What are the advantages of 7.62x39 to .30-.30? Really got an itch for the Ruger American Ranch, but already have a H&R Handi-Rifle in .30-.30. The RAR seems like such a handy utility rifle. Know the 7.62x39 surplus/military ammo is cheaper, but are there any other pluses? The RAR is cheap enough, so will probably scratch that itch anyway. Just wish it came with ghost ring sights. Thanks for your input!

What do you want to do with it ? The 7.62 x 39 doesn't come close to the 30-30 as an hunting round IMHO. For plinking, "pest" control-both the four and two legged variety-it will do.

I think you'll achieve better accuracy with the handi-rifle although at woods ranges where these rifles would be used, minute-of-buck is accurate enough. Ballistically, these calibers are quite close.

I have far more respect for the hunter who goes afield with a single shot. He's confident he won't miss.

My RAR 7.62X39 is one of the most accurate out of the box rifles I have had in a long time. Three shot groups are cloverleafs at 100 yds. I got mine (birthday gift from my wife) since I already had a Mini-30 and a Norinco Hunter in that round. I have been very impressed with it and the use of the Mini 30 magazines make it fun. Short, handy, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it in deer or pigs.

Comparing the cartridges themselves in a vacuum, and considering only factory-loaded ammunition (hand-loading throws everything out the window) you generally get a little more muzzle energy from 30-30 and a little better ballistics from 7.62x39 (in the sense of retaining velocity further with less drop). There will be just a bit less felt recoil (assuming similar platform) with 7.62x39.

That said, 200yds or less, you won't notice much difference.

Truly, there are only two meaningful differences: (1) availability of cheap steel ammo for the 7.62x39; and (2) 7.62x39 means no lever action, 30-30 (usually) means nothing but a lever action.

I bought a RAR in 7.62X39 last fall and I have had some problems. Somehow I rotated the bolt so it would not go back into the rifle. I called Ruger and they told me to hold on to the bolt handle and rotate the firing pin mechanism until it clicks. I tried that to no avail and Ruger said to send it in. Which I did. I got it back and fired 50 rounds without and problems. Then it happened again. I got it rotated right that time and it's still working ok. Also the cover over that mechanism is plastic and there are several companies offering aluminum ones. Another thing, the bolt does not lock when you chamber a round and close the bolt, even with the safety on. I was carrying it over my shoulder with the sling and the bolt came open and the round ejected. Other than those items it's a very accurate and easy to carry rifle. Check this video out and you'll see the parts I talking about.

One real advantage to the 30-30, at least when using factory ammo, is the wide selection of good quality hunting bullets. Most 7.62x39 ammo is of the FMJ variety, sometimes you can find it with generic soft point ammo which may or may not performe well on game. Like stated above, handloading changes all that.

Larry

One thing you left out of your analysis. The 30-30 does it with with BIGGER bullets. 150 gr & 170 gr. Whereas you're restricted to 123 to 125 gr bullets if you want to maintain any velocity at all in the Russian round.. Also most 762x39's have short barrels whereas 30-30's have barrels from 16" to 24".
No 762x39 can hold a candle to my Marlin 30/30 24" barrel with Hornady 165 gr gummy tips.
Saying that I have killed deer in the past with my Mini-30 and I hunted some this year with my 762x39 AR. I also hunted with my 30-30's. So it's a short range deer cartridge. But it in no way compares to a 30/30 in any way, shape or form.

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S&W Accumulator

Preach. I’d take a single-shot 30-30 over a Ruger Mini-14 in 7.62 every day of the week. Simple, accurate, reliable, and affordable...and easier to mount an optic on.

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Some Might Say.

I've gotten good accuracy with the 150 grain Hornady roundnose in a Ruger 7.62x39. Muzzle velocity exceeded 2200 fps, but I consider my load maximum. The .30-30 will do a little better than that. Both cartridges are certainly adequate for deer hunting at reasonable distances, but neither would be my first choice for such hunting.

Nearly all 7.62 x 39 ammo is 123-125 grains and the choices are generally fmj or jhp. If what you are hunting can be handled by these, the 7.62 x 39 is a good hunting round. Especially if you reload your ammo you will appreciate the 30-30s versatility.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

hehehehe 30-30 has been around for 128 years... for any game/human to 200 yds ANY Marlin/Winchester will group 2 to 3 inch. I Love the SKS... ok with the AK, the sks will shoot to 300 yds with a little work.

Time to break out ya cronographs fellers. And like a .22 LR will shoot to 300 yards too......But it won't do much when it gets there.

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S&W Accumulator

Picking an old soviet round over the 30-30 would seem to violate natural law!

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Possum—The other white meat!

I have an old Marlin 30/30 with Weaver scope that I really like but if I'm using iron sights I love my Rossi M92 .357 Mag with 20 inch barrel which is even less powerful than the 7.62x39. With Leverrevolution ammo its fine on deer out to 100 yards which is about as far I can use open sights and my SKS is a lot of fun and does pretty well out to 100 yards also and I'm sure not afraid to get a scratch on it or take it through the brush on the 4 wheeler.

On paper the 7.62x39 appears to similar to the 30-30, but the 123 gr. bullets loaded in the 7.62 are on the light end for game such as deer. I've seen 150 gr. loads offered for the 7.62, but they're 200+ fps slower than the same bullet in the 30-30. So the bottom line is the 30-30 handles hunting weight bullets much better than the little Commi Cartridge.

308S

You have a 30-30, why not try the 7.62x39? You can use spitzer type bullets with the 7.62x39 and bolt action making for better accuracy at longer ranges.

The 7.63x39 is not an inherently inaccurate cartridge. What gives it a bad reputation is the cheap, military export grade ammo and rifles with thin, "whippy" barrels, and chambers and throating of generous dimensions (most AK and SKS type rifles). It can be an accurate cartridge in a good bolt action rifle and it is good for deer sized game out to about 150 yards.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

for me it's a 30/30 their cooler!

I would normally jump on a older Marlin or Winchester 30/30 lever gun. But I was standing behind the door when they passed out all those SKS and AKs that shoot one ragged hole at 100yds, and I want mine. In single shot or bolt 30/30 you can run them hot and flat with light spitzer bullets. I’ve never loaded a 7.62x39. I had a mini 30 years ago. It functioned well enough but it wasn’t a target gun.

I have a friend that has the bolt action Ranch in x39, and he also has 2 Mini-30s. Nice that they share the same cartridge and magazines.

I have several Mini-30s and have done a lot of experimentation with the carbines and the 7.62 x 39. I've also had AKMs and a couple of ARs in 7.63 x 39.
I handload the Hornady SST, and you can also buy that bullet in factory loads. Great bullet for deer size game.
While I have performed some mods that get my Mini-30 groups down to sub 2 MOA with good Russian ammo like Silver Bear, with handloads it is 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 MOA.

I can do well out to 300 yards, I don't attempt beyond that as drop is excessive.
My friend gets pretty impressive groups with the same type loads in his RAR bolt gun.

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U. S. Army Veteran

Someone remind me - omitting feral hogs of course, isn't there a general rule in most jurisdictions against using mil-spec hardball ammunition for hunting?

Maybe not but it seems to ring a bell......

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Come and take it!!

Yes, besides being illegal, it is pretty unethical to use FMJ for hunting.

In factory loads for game use, there are expanding soft point loads from Hornady, Remington, Winchester and Federal, just to name a few.
Several of the Russian companies load soft points as well.
And for an all copper bullet, a couple of loads from Barnes.

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U. S. Army Veteran

.30-30.....introduced in 1895

7.62x39...introduced in 1943

So far as using either cartridge on game goes; if it can’t be reliably and humanely taken by 7.62x39, it can’t be reliably and humanely taken with 30-30.

The 7.62x39 is used for deer hunting, I've seen it being used in Minnesota and have seen some hunters use SKS as their hunting rifles. When it was available, I purchased a quantity of Tula steel cased FMJ and soft point ammo.

Of the two, my CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 is far more accurate than my Marlin 336 in 30-30. I use the 123 grain Hornady SST in the CZ for hunting and have no problem making 200 yard shots from a typical field position. With the Marlin using 160 grain LeverEvolution ammo a 200 yard shot from the bench is doable, but I wouldn’t want to shoot that far at a deer in the field. Both guns carry the same Burris Fulfield 2-7x35 scope. I have spent a lot of effort on the Marlin trying to improve its accuracy, but the bolt action was spot on right out of the box. With its lighter recoil the bolt action is easier to practice with. The Marlin kicks to much for me to shoot more than 20 rounds at a session. It is also easier for me to carry the lighter weight bolt action in the field hiking long distances and climbing hills. Of course, my experience is a sample of one.

"Preach. I’d take a single-shot 30-30 over a Ruger Mini-14 in 7.62 every day of the week"

How about a Ruger No. 1 in 7.62x39?

Whoa. I've never seen a No. 1 in 7.62x39.

How does it shoot?

Looked at a few revenues on a ammo site..........

Some company's do make a lead tip hunting load for this round but some stated that in the
short barrel semi-auto Milt rifles with all different chamber spec's, accuracy was not that good.

Bolt actions had fair to good accuracy but the bullets were either good or acted like FMJ's. Lots of "Hunting loads" by different makers to test out to see if you can get a load to work in your rifle.

Good luck.