ARs for Varmints--Pros and Cons

[rcw3]

. . . I'm also building a 204 Ruger AR, set up similarly.
-John

John

FYI - There can be issues with a 204 Ruger in an AR. The case was not originally designed for a semi auto AR-15 that extracts under pressure and it has a long case body that has very little body taper. The net result can be the rounds sticking in the chamber and can create extraction problems. I spoke to a shooter yesterday who related that he broke the head off the extractor in his 204 Ruger AR,a symptom of the problem I just related). You may want to consider a 20 Practical AR instead.

Robert Whitley
www.6mmAR.com

 

[cliffy]

Next week I leave for Texas to possibly shoot at a Feral Hog. I'm a target shooter, and not a hunter, so this will be a new experience for me. A $300 license to shoot one piggie seems extreme. I may just target shoot with my Texas friend. I plan to fish mostly at a license fee of $65 for fresh and salt. I just want to have some Texas fun, not fund the entire state. cliff

 

[wheelguner]

. . . I'm also building a 204 Ruger AR, set up similarly.
-John

John

FYI - There can be issues with a 204 Ruger in an AR. The case was not originally designed for a semi auto AR-15 that extracts under pressure and it has a long case body that has very little body taper.......
Robert Whitley
www.6mmAR.com

Robert,

I, thankfully, haven't experienced any of the problems that you mention with my AR based .204 Ruger. Mine is a Sabre Defence Heavy Bench Target and has run flawlessly since day one. I checked out your website and based on what I saw I am assuming your experience and knowledge far exceeds mine. Truth be told, I am a crotchety old former Marine,M14 Era), and have never cared for the AR.... until they became available chambered in the 204 Ruger. I thought it would be the perfect companion to my Savage Bolt Gun in the same chambering and I would have to buy only bullets in that caliber. My research before I bought the Sabre did not turn up any mention of the problem you describe. Could you point me to the articles/forums that mention the problems you warned about.

 

[cliffy]

AR or Boltwise: try a CCI BR-4 primer with Alliant Reloder 10X powder at 24.2 grains with a Winchester/Nosler,CT) 55 grain Silver Tip bullet @ a C.O.L. of 2.255'. Incredible accuracy and devestation downrange follows in suit, regarding Coyote and small,50 to 100 pound) Hog stopping power. For larger,up to 200 pound) Hogs, the fantastic 60 grain Nosler Partition bullet @ 24.4 grains and a C.O.L. of 2.240' represents maximum firepower via a .223 Remington bolt-action. Beyond 200 pounders, consider an AR-10 or bolt-action .243 Winchester. I have pig-load recommendations regarding these also. My .243 Remington Model 700 CDL loads will not be shrugged-off by any big PIG! Cliffy

 

[cliffy]

Having just discovered the 55 grain Berger Varmint Hollow-Point bullet, I can only say,'WOW!' A .22 caliber bullet that drives .30 plus-size caliber HOLES through plate steel signifies a wow factor of plus pulse beyond any other wannabee .22 caliber round! 'Wow' if I hadn't mentioned that term before! How can a .22 compete against a .30 caliber high pressure load? It just did just that within my .223 Remington! cliffy

 

[cliffy]

A .223 Remington has far more pros than cons regarding killing anything alive. Stopping the heartbeat of a predator regards SPEED plus BULLET WEIGHT. A fine FIFTY-FIVE premium bullet, can ONLY be bested by very few SIXTY grainers. Once a 3100 fps muzzle velocity is obtained: the 'WOW' factor takes over . . . and WOW! cliffy

 

[cliffy]

ARs are NOT as wimpy as some 'experts' claim them to be! Some of my hottest .223 loads, work auto-functions, automagically, within an AR-15 as perfectly as possible. The PRIMER is the critical factor in all .223 Applications! Reading the primer, supercedes all other quesswork. A pierced-primer READS 'TOO MUCH' POWER, or the WRONG PRIMER for the application. What a fine-line regarding maxy-power! cliffy

 

[Ackman]

A .22 caliber bullet that drives .30 plus-size caliber HOLES through plate steel signifies a wow factor of plus pulse beyond any other wannabee .22 caliber round!cliffy

'......beyond any other wannabee .22 caliber round' Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

 

[Ackman]

A .223 Remington has far more pros than cons regarding killing anything alive.

The .223 is a good round and I shoot it quite a bit. But this is really dumb statement.

 

[cliffy]

Ackman. I measured the HOLE! Only a Berger 55 grain Varmint bullet at 3100 fps has ever done this for me: Thrice! Even a 60 grain Nosler Partition cannot accomplish this feat at 3100 fps. The Berger leaves a gaping hole with copper-flower petals as a border. TRY it before you knock my findings! I shoot Barnes 50 grain Varmint Grenades; 55 grain Nosler Ballistics Tips; 60 grain Hornady Hollow Points; etc. Nothing has ever opened a hole to such an oversize like these common-looking, 55 grain Berger hollow-points! cliffy

 

[cliffy]

Ackman, you make me not want to share my findings. cliffy

 

[Ackman]

Ackman, you make me not want to share my findings. cliffy

Well cliffy....since this thread was about varmints and not steel plate, that's good news.

 

[cliffy]

Steel plates are my chosen guidelines regarding explosive varmint results. Whilst I was shooting at the range today, a raccoon dared venture into my line of fire. Silly coon? Blowing up a raccoon on my firing range seemed ludicrous and senseless. I was firing .223 Remington 55 grain C/T Silver Tips from Remington Nickel cases at 3300 fps, so you know death would have ensued swiftly at a mere 100 yards. I wasn't hunting; I was zeroing a specific round with my scope set at 20x, and I was in a .25' groove. I can't help but believe that some arsehole, somewhere, would have taken out that naive coon. I color myself a sportsman, so I could not have even considered taking that easy shot, even if it would have proven the prowess of my current fare in splattered blood. cliffy

 

[JohnWayne]

I can't believe that someone would test varmint bullets on steel plates and then turn down a shot on a coon thats out in the middle of the day. At our range a wandering coon seen in the middle of the day would have people running for their rifles, but then we don't reguard steel plates as good test medium for varmint bullet expansion either. That makes as much sence as testing armour piercing bullets on kleenex.

 

[cliffy]

No sport: No shot. A varmint confused and unalert offers no shot for me. I want to WORK for my shots. Catching a quarry totally off guard, and dead in my sights offering certain death does not work for me. Make me work for my shot, or walk away. Something may be wrong in my brain. Every animule is either a trophy or a paper target, since I seldom miss. cliffy

 

[cliffy]

Cottontail Rabbits are the easiest prey to kill! A .223 Remington with 55 grain fare is truly 'Over-Kill' for such edible varmints. Many varmints are non-edibles, but Hossenfeffer is quite delicious. This is why .22 LR fare was invented! cliffy

 

[Luhrs]

I hunt varmints with one of my AR's. It is a bone stock Olympic Arms K 16. It has a 16' heavy barrel. With the right ammo or reloads it will shoot right about 1/2' at 100 yards. Good enough for what I use it for. If I need better, I use the bolt gun. Most of the shots I take with it are under 100 yards. I did take a Coyote at 280 yards this last spring. I added a Bi-pod, some Les Baer high rings and Tossed on an old Tasco Pronghorn 3X9 that I had laying around. Ive shot many Jacks, Yotes, Nutria and a Badger with it. As far as Im concerned it is the best rifle to use on Coyotes at closer ranges. Quick follow up shots. Loaded with a 50 Gr. V-Max it put things down fast.

I also have DPMS AP4 that I 'play' with. It has also seen quite a bit of Jack Rabbit action and has even taken a Coyote. It wears an EOtech, BUIS, 4 rail hand guard with a grip pod. It is a fun rifle to pack when walking through the sage kicking up Jacks. I shoot PMC bronze at the bunnies. 55 Gr. FMJ's actually do a real good job on smaller animals.

AR's have a place in a Varmint hunters arsenal. I know I will never get rid of my 2.

 

[cliffy]

Barnes has caught my interest most recently. 62 grain Varmint Grenades, in particular, in .243 Winchester, whet my appetite regarding making mush out of inedible varmints. Accurate and Deadly, nothing is left to desire, unless one hopes to eat the mess. cliffy

 

[RJinTexas]

Say folks please don't push me in front of a train for this but here's my pros & cons regarding the use of AR's as a varmint rig. As Keith stated very earlier in this tread they simply do unnerve your non-AR shooting buddies, and they tend to put the dogs down somewhat sooner then slower paced shooting. I agree a person that can shoot well will kill 3 or 4 dogs while a guy shooting a bolt kills one. I'm not disputing their accuracy in fact two of my friend have custom accurized AR's that will shoot just as well as my heavy single shot bolt rifles. We have a feral hog problem on our deer lease and these two guy use their AR's to help control the pigs. I've witness them jump a large group of hogs and both will usually lay down between three to six hogs apiece before the fire storm is over. I've set up and called in yotes at night for them, both men are capable of shooting doubles. I agree it's hard not like and appreciate their results. But four of us participate in a annual four day prairie dog shoot and we insist that no AR's are allowed unless you single feed load. We have found out over the last ten years that observing and sharing our time shooting P-dogs is much more rewarding then the total number of dogs killed. We all get in plenty of shooting with our bolt rifles and pistols usually between 250 to 350 shots are taken by each of us daily. A lot of the time we split up in two man teams alternating shots and shooting partners, one shots while the other backs him up, the usual theme is you better not miss. Sometimes we will line up four benches in a row to shoot at dogs 500yds and beyond alternating turns at the same long range dog for bragging right. Rarely does a dog make it through all four shooter unless it's at extremely long range. It's our belief that the distraction of multiple shot fired from a AR platform distracts from our shared camaraderie. That being said I bet that shooting a accurate AR with a good trigger in a dog town when one is alone would be a real hoot.

Regards ya'll
RJ

 

[JerryMay]

Anyone shooting AR's in Roy Winnetts 22PDK or 6mmPDK?
Jerry,,UK).