General Geoff
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Garand chambered in .458 winchester magnum?
are autoloaders a thing of the past now?
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Garand chambered in .458 winchester magnum?
Shadow 7D
Member
I like one of the hog hunters selection, I forget his name, posts alot here
But he has a whole slew of guns, and I think one of his last?? was a .50 Beowulf AR
for lots of reason, but alot comes to what is affordable and preferred by the hunters,
I may not like a AR/M-4 platform, but hand me one, and I guarantee that I will slaughter any dear within easy shot range <225-250 YARDS
But he has a whole slew of guns, and I think one of his last?? was a .50 Beowulf AR
for lots of reason, but alot comes to what is affordable and preferred by the hunters,
I may not like a AR/M-4 platform, but hand me one, and I guarantee that I will slaughter any dear within easy shot range <225-250 YARDS
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22-rimfire
Member
Self loading rifles are becoming more and more common in hunting circles where they are legal. I prefer a traditionally styled rifle for hunting in bolt action and lever action. Most don't take their AR's big game hunting, but AR's are becoming increasingly popular for varmint hunting.
The primary hunting rifle throughout the history of firearms has tended to be an inexpensive, accurate, mass produced rifle of the previous large war with a simple reliable action which had become surplus.
Large wars typically resulted in new technology and after large wars there was typically a large number of obsolete but well made (designed and improved to be rugged on the field of battle) rifles that would go to civilians.
These often then became popular well made and inexpensive hunting platforms.
This of course has changed in modern times somewhat because now the military will crush retired firearms long before giving them to civilians as surplus (even civilian legal semi-auto firearms.)
With restrictions on select fire, and as modern military rifles typically have select-fire the standard rifles of the world cannot simply go to the surplus market.
WW2 rifles in general are the last that followed the age old tradition of going to civilians.
Yet we still see the civilian market trying to trend the way of the past with the AR gaining popularity as a hunting platform, and people taking them to the field where the can.
Select fire AK-47s even see use in hunting in the former third world, or poaching as is often the case as the guns themselves are often illegal. For the same reason: they were mass produced, are reliable and when retired hit the market in such large numbers at inexpensive prices that a lot of people had one.
What will be most popular is now less predictable because laws and restrictions keep surplus from going to civilians, but for most of the history of the firearm the most popular hunting rifles were the military arm of the previous decade.
In the American colonies, in the early USA, and in much of the world.
World War 2 was the end of this trend, and it ended with a lot of bolt actions.
At the start of World War 2 most nations were equipped with bolt action rifles. During World War 2 these became obsolete.
After World War 2 they flooded the civilian market and dominated the cheap reliable hunting niche. While no longer as inexpensive as surplus, they have remained in that position.
If all the battle rifles had flooded the civilian market when NATO switched to the 5.56x45 as the standard caliber, then accurized FAL and M14 actions in 7.62x51/.308 would likely dominate hunting today.
Instead president Clinton had most of them crushed.
Due to legislation civilians are no longer trustworthy enough to have the previous generation's standard military arm. A break in tradition from the previous centuries.
Large wars typically resulted in new technology and after large wars there was typically a large number of obsolete but well made (designed and improved to be rugged on the field of battle) rifles that would go to civilians.
These often then became popular well made and inexpensive hunting platforms.
This of course has changed in modern times somewhat because now the military will crush retired firearms long before giving them to civilians as surplus (even civilian legal semi-auto firearms.)
With restrictions on select fire, and as modern military rifles typically have select-fire the standard rifles of the world cannot simply go to the surplus market.
WW2 rifles in general are the last that followed the age old tradition of going to civilians.
Yet we still see the civilian market trying to trend the way of the past with the AR gaining popularity as a hunting platform, and people taking them to the field where the can.
Select fire AK-47s even see use in hunting in the former third world, or poaching as is often the case as the guns themselves are often illegal. For the same reason: they were mass produced, are reliable and when retired hit the market in such large numbers at inexpensive prices that a lot of people had one.
What will be most popular is now less predictable because laws and restrictions keep surplus from going to civilians, but for most of the history of the firearm the most popular hunting rifles were the military arm of the previous decade.
In the American colonies, in the early USA, and in much of the world.
World War 2 was the end of this trend, and it ended with a lot of bolt actions.
At the start of World War 2 most nations were equipped with bolt action rifles. During World War 2 these became obsolete.
After World War 2 they flooded the civilian market and dominated the cheap reliable hunting niche. While no longer as inexpensive as surplus, they have remained in that position.
If all the battle rifles had flooded the civilian market when NATO switched to the 5.56x45 as the standard caliber, then accurized FAL and M14 actions in 7.62x51/.308 would likely dominate hunting today.
Instead president Clinton had most of them crushed.
Due to legislation civilians are no longer trustworthy enough to have the previous generation's standard military arm. A break in tradition from the previous centuries.
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Shadow 7D
Member
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
and what he said
and what he said
ZeroJunk
Member
I think the OP's original idea is correct, at least in this area. Thirty years ago, about when we had our first deer season seems like half the guys you saw had a 742, usually 30-06. I don't remember the last time I saw anybody hunting with an auto. The AK/AR's seem to be becoming popular from what I see on forums. But, all I see in the field anymore are bolt guns.
SpeedAKL
Member
I'd enjoy having an AR-pattern rifle for whitetail hunting. It's relatively light in weight, accurate, ergonomic, and allows for a fast follow-up shot should the need arise. While the merits of .223/5.56 on deer are IHMO questionable except under certain circumstances, the AR is offered commercially in the following deer-appropriate cartridges:
.308 Winchester, one of the best deer rounds out there
6.8mm SPC
6.5mm Grendel
.260 Remington
7mm-08
.338 Federal
.30 Remington AR
.243 Winchester
All are reliable deer-harvesting cartridges with properly-constructed bullets. There are plenty of photo threads on arfcom of hunting with AR-pattern rifles, and I except it to only get more popular as the gun moves even further into the mainstream. Hunters in general are a conservative lot, and the proven effectiveness of the bolt gun is hard to turn down; however, certain military-pattern autoloaders have their own advantages IMHO.
.308 Winchester, one of the best deer rounds out there
6.8mm SPC
6.5mm Grendel
.260 Remington
7mm-08
.338 Federal
.30 Remington AR
.243 Winchester
All are reliable deer-harvesting cartridges with properly-constructed bullets. There are plenty of photo threads on arfcom of hunting with AR-pattern rifles, and I except it to only get more popular as the gun moves even further into the mainstream. Hunters in general are a conservative lot, and the proven effectiveness of the bolt gun is hard to turn down; however, certain military-pattern autoloaders have their own advantages IMHO.
mljdeckard
Member
I am building an AR-10 in .243 and .308. I want to be able to say that I hunt with nothing BUT AR-pattern rifles.
Upon what do you base the statement that fewer people are buying autoloader rifles? The only dip I might see is a calm since the Obama panic.
Upon what do you base the statement that fewer people are buying autoloader rifles? The only dip I might see is a calm since the Obama panic.
jimmyraythomason
Member
I'm not speaking for anyone else but in my neck of the world hunters are going back to bolt actions(for their own reasons). The local WalMart Superstore has a fair selection of bolt guns but no centerfire semi-autos. That is a pretty good indicator that they aren't selling very well. YMMV.
Andrew Wyatt
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kaferhaus
Member
They're very sparse here even on dealers shelves. One dealer here is a huge browning dealer and he's had to heavily discount every BAR he's sold except one to a "newb" his words, not mine. he said he only stocks a few of them because he has too to keep his standing with Browning.
jimmyraythomason
Member
Our last LGS closed his doors a couple of months ago. That only leaves WM selling guns in our town.
with a question like that (the title) you are either acutely worldly and forward thinking or almost out of touch with reality, and I am not sure I know which.
Edit: I wish I had built an AR10 in 243. I would love to shoot a deer with one of those and aperture sights!!!
Edit: I wish I had built an AR10 in 243. I would love to shoot a deer with one of those and aperture sights!!!
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macadore
Member
I fail to understand why semi-autos are not the rifle of choice for dangerous game. If an FN would work for people, it should work for hogs and black bears.
Rokman
Member
I just got a really good deal on a Winchester SXAR in .308 and it is very accurate and a pretty sweet shooter. It's recoil isn't bad, appears to be very reliable and shoots factory ammo very well and my handloads very excellent. My plan is to pop a good deer with it this weekend. I will also take with me my a new Savage model 16 in .308 that I also plan to pop a deer with. It shoots very well also.
oldfool
Member
jmorris...
I wish you were right on both counts (humor aside)
mostly I wish there were more reasonably priced falling blocks available styled like the "modernized' Browning Lo-Wall of yesteryear, with lesser emphasis on "legacy" styling of buttstocks and extra long barrels
oh well
I wish you were right on both counts (humor aside)
mostly I wish there were more reasonably priced falling blocks available styled like the "modernized' Browning Lo-Wall of yesteryear, with lesser emphasis on "legacy" styling of buttstocks and extra long barrels
oh well
kaferhaus
Member
Amen brother, I'd own a bunch of them. I used to be a Ruger #1 fan big time... but accuracy with them is very much hit or miss even with modifications. And they're way too expensive for what they are... very simple to manufacture single shots that cost several hundred bucks more than their bolt gun...
The only alleged advantage a semi offers is a quick follow up shot. Let me tell you..... if you didn't hit it the first time the chances of you hitting it when it has jumped to warp speed is about nil...
How many times have you been in the woods and heard boom........... boom boom boom?
How many times you see that guy with a dead deer???
I love bolt guns.... but if a mfg comes out with a really accurate, well fitting, falling block single shot I'd drop the bolts in a flash.
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