ORIGINAL: metaldonnieg
Just curious. I'm lookin at getting a rifle in one of the calibers very soon. I had my mind and heart set on .223 but for some reason the 7.62 has been more appealing for the past two days though I haven't had a chance to do any research yet. Thought I'd start here...
Well, depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to shoot game smaller than deer, get the .223. It shoots flatter, and is better suited for varmint shooting. If you are looking for a light, accurate and handy carbine for deer, you can't do better than the CZ 527 carbine in 7.62X39mm.....
Despite showing similar energy levels, at least in the first 200 yards or so, the 7.62X39mm is slightly better for the larger stuff. It is very much in the .30/30 Win class. I get 2300 FPS from 150-grain bullets from my CZ 527 which has an 18" barrel.