If I was going to have a 7.62x39 bolt action built what is the best route? This will be for a suppressed rifle, preferably with a .308 bore. Am I best off buying a CZ 527 or Rem. 799 in 7.62x39 and then rebarreling? Since the subsonic loads would use heavy .30 caliber bullets (like a .300 Whisper) I wonder if the CZ detachable magazine has enough room for them to fit. If I keep the .311 barrel I should be able to use the heavy .303 British bullets for the subsonic loads. If I keep the factory barrel I can use cheap factory ammo where I figure I am stuck with reloads with a .308 barrel. I don't mind only shooting handloads as this will be a "fun gun" but the ability to shoot cheap factory ammo wouldn't stink.
TIA

CZ. The magazine is long enough because you need very little powder. The single stack magazine feeds very well.

For suppressed work you would be best off to get a .223 or .221 and rebarrel to 300 Whisper.

lawndart,
Thanks for the feedback on the CZ's magazine. I have owned a number of CZ 550s and would rather go with the CZ over the Remington / Charles Daly as long as the magazine isn't an issue. Not trying to start an argument but why would you consider 300 Whisper superior to 7.62x39 for this? I would agree in an AR-15 but I would figure the more readily available brass, cheaper dies, and possibility of using cheap factory supersonic loads would make the 7.62x39 better in a bolt action. I'm not sure what the powder capacity of the Whisper is but I have been led to believe it is similar to the 7.62x39. I'm not against the idea of the Whisper if it is the superior round for my application but I would like to hear the pros / cons of the two for a bolt action.

The powder capacity of the 7.62 x 39 is greater than the Whisper (35.6 gr of water versus 24.95 for the Whisper) so the loading density will always be better with a Whisper.

Secondly, the Whisper is designed to match .223 mgazine dimensions with the 240 Sierra MK so that's a slam-dunk. Also, the neck crimps low on the bullet so it gets a good bite.

I load some long-for caliber tracers in my 7.62 x 39 and I find that to get the OAL short enough, I have to crimp at the beginning of the ogive and sometimes bullets still slip into the case. It is a genuine PIA; sometimes I have to glue them too. It would be worse still with any of the long boat tails. Even the round nose 200s and 220s begin their ogive fairly low on the bullet so they can chamber without jaming in the throat.

The plus for the 7.62 is that you can load higher-powered standard loads than can be done with a Whisper but the Whisper can still be loaded into a reasonable short-ranged white tail round.

well, heck, that's a hard one to call. The remmie is the "minimuaser" and to my eye, a better looking action. and certainly more aftermarket stock options

but, the differences are small.

I would find a rifle or barreled action for either (i THINK they are both .311) shoot it, is it accurate enough? bed it,is it accurate enough? , recrown it, is it accurate enough? then replace the barrel

cheers
jeffe

tiggertate,
Have you tried the 240s or even 220s in the 7.62x39? This is the first I have heard of the problems with the 7.62x39, maybe the folks using it suppressed in a bolt action are using a .308 length magazine so they can seat the bullet further out. Maybe I should look at Yugo Mauser for the action instead. Anyone know what the max. OAL is in the Remington 799 / Charles Daly Mini-Mauser magazine? This could be a big plus for the Whisper.

All I have is an SKS and I don't have access to the various bolt gun magazine lengths for different models. My purpose wasn't supression so I never tried the heavier bullets. GI .308 tracers are pretty short compared to the 240s and 220s; you might want to bum some bullets/dies from friends and try an experiment or two before you decide.

I can single-load longer rounds but that takes all the fun out of it.

I have to second everything tiggertate said above. The 7.62 x 39, and everything about it, is designed for 123 - 130+/- grain bullets; i.e. short and stubby.

The 300 Whisper was very much purpose designed for launching heavy HPBT's at 1,050 fps from a 1:8" barrel. Fortuitously, it also does a dandy job on deer out to 150 yards with 150 grain bullets. A mini-Mauser can be worked over to make a very good looking 300 Whisper rifle. You can even make it a switch barrel rig, and shoot varmints with a .221, .222 or .223 barrel.

The CZ rifle in .221, .222 or .223 is a very sure feeder, and an equally easy conversion.

Which action to use will likely come down to what you can find for what price.

As a side note, the amount of powder burned in the Whisper is so small you don't need a full sized suppressor. A 5 3/4" unit will work as well as an 8" unit.

Enjoy.

LD

FWIW, a friend built one on a Turk. I feeds and ejects with no modification. capt david

Well at least I have something to think about on our 5 day trip to FL. Once I get an action I will post pics of the process. BTW I have seen pics of a CZ 527 that started as either a 221 or 223 on another site and they had to modify the magazine to feed the Whisper round, maybe another plus for the mini-Mauser or Turk with a block in the magazine.

Wouldn't a savage 110/stevens 200 be a pretty easy gun to convert? You could swap the barrel your self.

Weagle

weagle,
For the 300 Whisper it would be fine, does Savage make a bolt face for the 7.62x39? I guess if I went with a .223 rifle to start I could always have that bolt face opened up.

Mini-mauser on gunbroker.com

Sharps54, I'm not sure about the bolt face. Since the Savage bolt head is an entirely seperate piece, it seems it would be quite easy to get one that fit the 7.62x39 properly.

Now you got me thinking I need one.

Weagle

quote:

Originally posted by weagle:
Sharps54, I'm not sure about the bolt face. Since the Savage bolt head is an entirely seperate piece, it seems it would be quite easy to get one that fit the 7.62x39 properly.

Now you got me thinking I need one.

Weagle

If you do decide you need one check here
http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/Barrels.html
for the bolt head, I think the PPC rounds are the same bolt face as the 7.62x39.

Want suppressed?
You can get any 308 bullet up to speed with a 32acp.

There is allot less suppressor volume needed to slow down less powder.

And seat the bullet deep. Even the 32acp case will have wasted case volume.