Thread: larger deer with 7.62x39 & your loads

Nothing wrong with that nice venison headed for the BBQ.

open country like that...ideal. its a funny thing choosing between the x39mm or a .224 centrefire.... arguably more room for error with the x39mm and also arguably more accurate with .224
you look like you got good handle on when NOT to shoot ,which is just as important. go for it and post up results,have sent PM with the lilgun data. I see a lovely wee zastava rifle...good man. your potential for accuracy is higher than what I was running,and the full length barrel would give you better velocity too.
I wouldnt hesitate to use the hornady bulk pack stuff on deer... fallow especially.

I've got a CZ carbine in 7.62x39 and with the Hornady SST ammo (brass or steel case) it will shoot sub moa all day.
But it hates most other ammo. PPU Soft point shoots ok but the last red deer I shot through the shoulder with PPU just needled through and the projectile didn't expand, that was at just over 100 yards verified by a range finder.
still an awesome gun and a great caliber

We had a norinco something or rather as kids after the .222 and before the .270 we shot a lot of goat,fallow,red deer and a few samber 120 something gns rings a bell. They were a steel case Barnel or Barnul from memory a whooping $7.99 for 20 rounds came jammed in a small box about the size of 3 match boxs together. I remember they had a red ring printed on them maybe at the neck to projectile junction I really can’t remember now and then the cases were green as 8 year old war movie fanatics we thought they were well cool . It was surprisingly accurate while not as accurate as the .222 it accounted for many of table animals with no issues. Years later my partners cousin was an avid ruahine meat hunter and bought a Ruger mini 14 in x39 and shot over a dog . That rifle would have taken 100s of deer For what they are and applying usual ethics you can’t go to far wrong .

Most nostalgic reply to a thread iv written in a long time thanks for that.

if you can find the zombie loads or projectiles..its the same pill just puke green tip....

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

I bought a Ruger Ranch after my AR had to go away.
It's my main knock around gun now for sika, fallow, pigs, goats etc. Shot quite a few reds with it but I'm always picky about my shots on bigger animals. Not sure I'd target Sambar with it.
For goats I use cheap Chinese soft points, but deer and pigs I use Hornady with sst projectiles. Down to my last 50 pack and can't find anymore so might gave to start brewing my own.

Our samber efforts were always chasing fallow and the rule was any samber deer shoot it bring me the ears and il pay you we shot them with the .222 as well not something I’d recommend but again at 8-10 years old we thought it was shit hot

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

if you can find the zombie loads or projectiles..its the same pill just puke green tip....

I thought it was a spew amax?

reading up on the wee cartridge when I used it... all the plastic tipped hornady offerings are pretty much the same,and at the velocity/or lack thereof the wee case generates,soft is good.
they sure as heck smashed big(20-40kg) wallabies over with authority ...

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

open country like that...ideal. its a funny thing choosing between the x39mm or a .224 centrefire.... arguably more room for error with the x39mm and also arguably more accurate with .224
you look like you got good handle on when NOT to shoot ,which is just as important. go for it and post up results,have sent PM with the lilgun data. I see a lovely wee zastava rifle...good man. your potential for accuracy is higher than what I was running,and the full length barrel would give you better velocity too.
I wouldnt hesitate to use the hornady bulk pack stuff on deer... fallow especially.

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.

TBH Rees I think its a bit light on for sambar. 150gr doing 2100fps is only about same as 30.30.

The 30.30 was the minimum permitted for many years in Vic and justifiably so. (Min 2" case rule)

But I think if you restrict your shots to say, 120 meters you will be ok. Given the nature of the bush where Sambar like to hang out it's unlikely that will be a problem for you.

A bit further for Reds. Say 150mtrs

You don't have access to a 270 or 308? Much better options.

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.

and re-reading what you typed...we actually agree on far more than we dont LOL... its a great wee round,used within its limits..same goes for the 223.

Cut one of those yellow packet Norinco fmj in half and it will surprise you.

do tell...or better still show and tell.
all mine are long gone as is the rifle,there is still a x39 in cabinet but its not mine.