AR 15 for a deer rifle

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I read an article in Outdoor life about using an AR 15 for a deer rifle and now I'm in the market to buy one. Has anyone ever used one to hunt deer? From what the article said, the rifle can be rechambered for bigger caliber like: 308, 270, and 30-06. I was wondering if it could be rechambered to something alittle bigger like a 7MMSM or a 300WSM. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
 
If your just gonna re-chamber you would be better off with an AR-10. They come in 308 win. I tend to think of the AR-15 is a bit light for most deer hunting but would be a great coyote rifle.

Kirby

When in doubt, floor it.

Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" until you find a big stick.
 
They are chambering the ar-15 in the 243 WSSM and 25 WSSM. I think they would be a great deer gun.
Elkhuntr
 
I believe an AR style rifle is even chambered in .338 Lapua. I know for a fact one can be had in .300 Winchester Mag. mtmuley
 
I guess if the ability to fire multiple shots in rapid succession is more important than the ability to shoot real acurrately, go for it. I can't imagine any of these rifles are close to a bolt action gun. Get a bolt action and learn to shoot it.
 
B.S.-- A decent AR will shoot with the best of the production bolt actions. That's not the case with AK's, SKS's, or Mini 14's.

I don't own one, but I haven't shot one yet I couldn't get under an MOA at 100 yards with handloads (equiped with a scope). Most AR's will outshoot the shooter.

A quick follow up shot can make all the difference if you blow the first one as well.

My only fear is that some black rifle wielding brain-child will be whizzing shots all over the countryside at Bessy's Nomad buck.
 
Ar-10 is the bigger framed AR thats chambered in the diffrent calibers. A Ar-15 (5.56 or .223) is not adequate for any mule deer and should be avoided like the plague.
Also most states have severe restrictions of magazine capacity and other rules reguarding use of these rifles for hunting deer.
Lastly Why? These guns are extremly heavy and hard to lug around, not to mention the serious question of ethics. I guess I'd rather learn to shoot than have 25 rds to launch at deer.
I own AR's and they are totally appropriate for coyotes, defense, and varmits. I wouldn't be caught dead with one in the deer woods.
 
" B.S.-- A decent AR will shoot with the best of the production bolt actions. That's not the case with AK's, SKS's, or Mini 14's.

I don't own one, but I haven't shot one yet I couldn't get under an MOA at 100 yards with handloads (equiped with a scope). Most AR's will outshoot the shooter."



B.S. How often do you shoot at muleys or any western big game under 100 yards? 100 yards is nothing when hunting deer. As far as back east, thats a different story, but I wouldn't suggest hunting Wisconsin with it.

It's Bush's fault!!!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-09-07 AT 11:14PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-09-07 AT 11:12?PM (MST)

I bowhunt muleys, so I guess I shoot at them under 100 yards every time. Under 50 yards every time for that matter. I live in CO, and grew up in Utah, so I guess I don't know much about what western hunting involves. Great Wisconsin joke BTW. Real classy and sportsman-like.

If it will shoot MOA at 100, in the right hands it will shoot just fine to any acceptable deer hunting distance. Even the worn down military issued M-16's will put 10 rounds into a basketball size group at 500 METERS (546.8 yards) when fired by a capable marksman. I've done it and I've seen it done.

I was platoon high shooter in USMC bootcamp, 246 out of 250, meritoriously promoted to PFC. I missed 2 shots at 200 meter rapid fire and 2 shots at 300 meter rapid fire which means I had to have put 10 of 10 rounds into a human torso size target at 500 meters--the scoring officer in the pits radioed back to the line officer and told him my 10 rounds were all covered by a 10 inch target spot. The company high shooter set the MCRD record the same day with a score of 248.

I'm just guessing, but with the appropriate bullet and caliber that kind of shooting will kill a deer.

Being the free country that it is I respect your right to disagree and voice your opinion. Semper Fi.

*edit* A little info pertaining the the initial question: http://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/ar15_conversion.php

http://www.ar-10-rifles.com/index.php
 
I've had AR-15's and another pretty recently purchased I'm putting 6 sohots in a quarter at 100, 200 and slightly bigger at 250. The "black rifle" is just the same as carrying your average hunting rifle just alot faster!! Granted with all my other guns it wouldnt be my first choice to hunt with but it's short, light , easy to lug around, and accurate as heck!! I dont know why people think that just cause you are carrying an AR you are gonna be slinging lead all over the country side or why it's so unethical?? A 223 is a 223 no matter what it looks like! If a person is gonna sling lead all over they can do it just the same with a 300 or granpas old 22. CAElknuts you should do a lil research on the AR's before you start down talking ones weapons or skills.I have seen Ar's that shoot better and cost more then any Weatherby or Browning A-bolt! So boy if you wanna buy an AR and use it for deer more power to you do alot of research though if you can shoot the different calibers. I'll bee looking for your success pictures this winter!!
See below:
Sporting ARs
Stoner's brilliant battle design is following tradition by heading into the woods.
By ##### Metcalf
http://www.huntingmag.com/guns_loads/phsar_022707/index.html
("The following article was prepared for press prior to the current controversy concerning AR rifles used in hunting, and will appear in the May/June issue of Petersen's Hunting.")
Virtually every type of centerfire sporting rifle in existence started off as a military weapon. The classic lever-action deer gun, long the most popular type of hunting rifle in America, began as the Henry Rifle of the Civil War era, designed to bring rapid fire against the enemy. The lever-action was succeeded in universal popularity by the bolt-action--the standard hunting rifle of today--which we owe to Paul Mauser's classic battle-rifle design.
Sporterized military guns have always found their way into the hunting fields--and always with resistance from traditionalists.
Now another rifle of military origin is moving rapidly into prominence in the hunting and sport shooting world: the AR15 .223 and AR10 .308. And, like its predecessors, the AR platform is meeting resistance, even outright opposition, from many hunters who are personally wedded to earlier gun designs. No surprise there; when the lever action was first used for hunting, traditionalists, whose idea of a "real" hunting gun was a single-shot muzzleloader, distained the need for a repeat-fire tool.
First-generation bolt-action military surplus rifles were also disparaged by many sportsmen as "inappropriate" for hunting. But the AR design's proven capability has already made it the rifle of choice for top-level civilian high-power rifle competition. It is also increasingly the rifle of choice for serious long-range varmint and predator shooters, and it's appearing in increasing numbers in the big-game hunting arena, as well.
It should. ARs are not all just .223 caliber. In fact, most people are probably not aware that the AR design originated as a .308 (7.62mm), not as a .223 (5.56mm).
To get your AR to match the accuracy of the best hunting rifles, swap out its barrel for a match-grade version.
Technically speaking, it makes all the sense in the world that proven military rifle designs should be inherently appropriate for hunting use. All successful military rifles are specifically designed for rugged, reliable function and durability under extreme conditions, which translates automatically into use under even the most extreme field-hunting use. They're also designed for reasonable weight, portability and ease of fast handling by people who may be carrying other heavy gear and wearing bulky clothing. They have an inherent capability for follow-up shots, and they must be deadly accurate against targets of the same basic dimensions and at the same distances typically encountered by hunters.
The AR in particular is a superb hunting design, due primarily to its lightweight synthetic and corrosion-resistant alloy construction. And, it's surprisingly accurate, due primarily to the fact it's an "assembled" gun rather than a "fitted" gun. Its major components essentially snap together. Unlike a traditional bolt-action rifle, which generally requires close-tolerance, hand-work receiver/barrel mating and precise bedding into the stock for maximum accuracy and consistency, a hunting-grade (or even competition-grade) AR can readily be assembled from modular components literally on a kitchen table, by anybody with a modicum of ability to use relatively simple hand tools. Likewise, a service-grade "standard" AR15 can readily be brought up to minute-of-angle performance by selective replacement of key modular elements with match-grade parts. And, once tuned, an AR stays that way, due to the fact that its entirely nonorganic components (nonwood) are not susceptible to environmental distortion (warpage or swelling). All an AR really needs is a quality barrel to shoot as well as the best hunting rifle you can buy.
Hunting versions of the AR design, in a wide variety of chamberings, are currently offered by several manufacturers. One of the early leaders in AR hunting rifle and sport configurations has been ArmaLite, which offers both lightweight and heavy-barrel configurations in .223 (M-12A series) for long-range varmint and predator hunting, .308-chambered versions (AR-10 series) for deer hunting and competition and even a super-accurate .300 Remington Short-Action Ultra Mag (AR-10T Ultra), which is as good an elk, moose or general heavy game chambering as you can get.
Other manufacturers offer complete AR rifles and AR upper receivers chambered for such excellent hunting cartridges as the 6.8mm Remington SPC, up to big-bore dangerous-game chamberings such as the .458 SOCOM or .500 Beowulf.

MIX & MATCH
Because of its modular design, an AR is very easy to "sporterize" at your home workbench. The range of available quick-install AR accessories is nearly infinite, including a wide variety of precision-adjustable metallic sights, a diversity of optical sight-mount options, many different designs of adjustable or fixed buttstocks and forends (handguards), and attachments for varied styles of carrying and/or shooting slings and bipods for long-range precision shooting. A growing number of AR users are also taking advantage of the basic design to have different upper receivers in different chamberings and/or barrel lengths/weights made to attach to the same lower receiver (legally the serial-numbered actual "firearm"), making an AR nearly as versatile as a T/C Encore.

ARs are legal for hunting anywhere any other semiauto centerfire hunting rifle (such as a Browning BAR or Remington 742 or 7400) is legal--except in states that may have passed laws banning specific models and configurations of semiautomatics by calling them "assault rifles."

As for the "black rifle" issue...well, I like wood as much as the next guy, but the most popular hunting rifles in America these days, of any type, all have black or gray synthetic stocks, dull matte surface treatments or camo finishes, anyway. Black or camo bolt-action rifles, or black or camo ARs--what's the difference? If hunting with a "black gun" bothers you, don't. If you oppose others using a hunting tool simply because it doesn't "look right," you're standing on the same political platform as the California state legislature. Hunters should not do the antigun, antihunter groups' work for them.
The AR platform is a hunting rifle, and anyone who says differently simply doesn't know history.

So all in all fellow hunters Where do we live?? Thats right AMERICA!! Where we have the choice to pick and choose where what caliber we want to hunt with and whether it be matte black or stainless or semi auto or bolt action.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-10-07 AT 09:01PM (MST)[p]feduptwo, where did you get the idea that an ar. is heavy?you say you own them? even with a bull barrel they weigh less than most bolt actoin's.
 
Just co-signing what most have said. With a match grade .223 barrel I put 14 out of 15 rounds in a 14" square box, off hand @ 300 yards as fast as I could get on target and squeeze the trigger, with military sights. This was the first day I'd shot it with about 20 rounds from a bench @ 100 yards before that. Personally wouldn't hunt big game with it but I'm not sure if my A-Bolt in .338 could do that after the barrel heated up and not sure I could even handle 15 rapid fire rounds out of that gun in short sleeves.
 
I have a bushmaster predator pro, with a nikon scope, and it will out shoot me thats for sure, it shoots better groups than my Rem .243 and my ruger .204. they are great guns, its heavy so I would not want to tote it around the mountain. a gun is a gun in my opinion, let people hunt with what they want.
 
>I guess if the ability to
>fire multiple shots in rapid
>succession is more important than
>the ability to shoot real
>acurrately, go for it.
>I can't imagine any of
>these rifles are close to
>a bolt action gun.
>Get a bolt action and
>learn to shoot it.


When I joined the Marines we shot AR-15's. They are very accurate. I was able to hold 6-8 inch groups at 300 yards and stay inside the black on a 20 inch bull at 500 yards. That's without a scope.

I've seen numerous deer taken with a .223 but would opt for no less than .243.

HuntFX4
 
You can use whatever your state will allow. I do know they have magazine capacity rules in every state. I would not use anything smaller than a .243. Plus for the money they cost you could buy a decked out bolt action with a nice scope on it. I know the are sweet varmint guns though.
 
Big article in the latest issue of Outdoor Life Mag. that these are the future or something for hunting. Started to read it and quit.

Brian
 
Go for it. I have hunted with my ar for both blacktail deer and for bear, and it has done a great job. I shoot the 62 grain factory Federal premium for hunting. 223 is a little light for muley's but will do the job. As far as accurate, my ar's are out of the box except for triggers and they are fun, extremely accurate and don't cost a fortune to shoot. This leads to what I think is one of the most important things with a gun, is lots of practice. I regularly shoot my ar up to 400 rounds in one afternoon at ranges up to 500 yards and the last shoot is as enjoyable as the first, try that with a bolt 338 or even a 270. As far as reliable, I don't think you can get a more reliable weapon system, especially in semi-auto then an ar. I also like to backpack hunt and have found that bolt rifles with the standard sling don't like to stay on the shoulder and are always banging the pack, so on these wilderness backpack hunts, I started carrying my ar with a tactical sling so the gun sits right in front, is comfortable, easily accessable and isn't "around back" banging on my pack, trees and rocks.

If your looking for something bigger, get the ar10 in 300 wsm. That would be a great elk and muledeer gun and the ar style would deffinately reduce recoil also. BLU
 
Actually it was a good read, once you get past the "evil black rifle" mentality and look at the "AR" and what you can do with them. There is no I repeat no platform that has as many modification variances available on the market today.
Most long range shoots with the exception of those that do specify bolt action are dominated by the AR derivatives. even the 20/20/20, Quote from the article

"That's putting 20 shots into a 20-inch circle in 20 seconds or less?at 1,000 yards. Lauck achieved this amazing milestone with his own custom-built AR".

It is not hard to find AR types that have 1/2 in MOA right from the manufacturer. I suggest anyone who has issues with the AR's go read the article referenced with and open mind, then ask yourself what it is you look for in a good shooting hunting rifle.

Would you like consistently accurate, lighter, tougher, chambered in a caliber of choice, triggers that can be replaced in seconds, to many accessories to name?
Anyone who has had to carry an M16/M4/AR will tell you there is no easier gun to carry in the ready position (love the pistol grip)

Unless you want walnut stocks and fronts engraved (oops you can get those as well). Not sure why anyone would want one on a gun like that though?
I finally realized it was the look that concerned me, not the performance.

There are only two types of people - The Hunters and the hunted,
I hunt.
Alchase
 
The very first mule deer I've ever killed, I shot with an AR-180. I used factory .223 with 55 gr. soft point bullets. One shot at 50 yards and the little forkey fell over, kicked a few times, then died. I walked up to the deer, unloaded and leaned my AR against a tree, then got busy gutting the deer. A fellow hunter walked up, took one look at my evil black rifle, and blurted "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT????". I told him that was my deer rifle. His eyebrows went way up, and for some reason he didn't have anything else to talk about. I took his reaction that these things weren't acceptable as hunting rifles, and I've used bolt guns ever since. It may not be acceptable by some hunters, but it worked out fine for me. I wouldn't worry about other peoples opinions too much. There's alot of idiots out there in this big world.
 

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