[Wild Turkey]

Just looking for the facts to counter the "You can't hunt with an AR" statements.

I'm not a deer hunter (yet) so I'm not familiar with the rules. I know I wouldn't try to take a Mule Deer with an AR but here in the East where whitetails are mostly under 200 lbs and ranges are short I know it's possible but I'd like to know the facts of the situation.

Big problem is caliber -- .223 is lighter than I'd consider for anything except very short ranges, but there are other calibers that can be fired from an AR that are more suitable. Do any of those meet the restrictions of the "straight wall" areas?

I know AR's are good for other types of hunting. I've recently acquired one and the local ground hogs had best beware but I now have a .35 Remington "Texan" I'm going to use this fall.

So what are the facts of the situation?

 

[Ret_Eng]

My state will allow big game AR hunting if the rifle is chambered for 23 caliber or more. Used my AR-10 clone to down this 8 pointer back in Nov 2019......

 

[DWF]

Get an 350 Legend upper for your AR platform. Straight wall, big 180 grain projectile, reasonably priced ammo, mild recoil - what's not to like?

Just looking for the facts to counter the "You can't hunt with an AR" statements.

I'm not a deer hunter (yet) so I'm not familiar with the rules. I know I wouldn't try to take a Mule Deer with an AR but here in the East where whitetails are mostly under 200 lbs and ranges are short I know it's possible but I'd like to know the facts of the situation.

Big problem is caliber -- .223 is lighter than I'd consider for anything except very short ranges, but there are other calibers that can be fired from an AR that are more suitable. Do any of those meet the restrictions of the "straight wall" areas?

I know AR's are good for other types of hunting. I've recently acquired one and the local ground hogs had best beware but I now have a .35 Remington "Texan" I'm going to use this fall.

So what are the facts of the situation?

 

[RockedEm]

Buddy and I hunt big game every year. Just got back from a hog hunt and all we took were AR's.
2 AR15's with thermal scopes chambered in .450 bushmaster.
2 AR10's with normal scopes chambered in .308 Win.

 

[BubbaJon]

Pretty sure most states go by caliber and magazine size.
I wouldn't get caught out hunting with a standard mag.

 

[Ret_Eng]

Pretty sure most states go by caliber and magazine size.
I wouldn't get caught out hunting with a standard mag.

Our state has no mag restrictions---for now.

 

[curtmini14]

6.5 grendel 28 rd mag leagle in arizona all day long.

 

[Mop]

Over the years things have changed so much it's hard to keep up with.
It's my understanding that here in Mississippi you can hunt deer with 22 caliber and up. I have heard that some were using ARs to help youngins with recoil.

 

[Bearcat 74]

Any center fire and no mag restrictions in TN


With the right bullets a 223/5.56 is very capable. Mine won’t spin the 77 TMK but if it would it’s hard to argue with 18-24” of penetration


Here is a thread on rokslide

77gr tmk season review

Sold of my 300 win mag to a fellow member so I used my 18" 223 wylde for antelope and deer season. Shoots black hills 556 77gr tmk 5 shot groups under half an inch. Topped with a bushnell lrhs 3-12. 5 antelope and one mule deer. First kill was 275 yards quartering away on an meat antelope. 2...

www.rokslide.com

I shoot 55gr Barnes TTSX in mine.

 

[M700]

I've killed quite a few mule deer with a 223 AR-15 & 55 grain soft point bullets. BUT they were all injured or sick, and I was doing it on duty. Sad. The 223 with the 55 grain bullets worked great at modest range. I only had to shoot one buck twice. First shot would have killed him, but he took off running and I had to drop him before he ran into a housing development. Tell ya, that quick second shot from the semi-auto worked great! Piled him right up at about 50 yards.

In Washington our deer hunting cartridges have to be .24 or over. The AR-15 platform is perfectly legal but must be in one of the many cartridges bigger than .22 caliber. Several of my friends hunt mule deer with the various 6.5 AR's. The AR-10's with their 308 & 6.5's have proven themselves quite well.

We can hunt cougar with the 22 centerfires - at least the last time I looked at the regulations.

My AR-15 is only a 223, and I only hunt coyotes with it, and not very often. I really prefer my more traditional lever, bolt action and single shot rifles. Between military and police careers, the AR-15 is more of a tool to me, and although I shoot it well, I prefer to hunt with other rifles.

Regards, Guy

 

[HiDesertHunter]

Pretty much as long as it meets caliber, cartridge, legal configuration & capacity regulations an AR will be GTG.

Some states have regs on scopes or sights using batteries or other light enhancing features and that would be an issue but would apply in general and not specific to any firearm.

I have read some reports of some AR users getting cited for having additional mags that exceed state regs for capacity and trying to make the point they are carrying them for possible 'defensive use' against cougars, bears etc. - and they get cited anyway - as they should.

Also some have been found (and cited) for having FMJ ammo in their rifles and mags while hunting and this is pretty much a no no across all 50 states.

 

[DrMike]

6.8 SPC for northern Lower and UP of MI
350 Legend for southern Lower MI
5-round mags by state law for hunting

 

[mam444]

Just looking for the facts to counter the "You can't hunt with an AR" statements.

I'm not a deer hunter (yet) so I'm not familiar with the rules. I know I wouldn't try to take a Mule Deer with an AR but here in the East where whitetails are mostly under 200 lbs and ranges are short I know it's possible but I'd like to know the facts of the situation.

Big problem is caliber -- .223 is lighter than I'd consider for anything except very short ranges, but there are other calibers that can be fired from an AR that are more suitable. Do any of those meet the restrictions of the "straight wall" areas?

I know AR's are good for other types of hunting. I've recently acquired one and the local ground hogs had best beware but I now have a .35 Remington "Texan" I'm going to use this fall.

So what are the facts of the situation?

In Texas any centerfire caliber is legal for hunting. You could use a 22 hornet for deer hunting, and I'm sure someone has at some point in time. If a 223 is all you have than by all means use it. It is important to know the calibers limitations, as well as, your own. IMO, I consider the 223 to be a 100 yard caliber, although I might stretch it to 125 yards. Some people may argue that point. But that is what I would limit myself too. I have 2 AR's and 1 Mini 14 in 5.56. I don't hunt deer with any of them. I have more powerful rifles that I use for deer hunting, Will a 223 kill a deer, absolutely. Would I ever consider hunting with one. I have considered it, just never made the move. I even purchased bullets specifically for that. Some Sierra 65 grain GK. Good luck.

 

[hammertime]

6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 350 Legend are all excellent choices for the AR15 platform. 5 round mag restriction for semi-auto in my state.

 

[Steve_In]

There are a lot of choices to hunt with. A guy can buy an AR entry level in 5.56/.223 and hunt whatever the law allows. Varmints, big game invasive species. By just pushing out two pins they can put a different upper in a different caliber. In an AR15 cartridges need to be about the same OAL as as the .223. In the AR10 similar length as the .308 Win.

Then there are the accessories! A guy can bling them out about anyway imagined. Optics, grips, stocks, lights, lasers, slings, mags handguards, suppressors you name it. Better triggers, barrels you getting the idea yet?

Got a couple of kids, you the wife and a budget for one fun gun? You can all shoot the same AR. 12 yo daughter just run the stock all the way up. Wife go out a notch, teenage son out some more. Hunting groundhogs in August you can run the stock all the way out. For coyotes in January in thick winter clothes run it in a notch or 2.

Take it to a NRA Hi power or 3 gun match.

 

[Efm77338]

They are legal in my state (NC), and I can't find any restrictions on magazine capacity.

 

[roharmon]

I use a 300 blackout, 230 NOE cast bullet. She only went about 10 feet.

Just looking for the facts to counter the "You can't hunt with an AR" statements.

I'm not a deer hunter (yet) so I'm not familiar with the rules. I know I wouldn't try to take a Mule Deer with an AR but here in the East where whitetails are mostly under 200 lbs and ranges are short I know it's possible but I'd like to know the facts of the situation.

Big problem is caliber -- .223 is lighter than I'd consider for anything except very short ranges, but there are other calibers that can be fired from an AR that are more suitable. Do any of those meet the restrictions of the "straight wall" areas?

I know AR's are good for other types of hunting. I've recently acquired one and the local ground hogs had best beware but I now have a .35 Remington "Texan" I'm going to use this fall.

So what are the facts of the situation?

 

[Mike Britton]

What bothers me most is that our society would even consider the AR inappropriate for hunting. It is a rifle, simple enough

 

[Lever Jac]

300Hamr has better ballistics than a 30-30 especially down range because of the ability to use higher BC pointed bullets. I haven't heard any one saying you shouldn't hunt with a 30-30.

 

[256WinMag]

I am not a game warden, but believe that in NC any center fire OR rim fire is legal for deer. No regulations on rifles. We used to have regs, but I think they dropped them. My opinion will not be expressed but banning a rifle due to magazine capacity or caliber, or looks has me only looking at the uneducated perception of what a firearm is capable of, or not and the Liberal media trying to appeal to their lack of education.