tsheaf don't you mean longer not fatter . The 30-30 is .308 and the 7.62 is .311 in diameter

I apologize, Halcon is correct,
I was trying to paraphrase comments taken fron a Chuck Hawks article but its been too long since I had read it.
The term Chuck uses is "sectional density", the ratio of the bullets weight to the square of its diameter, the 30-30 has a much better SD for deer sized game than the 7.62x39.
Thanks for keeping me on my toes Halcon

I still think the 7.62x39 is good out to 200yds. The rem 125 gr has 881 ft/lbs at 200yds and I think the 357 mag is only about 550 at 100. If a 357 mag will kill deer out to 100yds then the 7.62x39 should have enough to kill at 200yds.

I've got a Chinese SKS, replaced the stock with a fiberglass unit, worked the trigger, mounted a muzzle brake, bedded the action and receiver mounted (Choate mount) a fixed 4-power scope. I also changed the mag to a 5-round plastic type. It loads easy and feeds flawlessly.
It will not shoot like a bolt gun but it will out shoot my buddy's mini-14. I use it for close quarters coyote hunting when we're in heavier cover and follow-up shots are in order. I have found that the relatively inexpensive South African "Cheeta" brand ammo shoots very well. Only trouble is that they aren't hollow points.

My normal yote dropper is a 22-250 Tikka but the SKS is a bit of fun too.

Actually, although factory ammo seems to be generally limited to 122-130 grain stuff (Wolf now sells a 150-grain load!), one can handload the 7.62X39mm to shoot 150 grain bullets at 2250 FPS or more, and I have a load that uses the Speer 180-grain .311" RN @ 2000 fPS. Now with the pointed 150-grain bullets, remaining energy is still above 1000 Ft/Lt @ 250 yards. I realize this ain't much, but some people use 1000 Ft/Lb. as a minimum figure for killing deer. I use the round in an SKS and a CZ 527 carbine. The CZ will put three of the 150's @ 2250 FPS into 1.5", while the 180 grainer @ 2000 fps goes into a ragged hole with three shots! Some day, I may try to kill a deer with the CZ! My SKS will do 3" groups, and some have been as small as 2". This is with a Ramline sporter stock, and a 4X scope. But the trigger is just bloody awful!! Regardless of what you do, the SKS cannot be made into a light and handy sporter, any more than can an M1 Garand. The thing is a military rifle, and is a lot of fun as such. I too once owned a Mini-30, and it WAS NOT as accurate as the SKS either!

Desert Dog, where did you get the good 5-round mag.? I bought a steel one from Cabela's, and it never fed correctly. I had to put my 10-round mag. back on, so now my SKS isn't legal for hunting!

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.