ARs for Varmints--Pros and Cons

[sscoyote]

Got a buddy who's shooting his 8T .223 AR to extreme ranges some. Watched him shoot 3 cottontails in 6 or 7 shots off a ravine edge several years ago from 700-735 yds. 2 different loads 77 TMK and 75 A-max. The last one with the 75 A-Max did acrobatics even at that range--unforgettable spotting experience.

 

[slingworks]

There are about a million ways you can roll an AR into a varmint gun. I used to hunt allot with ARs (Varmints). I always preferred a quality full length barrel with a medium or light contour. A light barrel can shoot just as or about as well as a heavy barrel if it's floated with a tube Why carry all that extra weight around?? You wont shoot a varmint rifle enough to get hot unless you're shooting dogs, and then well, so what...You'll still hit them. I used both fast twist and slower twist barrels and honestly I preferred the slow twist with light bullets for field/hunting use.

On the range in a service rifle match, different story.

 

[moondog]

I've had a AR sitting in the safe for years, hated it! Loud and clunky. Well a couple of months ago I revisited it. After removing the muzzle brake I shot it with my Tbac 223 can. I did a little load development, seemed to shoot. Added a JP spring, Seekins hand guard, Magpul PRS stock adjustable gas block, better scope, and a Arca plate. Let me tell ya, shooting P-dogs off a Tripod sitting in a chair is awesome!

 

[David Milisock]

I've seen doubling with reloads using soft primers. Is the trigger adjustable? Does the firing pin move freely?

 

[Cemetery21]

Could be trigger pressure bump. Try making an effort to hold the trigger back after a shot, then release to reset. I bump fire on a light trigger if I'm not making an effort to pull through.

Although a slam fire as stated above is possible, I've never had one in over 35 years shooting ARs at prairie dogs - and never used the hard cup milspec primers. Just standard CCIs and Rem 7 1/2s.

The third possibility is the disconnector releasing the hammer just a tad early or not catching the hammer everytime. With the action open, manually cock the hammer without pulling the trigger. The hammer should bump the disconnector hook on the way down, then cock on the sear coming up. Also, test cocking the hammer with the trigger pulled. Then, very slowly let off the trigger. When the disconnector releases the hammer, it should catch on the sear. If it missed the sear and the hammer falls, you need more disconnector engagement. Easy to do. Take out the disconnector and remove just a little metal from the front foot where it sits on the trigger. That lets the disconnector rotate forward a little more and it will hold the hammer a little longer on trigger reset.

 

[rmr]

After many years of long range, my current game is 3gun. with the proliferation of short reset AR triggers, combined with years of dealing with light triggers on LR guns....well.... doubling happens from time to time. for me its a training issue. YMMV.

likely its simply trigger pressure / trigger preload.

 

[EvanB]

Hey guys,

We're working on a NEW,much-asked-for) .223 Rem Cartridge Guide.

One sub-topic we'll cover is AR15s--for both match rifle shooting and varminting.

I've gone squirrel shooting with my AR. I concluded that, while it is fun to use a magazine, the AR would not be my first choice for future varmint expeditions. Didn't like the stock length/height when shooting from the ground, didn't like the way the gun sat on the bags when shooting from the bench. I also hated chasing the brass.

That said, I know a lot of guys love to use ARs for Varminting.

Let's hear both sides of the debate.

If you like the AR as a varmint platform, tell us why.

If you think an AR15 is over-rated as a varminter, explain.

Let the debate begin...

I use an AR platform for Prairie Dogs, but not locked into it as I play with others. However, my go to rifle is an AR built for that specifically. It is also a .223.

I know there are lots of fine cartridges and better performers, but few as cheap to shoot, easy to reload and fast on the dog towns. I shoot from a bench, sandbag and all and have been known to shoot more ammo in a day than most of you would believe. Similarly, my Brother in Law shoots near me, same outfit and we both shoot a ton each day as targets avail themselves. Yeah, we miss a percentage with first round shots, but dang fewer than you would believe so I will spare you the numbers.

Shooting either 55 grain V-max or 55 grain SP, we are pretty darn deadly out to 400 yards and take longer shots too. We both use Burris Eliminator Scopes, have for years since Eliminator II's came out. They are on version IV now. Scope makes all the difference, saving on ammo paid for the scopes first trip out years ago. More fun also!

We use old military 20 round mags because they are more practical from a bench.

Brother in Law years ago was shooting bolt action rifle against my ar platform. He was accurate but I killed them before he got a round chambered. Bang, bang, bang, bang.... Hard to do with a bolt gun.

 

[jelenko]

For varmints, you can use WOA's adjustable buttstock and attach a bag rider to the rear of an for shooting from front rest/rear bag.

That said, I would think a Rem pattern action with a nice Bix and Andy TacSport trigger is going to be more effective from a rest.

 

[ba_50]

Hey guys,

We're working on a NEW,much-asked-for) .223 Rem Cartridge Guide.

One sub-topic we'll cover is AR15s--for both match rifle shooting and varminting.

I've gone squirrel shooting with my AR. I concluded that, while it is fun to use a magazine, the AR would not be my first choice for future varmint expeditions. Didn't like the stock length/height when shooting from the ground, didn't like the way the gun sat on the bags when shooting from the bench. I also hated chasing the brass.

That said, I know a lot of guys love to use ARs for Varminting.

Let's hear both sides of the debate.

If you like the AR as a varmint platform, tell us why.

If you think an AR15 is over-rated as a varminter, explain.

Let the debate begin...

Pro: semi auto for coyotes, caliber switch.
Con: ugly, heavy, expensive.

 

[itchyTF]

UGLY? Who says they’re ugly?

 

[Caveman Jim]

UGLY? Who says they’re ugly?

The bolt only guys do…

 

[moorepower]

I have a LuthAR stock that is very adjustable. What I really like about them is the ability to switch the uppers in seconds for a cool barrel or caliber switch from 24" bull barrel.223 to 6 ARC, to a lightweight 16" .223. I have not plans of going away from bolt guns, just like them both. And where else do you see a laser engraved Lets Go Brandon receiver?

 

[Shawn Shawn Carverelli]

ShCal,

Yes, unless you owned an AR15 prior to the CA state ban, and registered it as an "assault weapon", you can't buy one or import it. You can purchase a pump-action AR, or one which has had the magazine well permanently blocked. With the latter you have to raise the upper and load with stripper clips, or single load. Given those restrictions, a bolt action is probably a better option.

With the current state of the CA legislature,Democrats controlling both houses), it's unlikely you'll be able to buy an AR-style rifle with detachable magazines any time soon.

and thats Commifornia will never see cast a shadow on that state EVER. Washington is way too liberal for me. Ill retire in a few, and I'm out of here

 

[Shawn Shawn Carverelli]

I burned up a barrel in my 220 swift shooting prairie dogs in a target rich environment. My brother built the familys first AR style rifle and I was trying to keep up with his kills.
With the bolt gun, I'd lose my sight picture from the recoil, then work the bolt. Before i could locate another target my brothers gun sounded off right before his giggle. Within 2 months I'd built my own.
24" Kreiger cut- rifled 1-13" twist barrel on a dpms receiver flattop upper, royals arms pistol grip and jard single stage 2.5# trigger. prairie dogging, it wears a Leopold 8.5x25 vari-x 3 LR scope.
The next PD trip, I was a couple mags short of emptying a 50cal ammo can that started about 3/4 full. It shoots 40 and 50 gr vmax or ballistic tips into a nickel @100 yards.
When the wind kicks up, I grab a bigger gun.
a few years ago I built 2 AR10's. A 6.5 CM heavy sumbitch and a 6CM 2.5 # lighter

 

[Ray123]

The AR15 5.56 platform is totally versatile and adaptable..got to love that. Make it anyway ya want..and change it all in minutes..change uppers, barrels, magazines, stocks, handguards, bolts, sights, scopes, etc. to fit your immediate needs... Modify the hell out of it...even in the field with simple tools. You can add, modify, or make any accessories needed.. no such thing as an AR that doesn't fit. I added a flat aluminum plate to the handguard M Locks for accuracy bench work, easy..if ya want. Also not concerned about losing 5.56 brass, it's so cheap and I have many thousands..same with 9 mm ...I just pick up the ones I see and not concerned about the ones that are lost..just buy another 2 or 3 thousand if needed... just need 10,000 primers for your summer activities. ...

 

[Eccentric]

Agreed. Unfortunately, my supply of SR primers is dwindling. Until recently, just about every rifle cartridge I loaded used LR primers. Didn't get into loading smaller rifle cartridges until things started drying up, and didn't look for SR's until it was too late...

 

[EvanB]

Hey guys,

We're working on a NEW,much-asked-for) .223 Rem Cartridge Guide.

One sub-topic we'll cover is AR15s--for both match rifle shooting and varminting.

I've gone squirrel shooting with my AR. I concluded that, while it is fun to use a magazine, the AR would not be my first choice for future varmint expeditions. Didn't like the stock length/height when shooting from the ground, didn't like the way the gun sat on the bags when shooting from the bench. I also hated chasing the brass.

That said, I know a lot of guys love to use ARs for Varminting.

Let's hear both sides of the debate.

If you like the AR as a varmint platform, tell us why.

If you think an AR15 is over-rated as a varminter, explain.

Let the debate begin...

Been Prairie dog shooting for about 14 years now. First hunt I used everything my brother in law and I had. Found out that with my standard AR .223 then, I was shooting dogs faster than he could compete with using bolt guns. After that, we both bought varmint barrels for our AR's. We shoot x-GI 20 round mags to avoid mag drag on benches or ground. Started using shell catchers also because we reload. We found after year two Burris Eliminator Scopes. If you dont know about them, you are missing out. They range and target with the push of a button. We prefer series II or III. Dogs out to 400 yards, 55 grain v-max, first round percentage hits run close to 95% if we do our job.

Most recently also using bolt action .223 and .204 just to slow it down a bit. For several years, all we carried was ar's, two each, all with Burris scopes and would go thru 3000+ rounds in 2.5 days. Hard to do with bolt actions!

 

[jelenko]

3000+ rounds in 2.5 days.

!!

 

[6bra1k]

the down side is your bolt gun buddies are gonna hate you
all else is up side.
like all rifles quality counts
in one of my ars 50 gr zmax/vmax shoot under 1/4 moa
in the other varmit about 1/2 moa.
10 or 20 rd mags..no prone, only bench. its hard to load too many rounds
quality 6-18, 6-24x scopes reworked or after market triggers
i like long heavier bbls for this..hart kreiger

 

[EvanB]

!!

Thats with two sometimes three shooters. Yes, we shoot a lot, and hit a lot on some really well populated dog towns. We dont mind if we miss and our ammo cost was about 35 cents a round (reloaded). Prices have gone out of sight the past couple of years but we have a good rserve of our own ammo remaining. We have had really good fortune on numbers of dog towns in a small geographical area so we can bounce easily from one to another when the slow down occurs. We almost always set up with the wind either directly in front or behind us. Running dogs are fun but certainly require multiple shots. When you have the ammo, the number of available dogs and only 2-3 days per year, we dont fret about ammo cost or availability. By the way, I drive close to 1500 miles to prairie dog shoot. And, we shoot in mid May before the grass gets high. Others experiences may differ, but we shoot a lot and do not apoligize for it.