Anyone have any experience using the 7.62x39 on Deer sized game? My scoped SKS with PMC soft point is good for 2.5' at 150 yards, but I'm not sure of the actual performace on game. Ballistic tables aside, real world performance is still the best yardstick to measure usefullness. The majority of big Alberta Whitetail go about 200 + lbs, but most of my hunting is under 100 yards anyway. Why the SKS? Why not? Just got it and want to try it out this hunting season. Only 21 days to go!!!
7.62X39 on Deer
- Thread starter Cain R
- Start date
1911A1 fan
New member
Cain, Missouri white tail are a lot smaller than what you are going after, but I've killed two down here with one. I think you should keep it within 100yrds and make sure you get a good solid hit. Good luck and stay safe.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Where I'm coming from is that shot placement and clean kill rank first in importance in hunting.
If you're confident about being able to hit the heart area or the center of the neck, so far so good. If you can resist the temptation to try to "reach out there a bit", great. The AK cartridge is like the .30-30: It'll work, but it's marginal.
$0.02,
Art
If you're confident about being able to hit the heart area or the center of the neck, so far so good. If you can resist the temptation to try to "reach out there a bit", great. The AK cartridge is like the .30-30: It'll work, but it's marginal.
$0.02,
Art
JosephBoeckner
Moderator
it should work
my uncle hunts with his SKS and has no problem with it-(deer) and so it should work for u-but then again dont shoot it in the @$$ and expect it to cry to death
lol-i was gonna get SKS-so we could have 2 sks and go deer hunting but going with my mauser now
my uncle hunts with his SKS and has no problem with it-(deer) and so it should work for u-but then again dont shoot it in the @$$ and expect it to cry to death
lol-i was gonna get SKS-so we could have 2 sks and go deer hunting but going with my mauser nowLegionnaire
New member
Cain,
Can't use a semi-auto where I hunt. But the 7.62x39 has ballistics that closely resemble those of the .30-30 which, purportedly, has taken more deer than any other cartridge. Agree with Art that shot placement is everything . . . even with a more powerful cartridge. But the SKS should do fine if you do your part.
Can't use a semi-auto where I hunt. But the 7.62x39 has ballistics that closely resemble those of the .30-30 which, purportedly, has taken more deer than any other cartridge. Agree with Art that shot placement is everything . . . even with a more powerful cartridge. But the SKS should do fine if you do your part.
I think it's adequate if you don't try to stretch it too far. Use good ammo, not the russian hollow points or the cheap stuff. Here is a thread about it:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15358
I you are a reloader there is an old thread there about which bullets are best.
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15358
I you are a reloader there is an old thread there about which bullets are best.
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
I've coached/helped clean a couple of deer popped with an SKS. Keep it close and hit well and you'll have no problems.
Giz
Giz
Go for it! I have a buddy that hunts with a Ruger Mini-30. It works just fine for him. It has almost the same performance as a .30-30. However, you'd be pushing it beyond 150 yards. But heck, the farthest I've ever shot a deer was about 125 yards, and that was with a .308 Win. I think the deer would have been just as dead if I had shot it with a 7.62X39.