First Ar15 Deer

[IHFarmer07]

Nice one man, congrats! Just got home from Nebraska last week, harvested a solid 8 point while I was there. Not with the 5.56 though, I brought the .270 so I could be more lethal at long range. This guy was about a 275 yard shot. I'll be back in the Louisiana woods after thanksgiving with the 5.56 after a few mature bucks we have on camera.

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Congratulations!! That is a solid 8! I've gotten some questions on my ar15 and what I was using in my ar15 lol.
People are so brainwashed that you can't use the ar platform for anything else than bad/illegal things, it's sickening. I might give my upper a paint job sometime but not high on the priority list lol.

Keep us informed on the other deer and how the ar platform does for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[purpledragon]

I didn't believe AR's were not hunting guns either! Great job. Congrats!

That is exactly what they are........A HUNTING RIFLE!!!

 

[Hall’adondo Ranch]

As a Texas farmer I see AR's are rugged tools like fencing pliers or a hammer. I keep mine in a rack in the cab. I don't worry about bumps, scratches or moisture. It's always ready. One evening I went to a far corner of the property with .223 55 grain V-max rounds in the magazine to clean the raccoons off the feeders. To my surprise a 450 pound Aoudad was there to greet me. Simple swap of magazines to 69 grain Bergers with a well placed shot and it crumpled where it stood.

 

[C-130 Dude]

Got my first deer with any ar platform Saturday. I have to say I'm impressed with the performance out of the little 5.56, this is also my first deer with any caliber smaller than .27 and it far exceeded my expectations. I was a little skeptical at first taking this thing deer hunting but I've always heard .223/556 is plenty for deer if you put it in the vitals. The shot was close to end of shooting light so I thought the doe was slightly quartered away but was actually quartered to. The bullet entered right behind the shoulder and caught the back of the lungs and must have deflected off a rib on the opposite side and then just tumbled into the intestines. Destroyed the back of the lungs and every organ behind them. Never could find the bullet but it was a Barnes 62 gr tsx. Bout a 110# on doe which is about 10# shy of as big as they get where I hunt. 80 yard shot. She went 15-20 yards and piled up dead in seconds. I got this radical firearms rf-15 about 3 months ago sort of just as a fun gun and home/property defense, but I wouldn't hesitate to take it deer hunting again.

WARNING: may be graphic to some
The second pic shows the damage on the entrance wound


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Congrats on your take! Glad to hear you used a hunting bullet rather than a FMJ 55 or 62 gr bullet like some have done. Anyone suggesting an MSR is not a hunting rifle should take note.

 

[19elkhunter51]

Being old and grumpy, I really had no "use" for an AR platform rifle. A couple of years ago my best friend and I decided we should learn how to at use the AR platform rifle. After purchasing a couple of this type, we decided that as light as the rifles were, we should try them on some antelope. 62 grain Nosler has so far taken two antelope with two shots. As of right now I would not hesitate using the AR platform in 5.56/.223 for taking anything up to mule deer in size.

 

[tnbndr]

Years ago when everyone in my area of eastern Montana thought 30-06 was minimum for deer I thought that was BS.

I bought a Rem 788 in 22-250, kept shots under 100 yards and aimed low and behind the shoulder bone. Killed a truckload of deer with one shot.
The lungs were absolutely shredded and hearts mostly exploded. Chest cavity filled with blood. The only downside was the bullet grenades and no exit to follow a blood trail.

But now we have copper and bonded bullets that hold together and exit so that's not an issue.

Speed kills!

What copper and bonded bullets are you using? I am selling my 300 Blackout because of the problem you state. It devastates the insides but with no exit wound, leaves no blood trail.
Switching to Ruger SFAR in .308. Light as my AR15. We do drives all season so I like a lighter rifle.

 

[Rob L.]

My wife and I have taken Whitetail with 62gr Barnes TSX bullets in our .223/5.56 AR platform hunting rigs. Both deer got knocked down dead, one at 136 yards and the other at 190 yards. We've also taken coyotes and lots of ground squirrels. They are fun and accurate.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Just to add something to the thread - Bang, flop

 

[Bob Wright]

Many of our deer came from the AR15 with Barnes boxed ammo. These were kids on junior hunts. It's an excellent round out to about 200 for the young hunters.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Many of our deer came from the AR15 with Barnes boxed ammo. These were kids on junior hunts. It's an excellent round out to about 200 for the young hunters.

Just to add some interest to my AR-15, I bought a 458SOCOM upper from RRA. It's a hoot to shoot and it's rather accurate. The 300gr Barnes TTSX bullet will fly right through big hogs if shot broadside. I'd like to take a whitetail with the rifle but really concentrate on LR rifles when I'm hunting deer in the Carolinas.

 

[Rob L.]

Aside from the deer with .223 cartridge post, I also have (2) .50 Beowulf uppers on their own lowers. In 2019 I took a nice blackbear with that set-up. Here's 69 year old me in 2019 with my neighbor who runs dogs. Two shots to knock the bear out of the tree did the trick.

 

[Bob Wright]

I want scream everytime I hear a politician tell me these are not for hunting. I'll just leave it there.

 

[purpledragon]

I turned my AR 10 308 into the 45 Raptor.....WOW!!! What a Thumper!!!! Have also taken many a Whitetail with my 15 with 69gr bullets, even have a 2 in one shot with it, pure accident, but it did the job on both........

 

[C-130 Dude]

Here's my first and definitely not my last using the 450BM!! This thing is awesome! I was so excited to get to take it out and hammer something with it, and I did, didn't care what it was but it so happened to be this guy!

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Anyone suggesting a MSR is not a hunting rifle should take note!