7.62x39mm as a Coyote Caliber

Hunter709

Hunter709

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Newfoundland & Labrador
Hey guys, here in my home province of Newfoundland there has been a lot of talk lately about the number of coyotes on the island. In order to hunt coyotes here on a coyote license you can only use a center fire rifle of no bigger caliber then .225 caliber or a .12 gauge shotgun with shot size no. 2 or larger. I believe in order to allow more people to hunt coyotes we should allow the usage of 7.62x39mm soft point ammunition, I think this would allow many people who already own SKS's or CZ's join the hunt without having to buy another (sometimes expensive) rifle that they cannot afford. I have been doing some research into the impact energies of both calibers and they seem fairly close. I am trying to put together a letter to the minister responsible of wildlife to try to explain to him why we should be allowed to use it for coyotes and NOT have it be considered a big game cartridge as it is now. My questions to you are as follows:

1) What provinces allow the use of 7.62x39mm firearms to hunt coyotes or other small/mid sized game?

2) Do you believe that 7.62x39mm is adequate or would work well as a coyote cartridge?

Any other info you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers & Thanks,

Mitch

*On a side note I am doing this just for the general public as I have a newly purchased SL8 that I use as my coyote gun.
 
Hey, you can hunt just about anything with it in Alberta, since the bore diameter is over .223. :) Myself, I'd go with something that shoots as flat as possible. Maybe not your way, but around here. it could be a very long shot.

Grizz
 
Seems like when I was in Alberta the length of the case determined if a cartridge could be used for big game. As for here in Newfoundland, if a 7.62x39 can be used.then why not a 30-30 or even a 243. I think if a person can shoot accurate enough to take coyote with a 7.62x39 then they can also use proper bullet placement to take moose with it. BTW, do the powers that be in Nl really believe that no moose have ever been taken with a 22-250?
 
Don't bother... 7.62 is certainly enough gun to do the job and some of the bolt platforms (owned by VERY FEW sportsmen) are accurate enough, but the bulk of the SKS guns spray & pray them out there... do the yotes a favour and just leave well enough alone... JMO, and I AM a 7.62X39 owner in single shot platforms that can most definitely hit the mark out to 200 yards with my handloads... but for predator hunting, I go to my K-Hornets, .223's, .243's or .25/06's.
 
gerard488 said:
Seems like when I was in Alberta the length of the case determined if a cartridge could be used for big game. As for here in Newfoundland, if a 7.62x39 can be used.then why not a 30-30 or even a 243. I think if a person can shoot accurate enough to take coyote with a 7.62x39 then they can also use proper bullet placement to take moose with it. BTW, do the powers that be in Nl really believe that no moose have ever been taken with a 22-250?
Click to expand...

In Alberta that law changed many years ago. You need only to be 23 cal or over. I have taken a few deer with a CZ 527 in 7.62x39 with nary a problem, but then I got bored and sold it.
 
Considering how many full grown adult human males this round has dropped I think it a fair a assumption that a 7.62x39 is more than enough round for a coyote. The question is can the round be fired out of a sufficiently accurate firearm to make guaranteed hits out to, say, 200m. Prone and using a rest my two SKS' can make hits on the steel 8" gong at 200m but that's under controlled not field circumstances. Personally for 'yotes I'd be happier using a scoped hunting rifle in something like a .243 than I would be using a military surplus rifle designed for less precise work.
 
Those regs in NL only serve one purpose. Catching poachers. In the bush with a big game round and no big game license = poacher in their books plan and simple.
 
gerard488 said:
Seems like when I was in Alberta the length of the case determined if a cartridge could be used for big game. As for here in Newfoundland, if a 7.62x39 can be used.then why not a 30-30 or even a 243. I think if a person can shoot accurate enough to take coyote with a 7.62x39 then they can also use proper bullet placement to take moose with it. BTW, do the powers that be in Nl really believe that no moose have ever been taken with a 22-250?
Click to expand...

They dropped the case length requirement a while ago. Seems stupid to me. Long as it meet the bullet diameter requirements it's acceptable.


Grizz
 
The wildlife here should let us use whatever we see fit. The coyotes are viewed as a nuisance and if they want them to be hunted such that their population is reduced they shouldn't be limiting our caliber choice so much, or better yet not at all. As to the 7.62x39, the rifles for which it is chambered are generally not accurate enough to engage a relatively small target such as a coyote at distance. I can't see that being a valid argument. So IMO no, I don't think the cartridge is well suited for coyote hunting. The trajectory of a stone plus inaccurate rifles rule this one out for me.
 
If you can hit an 8" gong at 200 you can hit a coyote at 200m. Plenty of power for the job. Just don't use surplus. You need a bullet that expands.
 
Thanks for the info so far guys, I do understand that 7.62x39 is not the most accurate cartridge for the job. That's where hunter ethics comes in, if I can get this passed it would have to be up to the shooter to determine if he can make the shot or not. Those kind of ethics applies to any kind of hunting with any firearm in my opinion.

Thanks for the input so far guys,

Mitch
 
Hunter709 said:
Thanks for the info so far guys, I do understand that 7.62x39 is not the most accurate cartridge for the job. That's where hunter ethics comes in, if I can get this passed it would have to be up to the shooter to determine if he can make the shot or not. Those kind of ethics applies to any kind of hunting with any firearm in my opinion.

Thanks for the input so far guys,



Mitch
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I don't know whether I would agree with your project.

As berndawg said "Those regs in NL only serve one purpose. Catching poachers. In the bush with a big game round and no big game license = poacher in their books plan and simple."

There is no doubt the cartridge can be used effectively on coyotes but it could also be used on caribou, black bear and moose. And that is the reason the gov't. does not want it being carried by someone claiming to be just after coyotes.

There are some rimfire cartridges that would be adequate for coyotes, I wonder why they are not allowed.
 
Just a note here, the 7.62x39 is "NOT"an inaccurate cartridge. The biggest reason that this cartridge is perceived as inaccurate is because of the millions of spray and pray rifles that have been made for this cartridge.

And the BILLIONS of rounds of MASS produced ammunition. Everyone of those rounds are expected to function through every firearm.

The rifles have large tolerances incorporated into the design to ensure flawless functioning. This they do amazingly well!

Accuracy requires precise fit/alignment.

The 7.62x39 is very accurate when shot from a well built bolt rifle. Just as much accuracy can be expected from this round as any other. MAYBE more so. After all, the most accurate round ever developed for short range bench rest competition was based off this 7.62x39 cartridge, (the 6mmPPC.)

I have been shooting the Ruger M77, Compact rifle in 7.62x39 the last while. it shoots quite well with a variety of bullet weights. I get groups that average around 1.25" or better from the factory 16" barrel.
I have had more than a few 1/2" groups with it as well. I shoot .308" diameter bullets exclusively.
My rifle shoots the Sierra 150 grain SPT Pro hunter, flat based bullet the best (so far).
It kills bears & deer very well.

I am even considering a custom barrel, heavy taper,(18.5") for this caliber. I think I would get a slightly longer throat, so I can seat the bullets out of the case a little further. This would recover a little case capacity. I have already replaced the magazine box/spring/follower with a standard .308 size. I think it would be great fun shooting this combo!

I have shot Lyman cast #311299, 200 grain bullets from this setup as well. I can seat the cast bullet into the rifling lands and still function perfectly through the magazine. Lots of fun indeed! And surprising performance!
 
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Duffy said:
I don't know whether I would agree with your project.

As berndawg said "Those regs in NL only serve one purpose. Catching poachers. In the bush with a big game round and no big game license = poacher in their books plan and simple."

There is no doubt the cartridge can be used effectively on coyotes but it could also be used on caribou, black bear and moose. And that is the reason the gov't. does not want it being carried by someone claiming to be just after coyotes.

There are some rimfire cartridges that would be adequate for coyotes, I wonder why they are not allowed.
Click to expand...

The point could also be made that you could kill a moose with a .223 or .22-250 as well, just playing devils advocate here.
 
"...More power + superior down range ballistics. Then a 30/30(SIC)..." Nonsense.
Like 1ShotKing says, most rifles chambered in the cartridge, primarliy the SKS and Mini30, aren't accurate enough for long range shooting. At close range with the right bullet, it'll do nicely though.
 
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