7.62x39 bbl

[yotesmoker]

Ok,Ivve dropped my idea of getting a 30 carbine bbl due to all the negative info I've received from various forums.I have an encore pro hunter frame and no bbl yet.Since I got rid of all my 7.62x39 rifles but sill have a supply of about 5000 rounds of wolf I thought I might get a bbl set up to shoot all that ammo but now I have heard that wolf 7.62x39 should not be used in the pro hunter.What is the scoop?Can I use the wolf ammo or not?Really need help on this one.

[sweetwyominghome]

The Wolf ammo is fine to use in the Encore.

There are a few Contenders out there in 7.62x39, and factory ammo MUST NOT be used in these -- and that goes doubly for the Wolf as it is definitely near-max in pressure. 

One of the locals has a TC Custom Shop Encore barrel in 7.62x39, and it doesn't seem to matter if he loads .308 or .311 bullets as most of his loads do around 1.5" at 100 yards.

[Graycg]

Great advice above, I have a JDJ SSK 10 inch barrel in 7.62x39 for the contender and the instructions that came with it said plain and simple:  You can use US manufactured commercial ammo and reasonable reloads, but NEVER-not even one round of any steel case or foreign made ammo!  Encore should be fine, contender cannot use your ammo.  Now on the other hand.....that ammo is selling for Between $150-180 per 1000 on the auction sites right now....you could sell the ammo and buy lots of components for the barrel you really want?

regards,
 graycg

[Graycg]

PS,
  what negatives did you hear about the 30 carbine?  I have a super 14 contender barrel on that chambering and it is very sweet!
regards,
 graycg

[finisher]

Let me see if I have this correct. If the 7.62x39 ammo is U.S. made, I can use it. I am assuming this is because   the bullets used are closer to the 308 bullet diameter and not the .311 as is the case with the Wolf ammo. Also, assuming that one was not into handloading and wanted to fire cheap wolf ammo, could and would a barrel be made for this purpose and would it then be safe to use on the old contender?

[Poppy]

I have an Encore pistol, 15" barrel in the 7.62x39.  I have shot steel cased Russian loads, Remington and Corbon in it with no problems.  Lots of fun to shoot and an excellent shorter range deer gun.  I understand that the pressures of the military ammo are too great for the Contender frame as well as the G-2.  Good luck in your search.

[yotesmoker]

As to the negative remarks I've found on the 30 carbine in a tc encore.......indifferently accurate.......horrific noise.....loss of power in longer bbls.....under powered for coyote hunting.If all his is just a bunch of crap tell me.Even tho I have so much 7.62 ammo I would prefer to have an encore in 30 carbine for coyote and turkey hunting.All my hunting would be under a 100 yards.

[Graycg]

As per 7.62 ammo, US or foreign, the answer above is in line with the instructions I got with my JDJ barrel, it says that US loaded ammo is within the pressure range considered safe for the contender, but that foreign loaded ammo is way to high pressure for a contender. Seems that the Encore can  handle it no problem given the extra steel built into the action and barrel diameter at the chamber. 
  As for the 30 carbine...muzzle blast, yes, but I can't detect that the 7.62x39 has less...seems to be more.  Accuracy...my super 14 barrel shoots real good, but then again, I trim my cases and I think that makes a big difference.  Some folks say straight wall cases don't stretch, may be true, but the cases lengths of new brass aren't all that uniform.  Since I started trimming the carbine brass, the accuracy is just as good as my 30-20 barrel...remember, this case headspaces on the case mouth.  Crimp is a big deal, if your cases are trimmed even and you taper crimp, accuracy is good.  As for killing a yote....if you can't kill a yote at 100 yards with a 30 carbine, you need to pick a better bullet and practise, practise, practise.  I can't believe that a 110 or 125 grain bullet out of a 30 carbine won't kill a 40 lb critter cleanly.

good luck in your choice,
regards,
 graycg