A fellow up here killed a moose with his. Apparently the moose didn't understand that it shouldn't die after being poked with the commie carbine round, and it was this particular event that caused me to take the 7.62X39 a little more seriously, when chambered in a decent rifle. By all accounts that moose wouldn't have dropped quicker had it been shot with a .300 magnum. If I was looking for a down south rifle that was suitable for backpacking or taking on extended canoe trips in SE MB, that Ruger would be a good choice, even though I'd prefer the more compact, if less resilient, CZ-527 for that particular duty.
The Ruger's longer magazine and action length should allow you to seat out 150 gr bullets, if the lead is long enough, so as not to loose any of that limited powder capacity.
x39 is far more capable than the rap it often gets.