Is a powerfull enough round to drop a big Buck?

The question is pretty genreal, so here's a sort of general answer.

Close yardage, good bullet, perfect bullet placement... yes 7.62 X 39 will kill a deer.

If you can stalk, bait or wait for that perfect shot, are loaded with a premium grade ammunition with an appropriate bullet style, and are absolutely confident that you can make the shot to a vital or crucial body part on the deer (heart, spine, brain) go for it.

It is, however, my opinion, that I owe an animal that I'm going to kill, as clean a kill as I can make.

It's my opinion that the 7.62 X 39 is underpowered for most hunting situations.

Howdy. As stated by 4rum if the shot is perfect it should be effective but in the woods seldom are things perfect. (IMO) It does not have what it takes, to cleanly kill a large deer with a less than perfect shot, just my opinion.
Joe

Ive collected deer in Michigan with my Mini Thirty loaded with handloads and "GOOD" not great bullets. The round gets far less credit than it deserves. If it will kill a human effectivley (and it has killed millions at different distances) it will kill a deer! Work up a good load or find a good factory load and practice ALOT! Remeber the bad reputation the round has comes from the few idiots hunting with FMJ surplus, that crap wont do it!

Unless you handload it is doubtful you will find ammo suitable for hunting.

In Colorado FMJ ammo isn't even legal to hunt with....99% of the ammo sold for a 7.62x39 is FMJ.

I wouldn't question the power so much as I would the available bullets/loaded ammo.

I hunt big CO deer with a round that is certainly not more powerful. But I use good bullets and have all the time in the world to fill a license.

I am not a 7.62x39 fan nor do I own a 7.62x39 any more. However, giving the devil his due, it is a very good round and duplicates the 30-30 in performance. In a US made gun, the barrels are all .308 so if you are into a 308 barrel situation, you do have a lot of good bullets to choose from.

If a SKS or AK, sorry, it is the poor selection found behind door 0.
Ed

Despite popular malarky, military arms are NOT made to kill humanely. They are designed to maim or cripple... the logic being that that takes TWO people out of action, the victim and someone to care for him.

4rum wrote:

Despite popular malarky, military arms are NOT made to kill humanely. They are designed to maim or cripple... the logic being that that takes TWO people out of action, the victim and someone to care for him.

I agree with you 4rum. That's what I was always told, especially some of the weapons from some wars.

Actually I think that analogy is wrong for the most part, its just sometimes the ammo is used for the wrong purposes.

Handguns were ment for "close defensive weapons" not offensive weapons in a military setting so even a 32ACP can work at the ranges they were ment to be used as a "last resort".

SMG's are ment to be used in close ranges where acouple of rounds of 9mm or the 45 ACP will kill a person.

Middle of the road class ammunition like the 223 Rem and the 7.62x39mm were ment to work at ranges under 300 yards. Which heck from reports I've read about the M16 from soliders in Iraq and Afganistan they are using M16's for engagements up to 600 yards with no problems.

The battle rifles of the World Wars were in 30-06 Springfield, 303 British and 8mm Mauser. They are roughly of equal preformance and probably combined all 3 took more game in the world then ALL of the other calibers put together.

Can't tell me thouse cant do the job can you ??

PS. That last line doesnt count ofcourse if you were in the military and you did use them in war then you can flame me all you want because you did use them and I haven't.

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote:

The battle rifles of the World Wars were in 30-06 Springfield, 303 British and 8mm Mauser. They are roughly of equal preformance and probably combined all 3 took more game in the world then ALL of the other calibers put together. Can't tell me thouse cant do the job can you ?? Dimitri

Ruffled some feathers?
I believe I said "SOME" .........

1895,

Not saying anything personal to your comment, just saying in general that line about military arms ment to mame not kill that alot of people say just seems alittle off in my opinion.

Dimitri

Wake up !!!!!! Just because the 7.62X39mm was a military round doesn't make it a good hunting round ........!!

1895!

Yes I'm not saying its a good hunting round, by the way at under 100 yards it should do baslisticlly the exact same as the 30-30WCF dont know if bullet selection is good enough to pick a good bullet for the game though depends if you have a Mini-30 or another American/non-Eastern block 7.62x39mm or not for the bore diameter to pick a good 308 sized bullet or get limited with "proper" ammo for the Eastern-Block bores on them.

Basiclly I'm agreeing with SwampFox

Dimitri

You know, my Dad, rest his soul, told me many stories of how back in the 30's, when he was a young lad, they had almost nothing to eat and how him and his Dad shot deer with a .22 rimfire to save money on ammo because they were saving their center fire rifle ammo. Yep it did kill some deer, shot in the head at close range. But guess what, that doesn't make it a deer cartridge does it.........

Not it doesnt make it a deer cartrage just because it did work on occasion. Still if you know the rifles and ammo's limitations as well as your own a round in the 7.62x39mm class with a proper hunting bullet not FMJ is just fine for big game.

PS. Thanks for that story, I've heard its been done but I never heard it with such a direct source.

Dimitri