Best 7.62x39mm Rifles: Our Top Picks

The classic 7.62x39mm is an interesting round. It’s one of the first legitimate intermediate rounds, but it’s also one of the few to use a .30 caliber projectile. The rifle round is most famously used in the AK-47 but has found its way into numerous rifles, light machine guns, and many more. The round has also become quite popular in the world of modern rifles. Today we are going to take a peek at the best 7.62x39mm rifles out there.

Why the 7.62×39? 

The 7.62x39mm round is one of the few intermediate rifle rounds on the market that uses a .30 caliber round. It’s certainly the only common one on the market. A .30 caliber projectile ensures you have a heavy bullet that hits hard and penetrates deep. At short ranges, it’s less likely to experience wind deviation. 

While most of us are used to AK fodder in the form of steel-cased cheap ammo, some companies like Hornady and Winchester have loaded some very nice and capable brass-cased premium grade 7.62x39mm ammunition. 

It’s an excellent hunting round out to 200 yards or so, and with an experienced shooter, it can reach out to 300 yards. The cartridge packs quite the punch at close range and can be capable of taking medium-sized game and predators. At the same time, the cartridge offers very manageable recoil. It’s more than a 5.56, but not by much. 

The cartridge is also quite cheap and easy to find. The price is comparable to 5.56 and can be found nearly anywhere. AK magazines might not be as common as AR mags, but they are not exactly hard to find, and plenty of rifles outside of the AK series use AK magazines. 

Best 7.62×39 Firearms

This table shows you our favorite 7.62x39mm firearms. Many are iconic rifles that have been in use all over the world for a long time while some are modern interpretations of these iconic riffles.

Our Best 7.62×39 Firearms

1. Iconic Russian 7.62×39 WASR-10 AK-47 Series		Classic Romanian AK Side Mount Scope Rail Combloc Standard	Check Price
2. Iconic Israeli 7.62×39 Galil ACE Gen 2		Takes AK Mags Modern Ergonomics Optics and M-LOK Ready	Check Price
3. Bolt Action 7.62×39 Ruger American Ranch Rifle		Bolt Action Design Uses Mini 30 magazines Integrated Optics Rail	Check price
4. 7.62×39 AR/AK Hybrid CMMG Resolute Mk47		AK and AR Blend Uses AK Magazines Modular	Check Price
5. Modernized AK M+M M10X		Combination of AR, FAL, AK Modular and Modern Traditional Long Stroke Gas Piston	Check Price
6. HK G3 Clone PTR 32 KFR		HK91 Clone in 7.62×39 Built In Optic’s Rail Fits HK91 Furniture	Check Price
7. Bolt Action Chassis 7.62×39 CZ 600 Trail		Bolt Action Guns Uses BREN 2 Magazines Modular and Modern	Check Price

Spec Comparison of the Best 7.62×39 Firearms

What Is The Best 7.62×39 Firearm?

Here is our list for the best 7.62x39mm gun.

1. WASR 10 AK Series
2. Galil ACE Gen 2
3. Ruger American Ranch Rifle
4. CMMG Mk 47 Resolute
5. M+M M10X
6. PTR 32 KFR
7. CZ 600 Trail

7.62×39 Firearms Reviews

Lets go through a full review for each of our favorite 7.62×39 guns. Here you will see why we picked the guns we picked and see if you agree with our selections.

WASR 10 AL Series Review

The WASR 10 AK series is a very classic Eastern European AK series of rifles that have long been imported into the United States. While companies like PSA are making solid American-made AKs, it’s tough to beat the classic Com Bloc AK imports. The WASR 10 AK series are Romanian designed and are built in the same factory that’s produced them for decades and decades. 

The WASR 10 AK series are fairly plain rifles, and they are exactly what you picture when you say AKM. It’s simple with wood furniture, classic AK controls, the standard side mount scope rail and a slant muzzle device. The WASR 10 AK series are not fancy, but they are the type of AK that lasts absolutely forever and do so with crap-tier ammunition, an abusive maintenance schedule, and a nonpermissive environment. 

If you know AKs, you know the WASR 10. The downside to AKs is the fact that it’s basically a 1947 SMG designed to fire a rifle round. What I mean is the ergonomics are not great with the massive safety, right side only reciprocating charging handle and teeny tiny grip. That’s part and parcel of the classic AK experience. 

The WASR 10 offers you a classic AK design in the famed 7.62x39mm cartridge. It’s pure Eastern Europe, and you can almost smell the vodka on it. We did a full review of this classic rifle.

WASR 10 AK Pros and Cons

Galil ACE Gen 2 Review

When the Israelis wanted a domestically produced service rifle, they had some requirements. They wanted something that worked well in sandy environments and had been impressed with the AK series. They weren’t impressed with the gun’s ergonomics, its accuracy, or its modularity. Thus, they made something that blended parts of the M16, the FAL, the AK 47, and even a bit of the M1 Garand to make one unique rifle called the Galil. 

The Galil ACE Gen 2 represents the most modern Galil to date and is an Israeli export made available here in the states. The rifles come in 5.56, 7.62 NATO, and of course, 7.62x39mm. In the 7.62x39mm round, it uses common and affordable AK-47 series magazines. The rifle is capable of excellent accuracy. In fact, it can produce groups right at 1 MOA with high-quality ammunition. 

The rifle also comes with a way to use optics and accessories that isn’t common with the AK series rifles. The stock is also modern and often both collapsible and adjustable, depending on the model you use. The rifle comes with an excellent trigger that’s a two-stage design and is quite light and sweet. 

The Galil ACE series trimmed a lot of weight, but the main downside is that it’s still a bit of a hefty rifle and a bit bulky. If you can deal with that, it’s one of the most modern 7.62x39mm rifles on the market. 

Galil ACE Gen 2 Pros and Cons

Ruger American Ranch Rifle Review

Ruger is pretty familiar with the 7.62x39mm with the Mini 30, and they’ve never shied away from it. The Ruger American Ranch Rifle is a series of American-made, affordable bolt action rifles in intermediate calibers. The Ruger American Ranch Rifle comes in the classic 7.62x39mm and uses Mini 30 magazines. 

The American Ranch Rifle series are simple and very affordable firearms that give you a lightweight, compact, and accurate bolt action design that’s made to be a working rifle. It’s perfect for short-range hits at moderate ranges, and the 7.62x39mm makes it easy to land big, heavy projectiles into a threat with ease. If you have a coyote problem, the 7.62x39mm will take it down quickly and efficiently, even when your shot placement isn’t perfect. 

The American Ranch Rifle series are quite accurate and feature the Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger system. This gives you the ability to adjust the crisp trigger from three to five pounds. It’s a nice feature to find on a budget rifle. That, paired with the smooth bolt action, makes the weapon quite nice for such a low price point. 

With budget steel-cased Wolf ammo, you might not get that 1 MOA grouping, but your accuracy cleans up a lot with premium brass-cased ammo from companies like Federal and Hornady. You can get a nice tight group, and with a good optic, you have a light, 300-yard rifle. 

My biggest complaint is the magazine cost. Ruger is awfully proud of their Mini 14 magazines. AK mags are cheaper and just as reliable. Luckily the aftermarket can fix that! 

The Ruger American Ranch Rifle is the most commonly available and affordable bolt action 7.62x39mm rifle on the market, and it’s a ton of fun to shoot. 

Ruger American Ranch Rifle Pros and Cons

CMMG Mk47 Resolute Review

There have been lots of good attempts at a 7.62x39mm AR-15 rifle. The downside is typically the magazines being odd, the Eastern European hard primers, and the fact the AR isn’t really meant for the cartridge. CMMG went a different route and created what was once called the Mutant but is now called the Mk47. This gun uses a proprietary blend of AK, and AR features to make the best possible AR-15 in 7.62×39. The transformation starts at the lower, which is proprietary but allows the gun to use AK series magazines. 

These magazines are more common, more affordable, and more reliable with the 7.62x39mm round. The Mk47 series utilizes a direct impingement gas system and all standard AR controls except for the magazine release, which is much more AKish. The charging handle is a big, extended, ambidextrous design, and the safety is a short-throw AR type. 

Like every other AR 15, you get a modular weapon with an MLOK rail, optics rails, and CMMG’s own RipStock design. The gun is quite accurate with good ammunition and holds up to any basic AR design. 

The main downside is the lack of a last-round bolt hold open due to the AK magazines. Sadly, it’s just not a possibility when using AK mags. If you can deal with that, you get the lightweight, modular, and accurate design of the AR-15 in the heavy hitting 7.62x39mm. 

CMMG Mk47 Resolute Pros and Cons

M+M M10X Review

Much like the Galil, the M+M M10X is an attempt to implement the reliability and power of the AK into a more modular platform that excels in accuracy while using standard AK mags and ammo. The M10X has some AK traits, as well as some AR, SIG 550, and FAL traits even. It’s a neat design that is one of the most modern 7.62×39 semi-auto rifles out there. 

The weapon has a huge monolithic optics rail, an M-LOK handguard, a side folding, and collapsing stock. The rifle has a reversible charging handle and an ambidextrous AR-like safety. The system is still a long-stroke gas piston design. But we have an adjustable gas system much like the SIG 550 series rifles. This allows it to run smoother and better with a suppressor. 

We get enhanced accuracy, so much so they even produce a DMR version of the rifle. The trigger is absolutely fantastic, and the optics rail makes your choice of sighting systems broad. The design hinges open, much like an AR, for easy access, and this makes disassembly a breeze. It’s a very user-friendly platform. 

The downside is that M+M is a small company, and the guns are expensive and often sold out. This is a unique rifle platform that’s sold internationally, so it’s likely tough to keep in stock. If you can snag one, you have an awesome and modern 7.62x39mm rifle. 

M+M M10X Pros and Cons

PTR 32 KFR Review

PTR is all about roller-delayed weapons, and their main claim to fame is HK G3 clones. The PTR 32 is a roller-delayed rifle that’s essentially identical to the HK G3 rifles but chambers the 7.62x39mm round and uses AK magazines. The PTR 91 clones are fantastic, but .308 ammo is expensive, and 7.62x39mm rounds offer you the Cold Warrior rifle in a much cheaper ammo category. 

The PTR 32 is nothing more than an HK rifle in the old Soviet round. This big, heavy, roller-delayed gun is a ton of fun to shoot and delivers the battle rifle design without the expensive, heavy recoiling battle rifle calibers. In fact, this heavy rifle feels downright soft shooting with the 7.62x39mm rounds. 

It’s also surprisingly accurate with the standard iron sights, and if you add an optic, you’ll likely enter a realm of accuracy with the 7.62×39 you weren’t aware of. Even with cheap steel-cased ammo, I saw groups hovering around 2.5 inches. The hefty duty PTR 32 is optic’s ready with a short section of rail, so don’t worry about one of those silly claw mounts. 

At 9.5 pounds, I have to whine about weight. That’s crazy heavy for an intermediate cartridge rifle. Additionally, you get those awkward German ergonomics that might feel foreign to AK users, and hell, even FAL and AR users might feel confused. 

Still, if you want a G3 without the G3 ammo price or recoiling, the PTR 32 offers you a solid, accurate, and soft shooting rifle. 

PTR 32 KFR Pros and Cons

CZ 600 Trail Review

The CZ 600 Trail is one of my favorite new rifles. It’s a super interesting bolt action rifle designed for intermediate cartridges. The 600 Trail series chambers either 5.56 or 7.62×39 and uses either AR mags or Bren 2 mags in the case of the 7.62x39mm version. This lightweight rifle is ultra-modern and quite compact. 

To help keep it compact, they have a PDW-style stock that collapses nearly flush against the gun. It makes the rifle easy enough to toss in a pack and go! The rifle features AK-like controls, and most of the controls are ambidextrous. The bolt action is massive and super smooth in nature. The rifle has a near full-length M-LOK handguard and offers you plenty of space for accessories. 

The rifle features a user-adjustable trigger and is crazy accurate. It’s got a 1 MOA guarantee, but don’t expect that with steel ammo. You’ll need to spring for the good stuff. Even with the cheap stuff, the gun is plenty accurate inside of three hundred yards and could be a fantastic predator gun or even a deer gun. 

The Bren 2 magazines aren’t quite AK cheap or as widely available. They aren’t expensive either, but it’s not an optimum magazine if commonality is your goal. The rifle is also a bit expensive, but it’s also a CZ, which means quality is a guarantee. 

CZ 600 Trail Pros and Cons

Where the 7.62×39 Shines 

The 7.62×39 could be used for home defense, but it does over-penetrate with the more common ammo types. You’d really have to find a defensive loading with a soft or hollow tip. Even then, the round offers more recoil than the lighter 5.56. It does work, but there are better options. 

Where the 7.62x39mm really shines is when you get outside in thicket-style environments. The round penetrates well in both urban and forest environments. It’s more likely to smash through hardcover and less likely to deviate when it strikes vines, leaves, and ultra-small limbs. Much like the famed .30-30, it’s an American brush hunter’s best friend. 

In the swamp environments I hunt, my Mark X in 7.62×39 is absolutely perfect. It hits hard and penetrates deep within its effective range. At the same time, the gun doesn’t hurt my shoulder and gives it the thump I associate with other .30 caliber rounds. If you want a light, low recoiling rifle that hits hard, it’s easy to pick the 7.62x39mm. 

Cheap Ammo 

Another big reason is the ammunition availability. A cheap box of .308 costs at least a buck a round. I can find 7.62x39mm for a whole lot less if I don’t mind steel-cased stuff. I like shooting my Mark X as a bolt gun and appreciate the option for very cheap ammo to do so. 

When you need better ammo, that’s also available, although expect to pay premium prices. The ammo is also nearly panic-proof. I mean, in a long enough ammo shortage, it will dry up, but it’s often slower than 5.56 and even .308. The difference between the two in availability is night and day. 

The little 7.62x39mm round shouldn’t be overlooked. It has some excellent advantages and could be a great addition to your gun safe. Let me know below what you think about this classic rifle round. 

Suggested Reading

It is probably not a big surprise that the AK 47 was top of our list for 7.62×39 rifles. We have an article with our Favorite AK47 to see which AK we think is best.