I've been watching this thread for some time now, There's one like this about every month, so I didn't figure I'd ever tip my hand into the game, but here goes:

The 7.62x39mm is a viable hunting cartridge in the right hands and the right gun, even if it is chambered in a Simonov (SKS), acceptable accuracy is possible. I've hunted deer both with the 7.62x39mm and the .30-30 (and over a dozen other cartridges), honestly I prefer the .44mag to either of these but that's another topic...I prefer the 7.62x39mm over the .30-30 to hunt deer with, mostly because I only have it chambered in semiautos (SKS's and Mini-30's); I've always felt if I'm going to take a "lesser powered" levergun afield, I prefer the .44mag, it can do everything the .30-30 can (usually better) and use 1/3 the powder, guess I'm just a big bore fan as well.

The differing nationalities of SKS's vary like night and day, I've got two russians and a Norinco (chinese) that are quite accurate, the two russians are about 3-4" groups at 100yrds and the Norinco is 2.5" at 200yrds (all with scopes)...I've also had Yugos and czechs that couldn't hit a 10" pie pan at 30yrds.

Ammo is definitely an important measure as well, shooting cheap surplus ammo (wolf ammo included), you're not going to get good accuracy, and they are AWFUL bullets for hunting (if they're even legal, much of this ammo is FMJ)...Not to mention most of this crap is steel cased and corrosive primed, if not also corrosive powdered, just all around terrible for your gun, if you must shoot crap through your gun for fun because it's cheap, fine, but if you're going after game, go with good ammo.

I only hunt deer with my best SKS, it outshoots every other SKS I've ever seen by a long shot though, I can get 2.5" groups at 200yrds with it, using a 3-9x glass...If you were to buy an SKS, and it doesn't shoot good enough to hunt with, you're not out much cash, and you can almost always sell it for close to what you bought it for if not the same amount. Most hunters never take shots over 150yrds, regardless of what this board may lead you to believe, and at this range, the SKS is a killer, tried and true in my book. If it's accurate enough to hunt, use it to as far as you can shoot it well, if it's not, either sell it and try again, or keep it as a fun/cheap plinker and buy a different gun.