Best 7.62x39mm Ammo
Every load we price, sorted by cost per round delivered to your state
We track 3 7.62x39mm loads from 2 dealers. The cheapest delivered to AR, shipping included, is PMC Bronze 7.62x39mm 123gr FMJ Ammo at $0.77 a round.
The 7.62x39mm is the Soviet intermediate cartridge designed in 1943 and fired in the SKS and AK-47. Today it also feeds the Ruger Mini-30, CZ bolt guns and AR-pattern rifles built for it. The short, tapered case pushes a 123gr bullet at about 2,350 to 2,460 fps, similar to a supersonic .300 Blackout.
This page lists two 123gr loads. The PMC Bronze FMJ is for the range. The Prvi Partizan PSP soft point is the hunting pick for deer and hogs inside about 150 yards. Much 7.62x39 on the market is steel-cased with Berdan primers, which some ranges ban and you can't reload. Both loads listed here are brass-cased. If you shoot it in an AR, use magazines and a bolt made for 7.62x39.
All 7.62x39mm Loads
Compare ballistics and prices across 3 products
| PRODUCT ↕ | GRAIN ↕ | VELOCITY ↕ | ENERGY ↕ | BC ↕ | USE CASE ↕ | BEST PRICE ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PMC Bronze 7.62x39mm 123gr FMJ Ammo
123gr
• 2350 fps
|
123gr | 2350 | 1508 | .27 | — | $0.77/rd |
|
Prvi Partizan 7.62x39mm 123gr PSP Ammo
123gr
• 2460 fps
|
123gr | 2460 | 1653 | .283 | — | $0.78/rd |
|
Winchester Super-X 7.62x39mm 123gr SP Ammo
123gr
• 2365 fps
|
123gr | 2365 | 1528 | .244 | — | $1.50/rd |
7.62x39mm Trajectory Calculator
Calculate drop, velocity, and energy at any range
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Against 5.56: a 123gr soft point weighs more than twice a 55gr bullet, for deer and hogs in brush.
- The same box feeds AKs, SKSs, the Mini-30 and bolt guns.
- Recoil in an AK or SKS is mild enough for new shooters.
- Against .300 Blackout: similar supersonic ballistics in rifles built around it from the start.
Cons
- Against .223: about 800 fps slower, so the bullet drops much more past 200 yards.
- Steel-cased imports are banned at some ranges and can't be reloaded.
- AR-15 conversions need their own bolt and curved magazines and feed less reliably than an AK.