Semi automatics for hunting

[math teacher]

"Bullwinkle is on a draw basis, the closing date is past. Non-resident licence is $483.48Cdn. Plus the cost of exporting the meat etc.($35Cdn.) and the cost of the permit to buy a licence(Called an Outdoors Card. Tax only anglers and hunters are required to pay. Costs $9.68Cdn and requires proof of passing a hunter's safety course that can be a State hunting licence.). No flowers or dinner. No sweet nothing's whispered in your ear."

BC is probably the best place to hunt black bear and moose in Canada. You will need a guide, but if he has an opening, he has a license for you. Not all guides are booked up, I booked yesterday. No hunter safety requirement or meat exporting fee. $25Cdn to bring in up to three long guns. The form is available on the Canadian Customs website or at any border crossing, though you want to fill it out in advance. The license fee mentioned above is about right. Shots tend to be long in southern BC.

[603Country]

He's not going hunting. He's just talking.

[math teacher]

That was for the benefit of anyone planning such a trip.

[Blindstitch]

I deer hunt with 3-6 other guys here in Wisconsin and most guys seem to use bolt actions. 2 actually use a 30-06 Remington 7400 semi. The one I have never seen shoot and the other likes sleeping in the blind.

1 uses a Ruger American 308, or in a bind Savage 99 in 300 savage.
Another uses a 03A3 in 30-06,
Myself a Type 38 Arisaka in 6.5 jap.
and the last uses a Mossberg 500 pump 12 gauge.

From what I hear Minneapolis and Milwaukee Metro zones are Shotgun/Pistol only and for that I see lots of pumps being used. Probably because they can also double as a bird gun with extra barrel.

Personally I like bolts or lever guns but I guess if I had to I have hunting ammo for my SKS.

On a side note Wisconsin allows unlimited ammunition as long as you are using a semi automatic. No machine guns allowed but if you have a 30 round magazine in your Ar15 you're good to go.

[Photon Guy]

Some places don't allow all kinds of stuff that makes no sense. At least one State, that starts with an 'I', doesn't allow cf rifles except those in pistol calibres. Whole thing is about rules made by civil servants. Most of whom have no idea what they're talking about.

You must mean Illinois.

[Wyosmith]

No. It's indiana

[Photon Guy]

No. It's indiana

Indiana? Im surprised. I was under the impression that Indiana was quite gun friendly. Illinois is not all that gun friendly, they're better than New Jersey but still not the best place to live if you like guns.

[T. O'Heir]

Meant it starts with an "I" and I didn't remember which one. snicker. Point is that there are daft hunting laws everywhere.
Isn't about friendly or not either. It's about silly deer hunting laws.
And if you opted to bring an M1 Rifle(why, I don't know. Heavy things to lug around. He said having done it a time or two.), you'd best have proof you bought the thing, Stateside, to get it home again too. Not for our side. For your side. Don't know if our declaration would be good enough for the ATF/Homeland Security types or not.

[EIB0879]

I have a Remington 742 in 30-06 circa 1971, that I inherited 20 years ago when my Dad died. I killed a lot of deer with it but it spends it's time in the safe now. I like lever actions for timber and bolt actions for the open areas.

[Photon Guy]

I like lever actions for timber and bolt actions for the open areas.

The only use for lever actions that I see are for reenactments and for sporting use. I am all for reenactments and I do love lever actions for that purpose and I've got a Henry Big Boy myself which is a lever action but I couldn't imagine ever taking it hunting. Bolt actions are easier to operate in the trenches particularly from the prone position and from what I know that's why the bolt action replaced the lever action as a soldier's weapon (this of course was before semi automatics and portable full automatics entered the picture) but aside from that I also heard that bolt actions are more accurate than lever actions. So to me, using a lever action when you can use something more modern is a bit outdated.

[gyvel]

I would say that follow up shots 7 times out of 10 just end up being wild shots in the general direction of the game you missed the first time; Essentially you are just wasting ammo unless you are VERY disciplined with a semi auto.

[Gunplummer]

I think my muzzleloader is outdated. Anybody make a semi-auto?

[Panfisher]

I think I have used about every action made at some point hunting. Wouldn't make a differenice to me what action you handed me, if it was a suitable caliber/cartridge I would make it work. Obviously though some are better suited for somethings, bolt actions are well balanced, not too heavy and accurate. My AR for comparison is plenty accurate, heavier, and not as well balanced but has been there for the demise of a few critters, whatever you have or like, shoot it, well and often.

[Karys]

Yep, that's right, no semi-autos in PA. You can use SA shotguns for birds and small game, but the gun has to plugged to three just like everywhere else. Rim fire and center fire rifles and pistols are totally banned for hunting anything.

I have hunted with a semi-autos though. There's a place we hunt in SC that is over run with hogs and once or twice a year I take my .300 Blackout AR down there. We can take as many hogs as we can shoot and having more ammo and faster follow ups makes that easier. The friends I go down there with hunt with 6.8 SPC ARs. I took a nice hog down there in April this year with my Glock 20.

Here at home I mostly hunt with Marlin lever actions for deer and bears and with bolt actions for smaller stuff.

[Photon Guy]

So based on some of the replies, it sounds to me that semi autos are mostly suited for home defense although with home defense you would be best off with a shotgun either pump or semi doesn't matter and a handgun for backup and for situations where a handgun would be better than a long gun. With rifles, there is the problem of over penetration so the rifle is mainly a hunting weapon.

Also Im under the impression that the bolt action is more rugged, more durable, and is simpler in its function than a semi auto.

[Karys]

So based on some of the replies, it sounds to me that semi autos are mostly suited for home defense although with home defense you would be best off with a shotgun either pump or semi doesn't matter and a handgun for backup and for situations where a handgun would be better than a long gun. With rifles, there is the problem of over penetration so the rifle is mainly a hunting weapon.

Also Im under the impression that the bolt action is more rugged, more durable, and is simpler in its function than a semi auto.

Eh, I don't know about that. It depends on your individual situation. Certainly a rifle might not be ideal due to over penetration and the potential danger to others both in and outside the home but I know lots of people that keep an AR loaded for home defense.

A bolt action is definitely simpler in function and for the most part, will be lighter but don't forget the semi-autos we're talking about here were designed for the battle field and can likely take just about any abuse we could give them while hunting.

The real issue is power to weight ratio. My AR-10 .308 weighs close to 10 pounds fully loaded while any bolt action in the same caliber is not much more than half that. I have to go 1100 feet in elevation in about half a mile to get from camp to my stand. There's no way I would want to lug a 10 pound rifle on that hike. That's why I prefer short, light lever actions for hunting at home where I have to do some walking around.

It's really all about personal preference and what works best for you where you hunt. I'm the only lever action guy in my camp. Most guys hunt with bolts but there are a few other action types.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

The issue of overpenetration of 223 rounds as compared to handgun rounds or shotgun rounds is well discussed. Please google it before you all start spouting about overpenetration. It is not what you seem. As they said in the calculus book, I will leave the steps to the students to see how it goes. That's a hint.

[gyvel]

A bolt action is definitely simpler in function and for the most part, will be lighter but don't forget the semi-autos we're talking about here were designed for the battle field

I guess I missed that. I thought the semi-autos we were talking about here were such rifles as the Remington 742, Browning BAR, Winchester 100, Ruger .44 Mag. carbine, etc.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Just a thought, if the semi is wanted because you think you will miss and then want to blast away - that's a problem.

If you can't get a good first shot - why do you think you will get a second when Bambi or Tweety is running full out away?

[Double Naught Spy]

I would say that follow up shots 7 times out of 10 just end up being wild shots in the general direction of the game you missed the first time

Maybe not so much with deer, but with hogs, perfectly good, fatal boiler room shots are not always immediately fatal, and the hogs run and can run far. "Far" is relative to the junk you have to track them through, LOL. Sometimes the best way to keep from having to track them through the swamps, briar, and poison ivy is to put another round or two into them.

https://youtu.be/AA2ePTCbQcw

Of course, making a nice CNS shot means no tracking and none of the meat gets ruined, but making a nice CNS isn't always possible.

[Jack O'Conner]

We hunt quite a lot in Maryland where semi-autos are legal. My buddy has hunted with a well worn RUGER in 44MAG since the 1970's. But I've had very good luck with my Marlin 30-30.

Jack

[tahunua001]

I regularly hunt with semis. the main advantage of a bolt gun over a semi is weight. bolt guns on average weigh less and hold less ammo(adding to the weight savings. if a person is not averse to packing 10 pounds of gun around then hunting with a semi doesn't carry a lot of negativity. oh, and it's harder to keep track of your brass with a semi.

[Photon Guy]

Just a thought, if the semi is wanted because you think you will miss and then want to blast away - that's a problem.

If you can't get a good first shot - why do you think you will get a second when Bambi or Tweety is running full out away?

How about when a bear is running full out at you?

[Gunplummer]

It works pretty much the same way. I have seen first time deer hunters miss deer with unbelievable close shots.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

How about when a bear is running full out at you?

Are you hunting a bear? Plan better. If walking around - bear spray rather than spray and pray.

If you are going to hunt dangerous animals and flat out miss a good shot, maybe you shouldn't hunt them. If they are running full out at you, that implied you were pretty close - so that's a hint.