7.62x39 J-word= Young buck for the freezer

[TheGrimReaper]

Well, seen a young tender and juicy buck for the freezer this afternoon. Took him with a Interarms MarkX Mini-Mauser in 7.62x39 wearing a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 scope. Load was Hornady 123gr SP pushed by 31.5grs of H335. DRT. I know it should be a Boolit, but this gun just loves those little Hornady j-words. I was about to call it a day and here he comes. Head to the ground....He still don't know what hit him!!! He was only a 5 point, the L antler was broken off!89080

[DanWalker]

Nicely done sir! Great looking buck, and a gorgeous little rifle.

[Crawdaddy]

Way to go... Should be nice and tender. Congrats.

[richhodg66]

I have one of those, mine is a Charles Daly, but I think it's the same rifle.

I need to work with it more. Most of my loading for it has been to make a light plinking/small game load with plain based cast in it. I have some of those Hornadies and I think a little H335 left too. I'll have to give it a try.

Good job on the deer. Can you tell us where it hit and how far the deer went? I'd been thinking of giving mine a try on deer and wondered what the lethality of such a light round would be.

[TheGrimReaper]

I have one of those, mine is a Charles Daly, but I think it's the same rifle.

I need to work with it more. Most of my loading for it has been to make a light plinking/small game load with plain based cast in it. I have some of those Hornadies and I think a little H335 left too. I'll have to give it a try.

Good job on the deer. Can you tell us where it hit and how far the deer went? I'd been thinking of giving mine a try on deer and wondered what the lethality of such a light round would be.

I shot it in the back of the ribs on the R side and it went forward and exited out of about the middle of his L ribs. He was about 60 yards away and the only way he went was STRAIGHT DOWN!!! Didn't even get to take a step.

[richhodg66]

Good report. Mine is a neat little rifle. I kind of figured it to be a little light for deer when I bought it but am finding they don't really take that much killing. DRT is a good thing, I've only ever had it happen a few times, but most of mine have fallen pretty fast.

[bruce drake]

That is a lethal load! I used the same bullet with 25gr of H4895 to drop a coyote a few years ago. DRT with a bullet placed in the front left chest and exited right about the left hip. The 7.62x39 and a 123-125gr bullet will do its work best within 100 yards.

Bruce

[missionary5155]

Good morning and Congradulations !
That will be a good eating buck. Always nice when they get down sniffing like a hound dog. I would not be surprised if you did not clip the spine.
Sometime try the Lee 155 grain .312 diameter cast of WW starting at 19 grains of 1680 and working up. You will find a sweet load. Then for hunting switch to a 50-50 boolit.
Mike in Peru

[richhodg66]

WHen my youngest boy was ready to start hunting, I got him one of the Savage youth rifles as a package taht shot great right out of the box and because he was/is kinda recoil shy, I used the Hogdon recommended youth load for the .308 which is a 125 grain bullet and 37 grains of H4895 (I have sunstituted 130s and also IMR4895 and the combo works well with any of them).

Anyway, that probably isn't far ahead of the 7.62x39 load and it killed deer about as well as anything. He never shot a huge one or one very far away, they were about typical deer shots for us. That load is real gentle and accurate, I made the right choice getting him a .308 instead of a lighter caliber. Doesn't kick anymore than a .243, maybe not as much and could be loaded to significantly better power levels later if need be.

What I worried about is we have some big deer in the midwest. I grew up in the deep south and the first time I saw a mature Kansas buck on the ground, I couldn't believe it while the other guys who were from here just said "Yeah, pretty good one, throw him in the truck". Not gonna see one every day, but it isn't beyond the realm of possibility for a 300 pound monster to walk in front of you and I'd hate to be undergunned. I'm a little smarter about hunting now and am pretty sure that load or less would do the job.

[abqcaster]

good job! looks tasty and tender.

[kens]

Well Great.!!
I always wondered if 7.62x39 is good deer load. Evidently it is.
I hunt deer with a M98 mauser in .308, I load it with .30-30 j-word but only at 30-30+P pressure. A fine deer gun it is.

[white eagle]

way to go it sure will be a fine eatin deer
congrats

[CastingFool]

Congrats on the young buck! He'll eat good!