Pros & Cons of using an AR-15 for Deer Hunting

[Cull Buck Hunter]

My 450 Bushmaster in an AR platform is very efficient.
My youngest son.

 

[TAFKAP]

Yes, you CAN kill a deer with a .223. But I shot a hog and 2 deer with one and never found them. Next deer, a doe, shot perfectly, no blood trail and only found her grid searching. The .223 (5.56 NATO) was made to wound a man, not kill him. I was using expanded ammo. But I lost faith in it. And the reality is you are shooting a .22 caliber bullet. So, more power to you, but I don't like the caliber. If you're shooting an AR-10 or a larger caliber, more power to you. I have nothing against black rifles. I just don't like the .223 and think TN should've never allowed them for deer.

I always liked saving my spent brass as momentos from the kill. Was really disappointed when my 300BLK shot its first buck, and I realized the spent casing was buried in leaves at least 15' away.

 

[Headhunter]

I have killed 3 mature does in one hunt many times, bow, muzzleloader, shotgun, and rifle. Haven't ever felt a need to have an AR to do that.

I am not against AR's, I just don't care for them. I purchased on recently, got a 1,000 rounds of ammo, shot it yesterday. It is a custom gun to some extent, guaranteed to shoot MOA to 100 yards. I put a red dot sight, no magnification, just a red dot, shot 3 to 4" groups. It shoots great, I ran a few mags through it yesterday, I could care less about it. Someone offers me enough money it will be sold. Just not my preference.

I put a Mcmillan swirly on my older Remington in 7MMSTW, to me that is fun to shoot, shot 1/2" or better groups at 100 yards. My sendero In 7MMSTW shoots the same.

I also shot ruger 10/22 a bit to. Great shooting gun and to me way more fun than the AR.

 

[bvoss]

We have an AR 15 in .223. Ive killed two deer and my 8 year old son has killed 3 bucks so far: His deer were 130 yds, 80 yds, and 140 yards. None have ran more than 50 yards before piling up. We shoot the Winchester Deer/Antelope 64 grain bullets. Only had one with a complete pass through and never much of a blood trail, but you usually see them fall in sight. And it tears them up in side.

 

[rem270]

My nephew has killed 4 deer with my AR and 3 or 4 dropped in their tracks.

 

[billyboy]

Love my 6.8SPC for deer and hogs out to ~250yds!

 

[LanceS4803]

Not all AR's have forward assists.

The one I am building now won't have one.

The AR is a great platform, so changeable. From long range competition to home defense to hunting (squirrels to wild board).
I used to shoot NRA Service Rifle with one, 200-600 yards, iron sights.
That being said, my main hunting rifle is a Swedish Mauser built in 1900. Blued steel and wood, can't go wrong.

 

[Omega]

I don't see any downsides to using an AR. I can put my round where I need it, and have the hunting rounds that work just fine on any deer, or man sized targets. Don't let anyone tell you that it isn't enough for deer, or man, many of both have been dispatched with this round. Having said that, I use a bolt for deer, sometimes a .308, sometimes a .270. It's like my camo, it just isn't hunting unless I have camo on and am carrying my deer rifle. I have used my AR(s) for hunting though, a 10.5" 300BLK AR with 110gr Barnes to drop pig in their tracks, and many years ago, way too many, an M-16 with 5.56mm fmj to drop wild game in the jungle down south.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I don't have a problem with people using a round designed for varmint on deer. Or men. I have used my AR-10 on deer. I prefer the exit wound of the 308 vs. the 223 for tracking. And my go to MBR is my AR-10. Very few men can take a round of 308 to the chest and survive for very long. Golf ball sized exit wounds are hard to overcome.

It's a win win for me. My MBR is the same caliber as the most accurate bolt action in my safe. Makes things real easy in a SHTF situation.

 

[LY]

I've got 3 different uppers in 3 different calibers for mine and still don't have one in .556/.223. With so many better calibers out now a days I'd think most folks have moved on from .223 for deer. Folks that I do know that have them do so for plinking with cheap ammo, I do my plinking with a .22 LR upper for $0.03/round. I've only done it twice, but an ammo dump for me cost $0.90 vs $8 - $9.

As for the feel it's definitely an individual preference, it took some time but now it feels as natural as carrying a bolt gun. Both have their pros and cons, it's just nice having options. Similar to how we've all added to our arsenals by buying new calibers when the old standby's .270, .308, 30-06, etc. etc. we all had worked great and still does. They just lost their luster and we wanted to try different things.

It was real cool building it from the ground up, no two pieces on mine came put together. It took over a year using coupons and picking up the pieces I really wanted on sale and built it exactly how I wanted it. A true custom gun, but since I spent such a long time gathering parts it really doesn't feel like I've got over $1400 in it without the scope. I really only cringed twice paying for parts.

 

[Cull Buck Hunter]

I don't see any downsides to using an AR. I can put my round where I need it, and have the hunting rounds that work just fine on any deer, or man sized targets. Don't let anyone tell you that it isn't enough for deer, or man, many of both have been dispatched with this round. Having said that, I use a bolt for deer, sometimes a .308, sometimes a .270. It's like my camo, it just isn't hunting unless I have camo on and am carrying my deer rifle. I have used my AR(s) for hunting though, a 10.5" 300BLK AR with 110gr Barnes to drop pig in their tracks, and many years ago, way too many, an M-16 with 5.56mm fmj to drop wild game in the jungle down south.

 

[Cull Buck Hunter]

I also love my Rem 700 in 308 for deer hunting, I use a 7wsm for hogs because I hunt in the mountains and hogs always seem to run downhill. Most shots are while stalking and oftentimes my preferred head shot is not practical or available, I like high percentage shots on running game.

 

[redblood]

Not an ar , but my son killed several deer with a lil cz 223 and they went a combined 5 yards with standard 55gr soft points and center rib shots.

 

[DC219]

I've been hunting with a 6.8 for over 10 years and have only lost one hog that was poorly hit after taking a running shot. I've killed lots of deer and hogs with the AR in 6.8. The 95 grain Barnes Bullet is nothing short of impressive. I've put it through both shoulders of several hogs that weighed upwards of 200 lbs. If you don't hand load, you can get the 95 grain Barnes through Wilson Combat. I love my bolt guns too, but alway find myself grabbing the AR when I head to the woods. It's just a cool gun, and pretty indestructible. Both of my kids started shooting it at age 9. Recoil is almost unnoticeable.

 

[LanceS4803]

Not an AR, but my very first deer was taken with a H&K 91, in .308.
Heavy rifle, but a dream to shoot.
These things are fetching $4,000 now!

 

[Deer Assassin]

223 won't kill deer

(This is sarcastic)

 

[Dennis]

Most times a buck that is moving fast and refuses to stop for a shot will stop when he hears a gun shot. With a semi-auto you can get on him and squeeze off the killing second shot when he does this. With other types of actions the noise or motion of racking another round may send him running again.

Also after a first shot, a wounded deer (fatally or not) may run right toward you. With a semi-auto you can shoot again without giving away your position. But if you have to rack another round you may send that deer in a worse direction.

I have seen these scenarios play out many times so I am convinced that a semi auto is a big advantage in deer hunting . If I was hunting standing deer in a bean field I might feel differently.

An AR is just a form of semi-auto, I don't see much between it and other semi-autos when it comes to hunting.

 

[Stalkhunter]

I'd love to have a AR in 30'06. That would be like a dream come true for me

I just priced one you don't want to know lol

 

[duckriver]

I just priced one you don't want to know lol

That figures lol

 

[Stalkhunter]

my adams did great shot one buck with it.