Thermal : Bolt gun vs AR

[DLT]

For those who run a thermal for coyotes what is your thoughts on hunting with a bolt gun vs an ar15 in 223 ? It’s probably my shooting but I am have more runners than I prefer. Follow up shots and speed is only advantage I can think of for an ar

 

[dantiff2]

I'll admit that I have yet to get into predator hunting but I do keep up with daily articles and all the information that I can, because it interests me. I'd like to go straight to the point. You are NOT alone! Most everyone that is serious about Yote hunting, say that the "runners" stop when they leave the 22 caliber behind and move up to the 6mm and larger. Those animals must be something else to try to put down. I'd go with an AR personally but maybe opt for something with a little more umph ; )

Edit: I know a guy who hunts them hard in southern PA, on a regular basis and he prefers a 308 Win with 110 gn v-max bullets and said he's never had one move after a shot. He loves his thermal stuff too!
Dan

 

[DLT]

I'll admit that I have yet to get into predator hunting but I do keep up with daily articles and all the information that I can, because it interests me. I'd like to go straight to the point. You are NOT alone! Most everyone that is serious about Yote hunting, say that the "runners" stop when they leave the 22 caliber behind and move up to the 6mm and larger. Those animals must be something else to try to put down. I'd go with an AR personally but maybe opt for something with a little more umph ; )

Edit: I know a guy who hunts them hard in southern PA, on a regular basis and he prefers a 308 Win with 110 gn v-max bullets and said he's never had one move after a shot. He loves his thermal stuff too!
Dan

I have been hunting the suckers +\- 15 years and have options to choose from. Back in the day it was on your ass with a 22/250 on bipods and a red light. I have been through all phases except thermal on a bolt gun

 

[bullseyeshtr]

I like the AR at night due to multiples. Went from night vision to thermal. Decided to use a 243 this season since fur prices suck. Hunting partner uses a 223 AR with night vision. I will say its all about bullet selection and shot placement. Favorite for me on coyotes is still 204(AR)/20TAC(Bolt) with the right bullet they just tip over and no fur damage.

 

[Carl S]

For those who run a thermal for coyotes what is your thoughts on hunting with a bolt gun vs an ar15 in 223 ? It’s probably my shooting but I am have more runners than I prefer. Follow up shots and speed is only advantage I can think of for an ar

I would love an AR but they are prohibited here in England.ive shot probably several thousand foxes with a .223 over the last 25 years.i haven't come across a fox it won't kill yet.any varmint type bullet will do the job..but saying that I use 52grn Berger match bullets and they do the job great aswell,they tack drive in my Stolle.ive used quite a few different calibers over the years for foxes and still do,but mainly my .223 that's set up with thermal.if I go with the lamp or early morning foxing i usually take a 6BR loaded with 85grn sierra varminters which is great for foxes and long range crows-rabbits to.

 

[17cal Fan]

I'm a bolt gun guy but ended up owning an AR as well. I have thermal on a bolt, NV on the Ar. Would not put the thermal on the AR, too much fun on the bolt and I never have to search for buttons. The temptation to spray lead in the heat of the battle at night is a little scary. Just got home from a night hunt with a bolt gun. Yote blasted out of the woods past my call, got between me and the cattle, ran back and tackled my call and I made a crappy shot in the heat of the battle. But I didn't kill a cow and only fired one more shot to finish it off. Bolt guns save me ammo Just saying things can get a little crazy at night. I'm more comfortable with a bolt.

 

[Gabe22BR]

Both are good platform’s-

You Can get runners w/ the semi auto -
- Bolt gun get ya a single kill & lighter gear to tote..

We run both set-ups, although our varmints are different than yours.!!
My time & age (now) I prefer the bolt. 5 yr ago I would say at any day

 

[Fuj]

On a different end......Been watching videos of the wild hog hunts
in the southern states. When into a big heard an AR is opted for.
Smaller herds, the bolt guns are opted for. Custom AR of the week
for hogs in one video that was being tested with a NV is a 358
Winchester with Silver Tip ammo, suppressed.

 

[1lessdog]

I'll admit that I have yet to get into predator hunting but I do keep up with daily articles and all the information that I can, because it interests me. I'd like to go straight to the point. You are NOT alone! Most everyone that is serious about Yote hunting, say that the "runners" stop when they leave the 22 caliber behind and move up to the 6mm and larger. Those animals must be something else to try to put down. I'd go with an AR personally but maybe opt for something with a little more umph ; )

Edit: I know a guy who hunts them hard in southern PA, on a regular basis and he prefers a 308 Win with 110 gn v-max bullets and said he's never had one move after a shot. He loves his thermal stuff too!
Dan

I shot my first Coyote in 1976 and have killed lots. I would say between 2000 and 2500. I shot a 22-250 for close to 35 yrs. I started reloading in 1978 and shot 55 gr SP as there were not a lots of choices. When Hornady came out with the 52 gr MTHP that is all I shot in my 22-250 and Swift. Then I went to a 220 Swift for a few yrs. Now I shoot a 22-6MM AI and I dont know if I have had a runner or a spinner with that rifle shooting Sierra 50 gr Blitzkings. Years ago I told myself, keep your eye in the scope and you will have good hits. When you start peaking over the scope, that is when you have poor hits. I told my kids as they were growing up do not peak over the scope. If you keep your eye in scope you will not miss. I truly believe most poorly placed shots are because of peaking. If your rifle is sighted in you have no excuse for a poor shot.

 

[alf]

For those who run a thermal for coyotes what is your thoughts on hunting with a bolt gun vs an ar15 in 223 ? It’s probably my shooting but I am have more runners than I prefer. Follow up shots and speed is only advantage I can think of for an ar

I'm a bolt guy, but I feel the AR is the way to go for night time coyotes.

I've had great performance from the 223 with 53 Vmax at 3200.

Picked up the pace this year with a 22 DTI shooting 52 Bergers at 3550.

 

[DLT]

I like the AR at night due to multiples. Went from night vision to thermal. Decided to use a 243 this season since fur prices suck. Hunting partner uses a 223 AR with night vision. I will say its all about bullet selection and shot placement. Favorite for me on coyotes is still 204(AR)/20TAC(Bolt) with the right bullet they just tip over and no fur damage.

I'm a bolt guy, but I feel the AR is the way to go for night time coyotes.

I've had great performance from the 223 with 53 Vmax at 3200.

Picked up the pace this year with a 22 DTI shooting 52 Bergers at 3550.

What’s a 22 dti ????

 

[5spd]

I ran ar15s in 223, 224 valkyrie, 20 practical, got tired of run offs with perfect shot placements now n then. I dumped them all and run a ruger predator in 6.5 Grendel in a Heatseeker chassis, not a single run off since using 85 and 95g bullets.

 

[DLT]

I ran ar15s in 223, 224 valkyrie, 20 practical, got tired of run offs with perfect shot placements now n then. I dumped them all and run a ruger predator in 6.5 Grendel in a Heatseeker chassis, not a single run off since using 85 and 95g bullets.

I got a grendel. Never have been able to make her hummmm like she should. Probably have to bring it back out and start back on it.

 

[alf]

What’s a 22 dti ????

The 22 DTI, like all of the others in the DTI line, is simply a 6.8 Remington SPC case necked-down to 22 caliber, and the shoulder blown forward to 30 degrees.

223 on both ends, 22 DTI next to them, 6.8 case in the middle:

 

[David Milisock]

For those who run a thermal for coyotes what is your thoughts on hunting with a bolt gun vs an ar15 in 223 ? It’s probably my shooting but I am have more runners than I prefer. Follow up shots and speed is only advantage I can think of for an ar

Assuming good quality equipment, a 20"+ barrel and decent projectiles it's the shooting/the conditions combination not the action type or chambering.

The 223 at 300+ yard ranges is wind sensitive but the AR15 in 223 can operate at decent pressures and velocities so inside 250 should work in annoying winds and out to 400 on calm conditions.

I'd look at your twist before picking a projectile but a VMAX is a good bullet, from 35 to 60 grains in 7 steps to pick from. My son wacks them with a 22 magnum in close and out to about 100 yards.

 

[alf]

Bullets and placement are key ingredients to success......

 

[alf]

Jump to 1:25.....

 

[Ray123]

For coyotes, I used a bolt gun mostly a 25-06 that rips hides and 222 in the old days, and the runners were no problem...as I practiced on running jack rabbits, killed more game moving than standing still. I could, most of the time, kill twice as many with a 222 bolt rifle as dad could with his Remington 12 gauge autoloader. So I left my 12 gauge shotgun at home. Back then you could kill 80 or so jacks in one area before moving to the next area. So a bolt gun works very well close or far at a full run or leaping through the air to escape or standing still ....but an AR would work for me too...metal is cold on the face and hands over wood in cold weather hunting. My prefrence for this hunting is a factory gun, wood stocked bolt gun with a low powdered scope, properly bedded, trigger 2 lbs or less, make sure its slick and smooth and feeds well, with as always handloaded ammo...when you aint shootin one inch paper dots..different tools for a different task.

 

[wedgy]

The noise of racking a round in the chamber does away with the AR for me and I don't like walking around with one in the chamber from stand to stand so I go with the bolt gun.

 

[OmegaRed]

I hunt with a suppressor and enjoy less noise from a bolt gun. You can still get follow up shots in the dark with a bolt and kill multiples on the same set. I think you have to be realistic with how often that happens, similar to picking a caliber. So you "need" a 600 yard caliber or can you get away with a less recoiling flatter shooting one that is only good to 400?