Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Was looking for a caliber to reach out some for game like deer if I needed to in a SHTF situation where our money aint worth squat and I needed to get my own meat...

 

I also have A 22lr and 22win mag.

 

You already have the IDEAL arms to take pretty much any game, including deer, in SHTF. Swift, silent (as far as cordite goes), and deadly. Range and shot placement are essential, as is choice of round, but that's what I plan on using to hunt in SHTF... Or a bo.

 

Just throwing that out there.

Edited by bohound
Link to post
Share on other sites

I Have a Saiga .223 and don't have the 7.63x39 but here were my decision points

 

1. Ammo recoils lighter for faster follow up shots

 

2. Saiga .223 has a thicker barrel

 

3. Ammo is about 35-40% lighter for an increase reflective in amount of ammo practically carried

 

4. The round is more accurate and with hollow point ammo giving it a 99% chance to fragment, its very lethal.

 

5. and due to the lighter recoil the gun is more accurate as there's less micro flexing in the receiver.

 

the ONLY benefit i can think of in the 7.62X39 is the round hits harder, BUT sense both rounds are fatal (Especially if Hollow points are used for the .223) i don't see that benefit large enough to justify all the draw backs

 

lets not forget all the military testing never includes hollow points because of the legality for professional armies

 

And these points are why the Russians also decided to scrap the 7.62x39 and do the 5.45 as standard issue

 

But both are effective and devastating

Edited by Joebanks
Link to post
Share on other sites

AR 223 with 20” heavy barrel / scoped.

Why: 20 years in the military so I’ve seen one before. Guns for shooting 3 gun matches so commonly used so if I need mags / ammo at a match I can steal them from my brother in law. Pretty flat shooting out to 300 yards so I can keep shots in the A zone without a lot of Kentucky windage figuring. Mag changes a little easier to do. Parts tend to be easier to find and or steal from my brother in law.

Same thing applies to 1911s for stealing from brother in law.

Edited by going12220
Link to post
Share on other sites

Another thing to consider, in a SHTF situation (yes I went there)what.gif .223/5.56 is gonna be alot easier to keep supplied on vs. the x39.

But it's a trade off, accuracy vs. heavy hitting. If your in a urban environment get the x39, if your like me and your nearest neighbor is one mile away go with .223.

 

 

I thought about this for SHTF, it's better NOT have a common caliber weapon. Imagine half the population of gun owners fighting over .223/5.56, .45, and 9mm. Load up on 5.45x39, no one wants your ammo what.gif they won't have anything to shoot it with, unless you're dead. horror.gif

 

Thats one way of thinking about it, but in the long run(years) the x39 and 5x45 is going to be very hard to get from mutha russia, and there are going to be alot less people equipped to reload these same rounds.

 

Remember how difficult it was for find 9mm at walmart after the 2008 election? Hell, it didn't get better down in Florida until mid-late 2010. Common calibers were wiped clean from the shelves due to the panic buying. That's what happens with common calibers. You won't be supplying off military and police like in the movies; they'd probably be supplying off of you. Your best ammo supply will be your own which is why I believe that a 22 LR is essential in any SHTF scenario.

 

7.62x39 offers cheap, quality, defensive ammo. Go for Brown/Silver Bear soft point for hunting. Wolf MC Hollow point for self defense and hunting in a pinch. You can buy cheap, quality military surplus mags if you can't afford the latest poly wonders being produced. Cheap effective optics are available later down the road via POSP. As long as there's a market willing to buy ammunition, there will be vendors.

 

223. has less durable, more expensive magazines, more expensive ammunition, less recoil, and any improved accuracy is mainly due to more accurate ammunition. Really, the only reason to go .223 is if you own an AR, want an AK, but don't want to store a new type of ammunition, or buy new magazines. YMMV.

 

Edit: oh, and .223 may be better if you are already reloading for it.

 

All points above are true. But I gotta tell ya, my local Wal Mart was clean out of x39 for a very very long time. And what 5.45 to wally worldhaha.gif

Link to post
Share on other sites

I Have a Saiga .223 and don't have the 7.63x39 but here were my decision points

 

1. Ammo recoils lighter for faster follow up shots

 

2. Saiga .223 has a thicker barrel

 

3. Ammo is about 35-40% lighter for an increase reflective in amount of ammo practically carried

 

4. The round is more accurate and with hollow point ammo giving it a 99% chance to fragment, its very lethal.

 

5. and due to the lighter recoil the gun is more accurate as there's less micro flexing in the receiver.

 

the ONLY benefit i can think of in the 7.62X39 is the round hits harder, BUT sense both rounds are fatal (Especially if Hollow points are used for the .223) i don't see that benefit large enough to justify all the draw backs

 

lets not forget all the military testing never includes hollow points because of the legality for professional armies

 

And these points are why the Russians also decided to scrap the 7.62x39 and do the 5.45 as standard issue

 

But both are effective and devastating

A good source for seeing ballistics testing with hollowpoints and specialty ammo is http://www.brassfetcher.com/

 

With so many different types of bullets and ammo available for any caliber, it is a good starting point to see what is best for your situation.

Link to post
Share on other sites

After much consideration, .223, x39, .308 or x54R, I finally went with the x39 as the best intermidiate round, for me, YMMV. It's ballistics are very similar to the American 30-30, which I'm somewhat used to as I sold an old yard sale bought(those were the days, lol) lever action to get my S12.

 

I live in a region that is either heavily brushy/wooded or heavily urban, which both limits range and requires penetration. The x39 is less likely to be knocked off course by twigs, leaves, wood frame contruction, etc than the .223 and is not as long as the .308/x54R, thus reduceing bulk on my loadout. Yes you can carry more .223 # for #, but you have less penatratablity and I like to be able to penetrate my target.

 

Locally, American .223 ammo is cheaper, but not any more easy to come by than the x39. Also, Since I shoe horses for living, I recycle alot anyway, so steel casings are "money back" for me. Kinda like beer, the more you drink the more you get back right?! But without paying the deposit up front, lol.

 

All that said, I went with a CAI RPK rather than the Saiga. It gives me 3 more inches(+/-) of barrel, which squeezes out every little bit of velocity/range the x39 can muster(rated max effective at 1000m, but I'm guessing that's as supressive fire, I can live with that), and has a heavier barrel which both aides in accuracy/recovery(albeit minutely perhaps) and heat distibution. It also can take drums unlike the larger calibers. My goal was to build a DMR with SSAW capability. An "All around SHtF rifle". Add to that, I plan to Bullpup it with in the next year, so barrel length will be negligble(about the same as my bullpupped S12's 18" barrel with a 3" muzzle break on it).

 

Oh and something I've only recently heard about, iirc, American snipers are playing with (for lack of a better term) "ally oop" snipeing. Ie, shooting targets from behind close-mid range cover by utilizing the rise and fall of the round. If this is true, the x39 could be king because of its "looping" trajectory, lol. Just speculation on my part, but I'll take what I can get, lol. But hmm, "periscopic" optics?

 

PS - As has been said, a .22lr will take down a deer. It's just about shot placement. I've seen it done.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Chatbox

    Load More
    You don't have permission to chat.
×
×
  • Create New...