Anybody use AR's to hunt?

[Pony Express]

Hello everybody,
It seems I'm reading more and more every day in magazines like G&A and Petersons hunting about how more hunters are taking their AR's afield. I'm considering using my AR for hunting coyote this fall, either that or my 12 gauge. Does anybody else here use AR's for hunting?

 

[sscoyote]

Here u go--

www.longrangehunting.com/articles/long-range-coyotes-scope-1.php

 

[Raptorq7r13]

A good hollowpoint should take down an antelope or a coyote easily. Especially with an antelope's thin skin. Unfortunatly, Colorado and Wyoming prohibit hunting with anything less than .24 caliber.

 

[MCgunner]

Don't own nor do I really care about ARs, but to each his own. I hunt with a stick and a string and a smoke pole and handguns. Ain't like it can't be done. Just what you're into, I reckon. If it floats your boat, go for it, assuming it's legal, five round mag in those states that require it, and such. There are ARs in hunting calibers now like .243 and .308, too, if you wanna hunt pronghorn in Wyoming with an AR.

 

[chas08]

Yep, I got a Bushmaster V-Match flattop with a Burris 3X9 Fullfield II. I've taken a couple of Doe's with it and a whole bunch of Hogs. It's not my first choice hunting rifle but it ends up in the truck with me a lot.

 

[61chalk]

So far I've enjoyed hunting groundhogs for many yrs. with mine.

 

[Maelstrom]

I hunted woodchucks with my Bushmaster Varminter a few years ago. The rifle is plenty accurate for that.

With my new 6.8 build done I picked up a five round magazine and plan on deer hunting with it. It's aessentially a slightly slower .270.

 

[kanook]

got a 100lb doe and a 145lb 6 pt (I still say 7 cause you can hang a ring on it) with my 6.8 stag arms

 

[GregC]

Killed feral hogs, yotes, and various varmits with my RRA in .223. Will eventually let my son take a doe with it at controlled distance and presentation. Does around here are lucky to be much over the 100 lb. mark. (FYI it is a 20" bull barrel with a 3x9 scope.)

 

[R.W.Dale]

Yes!

See the top link of my sig for details

 

[Flintknapper]

Just remember folks: "AR" does NOT mean only .223/5.56.

"AR" (in modern vernacular) means "platform"!

I have an "AR" in .458 SOCOM that I use as a dedicated hog gun, but it could be used for anything that you would hunt using a 45-70.

There are many "AR" variants available...(and even more that could be wildcatted).

The AR is a very modular design. I might be using a .223 upper one minute....and by just pulling out two pins...I could swap on another "upper" (say...6.8, 458 SOCOM, 50 Beowulf, 450 bushmaster, etc) and hunt something else. It takes less than a minute to make the swap.

Some of the variants use proprietary magazines...but most do not.

This doesn't even include the variants that have sprung from the AR-10 (.308). Pretty much anything that uses the .308 as a parent cartridge (7mm-08, .243, .260, .338 federal, .358) could be used.

The only restrictions really...are the O.A length of the cartridge (needs to fit the magazine) and maximum pressure levels (should not exceed the original design parameters).

The sky is the limit for the AR!

Is it "traditional", I think not. Is it "practical".....Heck yeah!


Edit: add pics and commentary:

Nephew shown here holding my .458 Socom (rigged for hogs).




But… this rifle could easily be used for Deer, Bear, Elk, Coyotes, whatever.

Hand-loaders can shoot anything from a 100 gr. pill (yes 100) all the way up to 600 gr. solids.

Ask my nephew if he thinks the “AR” is a good choice for hunting:

 

[devildog4329]

Yup. I have a Model1 kit build, 24inch bull barrel 1X12 twist flat top with a 4X16 Leupold on a Superior arms lower chambered in .223. In Maryland our only restriction on rifle hunting is your load must produce 1300 FPS at the muzzle. I hunt with Black hills 50gr. V-Max bullets. I can hold .15 inch. groups at 100 yds. The down sife to hunting white tail with a .223 is the small bullet. The main thing is shot placement. I will not take a shot unless I know it is a good clean and ethical Kill. I have taken a few whitetail ranging from a 185lbs. 6 point to a yearling. All kills have stopped them in there tracks because proper shot placement was used.
It all comes down to your own preference but hunting with an AR and yes even .223 is ok

 

[bpl]

Well, no semi-autos (pistol or rifle) are allowed for hunting here in PA. Only semi-auto allowed is shotgun, with magazine plug limited to 3 rounds total. I do know a number of people who use ARs for groundhogs though.