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7.62x39 vs 30:30

drastic dave
How does the 7.62x39 compare to the 30:30 as a short to mid range deer cartridge.
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12 comments

Date Votes
  • woodsrunner
    Best term I ever heard on this subject was. "The 7.62x39 can be considered a light 30/30." In other words less powerful than a 30/30, but, not so much less it is taken out of the medium game hunting classification.

    Woods



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    "... there is much truth in the Italian saying, 'Make yourselves sheep, and the wolves will eat you.'" -- Benjamin Franklin
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  • earlwellman
    I guess it would come down to the bullet itself. The surplus stuff for the x39 is illegal for hunting in a lot of states as it is fmj. If you use a good pointed soft point, it may be better than most 30/30's that are a flatty or round nose due to the tube mag. Whatever edge the 30/30 has at the muzzle will soon evaporate when drag takes effect. You don't mention the rifles used. That may help.

    Earl
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  • Ray Boone
    ballistically they are very similar. The 30-30 is loaded with a heavier bullet, generally 150-170 grain; whereas most loadings I see for the SKS round are about 125 grain. The only experience I have with that round was in a turkey shoot and I was the turkey. I'd check the loading manuals and see how the SKS round fairs when loaded with 150 gr spitzers. If the muzzle velocity approached 2000 fps, I'd say it'd be a comparable to a 30-30, since the flat bullets of the 30-30 would be dropping velocity faster, and given a 2200 fps MV for the 30-30, would make then just about equal at 100 yards.
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  • ern98
    Given some kind of parity in the bullets used they are pretty similar. Still if it were me I keep it to 100yds or less or consider getting a bigger cartridge, like the .308 or so. Unless you handload getting a decent hunting bullet/cartridge for the 7.62x39 isn't easy. There is some loadings with hollow points and soft points but I don't know anyone who's actually used them on deer sized game. Most folks I know who are shooting their SKS's are using them on song dogs and the like.
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  • heavyiron
    Hi DD,

    The 7.62x39 and the .30-30 are very similar. Many people condemn the 7.62x39 as barely adequate for medium game like deer, but in some respects it is just as good if not better than the .30-30.

    First of all, 7.62x39 is now offered by every major ammunition maker including Winchester and Remington. Therefore, the 7.62x39 is not limited by military ball, powder or cases. These companies offer a modern high performance ballistic package for the 7.62x39 so, components are not an issue. Winchester and Remington also offer brass, boxer cases as well so you can "roll your own".

    Next, best 7.62x39 125 and 150 grain spitzer loads typically match best .30-30 flat point or round nose load energy at 100 yards. At 200 yards there is no equal comparison - the 7.62x39 beats the .30-30 by 20% in the velocity/energy department because there is less drag on the spitzer bullet.

    So the answer to your question is "Yes" with modern sporting components which are readily available the 7.62x39 is just as good as the .30-30 and a little better with distance.

    Regards,

    Heavyiron[8D]

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  • Der Gebirgsjager
    Just want to add one thing to this thoroughly discussed subject (and I disagree with nobody!); around here we have kind of smallish, coastal blacktail deer, and folks regularly whack them with the 7.62x39mm. The Whitetails are gradually moving in, and it works on them also. I think I'd have reservations about using it on Mule deer.
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  • Frogbert
    Wolf makes a 154gr. soft point with 2104 fps mv that delivers big
    energy as far out as 400 yds, and a 122gr bi-metal hollow point with 2396 fps mv that's still hitting harder at 400 yds than a .357 magnum
    close up. The 30-30 can't hold a candle to that according to the charts from any source that I have seen.
    Federal offers two 7.62x39 loads that deliver over 650 foot lbs at
    1548 and 1557 fps at 300yds.

    Frog.

    RRiBBButt...
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  • caber
    I am building a 7.62X39 as we speak. I'm using an Interarms mini mauser action. I wanted a light easy to handle rifle that would kill a whitetail deer out to 200 yards. I think this cartridge is just the ticket and I will find out next deer season.
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  • earlwellman
    You have to keep in mind that you can load the 30-30 to be a very good round as long as it is not in a tube mag. My contender works well with pointed rounds. I would believe that they are much more effective at the 200 yrd range than the old round nose.

    Earl
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  • rsnyder55
    HP ammo is getting more common. I just picked up 500 rounds of Wolf 7.62x39 122 gr hp for 40.00. The also offer a bullet in the 150 gr range. Check out Cheaper than Dirt.
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  • Randy Smith
    I am field testing a CZ 527 in 9.3X62 and took a doe this season with it using hollow point Russian Ammo (Wolf) at around 100 yards. It put the deer right down with similar performance to the 30-30. I don't believe it is probably as effective as the .30-30 beyond say... 150 yards. But it is an awfully nice round in this rifle. Very accurate and the rifle is very nice handling. Took a coyote yesterday at around 100 yards with the same load and it was very effective.... superior, I think to the .30-30 for this size animal. PMC has some heavier loads that retail for about the same as .30-30 hunting rounds. I think it is a nice round in the right rifle (such as this) for a youth deer gun or for a small framed hunter. Recoil is light and it is very inexpensive to shoot.
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  • Randy Smith
    I am field testing a CZ 527 in 9.3X62 and took a doe this season with it using hollow point Russian Ammo (Wolf) at around 100 yards. It put the deer right down with similar performance to the 30-30. I don't believe it is probably as effective as the .30-30 beyond say... 150 yards. But it is an awfully nice round in this rifle. Very accurate and the rifle is very nice handling. Took a coyote yesterday at around 100 yards with the same load and it was very effective.... superior, I think to the .30-30 for this size animal. PMC has some heavier loads that retail for about the same as .30-30 hunting rounds. I think it is a nice round in the right rifle (such as this) for a youth deer gun or for a small framed hunter. Recoil is light and it is very inexpensive to shoot.
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