7.62 X 39 hollow point or soft tip??

[Southern Shooter]

I have an SKS for "emergency" situations. I have a number of FMJ rounds for the rifle. Just in case I need it to also gather food I wanted to pick up some rounds for medium size game (deer, hogs, etc.). However, I am not sure which to get...hollow points or soft tip ammunition. Which would be more effective for taking that size game using a 7.62 X 39 round?

Thanks

 

[Q-Lock]

As far as hunting goes, most people would recommend using soft tip - I also agree with this notion. The hollow point 7.62x39 round just doesn't expand fast enough to be all that beneficial.

Regards,

 

[stevetford]

I would also recomend the soft point. The Winchester is on the shelf at my local dealer but at $24 for 20 that is too rich for my cheap self and a worthless coyote doe not deserve such nice ammo. I have found this http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=641174&t=11082005
I have never tried it yet but I like the price and it is reloadable. Not familiar with Prvi Partizan but I will be trying it out.

 

[MudPuppy]

The hollow point wolf stuff is not a "true" hollowpoint that is designed to expand, but is a by-product of the manufacturing process and performs like an FMJ.

I've taken deer with the wolf SP, but the ammo stevetford recommends looks superior and I'll be purchasing that for this year's season.

 

[HJ857]

Here's another option to consider if you're willing to put a bit of extra effort in to the round.

This is a tip posted by JA some time ago. He mentions a Sierra bullet, that is specifically the Sierra ProHunter SP Spitzer. Good bullet.

"I bought a Saiga with the factory 3.5x scope and mount in 1994. With Chinese steel core ammo it would shoot 2" groups at 100 yds. By the late 1990's my supply of Chinese ammo that was not in sealed tins started getting real low. So due to half of my collection of AK rifles not functioning with Russian hollow point ammo I buy only FMJ and soft point ammo. I tried every brand of Russian FMJ ammo and the best groups with it were 6"-8".

I had been pulling the bullets from Chinese ammo and seating pre production Hornady 124gr soft point bullets that measure .311" since the late 1980's for deer hunting. This ammo produced 2" groups in my Saiga. I swapped bullets in Russian FMJ ammo and the best groups were 4". This is when I did the measurements of the two brands of Russian ammo and came to the conclusion that the inconsistant powder charges were producing the 4" groups. So I pull the bullets from Russian ammo and weigh the powder charge in 10 rds. Dump the powder in my powder measure and set the powder measure to throw a charge weight that is the average of the 10 rds. Charge the cases and seat a Sierra 125gr .311" bullet.
This ammo produces 2" groups at 100 yds in my Saiga.

I stocked up on Russian ammo and Sierra bullets in the early 2000's before the big price increases of the last few years so I can load "match"
7.62x39mm ammo for $4.50 a box of 20rds."

 

[MaddSkillz]

The hollow point wolf stuff is not a "true" hollowpoint that is designed to expand, but is a by-product of the manufacturing process and performs like an FMJ.

I've taken deer with the wolf SP, but the ammo stevetford recommends looks superior and I'll be purchasing that for this year's season.

I've hear this as well, but Bigfoot on this site has stated that the Wolf Military Classic HP's are the exception here. They do fragment and do no perform like the other Wolf HP's.