The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Am i right in saying that the American and Western European rifle manufacturers dont use 'Russian' calibres?

If not, why not? I would have thought that for those looking for a bolt gun on a budget, these calibres could be a good option.

what am i missing?

CZ do/did a bolt action rifle in 7.62x39.

Ruger Mini 14 is in 7.62x39

LOTS of AR15's in AK flavour too

What are you missing? The ability to do a Google search?

OK CZ are eastern European but I will czech them out (can you see what I did there?)

Not really bolt guns are they saddler? But I didnt know they existed either...

saddler wrote:Ruger Mini 14 is in 7.62x39

LOTS of AR15's in AK flavour too

What are you missing? The ability to do a Google search?

Mini 14 is in .223 calibre.

The Ruger that fires the 7.62x39 is known as the mini 30 but as noted not a bolt gun it's a straight pull like the 14.

CZ 527 would've been my recommendation too. There isn't going to be a huge market for this in the US as Mosin Nagants and AK's can be bought pretty cheaply out there. The Mini-30 is the only other rifle I can think of chambered in 7.62x39 but that isn't bolt-action. For the European side of things, the most popular hunting round at it's time was the 8x57 IS so there wouldn't have been much purpose in making rifles in 7.62x54mmR I imagine.

Rimmed cartridges like 7.62 x 54R, and .303, are not exactly flavour of the month. There aren't any new build rifles in .303, so why would there be in the Russian calibre?

Nope - aside from the previously mentioned offerings from CZ, Ruger and the AR platform I think you are out of luck.

What about them AIA or IAI? Vietnam made Australian No.4 Enfields?
I think they were also in AK

Missed the bolt action part earlier - probably as I speed read it & it weren't on the first line


The CZ527 jobs also make a nice donor for a 6.8SPC conversion

DaveB wrote:There aren't any new build rifles in .303

Wow, I didn't know that either!