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Another thread has reminded me a I have quite fancied owning a 7,62x39 for a while now. The thing is I do not want an AK style rifle so what are my alternatives?

I still fancy converting an M39 or M44 however the days of picking one up for twenty five quid are long since gone and the chances of finding a shot out one are zero...

Ovenpaa wrote:Another thread has reminded me a I have quite fancied owning a 7,62x39 for a while now. The thing is I do not want an AK style rifle so what are my alternatives?

I still fancy converting an M39 or M44 however the days of picking one up for twenty five quid are long since gone and the chances of finding a shot out one are zero...

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/ruger-america ... es/1075712

Uses mini 30 mags

Sixshot6 wrote:https://www.gunstar.co.uk/ruger-america ... es/1075712

Uses mini 30 mags

Well that is a good start :)

CZ also make a bolt action in 7.62x39

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/cz-ceska-zbro ... es/1200686

I like the look of the Ruger.

Mine is an AIA. Australian International Arms. It looks a bit like an Enfield jungle carbine.

https://modernfirearms.net/en/civilian- ... a-m10-eng/

Mine is the second one down. I have removed the flash hider muzzle brake and fitted a thread protector. I also fitted a scope. I also fitted a 5 shot mag the original ten shot is too bulky.

bnz41 wrote:CZ also make a bolt action in 7.62x39

https://www.gunstar.co.uk/cz-ceska-zbro ... es/1200686

........... as does Howa with the new 1500 Mini series. Listed as being available in four chamberings: 223 Rem, 6.5mm Grendel, 300 Blackout, and 7.62X39mm. US Reviews have interestingly tended to concentrate on the 7.62X39mm - the availability of the budget Howa in this cartridge seems to have really excited many shooters over there for reasons I can only make a guess about. Cheap surplus or new manufacture Eastern European ammo, plinking opportunities, woods carrying modern equivalent to the 30-30WCF ?? In the basic plastic stock version, this one of the cheapest new centrefire rifles on the UK market right now - around £600 if you shop around.

I had a 7.62X39 Cz527 Carbine some years back. It's a really nice little rifle and shot pretty well - under 1-MOA 100 yard groups with factory Lapua 123 FMJ ammo, and maybe a little better with good handloads. The problem with it is the cartridge is a great short-range plinker / alfresco paper puncher but it struggles beyond 300 yards. So people with access to a short-distance range, maybe indoor, certified for lower power centrefires and not looking for sub 0.5-MOA level precision would have enjoyable sessions - think of it as a heavy .22LR sporter but making enough extra noise and kick to be fun but not unpleasantly. It's barely deer legal here and arguably barely deer competent, although I'm sure it's more than enough for small species like CWD, Muntjac and Roe.

The Howa action works very well - I have one in 6.5 Grendel, the smaller calibre development of the 7.62X39mm/PPC family, it has a decent trigger but which can use some cheap improvements, and like the rifle (in the excellent MDT 'Oryx' budget chassis stock as a factory option in my case). I liked the more conventional walnut stocked 527 Carbine too, but they're rarer than Howas and I imagine more expensive nowadays. In the same class of rifle and action, CZ also has its fancy new 527 Varmint Match Target Rifle in 222, 223, and Grendel (MTR for short) but has omitted the 7.62X39mm as presumably not in keeping with the varmint-match use. This appears to be bit of a hens teeth job and pretty expensive to boot.

How about a Howa 1500 Mini Bolt Highlander?

The Ruger American Ranch is available in 7.62x39 as well as other interesting calibres (https://www.ruger.com/products/american ... odels.html), but availability over here might be an issue...

Sandgroper wrote:The Ruger American Ranch is available in 7.62x39 as well as other interesting calibres (https://www.ruger.com/products/american ... odels.html), but availability over here might be an issue...

Got one in 7.62x39 , good light rifle if that’s what you are after.

Only real complaint is the bolt is fairly sloppy.

Waited months for it to be imported!!!

I would think it easy enough to get hold of a Mauser actioned rifle & convert it.