AK as a varmint gun

[sxechainsaw]

If I wanted to use an AK as a varmint gun would I be better off going .223 or 7.62?

Any fair priced AKs/AK variant with a rail already installed?

My budget is roughly $500

 

[longdayjake]

That is about the worst platform for varmint shooting that you can possibly use. Trust me. I've tried it. But don't take it from me. Go out and see how practical it is for varmints.

But to answer your question, .223 is a much better varmint cartridge than 7.62. Flies much faster and straighter.

I know that ak's look like fun but there is no real practical use for them besides door to door hunting.

 

[fireman 9731]

Depends on what kind of varmints you are talking about.

An AK-74 chambered in the cheap and efficient 5.45x39 is a possibility depending on your local laws concerning FMJ ammo and possible magazine restrictions. .223 AKs worry me a little with magazines and such being a little hard to find and expensive. The 7.62x39 is great round for coyotes if your shots will be close but I wouldn't shoot much past 200 yards with a decent scope. The lack of accurate ammo is the accuracy downfall of most AKs.

Almost all sub $500 AKs come with a side rail mount for mounting optics.

 

[CraigC]

You'd get more varmint-getting-effectiveness out of a $300 Savage .17HMR.

 

[benEzra]

.223 is a much better varmint cartridge than 7.62. Flies much faster and straighter.

Definitely. 7.62x39mm is ballistically pretty similar to .30-30 Winchester, which in hunting terms is more of a short-range deer gun than a varmint gun.

I know that ak's look like fun but there is no real practical use for them besides door to door hunting.

On what basis?

An autoloading .30-30-equivalent carbine with a detachable box magazine is indeed eminently practical, and the fact that 7.62x39mm is the least expensive centerfire .30 caliber rifle to shoot even makes it suitable for plinking. Yeah, it's pretty much a 200-yard gun with the inexpensive imported ammunition, but within that envelope a 7.62x39mm AK can be used for plinking, hunting, carbine/3-gun matches, and home-defense, given intelligent load selection.

 

[41magsnub]

Please give your definition of varmint? Coyotes, gophers, etc?

 

[zoom6zoom]

I love my AK's but they sure wouldn't be my first choice for that task. (That's what the Ruger 77 in .220 Swift is for).

 

[sig220mw]

The ak should make a great varmint gun as long as you can get close enough to the varmint to club them with it.

Seriously, they aren't designed for really accurate shooting and neither is most of the commercial ammo you find on shelves for them.

They are fun to shoot though.

 

[Zanad]

ak as a varmit gun.....no. using the AK cartrige in a bolt action like a cz 527, getting better but not ideal.

 

[sxechainsaw]

Please give your definition of varmint? Coyotes, gophers, etc?

Mainly coyotes now. I also do praire dogs once in a while. Also looking to move up to mountain lions.

I know I could use my bolt actions and get the job done just fine. But I have a weird fetish with hunting with military type guns I.E. AK, AR, M1, AUG,etc.

 

[blackwell bikes]

......................please don't talk about your fetish's on a public forum. the ak will be fine at the same ranges you would use a shotgun at so i would learn to called coyotes in and sneak up on gophers OR get a M1 Ar or aug those 3 would be a very good varmint platforms with many less limitations

 

[sonier]

Out where I live you wont be able to get much closer than 300 yards for varmit hunting. Considering the AKs accuracy past 300 yards, its going to not just be hard to hit the animals, you wont be able to make clean competant shots. If you can hit a coyote killzone at 300 yards with an AK so be it, but i dont know anyone who can do it. If you want a varmit gun your better off saving your coing and building your own AR platform, and in the caliber you desire.

 

[Strahley]

Sure, it'll work. As long as you are hunting Ivans at 100-200 yards

 

[rcmodel]

It is a poor choice for varmint hunting in many places because of the low velocity & heavily constructed bullets it uses.

The chance of ricochet's bouncing cross-country and killing farmer Browns cow is very high.

Not to mention not accurate enough for long range or small targets so common in varmint hunting.

You would be much better served, and much safer, using a high-velocity cartridge & light varmint bullet that will blow up on contact with the ground.

rc

 

[Girodin]

Your average M1a is not all that accurate 1.5 -2.5 MOA or about the same as a Saiga .223. I have a Aug clone I really like it but I'm not sure that it is really that much better of a varmint gun than my converted saiga .223. A good .223 ak can be more accurate than some are given them credit. That said people are spot on that they are not really varmint guns and will be much more limited than a good bolt gun or AR.

Edited to add that when I refer to an AR above I am talking about one built for accuracy. Many wont be much better than a S223.

 

[Autopistola]

I think that a Saiga .223 would be the best choice for a dedicated varmint AK. It's crossed my mind before, but I decided that prairie dog hunts are a good reason to buy/build my first AR (but not until I finish my saiga conversion projects).

 

[Krazy]

Really, all you need is a .22 for varmints.. just get some CCI Hollow Point ammo and a decent rifle and all you need is 1 shot everytime! its a way more fun and cheaper way to hunt for them.

 

[Girodin]

Really, all you need is a .22 for varmints.. just get some CCI Hollow Point ammo and a decent rifle and all you need is 1 shot everytime! its a way more fun and cheaper way to hunt for them.

Hmm maybe its just because I cannot shoot all that well or don't have the right .22LR rifle but I don't see myself taking 300 yard+ shots on prairie dogs or coyotes with a .22LR. My 22-250 on the other hand.

 

[Maverick223]

I think a budget bolt gun in .223Rem., .22-250Rem., .220Swift, .243Win., or 6mmRem. would serve you best. Seeing as how you may want to use it for mtn. lion as well, the latter two would be best, and if you don't reload the .243Win. in particular. The Marlin XS-7 or Stevens 200 would be a good option and both still leave funds for a decent scope. The AK is not a viable option in this instance, at least not if you intend to use the rifle for more than 100yds or so (for prairie dogs anyway). A budget AR would be a option, but finding one for $500.00 is next to impossible (and the cartridge is a little light IMO).

 

[frankge]

try a hand-loaded V-Max bullet, bit more accurate and flys a little straighter