7.62x39 versus bear?

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FireInCairo

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Is this round capable of taking out a bear? Would you use FMJ? Hollowpoint? Would it require multiple shots?
 
What kind of bear? If you are talking coastal Alaskan brown bear, I think you may be under gunned. If you are talking 200-250lb Eastern US black bear the Wolf 154gr SP or Corbon 150gr SP 7.62x39 ammo should do the trick. Both of those loads have ballistics similar to the venerable 30/30 150gr load and hunter's killed a lot of deer and bears with that load for the last 75+ years.
 
Native Alaskans have taken Polar Bear with 223. Doing so is not exactly on my bucket list, but it has been done.

The 7.26X39 wouldn't be near the top of my list, but if it is what I had, and I wanted to hunt black bear, I'd load it with the better quality, heavier bullets and go hunting.

I'd say a heavy loaded 308 would be about my minimum for the big bear.
 
I think its perfect! Now we have a need for 30 round mags hunting :D

Really though, for bear protection at camp I think it would be better than most pistols, but for hunting bear I would choose something with more range and more mass.
 
I think it also depends on your platform. Longer barrels give more velocity, etc, and bolt actions better accuracy, so a Yugo SKS with a 24" barrel is going to outperform an AK with a 16" with the same rounds, and a bolt can usually be loaded to higher pressures than the norm. I have loaded my Yugo with 190 grain lead effectively, and might have it as a camp defense weapon, but would prefer something larger if I actually expected to meet a bear when hes already wound up... It would be similar to carrying a .357 in the continental states for bear protection. I think it would do, but there are much better rounds/platforms available.
 
Why would you care? The 7.62x39 is as much gun as a .30-30. I don't know if one could express how many bear have been killed quite dead with the .30-30 on this page without using scientific notation. I hunt hogs from a tripod stand. No bear here, but I mean, I ain't worried about the SKS stopping them if it'll stop a hog and it has quite dead. Bear can climb, but not very fast. I'm guessing I could empty a 20 round mag faster. :D
 
If it hits the CNS , the bear will go down. Know the anatomy of the bear.


A shot on the base of the head and skull will definitely put them down. Thats the least thickness in hide and fur . THe bullet will damage the spine and major arteries.
 
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Is this round capable of taking out a bear?

NO! Not heavy enough a bullet to kill it instantly.

A shot behind the head and skull will definitely put them down.

If you are that close, you are already dead.

Most bear hunting is done from a tree stand and over a bait setup, after shooting them the hunter will wait about 30 min to let the bullet or arrow take effect and kill the animal. Even wounded the animal is still quite dangerous. It will take some time for them to bleed out.

Jim
 
Wait, wait...

NO! Not heavy enough a bullet to kill it instantly.

If you are that close, you are already dead.

Most bear hunting is done from a tree stand and over a bait setup, after shooting them the hunter will wait about 30 min to let the bullet or arrow take effect and kill the animal. Even wounded the animal is still quite dangerous. It will take some time for them to bleed out.

Jim

What's bullet weight got to do with it? 150 grains from my .30-06 does the job.

Not dead if I'm in a tree stand and can place my shot at that location.
 
I guess it boils down to what conditions the OP has set for this, is it for personal defense in bear country or hunting bear? Other conditions (on the personal defense side) are what kind of platform you already own, do you have the capabilities of making your own rounds, as well as others. If you feel most comfortable with autoloaders in that caliber, it will take out most camp-intrusive agressive critters if the need arises. Keep it in camp knowing that it will most likely be used for other uses, but in the unlikely scenario (barring you are in the extreme northwest) SHTF with a bear it might come in handy.

There is not really an excuse for using rounds that may or may not be marginal when hunting bears, you owe it to your personal safety and to the bear to use a round you know will take it down humanely, such as a .308 or 30-06 if you insist on 30 cal.
 
THe 8m hollowpoint bullet used in 7.62 x39 will blow inside like a small grenade. Just aim for the base of the skull.
 
yes, it is "enough" but I'd feel more comfortable with something stronger. Not that I'm "uncomfortable" with 7.62x39... hell, I plan on hunting one this year with a .45LC, so maybe I'm not the best person to answer this... :D
 
I like shinyroks answer. Do the job quick and humanely, if you're questioning it then you're probably under gunned and only a jerk sits there pumping rounds out of their mag until something is down and probably shouldn't consider what they're doing as legitimate hunting.
 
Shot a couple hogs with my ar in 762x39 and in my experience they are every bit as tough as black bear if not more. thats if your talking bear around 250 lbs and at fairly close range. Big 400lb plus bear are a bit of a differnt story though. For that id probably want a bit more gun.
 
Well I decided to go for it. Went back down this afternoon and it was $175 so I won't be out much if I decide I don't like it. Funny thing is...that it still has the Marlin tag hanging through the sling mount. It looks new but is in the used rack.

Anyone know where I can get extra mags for it? They didn't have any at the store.
 
Some of you guys act like bears are some fearsome monsters of the woods. Get a grip. Unless you are hunting grizzlys or coastal brown bears an ak round has plenty to kill a bear. I shot an 800lb bull elk last year with a measley .308 150g round at 200 yds. The animal went down same as others shot with my 300wm. Bigger is not always better, just bigger.
 
If you can do it with a .223, you can do it with a 7.62x39.

Alaskan native ethnec groups use .22 Hornet and GI issue M-16's to kill Polar & Brown Bear when necessary.

Its not the arrow that kills bears.
It's the indian shooting the arrows.

In the case of the .223, or 7.62x39?
They would probably recommed you Shoot more then one arrow!

rc
 
Bear is a pretty generic term. Are we talking 150 pound Arkansas black bears? Or a hulking monster of a polar bear?
 
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