In case you’re not familiar with it, the 7.62x39mm (not to be confused with the 7.62 NATO which is basically equivalent to .308 Winchester) is a Soviet-era cartridge that is perhaps most famous (or infamous) for its pairing with the AK-47.
The 7.62x39mm is actually also the cartridge that most SKS rifles fire, as well as many modern variants.
Like so many military cartridges with a long service lifespan, it is generally widely available and there are still a lot of rifles chambered in it.
If you have one, here are some good loads for the money.
Norma 7.62
Norma Ammunition, based in Sweden, has a long and illustrious history of loading military cartridges, and Norma 7.62 124 grain full metal jacket ammo is no exception.
Norma 7.62 ammunition is reliable, consistent, and loaded to the strictest quality standards and manufacturing techniques. They use high-quality copper and zinc bullets with a full-metal jacket, and their ammo produces a very flat trajectory and maintains excellent ballistic performance at long ranges, making it suitable for competition and target practice.
Also appealing is the price. Norma 7.62 is a very affordable ammo as far as centerfire cartridges are concerned.
Another great thing about Norma Tactical ammo is this: if you have a rifle chambered in some obscure big-game cartridge like .505 Gibbs or .500 Jeffery, Norma is one of the only ammunition manufacturers that still produce them.
And, like all of the ammo they produce, it is top-tier as far as reliability, consistency, and accuracy are concerned.
ICC Ammo Gold Elite 7.62
ICC Ammo Gold Elite 7.62x39mm ammo, this one designed for law enforcement, is also an excellent choice if you do a lot of high-volume shooting with your 7.62. It also is a great choice for those who keep a 7.62 for home defense.
This specific line is loaded with 110-grain, lead-free, frangible bullets, with brass casings. Frangible bullets are designed to break apart into tiny pieces when they strike their target. This effectively eliminates the risk of ricochet and overpenetration, making training and shooting in tight quarters much less dangerous.
In home-defense situations it also helps eliminate the chances of overpenetration, making it a suitable ammo for this purpose.
TulAmmo 7.62
If cost is a concern for you and you do a lot of high-volume shooting, then you need to check out TulAmmo 7.62. This is one of the top picks for low-cost, reliable, consistent ammo.
TulAmmo cartridges are loaded at Tula Cartridge Works in Russia, one of the largest small arms and munitions manufacturers in the world. TulAmmo meets both CIP and SAAMI certifications for consistency and reliability.
It is also loaded into steel casings, driving down the costs even more. There are a lot of myths out there about steel ammo, so let’s address some of these.
These are annealed steel casings, which means they are softer, so, no, they won’t damage your gun. Also, steel-cased ammo does not shoot inherently “dirtier” than other ammo - but it might result in more fouling accumulating in the chamber because the cartridges are harder and don’t seal against the chamber walls as easily as brass. TulAmmo is also loaded with non-corrosive primer and propellant.
TulAmmo 7.62 is reliable, consistent, and accurate. Just be aware of one thing. Since it’s loaded into steel casings, you can’t reload it. Stick with a brass-cased brand if you’re into reloading.
Uses and Advantages of 7.62x39mm
There are a variety of reasons that the 7.62x39mm cartridge remains popular. Among its most viable uses are:
- High-volume target practice: Because 7.62x39mm ammo is affordable, flat-shooting, lightweight, and low-recoil, it’s a great option for target practice and potentially even competition. It’s heavier and produces more recoil than 5.56, but it’s not a wild disparity.
- Hunting and self-defense: When loaded with an expanding bullet, 7.62x39mm is a suitable cartridge for hunting and self-defense. It generates more than enough stopping power to take most medium-sized game in North America.
As for the advantages of the cartridge:
- Low cost: Because of its history as a military cartridge, it has been widely produced and there is still a huge supply of it. This helps keeps costs down and as centerfire cartridges go, 7.62 is extremely affordable.
- Decent ballistic performance: The 7.62 shoots flat, which makes it a good cartridge for competition and hunting.
- Wide availability: It might be easier to find 5.56 NATO, but 7.62x39mm is still a pretty common cartridge.
- Low recoil: As centerfire rifle cartridges go, the 7.62x39mm is pretty low on recoil. It produces much less felt recoil than .308 and .30-06, and only a little more than 5.56/.223.
- Relatively low weight: The cartridges and bullets themselves are compact and lightweight compared to many popular larger cartridges. This makes carrying loaded mags or ammo to the range much less taxing.