06-05-2022, 09:00 PM
(06-05-2022, 08:50 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, I am an old school hunter that even uses single-shot rifles and the occasional bolt or lever action. I tell people all the time that use semi-automatic firearms while hunting that just means they aren't good enough shots. That being said, there are absolutely sporting uses for AR platform rifles. They are used most commonly for predator and nuisance animal control with coyotes, large rodents, hogs, etc. However, I have seen AR-10s in the woods hunting for deer and bear. They work just fine and fire the same round as my Ruger American, which is a .308. In fact, get ready for this, that AR-10 takes the same Magpul magazine as my bolt action Ruger.
Modern sporting rifles (which is what the firearms industry calls AR platform rifles) have a place in sporting. Are they going to be common on the western mountains where 700+ yard shots are more common? Nope. But will they be used in the eastern forests where shots typically don't go beyond 300 yards? All the damn time. I'm not going to use them, but many will and do.
First, I found your take on Mike's questions interesting, as they come from a completely different section of the country. Always interesting to hear other state's answers to these questions. As for semi-auto hunting, for ungulates I'd agree with you, but for other animals such as feral hogs, semi-auto's are vastly preferred, as you stated. I've hunted feral hogs with my lever action 45-70 and with my semi auto .458 SOCOM. When you have a big hog cluster the semi auto capability lets you bag a lot more hogs than a lever or bolt action rifle. For those that don't know, many states, such as TX have such a feral hog problem that they are "no tag no limit" meaning literally anyone can hunt as many as they want as often as they want, and the population continues to grow. You are completely correct in regard to nuisance animal hunting, 5.56 is perfect for coyotes. Sorry to anyone who likes them, but coyotes absolutely suck. I live in urban Orange County, and we recently had a coyote attack a toddler. When I lived in the Hollywood Hills one tried to snatch my Jack Russell while I was walking her. They routinely attack and kill house pets. Sincerely, eff coyotes in urban areas, kill all of them.
