ORIGINAL: zak123I just got an AK47. Can I use it for hunting? I shoot 123 grain bullets at about 2,500 fps (about). It puts out 1,555 foot pounds. Could I use it for deer, hogs, coyotes? I've heard the bullets start to tumble. What distance does the tumbling start?
Try to find some 154 grain ammo for it Cabela's catalog shows Wolf Brand ammo from Russia with a 154-grain softpoint bullet. This load should kill deer and anything smaller as well as any .30/30. Under any circumstances, use a softpoint or other type of expanding bullet for hunting. Make sure your magazine capacity is legal, as most states limit a semi-auto to five of six rounds for hunting!
Forget about the "tumbling" business- 7.62X39mm military bullets might tumble, but it happens when they hit something, like an enemy soldier. The .22 caliber AK 74 bullets are DESIGNED to tumble on impact, to increase the killing power. The 7.62X39 military ammo is not made on purpose to do this, but under some conditions it no doubt will tumble. However, it is NOT INTENTIONALLY understabilized!