Most overrated deer caliber, or - - -
- - - Caliber most often MISUSED for deer?
In either case, I'll pick the 7.62x39mm. There are a huge number of rifles and carbines in use today, chambered for this decent little antipersonnel cartridge. A great many of the owners think that, just because it's "A thirty-caliber," it must be okay for deer. Also, there's a mistaken idea that, "Well, the 7.62 by 39 is ballistically identical to the .30-30." Or, more properly, "is ballistically similar to the .30-30." Well, not really. The vast majority of the .30 Russian Short ammo sold has bullets totally unsuitable for hunting medium game - - A very hard 129 gr. bullet which doesn't expand properly, hollow point or not. Velocity is somewhat similar, but most .30-30 cartridges have a 150 or 170 gr. bullet that performs pretty darn well for it's shape and velocity.
Many deer ARE killed every year with the 7.62x39, true, but this is like it used to be with the .30 US Carbine cartridge. There are a lot of 'em in use, and many people have the good fortune to be presented with a clear, short range, standing-still shot. Is such circumstances, it'll do the job. So will a .32-20 or a short .357 revolver. But if one doesn't have the discipline to NOT take a shot beyond 50 yards or so, or if one cannot place the shot with surgical precision, it is not showing the game animal much respect.
How about, "Well, it'll do fine on a 150 pound man, so it should be fine on a 120 pound deer?" (Often heard about both the .30 short and the .30 USC.) For incapacitating an enemy soldier, any solid hit between the knees and the top of the head will do just fine. He's no longer an effective fighting unit, and he'll probably lie down and worry about getting to the aid station alive. The body of a deer is a good deal shorter, up and down, and a poorly shot game animal can escape with a lot of physical damage. Sure, he'll probably die sometime, but this is not a sporting matter.
Certainly, there are those who carefully mount a 'scope sight on their SKS or Ruger Mini 30, and choose proper sporting ammo. And, if they practice a bit, then the little cartridge is a 100 to 150 yard proposition.
Best regards,
Johnny