Hunting: AK 47 - Soft Points

[statjunk]

Hi All,

A friend of mine recently purchased a $200 AK47 and is dead set on hunting with it. So I came here to ask if this is an ok thing to do. Does it have enough power to take a deer ethically?

Do they sell soft points for an AK?

Any help would be appreciated since I don't want to find out that my friend shot a deer and can't find it etc...

Thanks
Tom

[aunsaber]

I know of a lot of deer taken with an AK47 or an SKS.
Some don't feed the soft points very well, IMO would not use FMJ's.

I have a Norinco Hunter which is an AK47 with a differant stock and trigger shape. Works great.
I would not go for any long shots though.

[statjunk]

So they do have soft points! What manufacturer do you recommend for soft points for the AK.

Thanks
Tom

[Ryan Campbell]

Ok, I know this is a big can of worms but I have to say it. I used to be in the gun business and I've answered a million questions about AK's and SKS's as deer rifles.
The 7.62X39 has roughly the same energy as a 30-30 at the muzzle and they do make them in soft points. Winchester makes them as well as Wolf brand from Russia.
However, AK's and SKS's are not made to be accurate, they are made to be inexpensive work horses with the ability to function in bad conditions but they are not deer rifles.
I've heard every kind of arguement about accurizing and putting a monte carlo stock on them etc etc but you cant make a Tiger change it's stripes and the AK is not a deer rifle.
What will you do when a nice buck walks out at 300+ yds?
Save your money and buy yourself a nice bolt action rifel in a .30 caliber, you'll do much better.

[longrifle1000]

The round is similar in performance to a 30-30. So shots of 150 yards or less is important. Soft point hunting ammo is available. Winchester loads the 7.62x39 with a 123 gr PSP. Sells for $12 for a box of 20 around here. It should do a good job on deer as long as he does his part. Hope this helps.

[MikeE51848]

You also need to check your game regulations. They may not be legal for hunting purposes in your state (and I don't believe they're ethical in any state).

[johnch]

I use a SKS with reoaded 130 gr Hornady SSP bullets ( 308 di) ,I get sub 2" groups at 100 yd . I limit shots to 125 Yd , if I can see 75 I am doing good . 6 shoots 6 deer . I use a 5 shot mag . Many states limit mag capisaty to 5 shots ,you may need to buy a 5 shot mag or block a 30 to 5 HA HA

[diyj98]

Remington also has a soft point factory load. I used them on hunt once with an SKS. No the SKS' s and AK's aren't bolts in the accuracy department, but neither are lever actions and automatics and both have killed lots of deer.

[Big Guy01]

5 shot group, Norinko steel case soft point, beredan primed. shot at 100 yds from the bench with a 1953 Norinko SKS.

[HighDesertWolf]

Back home in missouri before the crime bill and when you could get a chinese sks for 60 bucks and a russian for around 100 bucks they were widely referred to as the poor mans deer rifle. I know lots of people who use an sks for deer hunting the accuracy is as good as a lever gun if not better. A friend of mine has a scope on a sks and it holds 1 inch groups at 100 yards easy and hes takin a deer or two with it beyond 200 yards. I dont know about a AK-47's accuracy but the sks is deffinatley a fair deer gun.