7.62 x 39

[okiecop]

Here is what I am wanting to know. Is the 7.62x39 a decent round for the small deer we have in Oklahoma. The reason I ask is I am going to get a Saiga rifle. I have been up in the air as to get a 7.62 or a 223. This will be kind of a do all rifle for me. Everthing from plinking to varmint to hogs and deer.

I already know about there being tons of better rifles and caliber's to hunt with. But with the short ranges I'll be shooting at it should have plenty of punch. I plan to use a premium soft point bullet when going after the bigger game. I am just looking at putting some meat on the table not a trophy by any means. Thank you in advance for all the help.

[DANZIG]

I use an SKS in that caliber, it has never failed to kill what I hit. Most times, "Right now!"
Except for the time, near as I can tell, I bounced one off of a barbed wire fence, I have not needed my tracking skills.

That being said, My SKS is in no way a sniper rifle. I am confident on deer out to 200 yards but even at a hundred you are not going to drive nails with it.

Hope that helps.

[okiecop]

I want to thank you for the quick response. Glad to know I'm not the only one wanting to use this round.

[Plowboy411]

The 7.62x39 will do a good job out to 100 yards.past that the 30.30 is far superior ballistically.I like a quick clean kill and neither have humane stopping power after 175 yards.humane being the key word.that being sad the sks is cheaper and cheaper to shoot.hope this helps.:wink:

[rednecksportsman511]

just like the others said, as long as you're close range (within 100yds) the nato round will do just fine for deer. i would worry about the sks's accuracy though. from time to time they can seem rather inconsistent. but other than that, i wouldnt worry.

[badkarma]

I have a friend who's son hunts with an SKS in 7.62x39,he fires a lot of shots and kills few deer while I hunt with a 3006 and when I shoot one shot I kill 1 deer and never have to hunt for it after I shoot it.

P.S. John the 7.62x39 is Russian not NAtO

[Plowboy411]

just like the others said, as long as you're close range (within 100yds) the nato round will do just fine for deer. i would worry about the sks's accuracy though. from time to time they can seem rather inconsistent. but other than that, i wouldnt worry.
Both the sks and the m44 remake of the Mosin nagant have the same problem. if you slug the barrel you will find they will mic. out between .308 to .313 calliber. find which you have and get reloads to match .you will be pleasently suprised as to the accuracy of both, but you will fall in love with the m44.aka the 7.62x54r.

[DANZIG]

"I have a friend who's son.."

Mmm.. I must have gotten a good one then. One shot, one kill. (unless I screw up)

To be fair though, I hunt western WV, Most I have taken at 100 yd or less. Rare to be able to see 'em farther off, rarer to have a clean, safe, shot at more distance.

[okiecop]

Although the Saiga is a semi auto and takes the same cal as the SKS. It is a different weapon. What I am looking at is a sporterized version of an AK. I am not knocking an SKS or any other firearm. This AK variant is just a good rifle from all the research I have done.

I want to thank everyone for their input so far. I hunt small game and birds. I have for about the last 30 yrs. I am just wanting to start deer hunting. So I am starting out completely new in this endeavor.

[xringer3]

As long as the accuracy of the rifle is good, (minute of deer), then if you keep your shots reasonable for the light 125grn bullet, then it's a good round. It's like shooting a semi-auto 30-30 inside 100 yards. I'd say if it will shoot 2 inch groups at 100 yards, then go for it. I like more punch than that for myself, but that's just me.

In all actuality, with that rifle and round, it's cheap enough and a fun enough gun to shoot that you will probably spend more time with it at the range plinking and becomeing familiar with it. Becoming intimate with your weapon makes for less missed shots or wounded deer. Discipline yourself to reasonable ranges and get familiar with your rifle. I'd definitely pic it over the 223 for deer. The heaviest bullet for that round is less than half the weight of the 7.62x39!

[Johny Buck]

I have a sks and have shot deer out to 100 yds and all of them went less than 50 yds. That is also using the full metal jacket bullet. I normally use my bow and 7mm mag. But I try and use all the guns in the safe just to stay in touch with them.

[223reload]

I have a sks and have shot deer out to 100 yds and all of them went less than 50 yds. That is also using the full metal jacket bullet. I normally use my bow and 7mm mag. But I try and use all the guns in the safe just to stay in touch with them.

I cant believe its legal to shoot deer in your state with FMJ bullets ,In most states its Illegal ,and might be in yours as well ,You might ought to read the Proclamation once in a while .

[Mark R.]

Not that it is legal but I have been told by friends in states where .223's are legal to use that the FMJ bullets really do work better than soft points.
They carry a clip with SP bullets for show but have a clip of FMJ for hunting.
I was told the reason is that the FMJ's tumble and cause more damage that the SP bullets.

[223reload]

Not that it is legal but I have been told by friends in states where .223's are legal to use that the FMJ bullets really do work better than soft points.
They carry a clip with SP bullets for show but have a clip of FMJ for hunting.
I was told the reason is that the FMJ's tumble and cause more damage that the SP bullets.

I think that is totally un ethical behaivior ,Mark

[Mark R.]

My gun of choice is a 7X64 with Ballistic tip bullets, .223's are for varmints in my book.

I scoped a SKS for my son's first rifle, the ammo was cheap he shot a lot and got real good with it, killed several deer clean, as with anything it takes proper shot placement.

[badkarma]

I hunted with a 223 one time,75yd standing shot at a nice 8 point and had the Soft Point bullet blow up on a rib.I tracked it over 4 hours but didn't find it.That was over 20 years ago and from then on I hunted deer with my 06 or 12ga slugs for fast kills and no lost deer.

[Scott Daw]

heres a bolt action that takes the sks round.

Remington model 799

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_799_specs.asp

[montgomery#1]

i dumped a spike last year at 250+ yards and dumped him in his tracks he was dead before he thit the ground. also good for coyote hunting with the solid metal jacketed bullet. all my shots with my sks have been one shot kills except for one it took me 2 shots it was a coyote. i was shooting across a canyon and yes i did flinch ill be honest. good post.talk to you later.

[Johny Buck]

223reload, Like I've posted for the past few years, it's about shot placement. I't does not matter if a deer is shot with an arrow head made by a native American, or a lead round ball shot from a flint lock at 850 fps or a full metal jacket bullet flying at 2000fps. If you don't hit them in the boiler room you generally won't recover them. Excuse my ignorance, what proclamation are you talking about?

[Mark R.]

A bolt gun in 7.62 x 39 would be the cats meow, A person can still buy ammo for under $200 a thousand for practice and varmints and buy or reload some good bullets for Deer.