AR for hunting

**Suwannee Tim** · 11-18-10, 18:28

Originally Posted by peabody

i've shot a boatload of deer with the .223.

from 10 feet to 250, i use winchester 64 grain pp's.
or barnes handloaded 70 grain txs's.

again ? i dont see the need for a ''earsplittinloudenboomer'' monster magnum rifle,

heck ? when i was a kid we shot deer with a .22LR,

deer are eazy to kill , thin skinned just like people,

if in dout, just shoot em in the head.

again, deer are EASY to kill, they dont wear armor.

peabody

Easier to kill deer than to use spell check I rkecon.

You shoot a 600 pound elk with a 300 grain bullet at 2400 feet per second and he falls in his tracks. You shoot a 120 pound deer with a 60 grain bullet at 2400 feet per second and he runs off.

**Pilgrim** · 11-18-10, 19:16

I've shot 6 deer with the .223... Winchester 55GR. SP's and 64GR. Power Points. The 64GR load is much better. So good in fact, it's the best deer killing round I've ever used.

All you have to do is limit your shots to under 200 yards, and make sure you intersect the deer's heart lung area at a perpendicular angle.

When the 64GR bullet fragments into the lungs, the deer is dead in seconds. Some times they just stand there blood pumping out the entry hole, and in 5 to 10 seconds they fall over dead. I've had some .223 bullets not even leave an exit hole. The lungs are completely liquid, you just pour the lungs out onto the ground.

Best thing about the .223 is that there is no meat lost, you can actually eat the tissue containing the bullet hole!

Couple of bragging photo's...

**J-Dub** · 11-23-10, 08:59

I'm on the fence about getting a 6.8 bolt gun or AR upper. Before i spend the money on one, i'm going to see how the .223 performs first hand. Hopefully my new BCM middy with the help of some Barnes 55gr TSX bullets will prove to be deadly this week. Then i wont need a 6.8.

Btw a guy i work with dropped an 8 point with his bushy predator and 55gr TSX last weekend, the deer went 30yds and croaked. The bullet was recovered and expanded perfectly (although one pedel did shear off).

If i am successful i plan to post up a review (graphic pics, distance, position of deer when shot, ect..)

Theres no doubt the 6.8spc would be a "better" round to use, but if the .223 can get the job done....why spend the extra $$$?

**500grains** · 11-23-10, 10:07

**hammonje** · 11-23-10, 10:29

How about an M1A????

.308 Win, semi-auto, 5 round mags available.

I have taken numerous deer with my M1A using iron sights. I am dead nuts with the thing and you rarely get over a 125M shot in the wooded areas of Northern/Central GA.

Also looks a lot better than a black rifle. Run you about the same amount as an AR-10 and keeps it's resale value much better.

**BWilson** · 11-28-10, 08:19

I shoot a LOT of game with AR platform rifles doing product testing and hog/deer culling, over 100 animals in 2009 and well over than YTD this year. I've used .223, 6.8, .30RAR and most recently 300 AAC BLACKOUT. All are basically adequate for coyotes and deer if proper bullets are used and range limited, but the 6.8 and .30RAR are the only ones that will reliably get the job done on a big tough hog. I've used the AR10 platform in .308 a few times, but the guns are just toooo big, heavy and cumbersome for me. I think the .30RAR gives you a slight edge in terminal performance over the 6.8, but the 6.8 is probably a better all around AR hunting round and has a little more effective range. I do most of my shooting up close and personal (enjoy the stalk and seeing how close I can get) so the .30RAR with heavy bullets works great for me. The .30RAR basically duplicates the old .300 Savage given a comparable bullet weight and barrel length. In a 11" SBR shooting 150gr bullets it will duplicate the ole .30-30 using a 20" barrel, and we all know how well this works on game !!!!

If you go with 6.8 make sure you get a 1-11 or 1-12 twist and a SPC II chamber and use appropriate bullets. My preference:

deer/coyotes: 110gr Sierra Pro Hunter, 110gr Nosler Accubond or Barnes 110gr TSX

hogs: 95gr Barnes TTSX or 110gr Barnes TSX (don't even consider using any other bullets)

If you don't handload use the excellent SSA ammo.

FYI - Wilson Combat will be building custom .30RARs and 300 AACs (both for subsonic and supersonic use) in the next few weeks.