AR Deer

My first deer was killed with a mini-14, and I have seen multiple wild hogs fall to the .223. Are there better calibers? Yes, but a .223 will take down a deer.
 
Trying not to hijack, but...

Gunbroker also has the R-25 in .243, which is not listed on the Remington site.

Unfortunately, it gave me sticker shock even on gunbroker...
 
They are more expensive than many bolt guns, true, but certainly not all.

(Actually, the .243 version is mentioned on the linked website - it's just in front of the 7mm-08 item.)

But they work really well IMHO. And as the OP mentioned, semi-auto platforms based on the AR-15 are far more commonly found now - and are written up in hunting magazines. Given that so many guys who cycled through the US military over the past 9 years of conflict now are very familiar with these platforms, I wouldn't be surprised to see them expand into hunting even further, sort of like semi-auto pistols replaced revolvers throughout most of the law enforcement community. We'll see...

I shoot both, and prefer hunting with the R-25 to using my Ruger bolt guns.

Just a personal preference...
 
In PA where I hunt autoloaders are illegal so I'd get a lot of funny looks.

In FL the use of AR's is exploding, everyone is using them.

The first deterrent to me getting an AR platform is price. Also I'd want more then the .223. Remington was very wise to offer the AR in larger and more common calibers. Wonder what took so long, seems like a no brainer.

I don't see an advantage using one over the other, personal choice.
 
@ Doc - Dang you, Doc! Now I can't get that out of my head - if I sell this, and maybe that, then I could get one....AAARRRGGGHHH:p

I think the reason it is killing me is I joined the Army at 18 having never fired a rifle in my life. I spent most of my adult life with an M-16 of one iteration or the next with Uncle Sam. Didn't hunt until mid my mid 20's and that was bow only, never owned a hunting rifle until mid 30's.

I will start squirreling money away and figure something out...
 
If you're squirreling away money for the R-25 make sure you include some extra green for a new trigger. The trigger that came on mine (.308) was terrible so I dropped in a Timney triggger.

Now all is good.:D
 
Isn't there a 30 remington cartridge nowadays for AR15s?

For white tail, I think a .223 at close range would be okay--(~100 m).
If you were gunning for muleys, I think that you'd probably want to use a 6.5/6.8/7.62ak/.450 bushmaster upper on an AR15.
I would probably go with an AR10 in a more substantial caliber if I were hunting anything larger like elk or moose although the .450 bushmaster would also do this job (judging from the published numbers).

Isn't there a new .30 cal upper from Remington in some proprietary cartridge? Anyone used that?
 
I have used the AR and the M1 carbine very successful on deer. The AR with handloaded Barnes X and the M1 with store bought JSP's. I did it just to do it when I was going for a doe specifically and knew the range was going to be less than 50 yds. The AR deer was at 20 yards and made it about 5yds before piling up. The M1 carbine deer was at 35 yds., DRT.
 
Seeings as im a noobie, go easy on me lol. Isn't an AR-15 basically on the same platform or is the same weapon, as a M-4 carbine? Just curious.
 
to rathemias

Yes an AR is like an M4.
M4 is a model of the AR.
Noteable features of M4 are :collapsible stock,16" barrel with short handguards, Flat top reciever and Feed ramps in the reciever.
To be an M4 an AR must have certain "Features"

All M4s are ARs but not all ARs are M4s. Just as all falcons are hawks but not all hawks are falcons.

My concerns for a hunting weapon is the round not the style of weapon.
I would never choose the .223 to hunt deer.

Kill deer the way you would want to be killed, Quick as possible, Humanly as possible and with the most effective weapon and bullet.
 
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Hmmm. I'm not old by any means. Mid 20's, still a young buck. However I've hunted all my life and just recently I've become jaded to the "newer and better" fads. I like single shot rifles and shotguns. I've become enamored with lever action rifles. I've got plans to flip a couple pump shotguns I have for a couple double barrels. I've started revolver hunting and the more I get into it the more I like single action over double. Synthetic stocks give me the creeps. I guess I'm just a weirdo but semi's, plastic, etc. just doesn't do it for me. I like simplicity, but to each his own.
 
Chiefmuzz - and that is what is great - everyone can have their own preferences, which does not mean anyone else's preferences are bad.

I am back to a recurve bow. I have cycled back and forth between recurves and compounds over the years - just happen to be on a recurve kick right now. I love synthetic stocks and stainless steel, but shoot a round that has been around 100 years, 30-06.

Whatever floats your boat, and is legal, is fine by me!
 
Yes and No....

My concerns for a hunting weapon is the round not the style of weapon.
Click to expand...


IMO, the .223 is marginal for deer- not a good choice, for sure, unless the deer are really small, the ranges consistently short, and heavy bullets are used at max possible velocity.

The M4's short barrel and short max OAL (round has to fit in the magazine) prevent the .223 from being optimized for deer hunting- the 16" barrel cuts muzzle velocity (of which the .223 needs every bit it can get to generate energy) and the short max OAL precludes the use of heavy for caliber bullets unless they are seated so deep that they use up case capacity that is needed for a large enough charge to launch the bullet at a decent velocity.....
 
.223

I've read that the .223 with the heavy Nosler Partition is the cats meow for deer out to about 300 yards. I've had people from Texas and other states where it's legal say it's great round for deer. I think it's more of a bullet problem than a caliber problem for deer hunting. Actually if my feeble aged brain remembers correctly. The article I read about the .223 and the Nosler Partition bullet in a gun mag (can't remember which or when). The writer felt it was the "best" whitetail deer round he had used and perhaps the best ever created. I know this, an AR is an accurate and easy to shoot rifle. That I would not hesitate to use on deer if it were legal.
 
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