7.62x39mm For Bear?

[Derailed]

Does anyone use it for bear? I was wondering if it would have enough energy behind it to bring down a bear. I have soft points, HP  and FMJ. what are your opinions? Thanks.

[Special T]

The balistics are very close to a 30-30 win. my brother hunted with a gun chambered in that for a long time. It makes a good "brush gun" IMO. 150 yards is about as much as your going to want to shoot. 

[JohnVH]

how good of a shot are you? a .223 will kill a bear, if you hit it right.  But if your a bad shot, probably should buy a 50bmg   

[Derailed]

Thanks for the  I was thinking about using my SKS or Mak-90 for a bear. especially in the rain that we have had lately. 

I wish I could afford a .50 BMG

[bobcat]

Good for 100 yards max.

[snowpack]

it's fine as long as you can hit the animal right with it.  7.62x39 with fmj will put down big animals.  I've heard of poachers in Africa taking down elephant and rhino with them....might take a few rounds but the round has plenty of penetration.

[Doc Sauce]

I think you can only kill chinese bears with your chinese gun bro...

And for those of you asking if he is a good shot... I think he is a one eyed pirate without a patch.

 

Derailed, I think you need to go tell your wife that, after discussing your choice of weapon for bear hunting, it was highly recommended that you get a BMG.  I'm sure she will understand.  I'll have my wife talk to her too if you want.

[jay.sharkbait]

FYI at 200 yards

A 125 grain bullet will be going just shy of 1800 fps and have 850 lbs energy

[Bullets_n_Octane]

I have taken two bears with my AK (7.62X39) first at 80yds FMJ, couple years later at 120is-yds with FMJ.

I'm sure we will see a few posts about "Why are you hunting with an assault rifle?" and all that crap. Just to calm anyone who gets all upset about it: A) I use 5 round mags (X2, 1 in the pocket), not 30 round mags like aforementioned african hunters. B) Because I can, and its a great, light, weatherproof, VERY ACCURATE brush gun.

I do 90% of my Bear hunting on the Wetside, and most available shots are 30-100yds, in my experience. Mine is my optimal brush gun. It used to be my 30-30, but it was getting too wet, and too nice of a Rifle to just see rain damage so much.

[hillbilli]

The SKS and AK are very common in the south as a brush gun for deer, MINI-30's occasionally too. I've seen a few deer shot with them, and I used to make a practice of doing water jug tests on the rounds before I would use them for deer or hogs. The foreign HP bullets usually fragment, and often dont exit- i ahve even seen a big doe shot in the head- skull was mush, but no exit wound. OK varmint load-dont recommend it for deer. The foreign SP's (123-125gr) expand, but dont hold together real well. The wolf/Tulammo 154gr sp only chrono's about 2100fps, these expand consistently, and exit deer-even when the femur was hit, but in water jug tests lost their jackets. (admittedly the jacket was in the last jug with the core) The 154gr is the only foreign sp. i would want to use for deer. The remington, winchester and federal all expand consistently and hold together-with my choice being the 125gr rem corlokt (I have a family member who has killed at least 7 deer with this load,and 2 were bucks that were 150+ dressed weight). The only "american" brand of SP we tried that showed core/jacket separation was the PMC. Black bear are heavier boned than deer-more like a hog in that regard, and probably less forgiving with a bullet that doesnt hold together..
 

[Wanttohuntmore]

FYI, FMJ are illegal to use on big game in WA.  I think a good broadside hit through the lungs will kill a bear no problem.  With the accuracy of most 7.62x39, that would be about 120yds or less.

[Doc Sauce]

I am not the best reader out there, but I do not recall seeing anything that limits the magazine capacity to 5 rounds for hunting big game... so  your 30 round magazine in an AK would be just fine.

[Special T]

FYI, FMJ are illegal to use on big game in WA.  I think a good broadside hit through the lungs will kill a bear no problem.  With the accuracy of most 7.62x39, that would be about 120yds or less.

FMJ ARE legal to hunt with so ar 30 round mags. Neither are recommended however. perhaps they would be good on cougars to reduce hide damage... I have used FMJ on Coyotes on my 06 and they work quite well. 

[Derailed]

Again thank you for the continued input. The weather is the main reason I want to use my SKS for Bear and deer.
I have been wanting to use it for deer for a long time I just never take it out hunting. I feel That I am a good shot with my SKS. My SKS only has a 10 round Mag. I was thinking I wouldn't shoot past 100yds with it.

 

[snowpack]

FYI, FMJ are illegal to use on big game in WA.  I think a good broadside hit through the lungs will kill a bear no problem.  With the accuracy of most 7.62x39, that would be about 120yds or less.

They are legal in WA.  Are people are mistaking Oregon regs for Washington?--in Oregon no FMJ or military type ammo is allowed, and no mags holding more than 5 rds (except for squirrels).

[Crunch14]

I use a DPMS LR308 in brushy terrain for deer and bear.  Easy to carry, extremely reliable, weatherproof .308.  I love the thing.

[Bullets_n_Octane]

Yes, FMJ's are LEGAL, and I use a 5 round mag for multiple reasons. Using a 30 round is in the way, too bulky, and quite frankly, looks ridiculous. I try to make the rifle look as friendly as possible. I get enough double takes for carrying an AK around as it is.

[Tiger1358]

Does anyone use it for bear? I was wondering if it would have enough energy behind it to bring down a bear. I have soft points, HP  and FMJ. what are your opinions? Thanks.

Don't worry ,you will be fine. I knew a lot of hunters back home in Europe, that have tried a bear hunting with an AK - 47. Worked pretty good, but they were using military ammo. I am sure soft point will be the best . 7,62 X 39 is not the best caliber for bear,but it will still work. Just try to shoot the bear as much as you can and if you hit it a couple times, you gonna have a good dinner. Good luck

[Wanttohuntmore]

The fmj rule must have changed in the last three years then.  I specifically remember that "expanding type" bullets must be used for big game.  Must have changed the regs about the same time they made 357's legal for big game and some other changes.  Regardless, don't use fmjs, you'll lose too many bear that way.

[bobcat]

It's been a long time since fmj's were not legal. I just looked in the 2001 pamphlet and there's nothing in there specifying what kind of bullets can or cannot be used.

There is also no restrictions on legal handguns for hunting, other than 24 caliber and 4 inch barrel minimums.

I do think you're right- they did away with all those types of restrictions at the same time, in an attempt to simplify the reg's.


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[snowpack]

That might be bobcat, I seem to remember back in the day the requirement being a minimum energy for big game--thought there was a number like 800 ft-lbs (fuzzy on this one though).  Now it is just barrel length, centerfire and a min caliber.