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Terminal Performance of the 7.62x39


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8m3 hp is absolutely explosive. Theres no confusing its effects on test media versus smaller holed hp that acts like fmj. You sure you got those out of a 122gr box of tula? Seriously, i wish the ruskies would get some kind of quality control or at least label the damn bullets they use for each batch for fucks sake. Its good shit. And id be willing to wager if they named it as such and stuck to it wed all be willing to pay just a little bit more without playing this freaking guessing game!

 

/rant.

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I have seen MANY discussions of 7.62x39 vs 5.56 and generally figured it boiled down to preference.   Recently I have been thinking more about the performance of different loads in each caliber. No

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8hL3WtKGY8&list=UU1UICFxcABkGg8Nj3X0dW8Q&index=5   Normal FMJ loads in 7.62x39 mostly just poke holes at close range and don't tumble soon enough to cause dam

While I do agree that some loads will perform better than others, I dont see this caliber being as ineffective as many may claim. I feel a well placed shot with one of the lower performing loads will

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Yup, I was actually kinda disappointed that I did too, I bought the ammo because it was cheap and available to do some shooting, figured the 8m3 wouldn't be in 122gr. The Herter's was the same deal, although I actually meant to grab FMJ, but due to cabela's just lumping all the 7.62x39 into one big pile all with nearly identical boxes, it's kinda hard not to mix 'em up. When I found out they were 8m3, I decided to keep 'em, aside from a few for testing.

Edited by JoeAK
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Are you sure you saw tests for the 8m3 HP, or the usual crap, the usual crap does act like an FMJ, the 8m3 fragments.

 

 

Here's a few tests I did on the first box I found, this was labeled as Tulammo 122gr. HP

 

The top left round was shot into some clayish stuff that my friend uses to test bullets, it's barely being held together, and it left a relatively big and nasty cavity, about the same size as the cavity from a .303 brit SP.

 

Bottom left was shot into water, these are the only pieces that I found, and could definitivly ID.

 

The round on the right was also shot into water, didn't find the lead core.

 

The bottom bullet, I pulled weighed and sectioned, melted the lead out of one half so I could see the cuts, they extend a little more than halfway down the bullet. I don't remember the exact weight, but it was 123.something.

 

 

 

Hard to say if they were all 8m3 as you cant really trust whats on the box of Ruskie ammo (that is a huge problem). Or even if the specs were held to in the making. Some may some may not.

 

I am not sold on the idea of multiple small wound channels being better than one larger. It gets kind of esoteric as opposed to a soft point doubling its size and keeping together.

 

Water barrel tests that I have seen mostly frag but gel has shown various results. There again some of this gel may not be up to snuff either.

 

If we are scientific about it the sample group on 8m3 is far too small to draw any sound conclusions either way.  

The M67 on the other hand has enough to know about 4" in its going to tumble.

 

Still say if you want something consistent go American, the Ruskies vary too much, GT excluded (so far).

Hornady and Remington offer excellent results if pricey for bulk buys.

 

The yugo mil-surp is still around but you have to hunt it up and be patient. But frankly GT is the better ammo of the two on many counts. IF your rifle likes it. All mine do.

 

When this panic dies down hope to get some GT in pistol cals also, not the best but if you ever had to "store" it could prove wise. That stuff is very well protected IIRC.

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  • 1 month later...

Interesting video. I guess the upshot is that it expands about right and gives suitable penetration for light deer, but doesn't have a lot of mass so it might not do well with bones. It looks over-penetrative for people in populated areas, but predictable. I'm not a hunter, so correct me if that's wrong.

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I like it alot for defense due to it's reliable early expansion.  For hunting I like that it expands but retains weight and penetrates.

 

It most likely would go through a bad guy and a wall or two.  I'm OK with that in my situation.  

 

For hunting I wouldn't use it on anything heavier than a whitetail (unless I had to for survival) but I'd be fine with it for whiteys and hogs.

Edited by Darth Saigus
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  • 3 weeks later...

This is a very informative post.  But of course, I'm a day late and a dollar short.  Better late than never.  Everything that has been discussed is sitting in my stash.  Last night I came across a round that I know absolutely nothing about but as described by the manufacturer it can do just about anything you need it for.  Found it at ammotogo.  It is made by RBCD in Texas.  There are 2 762x39 rounds available.  Both are listed as Frangible.  1st round is a 112 gr blended metal technology soft point.  It has a muzzle velocity of 3100 fps and power of 2391 flbs.  2nd is a 37 grain sabot smtsp also. specs are 3700 fps/1216 flbs.  The 112 gr has penetration of 7" and expansion of 14".  The sabot penetrates 8" and has expansion of 14".  Has anyone used/seen know anything about this stuff?  For the cost I would hope it does what the mfg claims.  It is $43 for box of 20.  I thought the only majic bullet in existence was found in Dallas in 63. (bad taste joke).  This sounds too good to be for real but who knows. Anyone with input?

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I'd be concerned about reliability with exotic ammo. Light weight and extreme velocity is absolutely destructive, but range and accuracy probably suffer.

My experience with sabot rounds in other calibers is that they throw a shotgun pattern for a group at 100yds.

Frangible rounds are better for accuracy (sometimes) but velocity and energy drop fast.

On another note, I just ordered a case of Tula 124gr hp. Hopefully it really is 8M3. It should be here monday or tuesday. I'll check them and let you guys know.

 

EDIT: Got it today.  Definitely has the grooves in the cavity.  Will have to do a test to be sure.

Edited by Darth Saigus
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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Nothing but Tulammo 122 gr. HP is still using the 8m3.

 

I pulled the bullets in a box and weighed them, I got anywhere from 121 gr. to 125 gr. with 20 rounds, I was hoping to do some "mexican match" with it, but after seeing that, I'm not so sure if it will help.

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ive been curious about the federal fusion rounds and the pdx defender 120gr split core round. Ive no experience with them and was wondering if anyone here had run them through their ak.

 

Seen FF on youtube for other cals nothing on x39 though. I just went with SST for that round.

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So....

If you could choose between the following which one would you buy for hog hunting.

 

Golden Tiger FMJ

Wolf MC in SP, HP, or FMJ

Wolf WPA polyperformance in SP or HP

 

Or one of the russian or Ukraine ammo I didn't list. Sgammo got a shipment in and I would like to get some. Already have a case of the WPA SP's

 

Thanks for the advice.

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Could choose or must choose?

 

None of them would be a preference but of course I dont know how many hogs you intend to turn into pulled pork.

 

GT seems to show the most reliable ballistics but it is FMJ. 

None of the Wolf HP or SP expand with anything close to the reliability of a good American hunting round.

 

Each tool to its intended purpose.

No big deal to to have a few boxes of the high end stuff in addition to the stack it deep stuff.

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Id pick Wpa soft point for hogs, Ill save the sst for white tails. Technically in my state hogs are no longer considered game animals and you can use fmj on them, but i wouldnt be the one tempting fate lol. One pissy wildlife officer could make for a real bad day.

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Id pick Wpa soft point for hogs, Ill save the sst for white tails. Technically in my state hogs are no longer considered game animals and you can use fmj on them, but i wouldnt be the one tempting fate lol. One pissy wildlife officer could make for a real bad day.

 

I would be more concerned with a pissed off 150# hog thats bleeding out a bit too slow.

horror.gif

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Id pick Wpa soft point for hogs, Ill save the sst for white tails. Technically in my state hogs are no longer considered game animals and you can use fmj on them, but i wouldnt be the one tempting fate lol. One pissy wildlife officer could make for a real bad day.

 

 

I would be more concerned with a pissed off 150# hog thats bleeding out a bit too slow.

:horror:

Thats why shot placement is key--and standard capacity mags a must! Lol.

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Id pick Wpa soft point for hogs, Ill save the sst for white tails. Technically in my state hogs are no longer considered game animals and you can use fmj on them, but i wouldnt be the one tempting fate lol. One pissy wildlife officer could make for a real bad day.

 

I hear ya. I have a case of the WPA SP, so I will pass on the stack it deep stuff right now and get some good hunting rounds. Just had a little extra ammo money this month and wanted to figure out the best way to spend it. Looks like the SST might be my best bet.

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Id pick Wpa soft point for hogs, Ill save the sst for white tails. Technically in my state hogs are no longer considered game animals and you can use fmj on them, but i wouldnt be the one tempting fate lol. One pissy wildlife officer could make for a real bad day.

I hear ya. I have a case of the WPA SP, so I will pass on the stack it deep stuff right now and get some good hunting rounds. Just had a little extra ammo money this month and wanted to figure out the best way to spend it. Looks like the SST might be my best bet.

 

Yeah if $ is no object get the good shit! I picked up 100 rounds of sst for deer from sgammo for 28$/50 rounds. Ill more than likely begin to use it more as im stocked on the stackin deep stuff.

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I'm in the same boat. Stack it deep stuff is okay right now. I picked up some of the Hornady stuff from SG Ammo. Still not a bad price at just over $.50 a round. The good stuff for an AR or a .308 is close to a buck a round. I can make those....not set up to make x39, so I think it is a good investment. I do appreciate the advice. Its always good to hear and act on some good advice rather than just order the same stuff I always get.

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  • 3 months later...

Probably the most effective imported ammo is rounds using the 124 grain Ulyanovsk 8M3 "Sapsan" or "Effect" bullet. Google it and do Youtube for videos. The stuff is NASTY!!!!!!!  It gives wound cavities like M193 out of a 20" barrel does at 25 yards.

 

8M3 bullets open up within several inches and fragments, due to deep "pre-fail cuts" on the inside of the hollow point cavity.  Very nasty.  Was first imported in Ulyanovsk  "hunting ammo" in a white box with blue or black printing.  Then Wolf Military Classic used it for several years, but discontinued it around 2010.  Current production Tulammo 124 grain HP (NOT 122 GRAIN HP) uses it.  Look for the Ulyanvosk headstamp (double squiggly arrow looking logo) on the case, indicating it is produced by Ulyanvosk.  One again Tulammo 122s are NOT 8m3, and do not open up.

 

In parts of Texas, 8M3 loaded ammo is the "go to" hog killer round.

Here is a thread about Wolf MC when it used 8M3:

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2020033/Re_8m3_Carnage

 

Here's a thread from this forum a number of years ago, that is a good read.  It also shows some 8M3 damage further down the thread.

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/63809-straight-up-is-a-saiga-545-that-much-more-accurate-than-a-saiga-762/

Edited by imarangemaster
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  • 2 weeks later...

I picked up1,300 rounds of the Tulammo, Ulyanovsk made 124 grain HP for $4.57/20.  I checked and it has the rounded ogive projectile with deep pre-fail cuts in the inside of the hollow point.  Should be 8M3.  Going to kill some watermelons in the desert when I go down and see my son and his buddies in So-Cal..

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