OP,

I believe both Ruger and Savage make bolt action rifles chambered in 7.62X39.

In the early nineties I hunted the coast side of the Sacramento valley with a Ruger Mini 30. That's the 7.62X39 Ruger equivalent of the Mini14.

The round itself is just powerful enough to kill a small coastal Black Tail but I wouldn't use it on a larger Mule deer or White tail.

If you are firing block ammunition at 18 cents a round and keep in mind that you are very under-powered, it's an easy on your shoulder cheap trigger time firearm.

If you decide to reload for the rifle, there isn't a lot of different weights and types of slugs available so sticking with block ammunition is probably your cheapest, best bet.

 

[eyeballjr]

I have a PSA upper chambered in x39. I got 1.5" groups at 100 yards with cheap steal ammo, but bought some Hornady ammo a while back and it produced some 1" groups. I just have a red dot do it now and use it for hog hunting in close quarters.

 

[WildRose]

OP,

I believe both Ruger and Savage make bolt action rifles chambered in 7.62X39.

In the early nineties I hunted the coast side of the Sacramento valley with a Ruger Mini 30. That's the 7.62X39 Ruger equivalent of the Mini14.

The round itself is just powerful enough to kill a small coastal Black Tail but I wouldn't use it on a larger Mule deer or White tail.

If you are firing block ammunition at 18 cents a round and keep in mind that you are very under-powered, it's an easy on your shoulder cheap trigger time firearm.

If you decide to reload for the rifle, there isn't a lot of different weights and types of slugs available so sticking with block ammunition is probably your cheapest, best bet.

Ballistically it's essentially on par with the .30-30

It's such a low power round you can't run any sort of high BC bullets in the round so you're really reaching with it from about 300-400yds on out.

 

[alaskan9974]

I have a Windham 16" 7.62x39 upper, and a 10.5" upper. Both have killed Caribou, but the furthest was only out to 200 yards or so.

Ballistics....it drops like a rock compared to other 30 cal's, but doesn't lose as much velocity with a short barrel compared to a 5.56. 1" group is nice but I see 1.5 on average with cheap Tula, about the same as my Arsenal AK. Handloading with a good node will bring it closer to 1moa on my windham upper, but at the short distances I use it, its not really worth it.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Yes. Maybe my 2 friends just got rare uppers. I seen both of their targets from Tulo ammo. 1 inch exactly groups. My luck when I buy one will be 3 moa. MD