7.62x54R hunting ammo

T

the11

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So this year I am switching over to using my Mosin Nagant M44 for hunting.

To that end I am looking for advice on what is a good commercial ammo for deer hunting. The MFS 203 grain sp is cheap, but seems a bit heavy for deer. On a sponsor's site they have Prvi Partizan 150gr SPBT for a totally decent price. And the bullet weight is very similar to the Bulgarian silvertip surplus I am feeding her. But I think I read somewhere that Mosin Nagants don't like boat tailed ammo, and perhaps preferred the heavier bullets. Does anybody have any experience with these ammos? Or suggestions about others I might try? Not looking for match grade or anything. Just good reliable freezer filling ammo.
 
I would just find a 180 grain soft point that shots well in your gun. There should be a few available if you look around, try a couple and use whatever is best in your gun...

With a 180 you would be ready to shoot anything that crosses your path, and its not too much bullet for deer
 
The 7.62 is very, very powerful. Similar to the 3006. I suggest the 200 or 180 gr bullet so as to reduce the explosive effect of a light bullet.

With my 308, I witched to 180 gr and use it now for everything.
 
I use 203 gr for deer in my Mosin. Who cares if the is a medium size hole or a large size hole in its chest cavity? there is no meat there, neither on its front leg. If I take out both front legs and blow its heart out at the same time, then I won't have to chase it.
 
fiddler said:
I use 203 gr for deer in my Mosin. Who cares if the is a medium size hole or a large size hole in its chest cavity? there is no meat there, neither on its front leg. If I take out both front legs and blow its heart out at the same time, then I won't have to chase it.
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The best kind of kill... Overkill!
 
I wouldn't hesitate to use the 203gr MFS. It shoots very accurately in my Mosin, and the extra weight shouldn't turn into all that much more meat damage. The most devastating shot I ever took on a deer was with a 100 gr bullet from a 257 Weatherby. It looked like I used a hand grenade on the exit side. The slower speed of the 203's should keep carnage levels down. PRVI also makes a heck of a cartridge. I haven't tried the 7.62x54 yet but it's been excellent in my K31 and a 7x57 BSA. Tradeex has it in 150 gr soft point as well as the aforementioned 180gr S&B ammo.

Any of the three options will schwack a whitetail without issue.
 
You're going have to buy a box of each to see which brand shoots best out of your rifle. The cost of it means nothing.
For your Mosin Nagant M44, I'd be thinking as light a bullet as possible due the excessive muzzle blast. A 203 would be astoundingly loud out of a 20" carbine. A 150 not so much.
 
The heavier bullet would cause less meat damage. It is always handy to have just one load for a rifle, so as to not have different zeros.

My suggestion of 180 or 200 allows you to nail deer and anything larger, like a moose.
 
Ganderite said:
The 7.62 is very, very powerful. Similar to the 3006. I suggest the 200 or 180 gr bullet so as to reduce the explosive effect of a light bullet.

With my 308, I witched to 180 gr and use it now for everything.
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The x54r is a tad slower than the 308 with a given bullet weight. It's powerful, but its no 30-06.
 
Suther said:
The x54r is a tad slower than the 308 with a given bullet weight. It's powerful, but its no 30-06.
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I don't know about the rest of the brands of 7.62x54r but the S&B 180 gr ammo was giving me 2660 over the Chronograph , that is right there with the top loads for 308 on the Hodgdon website, And I bet it would compare favourably with more economical brands of 308 hunting ammo ,
 
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