SKS for deer
 

The local gun shop is selling SKS firing 7.62 x 39mm 123 gr. bullets as deer guns. They seem underpowered to me but when you look at the stats they are close to a 30-30. Are they deer guns under 200 yds?

The second question is about doing searches on this board. I can list all topics from the last year but I can only search the last 30 days when I'm in search mode. Is there a way to search all the posts for the last year?

Dan O.

[Deleted]
 

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RE: SKS for deer
 

Why would a sks leave bad taste? Because it is under powered? or the action type? I have never used mine for hunting deer etc,B ut dont see why not with up close shots( less the 200 yards). It is almost a30/30 & more then a 357 & 44 mag to i believe( balstly) maybe.

ya can alway change them to manual single shots also .
Me personaly id also use m1 garand etc if need be.. no problem. or assult muskets or

<'><

RE: SKS for deer
 

I use the Speer 180-grain roundnose .311" bullet with 28 grains of H335 in my SKS. This load has a MV of 1980 FPS, and exceeds the power of the ORIGINAL 165-grain .30-30 Win. load of 1895. In addition, you CAN use pointed bulets in the SKS, making it a better long-range cartridge than a .30/30 when used in a lever action. My SKS shoots 2" groups @ 100 yards.

Keep yore powder dry!!

RE: SKS for deer
 

I'll tell ya what, during the early days of carbines and cartridge ammunition, the .30-30 that most guys used to hunt deer was FAR underpowered when compared to today's ammunition, and they sure got it done. People label the SKS as underpowered today because most people feel that if it can't cut down a hedge at 500 yrds, it's not a rifle. People are so stuck on fast and powerful, while rounds like the 7.62x39mm and .44 mag (in a rifle) and even the workhorse round .45-70 gov are considered too weak and too slow. I guarantee that an SKS will kill a deer if you get it to the boilerroom out to 225-250, the issue then being accuracy. Then, I'd move my range down to 150-175, since most SKS's are rather inaccurate. I've shot a couple deer with mine, I forget if I was carrying my dad's .44mag 1894 or it for one of them, so either 3 or 4. All were one shot save one, two were one step falls, and one ran 50 yrds, the fourth was a BAD shot, and I had to shoot again, which dropped it running. I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about about the underpowered debate. Post on here what people think about using a .44 mag 1894 lever action rifle for deer, they'll tell you it's too weak, and marginal at best, when if you post about a .44 mag Revolver, they'll say it's the best thing since peanut butter. Of course, the revolver is weaker than the rifle even, but since it is a powerful handgun, and a relatively weak rifle, people get a mind set that the same round is bad for one and good for the other. Use the SKS, it'll do it for you, just limit yourself correctly.

Screw the 10 ring, keep them in the zero!!!

RE: SKS for deer
 

I was looking to purchase one as a varmint rifle. The ammunition is cheap and they should work better than a .222 or 22-250 up to 200 yds. I guess I'll be getting a short range deer gun at the same time.

Eldeguello; I'll have to find where I can buy Speer ammunition. The standard load for sale up here is the 123 gr bullet.

Dan O.

RE: SKS for deer
 

id rather use a .44mag than a sks, but thats because what it doesnt have in KE it has in thinks like a lot bigger diameter. but thats me, and i also sort of a andgun nut.
it is underpowered but for shots less than 150yards i see no real reason not to use it

propmahn
you can never have too many guns

RE: SKS for deer
 

..Worked for nieghbor,for years why would it not work for you
?...........:)..

..JESUS IS COMING BACK BE READY...

RE: SKS for deer
 

biggest dear i have ever killed was with a sks. Shot him in the front shoulder with it. Then in the head at about 10 yards. after i shot he started to charge strait at me and i unloaded 3 rounds at him. The first bullet in the shoulder did not go through. It just blew up. Bad thing is i busted his skull plate. so i couldnt get him officialy scored and put in to the record books here in oklahoma. He would have made it by about 3 inches

RE: SKS for deer
 

eldeguello, you can use pointed bullets in a 30-30 lever action. You just only load 2. You rarley need 2 shots unless you are a bad shot.

And Dan O, Speer does not sell ammo. They sell bullets.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Guess you have to take off the big knife on the end too ( its a spear then?<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle> but would also look bad with non hunters etc? Plus i think it could be a federal offence to have knife/bayonet on some of im to maybe.... no spear gun,s! ( it is a looked on as bad(& low class?)(evil?) by some even with out black color or pistol grips etc lol

&gt;&gt;&lt;'&gt; 2 to go plz

RE: SKS for deer
 

I'm not looking to get the Yugoslavian model with the bayonette and the NATO grenade launcher.

3030win: what you're saying is that if I want to use Speer's bullets I need to get into reloading?

Dan O.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Yeah.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Have you ever shot CCI's they are owned by the same company that owns speer.
SPEER does load ammo ,see for yourself:http://www.speer-bullets.com/
They just don't load a 180 grain in a 7.62 x39.
go look for yourself!!!!!!!!

SOUTH ARKANSAS REBEL

Edited by - soarkrebel on 09/22/2002 23:43:12

RE: SKS for deer
 

DanO, you CAN'T BUY 180-grain loads for the 7.62X39,(there aren't any!!), YOU HAVE TO LOAD THEM YOURSELF!! 120 to 125 grain bullets are the ONLY FACTORY 7.62x39mm loadings!! BUT, IF YOU HANDLOAD THEM, YOU CAN USE BULLETS FROM 110 GRAINS UP TO 180 GRAINS IN THIS CARTRIDGE CASE!! 150's are also good, at velocities up to around 2250 FPS!

Keep yore powder dry!!

RE: SKS for deer
 

Why do former soviet sattalite countrys guns have NATo grenade lanchers on them?
mine are chinese but only have grenade capable sight , that is also use to shot the rifle. (nonnato)
bayonett are ez to take off , just the knife lug is left then...but still looks evil i guess to some ppl (mostly anti gunners anti hunters etc)
&gt;&lt;'&gt;

RE: SKS for deer
 

I don't think they are Nato grenade launchers, maybe made to launch grenades at Nato troops, but not Nato launchers. Yugoslavia is a former Eastern bloc country which has was an enemy of NATO going back to the end o WWII.

If you want a cheap deer gun why not buy a Mauser or Mosin? You can get a nice Yugo M-48 or a Mosin M-44 for around $100. You will need to reload for the Mauser to get good accuracy in hunting ammo but you would probably have to do the same if you got an SKS anyway. The 8x57 and 7.62x54R cartridges are far more powerful than the 7.62x39 popgun cartridge. The rifles are lightweight and accurate as well.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms... who's bringing the chips?

RE: SKS for deer
 

I was told that the grenade launcher was NATO. Maybe it was meant for export?

I wasn't looking for the SKS as a deer gun. I was looking for it as a varmint rifle. The cheapest .243 or 22-250 that I've found are around $400. The SKS is $169. The SKS should look after coyotes or beaver quite well (up to 200 yards). The gun shop owner was selling the guns as deer rifles and based on what I've read he was right.

Dan O.

RE: SKS for deer
 

check P.M.C ammo. they seem to have odd grain sizes for bullets.

RE: SKS for deer
 

I'd think that a lighter bullet would help straighten the trajectory out a little and make it a better varmint rifle. Maybe a 75 or 100 gr?

Dan O.

RE: SKS for deer
 

I am no expert on easten bock guns or any other kind even.
But when you say grenade launchers Dan are on those sks,s maybe it also only means a dual pourpous rear rifle sight , ladder frame pop up type. & then ya stick the grende down( the small pole extention on the grenade ) down the barrel& fire a blank in the chamber? (old us type system too)


could prob do that with any gun even without the little ladder sight....So just that rear rifle sight alone makes it a gernade launcher? sounds kinda crazy that lol.
But whatever ya buy hope you injoy it .. work s good for coyotes i think. You cant find to many new .30 cal rifles for less then $200.
&gt;&lt;'&gt;

RE: SKS for deer
 

Wolf Ammo now makes a 154 Grain Soft Point in 7.62X39. I've found it to be more accuracte than the 122gr or 123gr. that they also make. It should be okay for deer.

RE: SKS for deer
 

1eyedfish; if you're interested here's a link that shows the yugoslavian SKS. It does use blanks for the grenade launcher.

http://www.simonov.net/ubertypes.htm

Thanks everyone for the input.

Dan O.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Thats right, speer makes Nitrex ammo.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: SKS for deer
 

The Yugoslav 59/66 does have a nato spec grenade launcher. When the Yugoslav/Soviet relations started to go south they incorporated modifications into the 59/66 in an effort to get consideration for entry in NATO, they also included night sights and one or two other improvements.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Thanks u2 ; Dan 0& Thndrchickin for the intresting info on launcher & for the sks adress also.

&lt;'&gt;&lt;

RE: SKS for deer
 

Getting back to the original question, NO, the SKS is not good for deer! Most are not very accurate, and there are not many good bullets for them either! At best it would be a very short range gun!
I cannot understand why anyone would want to settle for a less than adequate gun for hunting! If it's money, a good second hand gun can be bought almost as cheap as the SKS. If it's ammo price, with a .308 you can get cheap, surplus ammo for practicing and get a good box of hunting ammo for under 20 dollars to sight in and hunt with!
If that is too much money, I seriously doubt that you can afford to hunt at all! Again, why settle for calibers that are not even close to being &quot;second best!&quot;

RE: SKS for deer
 

second best? what is best? the 308? Would love to have a sks or anything else in 308. at the prices they sell them for. M-14, m1 etc would cost lotsa more $$.
But i do have 270. 30-06, 45-70 etc etc etc . i can use for deer. But i would use a sks or 30/30. or a 44 mag. or black powder rifle or whaterver too. & limite the shots to the cal being used limitations for a clean quick kill.
just me& my tho.
&lt;'&gt;&lt;

RE: SKS for deer
 

They make mausers in 308

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: SKS for deer
 

Thanks 30-30 wouldnt mind one of those either- but i do have a few bolt guns already 270,30/06 &308. right hand guns i have to shoot left handed. But maybe.. some ppl should hunt only in indoor shooting gallerys at tin ducks etc& only under the BESt conditions & with the best gun avalable to them.. if they cant adapt to conditions around them & guns cal limitions etc.( all have some)
&gt;&lt;'&gt;

RE: SKS for deer
 

Who says an SKS can't be good for deer? If your gun is accurate enough, and your sure of you limitations. Go for it.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: SKS for deer
 

the SKS isn't enough for deer? Maybe so, but it's certainly enough for wild hogs.... I've killed two smallish hogs (125-140lb) with my SKS and Federal Premium 123gr softpoints. Both were shot at about 35-40yds and didn't run anywhere... just staggered and fell over. Now, if you've never hunted hogs, you really can't appreciate just how tough they are. I've seen them completely stop a 150gr 30-06 bullet, broadside at about 40yds... they are tough animals. If the little 123gr softpoint will kill a deer-weight hog at 40yds, then I'm confident it will thoroughly kill a soft-skinned deer out to 100, maybe 125yds...... no problem. Folks used to kill them with 32-20's, 25-35's... all kinds of smaller cartridges. The key to killing a deer is knowing your maximum range, and putting the correct bullet in the correct spot. If you can put a good softpoint SKS bullet inside an 8&quot; circle out at 100yds, you can kill a deer at 100yds. Using an SKS for deer is just handicapping yourself to closer shots....just as people that hunt with 28ga or 410bore shotguns... you can kill birds with them, but just not as far away as with a 12ga... and you must know your limitations.

&quot;Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness..those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.&quot; Santayana