Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Share your 7.62x39mm hunting stories?

Those both did it alright!

Honestly, if it isn't a CNS hit, deer are running when I hit them with much stronger than 7.62x39 or 223 Rem.

Its high shoulder/spine or they're goin a little ways. Had one book it almost 100 yards with a sizeable piece of its heart shot off by 308 Win. Short runs from chest hits with 30-06, 150gr Fed Blue Box. Expecting the same with either cartridge if it isn't hitting spine.

You’re not wrong there, I’ve had many deer run off too. If they run here where I’m from, I like to have a good blood trail to follow. Tracking deer through the South Texas brush is no bueno without a bit of blood to follow. The .223 didn’t ever give us much if any blood to follow.

Man that I can believe! Not a big hole there.

Where are you hitting them so that they drop with the 7.62? Its encouraging.

Ditto with a 3/4" hole from a shotgun.

My daughters are the ones that have shot the deer with the 7.62X39, I have taught them to use the high shoulder shots or even neck shots if given the correct opportunity, but they hardly ever hit those exact spots. So anywhere close, it has seemed to work. One of the biggest bucks I've ever seen was shot and dropped immediately, I just think he was old and ready to die. lol.

LOL had enough of his wordly problems.

Seems like a real good place to be for 150 yard and in deer hunting anyway. Good stuff to you and your folks.

Our deer don't always drop, nobody's does, they frequently run 20-40 yards when using various cartridges. Those two also had approximately the same wound channels, center shoulder to off side rib cage.

I've used Barnes X/TSX on bigger game with bigger calibers and love them for that purpose. But, I honestly believe that smaller bodied game go down faster using a softer bullet. That's simply my opinion for what it's worth.

I’ve just not had great luck with 223s and blood trails. I’m sure I haven’t used one of the ‘right’ bullets, but I’ve killed my share of stuff with them. I’d just rather shoot deer with stuff that doesn’t require a magic bullet to leave good blood trails on any well placed shot….it’s thick here, too. I think the x39 checks my deer/hog boxes better than a 223, at least these days. We used to do some culling for a lease biologist, and used 223s for head/neck only, and well inside 200….being selective. It was better for that, back when.

I have killed a few Does with my SKS paratrooper using Chinese 122/123 SP …open sights furthest just inder 150yds .. right behind shoulder .. ran 30 yds then spun around and ran bout 10 yds and crashed ..
Others were not as eventful…
I had a Ruger Ranch carbine in 7.62x39 .. I don’t know why I traded it … but it was accurate
The prices have went up some since I purchased mine ..
I have actually thought about getting a AR in 7.62x39
But honestly I like my SKS … and probably wouldn’t use the AR

If Ruger had Iron sights on their Ranch carbines .. Id probably own a few of’em