Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 7.62x39 for deer and/or hogs?

+1 for the SKS and $2.00 for 20 box of misc Russian
ammo.
Most of the people I knew then spent their $60.00
for their SKS and one or two of us would spend the
money for a cheap case of ammo and some of the
soft points or hollow points to hunt with.
They worked just fine in the bottoms where we hunted
I had an AK for a while, but it wasn't as accurate as the
SKS although just as reliable

I've got a Howa Mini 7.62x39 topped with a Redfield Revolution 2-7 that shoots the PPU 123 grain soft point ammo really well. It is my goal to knock over a whitetail with that combo this season.

Besides a PSA KS-47, I have a Ruger #1 in 7.62x39. The #1 has a 22" barrel and a long throat, so can be loaded to somewhat better velocity than a 16" barrel.

I took a small spike (okay, actually it was a dink) with a 123gr Hornady SST; it worked fine but did not exit, and was a bit too frangible. I also grabbed a few hundred of the Nosler 123gr Ballistic Tips, when they were available at their Pro Shop. I killed a decent size sow with it. Again it worked fine but core & jacket separated.

Out of a 16" barrel I think either bullet would be good for 2 & 4 legged predators. I have some of the Speer 150gr .311 bullets and I think these would be a better choice for the #1, but I've not tried them yet.

123 gr Federal Fusion was amazing on deer and hogs for me. And accurate.

123 grain Golden Bear in a CZ-527. It is my daughter's rifle. She has killed 5 whitetails and none of the 5 ran more that 25 yards. One was a 168 yard shot on a big doe in Kansas. I have use the rifle to kill 2 whitetails at a range of less than 100 yards. Both my daughters used the rifle in Africa to kill Blesbok and Impala at ranges of a bit beyond 100 yards. Sub 200 yards that rifle and ammo are great for deer.

Are you aware the 6.5 Grendel exists?