"you can't hunt with an AR-15"

Longbow14 · Apr 5, 2016

Looks like I didn't get the memo.
Also Mods: if this should be in another section please let me know.

I took my dad, one of his friends, my uncle and my cousin out to a local ranch in Florida to experience some hunting. I'd hunted pigs before but with dogs and a handgun. our guide was leary of me using an AR because most hunters he's taken out lacked the patience to get a clean vital shot with the lighter caliber. I waited in the stand for four hours with my dad passing up some very big sows that had me kicking myself for not taking my 30-06; they stayed back in the trees and never stayed put. About 7pm we heard a few boars fighting and this boy came swaggering out of the brush and started in. I laced one winchester 55 grain soft point in one ear and out the other at 40 yards. He dropped where he stood.

Arik · Apr 5, 2016

It can certainly be done it's just easier with other calibers. On another for a guy uses Sierra 77gr on hogs. Big beasts drop with one shot from 100 - 300 yards out.

gwpercle · Apr 5, 2016

Like my grandfather explained to me when I questioned his annual taking of a wild hog with a single shot 22 LR, " Boy , it ain't WHAT you shoot them with , the secrete is WHERE you shoot them ! " The old man would put one bullet into the ear hole and they dropped like a rock , every time. And he too waited for just the right shot. Would say " Patience is a virtue " .

You sir....know the secrete.
Nice shooting, looks to be some fine table fare . Congratulations!
Gary

fat tom · Apr 5, 2016

Sure you can,but it just don't look right to me. My EBR's are for two-legged critters should the need ever arise. I guess I'm just old school. Obviously,you ain't!

Good job!
f.t.

p.s. Are you even shaving yet?

Longbow14 · Apr 5, 2016

I wanted to use the 77s but my sport doesn't group them well. and i didn't have time to find and rezero with another weight before the hunt.

@ Fat Tom: HAHA, yes i'm 25 but being blond with a baby face and having to shave daily for work (the curse of a lame job) I get carded going to the movies.

StakeOut · Apr 5, 2016

State game laws are probably where the Yes or No will be and that may be defined in magazine capacity allowed while hunting?

MichiganScott · Apr 5, 2016

Although my state game laws allow any centerfire cartridge from .223 on up, I use a 6.8 SPC on deer. We are restricted to five round mags.

CGhelofxr · Apr 5, 2016

AHHH the smell of fresh pig in the smoker. Nice hog, you take that at River Ranch or further south?

Longbow14 · Apr 5, 2016

Bear Bridge ranch in Eustis so a little north of you CG.

I was high five 'ing my dad when the pig kicked his leg and I put another snap shot in the base of his spine.

If I was hunting state land I would be restricted to a 5round mag, but private land doesn't have those regulation as feral hogs are no bag limit, open season animal

Ranger514 · Apr 5, 2016

A friend shot his first ever mountain lion at 50 yards with his 16-inch barrel AR-15, firing a 55 grain SP. He hit it behind the shoulder. The 115 pound female cat ran about 25 yards and dropped. Talk to people who live in AK about using the 5.56 for hunting. There's a lot of Mini-14s and AR-15s used in that part of the world.

427mach1 · Apr 5, 2016

Ranger514 said:
Talk to people who live in AK about using the 5.56 for hunting. There's a lot of Mini-14s and AR-15s used in that part of the world.

I heard a story about the Inuits using 223 for caribou. When asked about polar bear hunting, he replied, "Oh, we bring out the big gun for polar bear. We use a 257 Roberts for that!"

CustomChevyGuy · Apr 5, 2016

very nice work!

Rick_A · Apr 5, 2016

It's a little odd that there's still a lot of, "what the heck can you use that thing for?"

Well, most any lawful purpose, really.

Seems to be an ideal varminter and just fine up to medium game.

Double-O-Dave · Apr 7, 2016

Hi Longbow14:

Nice job! I was also told you couldn't use an AR-15 to hunt with. I shot my first deer at the beginning of this year with my Colt CRE-18. I used a 55gr. bonded bullet and shot this little button buck at about 100 yds. My shooting position was very awkward in the blind, I had to shoot off-hand, and at an odd angle, so the crosshairs on the scope were actually canted to the side on my target (deer's left shoulder). Nonetheless, the deer dropped on the spot at my shot, kicked one leg a bit, and was done.

As I've told my son, a lot of people say you can't use either an M-1 carbine or a 5.56mm round to effectively kill medium sized game. Well, what do you think (most) humans would qualify as if they were game animals?

Regards,

Dave

WR Moore · Apr 7, 2016

427mach1 said:
I heard a story about the Inuits using 223 for caribou. When asked about polar bear hunting, he replied, "Oh, we bring out the big gun for polar bear. We use a 257 Roberts for that!"

Native caliber choice has a lot to do with the expense of getting the ammo to waaaay out in the bush. Ammo in Anchorage is a lot more expensive than it is in, say, Seattle. Or at least it used to be.

77 Gr SMKs aren't going to stabilize in the 1-9" twist of (most of) the M&P15s. On the other hand, the Hornaday 75 gr. HPBT will stabilize quite well. Has to do with overall length, the 75 gr A-Max doesn't stabilize either.

My state says .24 caliber minimum for deer. Funny, the 75 gr .224 has a higher sectional density than many of the .243 bullets used for deer. That should give better penetration so long as you're not using a varmint bullet.

Racer X · Apr 9, 2016

MichiganScott said:
Although my state game laws allow any centerfire cartridge from .223 on up, I use a 6.8 SPC on deer. We are restricted to five round mags.

Washington State is anything bigger than 223/5.56

scooter123 · Apr 9, 2016

An option that hasn't been mentioned yet are the larger calibers that are only an upper away with the AR15 platform. Here in Michigan Deer hunters in the lower half of the state are limited to straight walled cases of .357 caliber or larger, so most wanting to hunt Deer with an AR15 are using a 450 Bushmaster. While somewhat limited in the AR15 due to concerns about bolt strength it has enough power to easily take a Deer or Black Bear with a good hit. According to a coworker who has one they also kick like a mule if you don't have a good muzzle brake mounted.

BAM-BAM · Apr 9, 2016

Not in Pennsylvania........NO semi's for hunting........

Ruger 10/22s to ARs are range toys only............................

jaymoore · Apr 9, 2016

I started using an AR15 about ten years ago for deer and it has become my favorite platform. Generally, I like best a 1-12" twist 20" barrel with 55gr Sierra PSPs, but have used 1-7" twist 16" barrels with 55gr and heavier to good effect. No fancy shots, just trying to put them in the chest cavity. A good shot will destroy the lungs altogether! Distances from 50yds to 200 so far, but the 200 was only because I thought a big deer wasn't. Even the marginal hits have worked. (Including a hit on a quartering away deer that wasn't lead quite enough. Shot at a lasered 160yards (checked afterwards), the 55gr bullet shattered the femur and carried forward through the diaphragm.)

Haven't yet tried it on pigs, only because there haven't been any to shoot.

Mike SC Hunter · Apr 9, 2016

People have been "huntin" with AR's as long as there has been AR's.

"you can't hunt with an AR-15"

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