HUNTING W/ 7.62 W/SCOPE

[Schmura714 0]

I'M THINKING OF BUYING 7.62 FOR HUNTING ELK, INSTEAD OF A 308. PRO'S AND CON'S

[TEXASAK73 13]

Why would you use an intermediate cartridge for large game?I would not trust it for one shot kills.

[cscharlie 107]

If you ask around enough, eventually you'll find someone who will tell you that a slingshot and a stick of gum is plenty to do the job. I've hunted for almost 30 years now. I'm afraid you would be very under gunned with the 7.62 x 39mm cartiage on elk. No way would I EVER go smaller than .270 or .308 for an animal that size unless it was a matter of survival or something that serious. In my honest opinion it's still asking a lot of .270 Win. or .308 Win to make a good kill on an elk although it can be done effectively.

[csspecs 1,987]

The 7.62x39 is very very close to .30-30.

 

That said I would not hunt elk with a .30-30, a .308 gives you much more killing power and in the saiga world is only about 80.00 more.

[soberups 1]

You can kill an elk with a .22lr and you can tow a boat with a VW bug, but neither choice is a good idea. If my family is hungry and I see an elk and all I have is a 7.62 then I will take the shot. If I CHOOSE to go elk hunting for sport...I have an ethical responsibility to use a cartridge of adequate power for a quick, humane kill. The 7.62 is not that catrdridge.

[747mech 1]

I've hunted whitetail, sucessfully, with a x39.

I agree with the above that it does not have the energy to ethically hunt larger game.

The 308 kicks harder, but so do elk.

Accuracy over distance and energy go to the 308.

I probably will not hunt with the x39 again, instead using a 30-06 "hunting rifle", or my 308 Saiga.

If I'm below my state's "rifle line", a 12ga loaded with a 385gr sabot at 1900fps will take anything.

[Schmura714 0]

I'M THINKING OF BUYING 7.62 FOR HUNTING ELK, INSTEAD OF A 308. PRO'S AND CON'S

I have a 45 70 now and a 3030 for big game and was looking for something new, I think I will get the 308 saiga, tks for the input

[KySoldier 2]

You may be a good candidate for the Saiga 100 in 30-06. Powerful, but limited in capacity since its designed really for hunters.

 

Gilberts Guns had one last I checked but its not listed online.

[Denali 0]

In my opinion the 7.62x39 is a poor choice for elk. It doesn't have enough energy for ethical shots over 50 yards, it has a poor trajectory past 100 yards, and there aren't many good choices for hunting bullets loaded in commercial 7.62x39 ammo. You wont get enough expansion, or you wont get enough penetration. Either way, most x39 bullets will leave you with a wounded elk and you having to track the animal.

 

The 7.62x39 round developed to kill humans, NOT big game animals weighing 400-800 lbs.

 

I would consider .308 Win with VERY good premium ammo and excellent shot placement to be an absolute minimum for elk. A 30-06 or .300 Win Mag would be even better for big, heavy, strong animals such as elk.

 

Yes, you could possibly kill an elk with a .22 LR, and if you're a complete idiot you could also hunt Kodiak brown bears with a .223 Rem, but if you're actually serious about the sport of hunting, and have some common sense, there are obviously more ethical, and practical rounds out there for the job.

 

Buy a hunting rifle to hunt. If you're on a budget, get a Savage (great rifles for the $), or Stevens (same as Savage, but cheaper). If you MUST be a tacticool hunting ninja living your Red Dawn fantasy, then buy a Saiga in .308, or 30-06, or save up for a AR-10 platform rifle.

 

--Denali

[markmc753 0]

If you MUST be a tacticool hunting ninja living your Red Dawn fantasy, then buy a Saiga in .308, or 30-06, or save up for a AR-10 platform rifle.

 

I dont see anything in the fellow's question that warrants the above belittling response...