HKshutr Report post Posted August 5, 2012 Hey all, I am new to this forum, but am an avid shooter, hunter, and reloader. I have a Ruger M77 stainless with a synthetic stock chambered in 7.62x39. Although I have many rifles to choose from, I have this crazy itch to take it deer hunting. I have never shot a deer from over 250 yds. I reload with a 123gr sp, with 24 gr of imr4198. I have shot squirrels off of rocks at just over 200 yds, so I know I can hit them, but what are your thoughts on knock down power? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yotebuster Report post Posted August 5, 2012 That'll knock em dead. Run your ballistics and set your max range at wherever your energy drops below 800 ft/lbs or it goes beyond your comfortable accuracy range. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HKshutr Report post Posted August 5, 2012 Well, since I just have a cheap Bushnell 3x9x40 on it, I'm sure that 800 ft/lbs would be beyond my comfort zone as far as distance with this particular rifle, but I will def look it up to see where I'm at. I just don't want to feel like I'm lobbing mortars with this thing. Thanks yotebuster! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
123456 Report post Posted August 5, 2012 7.62 x 39 has plenty of energy to knock down deer. If you have the itch, scratch it. I had the itch last year to get into muzzleloading. I went out bought a muzzleloader and knocked down a muley with it. Was a great time, and I can now check that off my list of stuff I wanted to do. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oz31p Report post Posted August 6, 2012 + 1 scratch away Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HKshutr Report post Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks 123456, I missed my shot the first year hinting muleys with a muzzleloader (overthought my shot). I pulled a 6x6 elk out of 6a in 2010 with it. I just bought a PSE Stinger yesterday (my first bow), and hope to get good enough with it by January to give it a go. Back to 7.62x39, all of my buddies give me a hard time every time I mention deer hunting with it. I guess the only thing to do is knock one down with it so I can give them the old "I told you so". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
More D Report post Posted August 6, 2012 That is one of the beautys of what we enjoy doing. We can mix it up! Last February I scratched the similar itch. I used a 5mm Remington to take a javalina. It worked great and I had a great time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HKshutr Report post Posted August 6, 2012 No doubt More D. My father in law had been looking for a semi- auto 6mm that had been in his family for quite a while. His nephew's wife sold it after he died in an accident. He managed to locate it through a friend of a friend of the family. My wife took it out last year, but didn't get a shot. I may give that one a go too. BTW, my wife and pa on law got the September early bull hunt in Unit 10 this year. Wish her luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PRDATR Report post Posted August 6, 2012 The 7.62 has very similar ballistics to the 30-30 and you should be good out to about 250 yards. http://www.shopcorbon.com/CORBON-Hunter/762x39-150gr-CORBON-Hunter-JSP/HT762X39150-20/300/Product Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scooter Report post Posted August 9, 2012 It saddens me to say this, but there have been a lot of extremely long distance "Golden Bullet" human deaths caused by that particular round. You put it where it needs to be and whatever you hit is going down. Heck, I was unaware that the M77 was ever chambered in that round... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunterjohnny Report post Posted August 9, 2012 Becoming more popular back east where shots are a little shorter than ours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Quagmire Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Go for it man and let us know how you did with it. I took my two biggest mulies years ago with my mini 14 and I still have a hard time convincing people that its possible. My dad also took three mulies himself and then he gave me the rifle. I now only use it to hunt javelina and it has never let me down. Best of luck to you this season!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HKshutr Report post Posted August 10, 2012 I bought it at a gun show several years ago. They were made for a limited time, and they are somewhat rare now. It is a Hawkeye version with a 16 1/2" barrel. Very easy to pack, and pleasant to shoot. It would be a great gun for a young hunter. One of those situations where I "just had to have it"! Now it sits in the gun cabinet looking pretty. I've come close to buying one if those stainless mini 14s on several occasions, but was able to fight off the urge. And prdatr, that looks like some great ammo. I looked around a little for 150gr reloading bullets, but haven't found any yet. I'd love to work up my own load with 'em! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scooter Report post Posted August 10, 2012 Why 150Gr??? That's gonna be a really hard one to find (if it even exists in .310") since it is a "Milsurp" round. I would stick with the 123's and maybe move to a Hornady Interlock SP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HKshutr Report post Posted August 11, 2012 I liked what I saw on the ballistics charts on the Corbon 150 gr, but I would rather load than buy factory ammo. I have heard of people loading .308 bullets in the 7.62 cartridge, but that is not something I want to do. Wouldn't my accuracy suffer? This is the bad side of the reloading and shooting addiction, always tinkering, always wanting to try something new. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
