Originally Posted by aboltfan
I bought a Ruger ranch in 7.62x39 for a lite recoiling deer rifle and cheap practice ammo. Using once fired Norma brass, Winchester LR primers, Hornady 123gr. SP and 26.8 gr. RL 7 I was able to get a pretty decent group. Pretty sure it will work for deer out to two hundred yards. I've got a spare lower, thinking of getting a 7.62x39 upper.

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Back about 2007, I went into a LGS looking for a semi auto pig hunting rifle. I found what bnb I was looking for in a Ruger Mini 14. Discussion g with the store owner why I wanted the rifle, he said, "Think about this one. Same price!".
It was a Ruger Ranch in 6.8mm Rem SPC!
That's what I ended up buying.
I love my 6.8, and yeah, it has the pre "II" chamber, but it still shoot very well. I've killed deer, hogs and coyotes with it and it performed admirably.

I won't sit here and blow smoke about which is better, 6.8mm or 7.62mm, but what I will bellyache about, is Ruger dropping the 6.8mm from it's production list.
The 6.8mm is every bit as good a deer cartridge as the 7.62mm.