Would an AR-15 make a good varmint rifle?

Question

Or would I be better off with a bolt action rifle?

When I say varmints, I mean big ones, like foxes and coyotes.

Answer 1

The .223 caliber is excellent for large varmint game! The Ruger mini-14 is marketed as a "ranch rifle" for just that very purpose of killing coyotes! The .223 round has a very flat trajectory under 200yards and has a very high speed, excellent for getting those quick shots!
The only problem I see with the AR-15 is with just using standard battle sights. The iron sights are made to be at a 300meter minimum, and made for Battle accuracy, which is hitting a 9" circle. 9" is a lot when it comes to hitting a coyote, especially if you go for a head shot or a parallel shot to the front/back. A flot top AR-15 with a scope is your best choice! With a proper zero you can be dead on at any range, up to and including 800meters!

Answer 2

Depends which kind, a Remington 700 with varmint scope is capable of putting 5 shots in a half inch group at 100 yards all day. Most expensive AR-15's even with a good scope can only achieve 2-4 inch groups at 100 yards. The caliber is correct, but the accuracy may be lacking. Varmint shooting is also done at long range where one shot is generally sufficient. I'd go with the bolt in 223 remington if i were you.

Answer 3

An AR-15 wouldn't even make a good DEER rifle. The only purpose of an AR-15 is to hunt people or screw up a moose size animal.


Varmint rilfes are called .22s. The reason real hunters use a .22 for rabbit is because it causes a smaller hole and is more sport than a shottie.




PS

I use a slingshot or paintball gun to hunt rabbit. Much more fun and almost no damage to the little meat that is actually on a rabbit. However if you are talking pest control I'd use a 20 gauge or bb/pellet gun.

Answer 4

.223 is perfect for Coyote and Fox, which I have used extensively until I got my .22-250. Hornady makes pretty good hunting rounds for the job. Anything around .22 caliber even the .204 Ruger all of the rounds I have mentioned have alot of pwr and velocity and will make a small enough hole to save the pelt. My rifle is on CrazyHairyHine's homepage.

Ar-15's are expensive you might wanna get abolt-action Savage or if U want self-loading, a Mini-14. Just examples.

Answer 5

Is it a long barrel if so go for it i use my Mini 14 as a varmint rifle all the time people answering this ? don't realize a 223/5.56 Ar15 mini 14 round is a glorified 22 with a hot load behind it


Loaded with 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets, these .223 rounds are a varmint hunter's dream. Superb expansion and superior accuracy are the qualities that make this bullet a favorite. Factory remanufactured with extreme consistency, these loads shoot tight groups at high velocities.

Answer 6

Depends on how big your varmints are! But seriously #1 you aren't asking the right questions because guns (bolt-action or otherwise) come in plenty of different calibers.

#2 What about shooting helpless creatures gives you pleasure? I'd like to pick a couple people off while they are driving to work some day. It's the same for the critters. Don't kill for pleasure...

Answer 7

Bolt action the AR-15 if it's a pretty big varmint

Answer 8

No way. An AR-15 is waaaaay too heavy a load to be shooting at small game with. What you want is something light and extremely accurate. A .22 long round is ideal for this.

Answer 9

There preety good rifles for ground hogs and cyotes, but if you want to shoot 800 yds go for a bolt action 220 swift. Thats what I use and its great for fast long range shots, it has alot of knock down power to.

Answer 10

Any .223 bullet is perfect for coyote, and if you look at game charts you'll find that the .223 is actually recomended for coyote and fox. I use an M-4 for shooting coyote on my friends property and it works great.