Is a 7.62 round acceptable to hunt deer

[JB-NY]

I have never hunted before and would like to start. I asked a few "hunters" I know and they said that 7.62 is not the norm but would be an acceptable round to hunt deer. As I would like to do things the right way. I was wondering if it would be appropriate to use my saiga7.62 to hunt deer. I would not take a shot longer than 100-150 yds.
Thanks in advance for any insight you can give me.

JB
To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them..."

[HARDERTR]

Welcome to G&G!

A lot of folks don't take to kindly to using an "assault rifle" or rounds designed for "assault rifles" for hunting.

I'm assuming you are talking about the 7.62x39. I have a saiga in both the 7.62x39 and 308 (and I think it is marked 7.62x51...but I'm not sure).

Any 7.62 RIFLE round will kill deer out to 100 yards and beyond if you shoot the right bullet for the job, and can hit what you're aiming at. Don't try using the FMJ mil-surp, it's not designed for hunting.

The 7.62x39 is not "the norm". Several other 7.62mm (308, 30-06, 30-30) are.

It would be interresting to find out how many animals are wounded/lost to new hunters shooting guns like the Saiga or an AK. If you want to do things "right", you may want to consider getting a rifle better suited for deer hunting. They call them "deer rifles" for a reason.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of hunting!

[tlarkin]

I am going to buy a 7.62x54 bolt action rifle here soon (Mosin) and was thinking about going hunting this fall with my family. Every fall down near the Ozarks where my family owns land they hunt deer. Not sure if I actually want to kill a deer yet but I am going to go down there drink some beers, sit around the camp fire and shoot a bunch of guns definitely.

I am not against hunting, I just don't think I have the need for a whole deer, and I would never hunt unless I was going to eat it.

I guess I could give a lot of the deer meat away to friends and stuff.

[Jersey Jailer]

I used a Russian SKS in Pa. for deer, it was fitted with a 3X9 scope and was a tack driver as long as the bayonet was off of it. If I was looking for a deer rifle I'd probably go for a 30-30 lever gun or a Remington pump (mod 760) in 308 or 30-06.

[Mike Franklin]

I've killed several deer with an SKS. It does just fine out to 150 yards if you hit the mark. I used the sights that came on the gun. I used soft point ammo, Chinese, and it shot clean through every deer I took with it. It did appear to expand based on the damage and exit wound. I'm sure that you can kill deer with it because I did.

[Silent Shooter]

Not sure if I actually want to kill a deer yet but I am going to go down there drink some beers, sit around the camp fire and shoot a bunch of guns definitely.

I certainly hope NOT in that order...

[tlarkin]

Originally Posted by Silent Shooter

I certainly hope NOT in that order...

Well, they are all country boys, so who knows what order it will be in....

Naw, we are all pretty safe about it, and once it starts to get dark we start drinking more beers and put the guns away.

[cremley]

I think you can use the 7.62X54r round. some companies even make hunting rounds in that size. I know some people on here have hunted with mosin nagants. You could get one for under $100. I have been able to shoot a 3" group at 200 yds. with iron sights so I am pretty sure you wouldn't have a problem. I don't know if a 7.62x39 would be any good, and like the guys said above, it is probably looked down upon. good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[wirehunt]

7.62X39 is fine for deer so long as your not taking real long shots, just make sure you use hunting ammo.

[toolman]

Use good soft-point ammo and practice with the ammo you're planning to hunt with. The 7.62x39 is fine out to 150 and can be stretched farther (maybe 200, 250) if you practice enough to become proficient.

[Kodiak32]

A friend of mine has taken a couple deer in Michigan with a SKS in the 7.62 x 39 round. The round is ballistically pretty close to the 30-30. He swithed gears and now uses a scoped Ruger .270 bolt action rifle.

Indiana has some wierd deer hunting laws, we cant use high power to hunt period. During the last deer season the state allowed the use of pistol cartidge rifles and from what I heard people faired well with them, its all shot selection. If guys around here can drop a deer with a .44 pistol caliber lever gun, I dont why a 7.62 wouldnt do the job.

[sc928porsche]

7.62x39 will take deer better than 223 as long as you use the soft point bullets. 7.62x54r is right there with the 308 and the 06. Again, use soft point bullets. Personally, I would not use the 7.62x39 for deer, but thats just me. I am a cannon kind of guy.

[Jersey Jailer]

7.62x39 is more than adequate ot to 150 to 200 yards, depending on the rifle and your skill. The round has killed a lot of our guys. I've got my e-tool with a 30 cal hole in it. I was abt 70 yds from the dink that shot at me, the round was fired from an SKS, burned right thru it. I had an accident in my pants when that happened. The dink didn't make it.

[JB-NY]

I appreciate the feedback. I think I will opt for a Remmy 700 .308 for deer hunting. It will set me back a few $$$ but I would rather spend the money than give some PETA/anti gun knucklehead some fodder for their cause.

tlarkin, don't forget about giving meat to soup kitchens and the like. They could also use some donations.

Thanks again to all,

JB

[Mike Franklin]

You will be very happy with that Rem 700.

Oh BTW, you can['t make them people happy. You were using an EVIL ASSAULT RIFLE, now you're using an EVIL SNIPER RIFLE!!!!!!

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

Illegal to hunt deer with AK SKS or M1 Carbines in my state.

[Mike Franklin]

Well. that's as good a place to start a fight as any. If 'they' can outlaw those guns 'they' can outlaw all guns.

[Cyrano]

JB, welcome to the forum. Whereabouts in the Peoples Democratic Republic do you live?

I'll just mention re: the 7.62 bullet, that it's the same .308 Winchester bullet used in many fine hunting rifles. The standard 7.62 NATO round has a 51mm case. The cartridge case of the Mosin Nagant is 54mm. It's a more powerful round even than the venerable .30-06, and millions of deer have been taken with that round.

Were I you, I'd buy myself a Mosin Nagant 91/30 with a hexagonal receiver (aka a "hex receiver") and use that. If you don't like the idea of using one in its miltiary configuration, Southern Ohio Gun Distributors

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is offering a 91/30 that has been put into an ATI-type black synthetic stock for $129 plus S&H, either to you if you have a Class 3 Curio and Relic License, or to your Class 1 FFL dealer if you don't. Taken out of its wooden stock and with the forearm removed, it looks like any other sporterized military rifle, and better than some.

I'd suggest putting a scout scope on your Mosin if you are planning on hunting with it. You can either get one of the aluminum Picatinney rail setups that require removing the rear leaf sight (eBay and gunbroker.com both offer them), or you can pay about triple that and get a mount that allows you to mount a scout scope that sits above the leaf sight and allows it to be used if you have a mind to.

I further suggest you use soft point (SP) ammo for hunting. It expands better than military FMJ ammo does. Supposedly someone is manufatcuring 7.62x54R ammo with hollow point bullets, but I've yet to see any that aren't handloads.

So what are we talking about, to get a sporterized version of the Mosin Nagant Model 91/30?

Sporterized rfile in synthetic stock: $129; See-through scope mount: $90; NcStar Long Eye Relief scope, 2 - 7 x 32mm: $53. Total: $273.

Which is not a whole lot to pay for a scoped rifle powerful enough to take any game animal in North America right out of the box. You'd be hard-put to find anything as good at that price, in my opinion. So feel free to use a 7.62 battle rifle round (as opposed to the sortened rounds developed for assault rifles) to hunt deer! If the rounds in the 7.62/8mm range developed for the Springfield and the Mauser 98K are okay for deer hunting, so is the 7.62x54R round developed for the Mosin-Nagant!

[Pumpkinheaver]

I know several fellows around here that use the 7.62X39 every year to kill deer and the occasional hog.

[DWFan]

www.reedsammo.com has a nice selection of 7.62x54R hunting ammo