Washington State

Quick question regarding the use of an MSR/AR15 for hunting coyotes. I read through the 2014 hunting regs, and I couldn't find anything prohibiting the use of an MSR. Wanted to check and make sure I was correct, and it's perfectly legal to use one. I also didn't find anything restricting number of rounds in a magazine (except in regards to the three rounds in a shotgun when hunting birds). So it's legal to use an AR15 to hunt coyotes, and also to be using a 30-round magazine at the time. Correct?

I know page 80 restricts big game hunting (except cougar) to .224 (6mm) or larger caliber, which obviously prohibits .223 for deer. My question is about hunting coyotes. Thanks in advance.

Like I said, I don't think it's illegal to hunt with an AR15, I was just looking for someone who's lived here longer than me to verify it. I do know that there are (or at least were) certain states where it's illegal to hunt with an AR, and certainly many states that prohibit hunting with 30-round magazines, even if using an AR15 is legal. Arizona, where I recently moved from, just removed the prohibition on hunting with 30-round mags in the last year.

tahunua001 said:

um...224 is the caliber used in the AR15 and is not 6mm, 6mm is .243.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the correction, duly noted. Not sure what I was thinking when I said .224 is 6mm. Might have been a typo where I hit the "2" twice, might have been having a moment of stupidity. Not going to pretend it's one or the other; I don't remember and it doesn't matter anyway.

tahunua001 said:

EDIT: read the pamphlet. they state 24 cal, not .224. 24 cal is 6mm or 243 so yes, ar15 is illegal for deer unless you get a 6x45mm upper or larger.

Click to expand...

Thanks. The question was not about hunting deer. I stated in the OP that I know 6mm is the minimum caliber for big game, "which obviously prohibits .223 for deer. My question is about hunting coyotes."

I've ... never heard of a law that specifically bans the use of the AR-15 for hunting purposes

Click to expand...

Me neither, but there have been several states that prohibited the use of semi-automatic rifles until recently (after posting this thread, I learned that Pennsylvania and Delaware are the only two states where semi-auto rifles are still illegal for hunting purposes). I grew up in Washington state but never hunted here. I expected to find that semi-auto rifles would be restricted, and wanted to be sure I hadn't missed it somewhere.

Thoroughly answered; thanks guys.