Thread: larger deer with 7.62x39 & your loads

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

It's a bit of a myth that x39 is't accurate brought about by people buying cheap rifles, and cheaper ammo and declaring x39a useless military caliber. My early production Chinese SKS shot rather well for a non floating barrel with sloppy trigger. I am guessing it killed hundreds of goats and a decent red deer by the time I sold it. Much more pleasant to shoot than a bubberised 303 for example. When comparing a x39 and 223 AKM syle rifle the x39 actualy shot better and my x39 AR shot just as well as any of the 5.56 ones.
I would take the x39 deer hunting over the 223 any day, both are on the lower end but the slower heavier projectile seems more reliable from what I have seen.

to clarify...I have very accurate .224 centrefires....and the x39mm I built as a bush rifle,short and light..it DIDNT NEED to be better than 2" at hundy accurate because I wouldnt use it past 150yards... so I never bothered to try to reload really accurately for it other than a play with subs....with that in mind we didnt ask the x39mm to be more than 150yard rifle...I shot wallabies a lot further out than that with norinco FMJ in yellow packet...that is potent ammunition.... but the deer we shot with it were all under 100 yards and we had no problems other than the one too far away mentioned above...that was purely MY FAULT ,not the rifle or ammunition nor the trigger man.... mine and I own it.
a fallow out in open is a completely different beast to a red in tight bush.....im my experience they arent overly hard to tip over if you hit them right.