7.62x39 most accurate handi so far

[Deerhunter#1]

Well I was able to get a found factory barrel and made it to the range today. loaded 123 hornady sp with rl7 and h4198 about 15 rounds of each. Needless to say i was able to put 5 100 yard shoots basically touching each other with both loads. Impressed is an understatement as the ability to shoot more than 2 rounds before they opened up was great. this one is a keeper.

[c1skout]

Sounds good, are you going to try it for deer?

[Deerhunter#1]

That is going to be what I use it for my shots will be no further that 150I and mostly under 100

[Spanky]

That little Ruskie round has been killing anything and everything all over the world for a long time. It'll kill the hell out of deer too.
 
 
 
Spanky

[Dinny]

It'll kill the hell out of deer too.
Spanky

I shot a small 6-pointer many years ago with a SKS chambered in 7.62x39. He ran about 30yds before I saw his white belly turn up as he hit the ground. Given the ability to use bullets that have less COAL restriction, I can see this to be a great round for a Handi. Too bad it doesn't have a rim, then it would be perfect.


Thanks, Dinny

[keith44]

As far as Terminal Ballistics are concerned, loaded with good hunting bullets the 7.62x39 is a near twin to the venerable 30/30.  Both are deer killers, loaded with bullets in the 125 grain range both are capable of 125 to 150 yard shots.  Glad you found one you could keep.

[bilmac]

I've always noted the similarity between the 30-30 and 7.62X30 too. Kind of ironic that a ballistic twin to a venerable old all American woods round ends up being a premier communist war maker. I will never shoot it because it was one of those that almost put my lights out forever, but, it is an interesting question if it would perform just like the 30-30 if it was loaded with 150 or 170 gr bullets. I have shot the 30-30 with 130 gr Speer flat points and they work very well.

[geezer56]

My Handi 7.62X39 is also extremely accurate, with anything and everything.  It even shoots the cheapo milsurp stuff into little tiny clusters.  I've killed 3 deer with it, using reloads with Hornady bullets.  Two were bang flop, one managed to run about 20 feet.  It is a cast lead shooting fool too.  My kid calls it the commie whisper. 

[Ol BW]

The 7.62x39 is a pretty versatile round if you handload.  You can use .308 bullets with no problems.  This lets you use everything from 100 gr. to 150gr.  And if you get some sabots, you can even load .22 cal bullets.  It doesn't use much powder with the same capacity as a 44.mag.  It has plenty of power out close to 200 yds. with the right load. 
 
With the small case size, you can even experiment with subsonic loads and heavy bullets.  Sort of a poor man's whisper.
 
And as you have found out Handi's are accurate, the 7.62x39 is no exception!  I have similar results with both my 30'06 and my 7.62x39.
 
Where's Gendoc?  I'm sure he can say more about the 7.62x39 Handi accuracy. . .

[JB White]

Has anyone ever had problems with sticky extraction when using milsurp 7.62x39 due to the laquer coated cases? A number of years ago I built a 7.63x39 on a Mauser 98 action. Great little rifle in a great chambering when using brass cases.
 The laquer coated cases have a tendancy to melt themselves to the chamer walls meaning I have to hit the bolt handle smartly to break the bond. No need to do this with commercial brass & reloads but it's a little more expensive to play with.
 If the Handi's breakopen design circumvents this little annoyance then I may have to persue a stub or a used barrel sometime in the near future. Some of the military-type stuff can be had for near the cost of my reloads and without the additional work. That would mean I could keep a larger stockpile on hand to ward off those day long attacks by paper zombie targets and rabid tin cans.
 
 JB

[cwlongshot]

Has anyone ever had problems with sticky extraction when using milsurp 7.62x39 due to the laquer coated cases? A number of years ago I built a 7.63x39 on a Mauser 98 action. Great little rifle in a great chambering when using brass cases.
 The laquer coated cases have a tendancy to melt themselves to the chamer walls meaning I have to hit the bolt handle smartly to break the bond. No need to do this with commercial brass & reloads but it's a little more expensive to play with.
 If the Handi's breakopen design circumvents this little annoyance then I may have to persue a stub or a used barrel sometime in the near future. Some of the military-type stuff can be had for near the cost of my reloads and without the additional work. That would mean I could keep a larger stockpile on hand to ward off those day long attacks by paper zombie targets and rabid tin cans.
 
 JB

YUP,
 Some of the cheap ammo available for this caliber have given this excellent little rifle quite a black eye...
CW

[Spanky]

YUP,
Some of the cheap ammo available for this caliber have given this excellent little rifle quite a black eye...
CW

 
A big +1 to that.
 
 
 
Spanky

[tom548]

I put one together with a .308 dia. barrel. It will shoot 3/4" (6 shot)  groups all day . A lot of fun to play with and I have a real large bullet selection 50 gr w/ sabot to 220 gr.

[ibgp3]

Fortunately for me the 7.62x39's that flew in my direction didn't have my name on them so they didn't stop in to visit.
But I totally understand bilmac's attitude.
No bullet is my enemy, any more than a hammer or a sickle, but the 7.62x39 was the tool of my enemy for a long time.
An especially good tool despite crap for ammo and undertrained users.
It doesn't surprise me that it can make a great American rifle better with good ammo.


...but...I'll stick to the 30-30.
or, how about 7.62x40R
oops:

7.62x40 has been claimed for .221 fireball necked out to .30 cal (we did that in 7mm, called it 7x37)
Maybe it should be called 7.62bilmac ?

[JB White]

  YUP,
 Some of the cheap ammo available for this caliber have given this excellent little rifle quite a black eye...
CW

A big +1 to that.
 
 Spanky

Oh well... that's a bit disheartening but many thanks for the feedback all the same. Probably won't prevent me from buying a used one at a nice price but it does make me cool my jets in regard to chasing one down.
 Thanks again,
 
      JB

[cwlongshot]

Not at all!! Just load with QUALITY ammo and enjoy the accuracy!!

I'm sure you have here you are what you eat...

CW

[JB White]

Oh, I'll vouch for that! The com-block designed semi-autos don't do the cartridge justice at all. This is one that begs for a solid platform to realize its full potential. I feel the single shot option w/sights on barrel is probably the best thing going in terms of accuracy and cash outlay.
 

[Dixie Dude]

Someone on this forum used 150g cast bullets in a SKS with no problems.  So it can use 150's especially in a Handi.  Would probably improve range and accuracy with pointed bullets boat tail cup & core bullets over a 30-30 with 150 flat noses. 

[Deerhunter#1]

Going to try the 130 grain hor sp 308 bullet and see what happens. It has a slightly higher BC then the 123 .310 hornady bullet.

[ibgp3]

So if the 7.62x39 case suits the Handi,("7.62x39 most accurate handi so far"); how about a rimmed version?
Do a 1.5" partial ream with a 30-40 Krag, and cut a rim for the Krag and you get the first cartridge.
         very close to 7.62x39 rimmed.
Do a 1.5" partial ream with a 260 rem AI, and cut a rim for the Krag and you get the second cartridge.
Do a 1.5" partial ream with a 243 AI, and cut a rim for the Krag and you get the third cartridge.
Do a 1.5" partial ream with a 22-250 AI, and cut a rim for the Krag and you get the fourth cartridge.


When I started looking for comparables, I found the 6.5BR; which led to the 6mmBR and the 22BR; and the 30BR!!


So any of the BR cartridges , plus a .307 rim should be a perfect Handi cartridges.
Long way around the block to re-invent the wheel.  Anybody doing this?




The BR is a Remington proprietary cartridge, if it suits the Handi rifles, it would sure make a Handi line.

[cwlongshot]

Not gonna be a popular one for the handi.... The BRs claim for being is its able to use a short stiff action with food performance.  Handis don't care about length but do prefer the rim and lower pressures.

About any rimmed cartridge from 75-100 years ago can have a breath of life breathed back into them when chambered into a handi. It strong enough to improve on the cartridages preformance and still stay within the ideal pressure range for the Handis.  I'm not suggesting that Handis are not strong only that they acel within a pressure range and that number is below many of today's calibers.

CW

[ibgp3]

Interesting, raves for the 7.62x39, but a nearly identical cartridge with a rim would not be good?

[cwlongshot]

Interesting, raves for the 7.62x39, but a nearly identical cartridge with a rim would not be good?

ONLY because ammo isn't cheap and plentiful. If it where you would have a winner...

I'm just guessing but I would bet that 80-90% of theses guns where inicially sold to guys who had or had access to cheap ammo. Then they found that cheap ammo wasn't so well suited to a single shot.
 

It's only now after its discontinued that people are realizing it's potential.

Personally I never was a fan and passed on a number of these guns. I do prefer a rim for a handi.

CW

[ibgp3]

I can still claim that I thought of it, but I can't claim that I thought of it first.
When I started looking, I found a gunsmith who said he has chambered Handi's in:


22 BR rimmed...

6mm BR rimmed...

25 BR rimmed...

6.5 BR rimmed...

7mm BR rimmed...

30 BR rimmed...

He said they were all good, but I don't hear any discussion about them, so I guess you are right, it won't catch on.

[MSP Ret]

Interesting, raves for the 7.62x39, but a nearly identical cartridge with a rim would not be good?

ONLY because ammo isn't cheap and plentiful. If it where you would have a winner...

I'm just guessing but I would bet that 80-90% of theses guns where inicially sold to guys who had or had access to cheap ammo. Then they found that cheap ammo wasn't so well suited to a single shot.
 

It's only now after its discontinued that people are realizing it's potential.

Personally I never was a fan and passed on a number of these guns. I do prefer a rim for a handi.

CW

 
If your looking for a rimmed cousin of the 7.62x39, one with cheap ammo and one which is cheap to reload and shoot, with plenty of accuracy potential and versitility to boot, just do as was posted in an earlier response...get a 30/30....<><....

[ibgp3]

I think you are under estimating the 30-30.
It is a third longer and has 50% more case capacity than the 7.62x39 or BR cases.

[keith44]

My only complaint about a 30/30 is the factory ammo it has traditionally been loaded with.  Blunt nose bullets weighing more than necessary, and thinner jacketed than should have been used.  The 170 grain round nose bullets are the worst of the group, too low velocity and too thin jacket.  This should have never been offered.  The thinner jacket allows it to expand easily on thin skinned critters like deer, but the weight and nose profile are for penetration.  With the low velocity it does neither as well as it should. 

Now drop the bullet weight to 125 to 140 grains, give the bullet either a flat or spire point and you have what the 30/30 should have been all along.  With the correct bullet at the correct velocity the 30/30 will do the job very well.  With spire point bullets it is easily a 200 yard gun.

[cwlongshot]

I think you are under estimating the 30-30.
It is a third longer and has 50% more case capacity than the 7.62x39 or BR cases.

Correct, but it operates at handi friendly pressures and is very accurate in its own rite.
 
As Keith said it really shines with spitzer bullets of a little lighter weight.
 
CW

[gendoc]

well i'll be !!!
ya meen theresa nuther  accurate "39".
 
i've been tell'n yall bout mine since 08......... no need to explain or train.
 
best outta 27 i got and they all mean business.
 
red solo cup.... i'll fill you up....lets hava party

[ratdog]

sure puts a nice hole in 3/8'' mild steel plate and doesn't cost much.