AR-15's

For a hunting application about the only thing they are good for is calling coyotes and the like. Am I missing something?

300 BLK pistol. 130 grain Speer Hot Cor. Did more damage internally than my 3030 did a few weeks later. Made a mess. 135 lb Tom up in tree. Through the elbow and into the lungs. Jellied everything in the chest.

I would not hesitate to use this or any of my 223 AR's for deer or antelope inside about 150.

I also have a 223 pistol and a 16inch carbine which is set up with a scope for varmints. The pistol is set up for home defense. I built two identical ones for my daughters with 18inch barrels.
 

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I personally prefer a bolt action rifle, but own a couple of 5.56 ARs.

One is a cheap build that I performed last year as a home defense gun. Ugly and plain but reliable, never shot it for accuracy, only up to 50yd with MBUS sights. Load it with 55gr soft points. Will get Troy fixed sights for it at some point.

The other is a factory CMMG M4 LE that I bought several years ago. Shoots very accurately (1” or better at 100yd) with multiple handloads and the low power scopes that I have used on it. It is bone stock other than the scope and cheap mount/rings. I have let my niece and kids hunt with it using 62gr TSXs and 65gr SGKs for ranges under 100yd. It has been very effective, taking 4 or 5 deer with none lost.

My oldest daughter never liked an AR, so I got a youth stock for my M700 270 and loaded 110 SPHs at around 2600fps. I later did the same with an M70 30-06 (125 NABs at around 2800fps) and a Savage M10 308 (110TTSXs at around 2900fps). They have done very well, taking 4 or 5 deer, but a few have also been missed or hit poorly due to the rifles being heavier and more awkward to move and hold steady by young arms. My oldest daughter is an amazing shooter at the range (shoots competition BB and also love to plink), but gets deer fever like crazy, so that accounts for some of the less-than-stellar results on deer.

ARs have their place in the hunting world, and I may eventually build a 6.5 Grendel upper for hunting at more extended ranges (up to 250 yards, my personal max). But I usually just prefer my bolt guns.
 
Seems like the consensus is, none of us have a problem with AR's we have a problem with A-holes...

and there seems to be a higher than normal percentage of AR owners that are A-holes.

For whatever reason some things just attract a certain kinda of person... pitbulls, glocks, Subaru WRX's, subwoofers, monster energy drinks, ford raptors.
Don’t forget loud motorcycles. Those are far more prominent disrupters of the peace in the TN mountains, but I know many jam-up motorcycle owners/riders.
 
Don’t forget loud motorcycles. Those are far more prominent disrupters of the peace in the TN mountains, but I know many jam-up motorcycle owners/riders.
Yes! Interesting phenomenon for me is that the true essence of backcountry in Montana in the late summer is getting back in far enough that you no longer hear the Harleys screaming down the highways.
 
...I have let my niece and kids hunt with it using 62gr TSXs and 65gr SGKs for ranges under 100yd. It has been very effective, taking 4 or 5 deer with none lost. ...

Considering these 2 or 70 grain Speer bullets for a game load vs 50 or 55 grain soft points. Which do you prefer?

Other than my daughter taking her lion last year with BLK, I haven't had an opportunity to use my AR on anything else.
 
Considering these 2 or 70 grain Speer bullets for a game load vs 50 or 55 grain soft points. Which do you prefer?

Other than my daughter taking her lion last year with BLK, I haven't had an opportunity to use my AR on anything else.
I actually like the SGK better, more shock and better exit wound. I haven’t tried the Speer. The TSXs barely left a blood trail with a tiny exit wound. Deer was shot at 10 yards and ran less than 30

I plan to try the BSBs next
 
I cant think of any situation where an AR is a great choice for deer hunting.

Have family who had a ranch in texas and they used either an AR or bolt 223 for everything. I shot a deer and it only made it about 30 yards and then dropped a 250 pound hog in its tracks.
 
Some people love AR's and some people hate them. My Family loves to go shoot them. My Daughter killed a Doe pronghorn with one and it worked great.
 
Some people love AR's and some people hate them. My Family loves to go shoot them. My Daughter killed a Doe pronghorn with one and it worked great.
There is some merit to letting a kid use an AR that has a collapsible stock and is chambered in 223. IE the gun fits the kid better than a full sized bolt action and the recoil is minimal. That's one thing they are good for.
 

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