distance
If your going to hunt 7.62x39, distance is not the way one wants to be thinking, there are better choices. I zero my x39 rifles on at 100, and select them when I make hunts where I can pretty much predict I will not be shooting past that distance, as I cannot see game in that cover much more than 75 yds or so anyhow. Running my kills, and bamaboys, over in my mind, I don't think we've taken one with the x39 past 60 yds or so, and the biggest was at 19 paces.
At those distances, launched at appx 2250 fps, expansion was fine with the Sierra 135 SSP and now the SST. The x39 is well matched to those conditions. I can pick and choose my rifles and hunts. If I could not, and anticipated seeing and shooting deer size game at further distances, and could only hunt a single rifle, or maybe a pair, I would pick something that shot a little harder and flatter......