7.62x45 Czech for hunting

Otakar

Beginner
Jun 20, 2015
42
0
Hello all;
I have been shooting the 7.62x45 Czech since I have bought my first Vz-52 in 1993. At he time, over a period of a few months, when they were available for next to nothing, I bought five. I still have four and the fifth is with my dad. I came to love the cartridge so much that I built a little hunting rifle from a Mini Mk.X action, around 1995. The main drawback is that the cartridge standard length has the bullet set way deep into the cartridge. I have been sitting on a bunch of, both small ring and large ring Mauser actions for many years now and decided to do something with them. I took one of my Turk large rings and built a nice hunting rifle out of it in 8x57 with a new E.R. Shaw barrel. Now I plan on using two of my small ring actions (I have five total) and building hunting rifles in my beloved 7.62x45 It is a fantastic cartridge to shoot. It falls right in between the 7.62x39 Soviet and 7.62x51 NATO. Almost the equal of the 300 Savage but in a much smaller and much more efficient package. I have now dropped a bunch of wild hogs with this cartridge both with the Vz.52 and the Mk.X. However I have always used the FMJ Czech surplus rounds for this. I have never used one of my loads with a "sporting bullet". Many of the hogs I have dropped (I always take bores, never a sow) have had shoulder hide as thick as 2.5" in some cases. With the 7.62-Kr-52 military round (130gr) it is no problem because they have a mild steel case with a armor piercing core. These cut through the pig like butter. I would however like to start using a commercial bullet for this task. My new project rifles, being based on the small ring Mausers do not have the limitations of the short magazine and I can start using longer bullets which do not need to be seated so deeply into the cartridge. Since my love-afire started with the Nosler polymer tipped bullets on my .375 T.R. Magnum and the AccuBond, 260gr Spitzer, I virtually ignore all other bullets but Nosler. My new rifle will have a 3.54" longer barrel (21.75") and I can make the cartridge 2.5" which will by my new "sporting" OAL. I can go with a bullet maybe .025" longer than the #30125 BT 125gr Spitzer which I have started testing. Since my first rifle is not yet finished I can't finalize my tests. So, I guess my question would be; which .308 bullet from Nosler is no longer than 1.1", no heavier than 150gr (nor lighter than 125gr) is a boat-tail and has the greatest penetration? The ones I have been contemplating are the 30125 125gr Spitzer, the 52165 125gr. Spitzer, which are my only Nosler choices with my parameters. MV will be 2700+FpS according to my calculations. Any help would be appreciated. If there are any other suggestions, I will listen to them.
 
That little 125 gr Ballistic Tip is one heck of a deer bullet. Accurate and expands well.

I haven't tried the AccuBond version.

Guy
 
Don't know that I can be much help as I have never worked with this cartridge. It poses fascinating possibilities, however. I would think that either the 125 AB or 125 BT would work very well for you.
 
Here are some pictures of the work in process. I hope the pictures download, I have had some problems downloading pictures here. I just wiped the stock down with some Glycol-Ether to bring the color out for the pictures. By the third picture it started drying out. There is still a lot of sanding and finishing to be done on the furniture.
 
Here is a picture of the cartridge. The gray one is the surpluss and the brass ones have been made out of a Carcano case (PPU). The bullets are all in the 125gr size with a FMJ, Z-Max and Ballistic Tip. If you can picture it as a 6mm longer 7.62x39 with less case taper. The base is the same size.
 

Attachments

  • DSC03429.JPG
    DSC03429.JPG
    61.7 KB · Views: 2,638
Otakar":2kgaikbq said:
Which of the two would expand slower?

From experience with other Accubonds, the AccuBond will hang together better, refusing to come apart, but both will expand readily. That's a guess, based on using some larger AccuBond bullets. They simply don't come apart. They lose a little weight in the forward section, and mushroom very nicely.

At the modest velocity you're talking, either one should work well. I hunted a lot last year with a 165 grain Ballistic Tip from my .30-06 at about 2900 fps and it performed very well. But that's a heavier bullet, with more punch behind it so I don't know that we can rely too much on that for an example.

The Accubonds I've used truly perform like a bonded bullet is supposed to. The lead & jacket don't separate.

Guy
 
I almost have my first of two small ring Mausers finished for this caliber. I will post some pictures once it is blued and put back together. At which time I will put my Mini Mk-X Mauser up for sale. I also have the 7.62x39 insert which i will include with it for the guys that will want to use it in its original 7.62x39 configuration. The two I am building are both based on small ring Turks. One will be with Williams WGRS peep sights and the other with a 3x9 tactical scope. I'm still waiting for the stock for the scoped version.
 
Back
Top