Killed 2 big deer this past week using a SKS w/scope,both were one shot kills with large exit wounds and lots of blood.One deer was facing me alittle over 100 yards,the shot entered about mid neck region(front),exited on the right side of the deer just past the last rib.Other deer hit right side right behind the lower part of the shoulder,exited opposite side,both exit wounds on both deer were fist sized to medium plate sized exit holes(i'll post this pic as soon as i get it scanned and uploaded)...the load used was el-cheapo Wolf 122gr.hollow points at around 2400fps..just got the sks a day or so before the first deer was killed,sighted it in(shoots tight for such a rifle,little over a inch at 100 yards,5 shots slowly fired),owned a few of these rifles in the past ,this one is the best of the bunch...

All the deer I've seen shot with the 7.62x39 were dead seems to work just fine. As with any caliber if you place the bullet in the right place what your shooting at is dead. That's not to say one should make a practice of using inapropriate calibers on game that is to big for them. Ie 222 on cape buffalo ect.

Mebbe so , but I'd a hell of alot rather have a good .30-30 , both a better cartridge and a better gun .

I expect that a heart shot deer or a neck shot deer, would die, I don't find that any great proof of anything..I have done that with a 22 L.R. on more than one ocassion and many time with a 22 Hornet and 25-35 Win...

A true deer rifle will kill a deer from any angle including from behind on a stright away shot and the bullet should penitrate lenthwise, and preferably exit the chest area.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

one of the shots did penetrate through the deer half way or more and exit near the gut area from the frontal shot.i like the little cartridge cause its really accurate out of this rifle,light recoil,cheap to shoot,hence more practice and i can put my shots where i put the crosshair.both deer ran about 30 to 35 yards,exit wound left a very profuse blood trail on both.i know the round is not a cannon,but efficient in killing.shot placement is the key...