quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by JonDaddy82:
What would everyone be thinking for an optic?

A relatively lightweight and compact 1-4x with illuminated reticle would be ideal. Something like a Leupold VX-R.

Or, considering that nearly all of my hog hunting is done at sub-100 yard ranges, maybe even just a red dot.

http://www.primaryarms.com/pri...cle-pac3xak300bo-fde

This looks like it might be a good fit.

Maybe, but that ACOG-style optic is designed for an AR upper.

It would be very high if mounted on a traditional rifle, necessitating a tall cheek riser.

Works for me, I shoot right handed but left eyed. Looks as if there's a removable riser with that one as well, should drop it down pretty low.

quote:

Originally posted by ruger357:
If only it came in left handed...

Mein kampf.

What kind of range would this have?

Accuracy at say 500 yards?

Would 6.5 Creedmore be better???

quote:

Originally posted by ThankGod4Sig:
What kind of range would this have?

Accuracy at say 500 yards?

I can't comment on accuracy, as the rifle hasn't been released yet.

But ballistically, 7.62x39 isn't a good choice for 500 yard shots. It's not a long range cartridge. It loses energy dramatically past a ~150 yards; it's more useful at shorter ranges. (Similar ballistics to the venerable .30-30.)

So this isn't a 500 yard hunting rifle. It's a ~200ish yard (and under) hunting rifle.


For example, here's a trajectory diagram for 7.62x39 at various zeroes. Notice the steep drop-off after the first couple hundred yards.

With a 50/75/100 yard zero, your POI would be about 10 feet low at 500 yards.

Even with a 200 yard zero, you'd still be about 7-8 feet low at 500 yards.



Here's a chart showing that with a 100 yard zero, your POI will be 124 inches (10.3 feet) low at 500 yards, with only ~45% of its starting velocity. (It's subsonic by ~450 yards.)




If you really wanted to lob a 7.62x39 round out to 500 yards, you'd have to come up ~24 MOA in elevation on your scope. And with that hypothetical 500 yard zero, you'd be hitting ~2 feet high at 100 yards, and ~3.5 feet high at 200 yards.


Even 5.56 (which is also not a good choice for 500 yards) has a noticeably flatter trajectory, with only ~70 inches (5.8 feet) drop at 500 yards with a 100 yard zero. And it would still be going ~1500 fps at 500 yards.

quote:

Originally posted by ThankGod4Sig:
Would 6.5 Creedmore be better???

6.5 Creedmore would be a significantly better choice at 500 yards, with a much flatter trajectory, nearly twice the velocity, and over three times the energy at 500 yards, compared to 7.62x39. 6.5 Creedmore is a capable long range cartridge. Comparing 6.5 Creedmore and 7.62x39 is akin to apples and oranges.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

Fair enough, but in the context of a 16" Ruger it seems reasonable to point out that you might need a much longer barrel on the 6.5 to get any significant advantage out of the different cartridge at distance.

Maybe not. Going from the 16" barrel on the Ranch to the 22" on a standard Ruger American only nets 6.5 Creedmore ~140 extra fps at the muzzle.

Here's some testing of 6.5 Creedmore with barrel lengths from 16 to 27 inches:

https://rifleshooter.com/2016/...ting-up-a-creedmoor/

Plugging the results from that above barrel length tests into a ballistic calculator shows the following:

120 grain AMAX/22" barrel/100 yard zero = 1995 FPS and -50 inches at 500 yards

120 grain AMAX/16" barrel/100 yard zero = 1879 FPS and -57 inches at 500 yards

142 grain Match King/22" barrel/100 yard zero = 1815 fps and -61 inches at 500 yards

142 grain Match King/16" barrel/100 yard zero = 1701 fps and -69 inches at 500 yards


So even out of a 16" barrel, 6.5 Creedmore still results in 700-800 extra FPS and less than half the drop, compared to 7.62x39 at 500 yards.


Plus, 6.5 Creedmore has over 3x the energy of 7.62x39 at 500 yards: ~1000 ft-lbf vs ~320 ft-lbf).

To put that in perspective, a 9mm handgun firing standard pressure ammo has around 330 ft-lbf in muzzle energy. So 7.62x39 round's energy at 500 yards is roughly equivalent to a 9mm round at contact distance. Whereas 6.5 Creedmore's energy at 500 yards is roughly equivalent to a .223 or .44 Magnum round at contact distance.

I thought that I wanted a 7.62x39 bolt , until I compared its ammo selection to either the 6.5 CM or the the .243 win. offerings

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
I thought that I wanted a 7.62x39 bolt , until I compared its ammo selection to either the 6.5 CM or the the .243 win. offerings

There are several ammo companies offering quality hunting ammo for 7.62x39. Hornady SST and Federal Fusion are my preferences in modern commercial 7.62x39 hunting rounds.

But you're correct that there isn't as wide variety in commercial hunting rounds offered for 7.62x39 as there are for more traditional hunting rounds like .30-06/.308/.243/etc.

My ballistic chart shows a dead on 25 yard sight in adjustment equates to a 165 yard zero. Never over about 1.8 inches high on the way to 165.
Easy to remember for me and I wont push it much beyond that distance.
It is the cheap ammo prices that make the rifle attractive for me.
2X7 Vortex scope should work.
Hoping for a good "all around" rifle for less than 500 bucks, including glass.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
2X7 Vortex scope should work.
Hoping for a good "all around" rifle for less than 500 bucks, including glass.

Then you'll need to find the rifle and the scope on sale.

Cheapest I'm finding for the x39 Ranch is $411 (plus shipping and transfer), and $130 for the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7 (plus shipping and the cost of rings).

Might be able to squeak in under $600 after shipping, fees, and rings, if you're lucky.

Already have Crossfire II Vortex 2X7 with Warne QD rings mounted on my Mini 14.
I will just get a red dot for the Mini and use the Vortex on the Ranch.
411 bucks? Very do-able.
Who has it for that price?

Thanks!

Bushnell has a dedicated reticle scope for the 7.62x39 . It's a 1/4x20-30mm tube. It's under their AK series scopes.

Primary Arms has a 1-6x with a 7.62x39 BDC reticle.

http://www.primaryarms.com/pri...1-6x24sfp-acss-300bo

I do not like that reticle for precision shots. That's a AK reticle !

Agreed.

As noted in my other posts, I don't plan on taking 400/500/600 yard shoots with a 7.62x38, so the BDC isn't attractive to me anyway.

Give me some traditional crosshairs, possibly with an illuminated center.

I'm looking for a cheap deer gun for this fall, this might be perfect!