If you had to pick between the 7.62×39 and 300 Blackout for hunting – which would you pick? In my opinion, there is a clear answer. In this short blog post, I will explain the reasons why I believe the 7.62×39 is superior for hunting.

When considering a hunting cartridge there are a few main things to consider – bullet energy, bullet drop, accuracy, and ammo availability. I will keep the text here short but will include data charts on factory loadings below that support my statements in detail. You can also go to the Remington Catalog for more information on specific calibers.

ENERGY – 7.62×39 has more energy across the board no matter how you slice it

BULLET DROP – 7.62×39 has less bullet drop. The only exception here is with 110 grain 300 Blackout loadings. The 110 grain 300 Blackout bullet drop is very similar to the 7.62×39 bullet drop at hunting distances

ACCURACY – I call a draw here. I have loads of both calibers that I can put in the same hole every time at 100 yards.

AMMO AVAILABILITY – I must give this one to 300 Blackout. In my experience, it is usually easier to find 300 Blackout hunting ammo in a physical store.

In conclusion, based on the bullet energy and bullet drop between the two – I have to say that the 7.62×39 is superior to the 300 Blackout when it comes to hunting. Both cartridges I would call “200 yards and in rounds” when it comes to hunting deer. I would not recommend these for hunting any further than 200 yards. If you are hunting with 300 Blackout, I recommend taking a 110 grain or 150 grain loaded round. The heavier 300 Blackout rounds just do not have the energy that is best for hunting.