Hunting bear with an Ak-47?

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Super-Dave

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Based on the previous bear hunting threads I now bring you the continuation.

Now that I have an Ak-47, is this sufficeint for me to use for bear hunting/personal protection against an angry bear?

Hollow point or full metal jacket?

30 round mag or 75 round drum?
 
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since bear is a game animal in many states i'm sure there are restrictions on magazine capacity to be of a sporting / ethical / humane nature. The question shouldn't be "is this caliber sufficient?" The question should be "what caliber is proven for stopping bear consistently"?

As hunters and sportsmen we are being watched by liberal groups who would love nothing more than to publicize the unethical / inhumane killing of a gorgeous television friendly bear and sway public opinion. Don't get me wrong I'm all for bear hunting but please do your research before jeopardizing the hunting rights of all of your fellow hunters.
 
What kind of bear? 7.62x39 might work with a black bear in the eastern US but I wouldn't try using it on his big brothers in the northwest. As far as what anti-gunners think, I could care less about public perception; they generally have already made up their minds about hunting and guns.
 
ok,

Is 7.62x39 sufficient to defend your children and your life against a hungry grizzly bear while cooking soy burgers and camping out naked in the wilderness on "Gia" Day?


Would the FMJ be a better choice than the hollowpoint?
 
bear

Dave: "Now that I have an Ak-47, is this sufficient for me to use for bear hunting?

Hollow point or full metal jacket?

30 round mag or 75 round drum?"
That's a scary idea.
Don't know what's legal in Fla.
About suitability - the 7.62X39 is similar in power to a 30-30 when it is loaded with it's normal 123gr bullet (30-30 with it's 125gr). For heavier bullets, which are probably more suitable for bear, the 7.62X39 loses out; it doesn't throw them as hard due to smaller case capacity, even if you could get them in the magazine.
Is it suitable for bear is an ethical/practical question you have to ask yourself.
FMJ bullets are NEVER recommended for this type of hunting.
Magazines - ask yourself why you are even considering a 30 round magazine or the even larger drum. Do you plan on using more than one shot? If the plan includes, as it is easy to infer, taking multiple shots at the animal until it is dead, then you have the answer to suitability of the round.
The AK is a military rifle; it was not designed to hunt animals; though, one could say the same thing about the Mauser.
Pete

PS - "to defend your children and your life against a hungry grizzly bear"
Thought that you were talking about hunting.
If you are serious, and Grizzly bears are really part of the scenario, there are WAY better options than an AK.

"As far as what anti-gunners think, I could care less about public perception; they generally have already made up their minds about hunting and guns."
True enough about anti-gunners being closed minded. But they are not really the issue, it's the other crowd - people who aren't anti-gun at this point but who might be swayed by bad publicity or something presented in an unfavorable light by an unsympathetic press.
 
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Public perception is important! There are many people out there who are not anti-hunting but on the fence and what the public thinks can change how or what we hunt. What you do and how it's relayed to the public affects legislation and all other aspects of hunting. What you do affects all of us!

Im not saying dont hunt bear, but your question is uneducated in nature.
 
I'd say if you are intent on using your AK that you should get some good soft point ammo.

Here is a thread from The AK Files forum where some members say they like Barnaul soft point ammo.

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36458

This thread made me remember that I recently got a Ruger Mini 30 on a trade and I need to investigate what the most effective soft point ammo is for it.:)
 
so basically yall are saying:


If I was on a fishing trip camping in a one story cabin out in the northwest, and a starving grizzly bears attacks my cabin and begins to tear through the walls.

Being afraid for my life and my childrens lives, I reach for the only gun I have
my ak-47 with a 75 round drum loaded with full metal jacket bullets.

As the bear breaks through the walls, and I open up with a hail of 7.62x39 bullets I have no hope what so ever of stoping the bear?

I suppose me and my family are all just dead meat. Maybe I should have brought a .44 magnum instead.
 
As the bear breaks through the walls, and I open up with a hail of 7.62x39 bullets I have no hope what so ever of stoping the bear?
Click to expand...

What you're talking about is not hunting it's self preservation. You were asking about hunting, in which case it is 100% necessary to be ethical / humane. I'd recommend taking a hunter's safety course.
 
In the above far fetched scenario, I'd say shoot it in the head. Of course maniac bears, that tear down cabin walls, so they can eat people may be immune to bullets.:rolleyes:

I can't believe I posted in this thread once more the less twice.:o
 
Starving Grizzly bears that break down cabin walls are usually wearing vests and kevlar helmets. They often lead the assault with a flash-bang gernade and then throw CS as well...

You have no chance in this scenario. :eek:

And this has nothing to do with hunting bears...
 
If you need a thirty round drum for hunting deer, you have more problems then trying to find out what gun to use.

The last thing we hunters and shooters need is someone blasting away with 30 rounds from an AK.

Let me know if you plan on hunting in Wyoming with your AK, I'll stay home that year.

Of course I may be all wet, after all I'm from a state that has a one shot antelope contest every year.
 
GA doesn't have a capacity limit for hunting large game, but I'm not walking through the woods with a 30 round mag hanging off a terrorist rifle.
 
No

"so basically yall are saying:


If I was on a fishing trip camping in a one story cabin out in the northwest, and a starving grizzly bears attacks my cabin and begins to tear through the walls.

Being afraid for my life and my childrens lives, I reach for the only gun I have
my ak-47 with a 75 round drum loaded with full metal jacket bullets.

As the bear breaks through the walls, and I open up with a hail of 7.62x39 bullets I have no hope what so ever of stoping the bear?"

No. That's not what we are saying. You asked first about hunting with the thing. Then, in response, you cited a completely different scenario.
Which, actually, do you want advice about or are you trolling?
Grizzly bear = .375 or .416.
Pete
 
The 7.62x39 is about at the same level as a 30-30 Win. So, with proper, soft point ammo, the cartridge is sufficient to kill a black bear with proper bullet placement.

The gun firing that bullet is irrelevant, as long as it's a legal firearm.

Which brings up the legal issue. The rifle would be legal here in Arizona, as long as the magazine held no more than 5 cartridges.

So you gotta ask yourself, "Would I hunt the bear with a semi-auto 30-30 that holds no more than 6 cartridges?". If the answer is yes, then what kind of bullet would you want to use? For me, I'd want soft point ammo. No hollow points or FMJ's.

Seriously, a high cap magazine means nothing if you can't hit your target, and if you can hit your target, you won't need a high cap magazine; at least when shooting at a single critter.

Daryl
 
To get back to the opening post: Florida bears, generally, aren't all that large. 200 to 300 pounds seems to be pretty common, per articles in "Woods & Waters". (Recommended reading for Florida/Georgia folks.)

Since state laws/regulations vary so widely, the best thing to do is go to the state's wildlife agency website for info on such things as allowable magazine capacity.

As to the AK round, I imagine most bear hunters will work from a tree stand, over bait. That means shots inside twenty or thirty yards. So, any hunting bullet should work, if the shooter can hit the correct spot on the bear. You don't shoot at a bear; you shoot at a specific place on a bear: That means you need to study some on how a bear is put together.

IMO, the AK round is marginal for those who are not pretty much well-skilled in hitting exactly where they want, and do it pretty much all the time. My own practical limit is how far out I can hit a target which is the size of the end of a beer can, from any field condition rest or from offhand.
 
You people have no since of humor.

I just want to know if you were in a situation where you had to defend your life against a grizzly, would an ak-47 be sufficient. I know the hunting laws and ethics.....I just want to know if it would be sufficient.

It is not unrealistc scenario. You could be bow hunting deer. You could kill a dear, dress it and be draging it through the woods. A hungry bear could easily try to take the kill from you. Or take you for the kill. If you are in an area that would allow you to carry more than a 5 round magazine you could pick and choose whatever backup weapon you need. An Ak-47 with a folding stock is very convenient.


I titled this thread "Bear hunting with an Ak-47" and made the 30 round 75 round drum as a joke. If you look at most of my threads which are in the shotgun section you will see I do a lot of joking and funny/rediculous scenarios.
 
This may be the most stupid thread I've ever read. It is questionable as to whether you should be allowed to own a weapon. An ak47 for bear threats in Florida? Lay down the weapon and go with the nice men in the white suits.
 
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