In my day that was true!
Pennsylvania Semi-Autos for Big Game
- Thread starter DumpHollow
- Start date
Obviously!
The magazine limit rather than a round count limit is prohibitive, most AR 15 rifle magazines are currently available in 5 round. To purchase 3 round magazines would be expensive!
I prefer carrying my A5 15 rifles with 5 round magazines as the rifle handles better.
I prefer carrying my A5 15 rifles with 5 round magazines as the rifle handles better.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
PA has many competing hunting cultures for deer, tree standers, drivers, ground sitters, baiters, and the deer camp. Add in grouse, pheasant, waterfowl and raptor hunters. Making one happy usually makes another unhappy. Semi-autos are now allowed for small game. I suspect it's just a matter of time for their use on large game with demographics being the driver of change.
PA is a just having to come to grips with the new reality… AR15’s are the most popular rifle for people under 50yo. I bet if you did a survey of 18yo - 50yo the common answer would be that essential firearms are AR15, Glock, and Ruger 10-22 … the only arsenal you need to survive the apocalypse 
Arguably since the Gulf War, but at least for the last 24 years (post 9/11) the M16/AR15 may be the only rifle to be used, fired and then personally owned by a large number of adults. For everyone else in this age range,who didn’t serve in military, the M16/AR15 has been their “virtual firearm” used in every video game that they’ve played. It makes sense that ithis is the firearm they want to hunt with.
MagPul could easily pump out 3-round mags or simple use their existing 5-round mags with either a spacer or modified follower that limits internal capacity to only 3 rounds. Polymer magazines are easy to make and therefore cheap.
Arguably since the Gulf War, but at least for the last 24 years (post 9/11) the M16/AR15 may be the only rifle to be used, fired and then personally owned by a large number of adults. For everyone else in this age range,who didn’t serve in military, the M16/AR15 has been their “virtual firearm” used in every video game that they’ve played. It makes sense that ithis is the firearm they want to hunt with.
MagPul could easily pump out 3-round mags or simple use their existing 5-round mags with either a spacer or modified follower that limits internal capacity to only 3 rounds. Polymer magazines are easy to make and therefore cheap.
DRK
Silver $$ Contributor
PA is a just having to come to grips with the new reality… AR15’s are the most popular rifle for people under 50yo. I bet if you did a survey of 18yo - 50yo the common answer would be that essential firearms are AR15, Glock, and Ruger 10-22 … the only arsenal you need to survive the apocalypse
Arguably since the Gulf War, but at least for the last 24 years (post 9/11) the M16/AR15 may be the only rifle to be used, fired and then personally owned by a large number of adults. For everyone else in this age range,who didn’t serve in military, the M16/AR15 has been their “virtual firearm” used in every video game that they’ve played. It makes sense that ithis is the firearm they want to hunt with.
MagPul could easily pump out 3-round mags or simple use their existing 5-round mags with either a spacer or modified follower that limits internal capacity to only 3 rounds. Polymer magazines are easy to make and therefore cheap.
Under 50 here by a fair amount. Don't own an AR, Glock (had them in various flavors over the years) or 10/22. I did about 10 years ago have a papered M16, it's gone, don't miss it. I still do enjoy my papered subguns though.
Too much has been lost these days to lack of marksmanship fundamentals, sight alignment, trigger control, etc. I'm fine with allowing for repeaters for hunting, however, this mentality of bang, bang, bang I might hit something is a step backwards not forwards.
That said, I have more bolt guns, M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, & revolvers than I can count. I still carry a J frame too.
Absolutely agree about the loss of shooting fundamentals. It is striking to witness the shift of shooters with AR15 to the 25 yard and 50 yard line, with very few ever shooting them at 100 yard line. Everyone should enjoy an afternoon with a 22lr bolt rifle with a set of iron or peep sight. Makes for a fun couple of hours shooting slow while contemplating life’s challenges with a friend.
It takes discipline to shoot slowly when there is a magazine full of ammo. Even for experienced shooters there is an unconscious uptick in tempo of their shooting when they shift from a bolt rifle to AR platform. It’s the funniest thing as if a little voice whispers, “This gun was made to shoot fast!” It’s not like the barrel is any different than a bolt rifle… bang bang bang and 20-30 rounds later in under a minute or 2 and the magazine is empty. Who needs precise shot placement when you can send a barrage. No thought about barrel heat or wear.
My trick is to only use 10-round magazine at range and load it with 5 rounds. I hunt hogs with AR15, and carry a couple of 20-round magazine usually half full. The 20 round magazine length is a little easier to grab and also locate in my backpack in the dark. There’s no reason to carry 30-round magazines or load upmore than 5-10 cartridges for pigs… even less ammo for deer. Unnecessary weight hanging off the gun.
I totally get everyone’s concern and distrust. However, this doesn’t change the fact that a large percentage of younger shooters (18-50) have a strong affinity/connection to the AR15. This is their rifle. Also, due to its modularity it is now primary platform for young shooters (children) for hunting.
It takes discipline to shoot slowly when there is a magazine full of ammo. Even for experienced shooters there is an unconscious uptick in tempo of their shooting when they shift from a bolt rifle to AR platform. It’s the funniest thing as if a little voice whispers, “This gun was made to shoot fast!” It’s not like the barrel is any different than a bolt rifle… bang bang bang and 20-30 rounds later in under a minute or 2 and the magazine is empty. Who needs precise shot placement when you can send a barrage. No thought about barrel heat or wear.
My trick is to only use 10-round magazine at range and load it with 5 rounds. I hunt hogs with AR15, and carry a couple of 20-round magazine usually half full. The 20 round magazine length is a little easier to grab and also locate in my backpack in the dark. There’s no reason to carry 30-round magazines or load upmore than 5-10 cartridges for pigs… even less ammo for deer. Unnecessary weight hanging off the gun.
I totally get everyone’s concern and distrust. However, this doesn’t change the fact that a large percentage of younger shooters (18-50) have a strong affinity/connection to the AR15. This is their rifle. Also, due to its modularity it is now primary platform for young shooters (children) for hunting.
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Great thread. I was talking to a good friend of mine yesterday about deer hunting. He has two grandsons, the oldest 12, the youngest 10. Both have taken deer with their AR15's (suppressed) in 5.56. One took his first deer at age 10, the other last year when he was 9. The only restriction placed on them is that the deer have to be under 50 yards and they have to take neck shots. Every deer they have shot was DRT. He is black and I am white and we give each other grief all of the time. I told him that his grandkids were a liberals worst nightmare. Two young black kids running around with AR's. We both laughed at that one. 
Seems a lot of older laws are now being updated to keep up with the times.
Many laws made no sense and some were based on real safety concerns.
I was raised in up state NY and had to deal with the 1/2 rifle and 1/2 shotgun hunting areas.
Also got caught in the semi auto trap.
My first hunting rifle was a Ruger 44 carbine.
It was legal to hunt with but since it was a handgun cartridge I could not buy ammo for it since I was not 21 at the time.
Also old enough to remember the Blue laws .
Couldn't shop on Sundays based on a religious majority .
Semi auto and pump rifles were very common in my area as it was a very large farming community.
Many laws made no sense and some were based on real safety concerns.
I was raised in up state NY and had to deal with the 1/2 rifle and 1/2 shotgun hunting areas.
Also got caught in the semi auto trap.
My first hunting rifle was a Ruger 44 carbine.
It was legal to hunt with but since it was a handgun cartridge I could not buy ammo for it since I was not 21 at the time.
Also old enough to remember the Blue laws .
Couldn't shop on Sundays based on a religious majority .
Semi auto and pump rifles were very common in my area as it was a very large farming community.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
Well the PGC is not to bright many times. They keep adding make belive seasons trying to attract hunters and sell more licensees. The count of hunters continues to decline. Fact is only a small percentage of their income is from license sales. Make all license 1.00. Folks like cheap. I am on the fence with the AR. I see a portion of the AR group at the range that scares me and that's even before I see them shooting.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
Southeast PA gun clubs, out of a hundred shooters I see at the range, it's rare to see one that hunts. The AR and autoloading ones are just shooting steel and if you ask them if they hunt, the answer is always no. Even if semi-s are legalized, I doubt it'll make much difference in hunter numbers.
PGC is a scam. period. They have a ginormous surplus of funds in their account, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, yet they raise the price of licenses and fee's to "keep things relevant". There's no management. They sell entirely too many deer tags then do not allow you to fill them and call it "fair chase". What's wrong with putting out a little corn and seeing what's around? If you are an archery hunter, than you are catered to with a pleasantly long season but any other weapon, you are lumped into the rifle crowd. I'd love to hunt handgun with a red dot in archery season since I don't shoot bow and I have about the same range (distance) limit as most archery hunters do. Myself and my kids get very little time to hunt, due to travel baseball all year and work, so I'm finally glad to see they have opened it up on Sundays but why would I give up my only day off to sit and not see any deer? I still do, but it's hard to keep younger kids excited when you sit for hours and days and only see one or two deer. When I was 12 years old, (hunting with Dad) We could and would see several herds of deer. I do agree with the antler restriction and Sunday hunting 100% but for Gods sake, stop selling sooo many doe tags!
Dan
Dan
Coyotefurharvester
Silver $$ Contributor
Here in Mn, last legislative session the farmland zone(south half of state is shotgun slug,muzzleloader, pistol for firearms deer) was "eliminated". Whole state(next year) will be rifle, except on a country by county basis. Each county board will decide if centerfire rifle will be legal. So much for the simple 2 zone map. Also seems like most years there are a few slug related injuries/occasional death( most of the time a deer drive is occurring). And several years ago the regs were changed to allow 223 as a legal deer cartridge. Pretty sure the same groups that have safety issues with shotgun slugs may see an increase in accidents when they start running AR's in typical shotgun hunting areas. Currently there is a round capacity limit for big game, I doubt everyone will realize 20&30 rd mags aren't legal. I may have to add a steel plate to the road side wall of my blinds.
If the AR crowd that you see at the range scares you, that same crowd scares other folks as well. . . . and remember, they all vote.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
You could be right.
jghoghunter
Gold $$ Contributor
I believe you are right the population of hunting will not go up BUT there is a huge population of hunters that are die hard hunters that will switch to the cheapest AR out then they will buy the cheapest 223 ammo ie. full metal jacket or varmint bullets and the will not give a shit about 3 rnd 5 rnd limits. AMISH!!! There are some good hunting amish out there. But most of them are of the "brown and down" theory. They live on deer meat and sell grade A beef to the stupid english. Sorry rant over. As far as semi's to hunt big game I could care less. Except for the above scenario.
I used to live in PA (35+ years). The PA Game Commission leaves alot to be desired. I gave up deer hunting at one point in disgust of their shenanigans. When they finally opened up Sunday hunting and had Semiautos on the table I was ready to start deer hunting again. That was years ago now and a move out of state. If semi autos were such a problem then why have they been legal in NY(of all places, ARs included) just across the border from where I grew up.
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