In the market for a 7.62x39 rifle (bolt, single) -- any list experience??

[Ohio Rusty]

I have learned there are maybe 4 different rifles that are chambered for the 7.62x39 cartridge. Remington makes one bolt action -- the 799, CZ makes a nice bolt action albeit pretty expensive, Russian American Armory makes a good affordable one, and there may be a couple of single shot guns made by Savage and H&R if they are still available. A bolt or single action 7.62x39 would make an excellent addition to the current gun I have that uses that same caliber and the ammo I have collected. I'm interested in anyone on the list that has experience with the above type rifles. I read the Chuckhawks review, and I will see if the RAA Bars 4-1 rifle has been exported here for purchase. I think this would be a great varmint/deer gun. With all the issues happening with the AR/AK platform rifles, it only makes sense to have a gun chambered in 7.62x39 and there isn't much demand currently for guns that are not semi-auto's/assault rifle configurations. A good time for me to buy another gun !!
Thanks in advance for your information.
Ohio Rusty ><>

[madsenshooter]

I'm thinking along the same lines Rusty. I have a 6x45 AR-15. I don't imagine there's a coyote pack here in our neck of the woods that I'd need all that firepower for. Least not yet. So I been looking at Stevens model 200s. I could get one in .223, plus a 6x45 barrel, or I could just move up in size to the .243, as I have a whole lot of GI 7.62x51 I could make them from. I'm heading over to Wolf Creek's range Tues, weather permitting, and it might be the AR's last trip along.

[jwhite]

i have both a Charles Daly mini-mauser and a ruger compact chambered in 7.62x39 and like them both. They both shoot cast boolits very well, both full power loads as well as lighter loads. The ruger has a 16" barrel which i feel is a little too short and the matte finish does not seem to be very rust resistant. The mini mauser has a 20" barrel and i like that length much better. Both great little rifles and would recomend either one.

JW

[shotman4]

the CZ seems to have a deep rifling from looking at a guys at range . He had some federal game loads and some cheap import stuff and both shot good .. I dont know what bore size was but the import would have been .312 and guessing the feds to be .308

[Nobade]

I have had one of the CZ rifles for many years now. It gets shot with nothing but cast, from 115gr. to 245 gr. it likes them all. It didn't shoot all that great when I got it, but once I epoxy bedded the stock it came alive and is one of the most accurate rifles I own now. I didn't care for the mag hanging down under it, so I made an aluminum single shot adapter that is flush with the stock. Handles much better now and can be loaded with those really long 245s with no problem. If you get one you won't be sorry. Oh, barrel is .301"X.310" so rifling is a bit deeper than a normal 30 cal.

[Dthunter]

I have been using Rugers compact Hawkeye M77 in 7.62X39.

It has a.308" bore, and shots very well!
I shoot 150 grain sierra pro hunters in mine. Definitely shoots 1" or less.
I helped my sister in law shoot a really nice black bear boar last spring. One shot, one kill. Great little cartridge!

This little 16" rifle barrel shoots cast very well. I have been able to get the lyman#311299 (200gr) to shoot 1.25" groups at 100yds or better normally.

[Intel6]

I have had my CZ for more than a few years and it is a great cast bullet shooter!

Neal in AZ

[Jeff Michel]

I have the 527 CZ which is a very good shooter in either cast or jacketed loads. As you stated, their not exactly cheap. A reasonable alternative would be the MP 18 Baikal. I have one and it's very good as a cast bullet platform. It has a chrome lined bore and I have yet to experience any leading with either plain or G/C bullets. The downside is the trigger pull is ........not good. The MP18 was supposed to be imported again by EAA, evidently the deal fell through because they removed it as a cataloged item. You can probably find one on GunBroker, they show up occasionally.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't think Remington is importing the Zastava gun anymore. It's a shame as they are nice guns that have been imported by at least three companies-- Interarms, Charles Daly, and Remington. The version I have is from Charles Daly. I think the only thing difference is the stock.

Mine has a .313" groove diameter and shoots cast like it was made for it.

Robert

[o6Patient]

Bore size is slightly larger than our .308 caliber. It was developed as an anti
personnel round. It is a nice little caliber but can be bested by any
number of standard calibers. Mine is in an SK and is an interesting little gun.
(as I find most all rifles)

[Lloyd Smale]

had a stainless 77 ruger that shot moa or a bit less with hornady vmax bullets.

[lawboy]

I have had my CZ for more than a few years and it is a great cast bullet shooter!

Neal in AZ

+1
Me too. Love mine without reservation.

[TCLouis]

Don't forget the old ugly stocked Ruger.

It has .308 barrel also!

[BruceB]

It has .308 barrel also!

My M77 Ruger in 7.62x39 had a bore diameter of .3105". This one, at least, was NOT 308".

[Dthunter]

My M77 Ruger in 7.62x39 had a bore diameter of .3105". This one, at least, was NOT 308".

Hmmm strange Indeed!

Mine mics out at .308. And slugs out the same with a Soft Lead Slug.
It shoots sierra 150 grain .308" bullets very well. Groups normally Inside 1.25" at 100 yards. More often than not, sub 1".

I have never shot anything other than .308 diameter from my M77.

Incidently, it shoots the 208A-Max bullet as a sub sonic bullet into .75" at 100. Great little rifle! Lots of fun!

[Ohio Rusty]

Finally !! ...... I found a used in like new condition Remington 799 in 7.62x39. It should be here next week sometime. It weill be a while until I can shoot it as I'm having rotor cuff surgery this coming week ... (SIGH).
I currently have some russian ammo (FMJ's and HP's) and some boxes of Prvi Partisan SPRN 125 grainers. If one would acquire a semi auto russian import, then I would have 2 different rifles with one boolit caliber. Pretty handy. I was looking thru my Lyman cast handbook and I see there are two decent choics of cast boolits. The Lee C312 155 and the Lyman 311410 at 130 grains. So sometime in thsi nest year I will probablt pick up a set of rifle dies and hunt down all the components to put together some rounds. I'm sure there are some cast boolits available on the list for trade.

As for a scope ... I'm leaning toward the Bushnell Banner 3x9x40. The price is decent and it has a 4 inch eye relief. No worry about the scope smacking me in the eye (been there, done that, DOH!!).

Being I'll be as useful as a one armed paper hanger ...... I have been for the last few weeks casting lots of .38 and .44 boolits, getting them lubed, getting brass cleaned, etc. I can set at the press an use one arm to reload. It will give me something to do in the coming weeks. Maybe I can fill all the requests for boolits from family members.

Ohio Rusty ><>

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Remington/Zustava 7.62x 39 is sold here as the M85 Zustava and it is way cheap!

The CZ is the pick of them in this calibre, but ir would want to be, it is pretty much twice as expensive as the others.

A friend who is a lurker and occasional poster here has a Baikal single shot 7.62x39. Brilliant little rifle and very, very cheap. He plans to convert his to 303Brit. He did state that he had a bit of trouble improving the trigger though.

[Herb in Pa]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?66650-7-62-x-39-experiment

[Jeff Michel]

Keep us posted on the .303 conversion. I've considered it but didn't because of the chromed chamber. That will wreck any normal high speed steel reamer. Does anyone have a lead on a carbide reamer? I'd be grateful for the information.
Jeff Michel

[Four Fingers of Death]

He is a tight fisted sort of guy and generally makes his own reamers. He might have to make several and do it in steps, or put his hand in his pocket for a real reamer, Haha! It would be nice in 303Epps. The 7.62x39 is pretty well up to taking most medium game though. The 303 or 303Epps conversion would put it in another league altogether.

[Driver man]

I have just bought today a new Norinco made 7.62x39 bolt action rifle with 2 x 5 round magazines. I bought it on our equivelant to EBAY here in NZ and the courier delivered it this morning .I spent a while cleaning and fine tuning, fitting a scope and will range test it tomorrow. The weather here is hot and a day at the range is about the top of my fun things to do list.
This Norinco rifle is marked as being a Bisley. Poorly finished but quite rugged. It lends itself to being a project . I dont have any cast loads for it yet but will develop some. The Norinco range of firearms are generally readily available here. Do you have these in the States.

[lotech]

Regarding the Ruger bolt-actions (don't know if this applies to the newer ones), I purchased two from the original Davidson's wholesalers run about twenty years ago. I contacted a Ruger rep regarding the barrel and was told groove diameter was .310"-.311". Regardless, the rifles shot well with most jacketed bullets regardless of diameter, but with cast, best accuracy was with .311" bullets as I recall.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have just bought today a new Norinco made 7.62x39 bolt action rifle with 2 x 5 round magazines.

I have often looked at these but the price tag always pulled me up. They were always close to the Savage Edge/Axis type rifles and everyone I have seen used had a ruined barrel from corrosive milsurp ammo and poor/ignorant cleaning regime.

[hicard]

I like both of mine, a CZ527 and a Ruger Hawkeye but I favor the Ruger just a little over the CZ.

[Lloyd Smale]

mine was too bruce
My M77 Ruger in 7.62x39 had a bore diameter of .3105". This one, at least, was NOT 308".

[TheGrimReaper]

I got a Interarms MarkX Mini-Mauser in 7.62x39 wearing a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40, and with a Hornady 123gr SP backed by 31.5grs of H335 it'll tear a ragged hole at 100yds.