Yesterday a group of hunters in my area because they were seen hunting with AK-47s. The above cartoon illustrates the ignorance of hunting from people who don't understand guns. First of all civilian AR-15 and AK-47 rifles are not machine guns from Rambo. Full auto has been restricted since 1934 and flat out banned since 1986. Semi auto weapons are one shot per trigger pull and civilians have been hunting with them for over 70 years. My grandpa owned a military surplus M1 carbine and used it as a deer rifle. ARs and AKs are not super cannons firing armor piercing explosive rounds. The AK shoots a cartridge similar to the 30-30 which is America's favorite deer cartridge. Modern semi auto rifles are far less powerful than the bolt action rifles of the world war era. Those world war era rifles were also good hunting weapons in their era.
Gun prohibitionists are ignorant and they enjoy acting like an authority on the subject of firearms. Toy with them and nail them to the wall. People are stupid. - - - Updated - - - I don't use an AR-15 for hunting, why? Because the projectile lacks the energy to do the job.
Bolt action rifles are still the preferred firearm for larger game animals, because they carry substantially more energy per round than military style semi-autos, and they are generally lighter. Popular (and correct) uses for AR and AK style carbines and rifles are in the hunting of small deer, feral pigs, and in the case of the AR, varmints. But facts create problems for the antis. We've all seen the claim from "them" that the AR is not appropriate for hunting deer, because "there would be nothing left of the animal". I would feel adequately armed with my M4gery in taking small deer and antelope, only because I hand load, using bullets that are up to the task. I have a good understanding of anatomy, and the ability for rapid follow up shots. Much better if it were firing some of the more capable calibers that work with the AR platform, like 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, or at closer range, maybe the .450 Bushmaster. It's just a crying shame that the dumbing down of America has been so successful.
Like I've always said people are free to be afraid of whatever they please, no stopping that, but irrational fear is the problem. I can almost guarantee you that this war on assault rifles would have never existed if AR-15s didn't look like that. To the ignorant weapons like AKs and ARs are some super high powered Rambo style death machines because they look the way they do. People put all sorts of little gizmos on them like flashlights and pistol grips and sights and they look all tactical like something the SF would be walking around with. What people don't realize is that putting cool gadgets on your gun doesn't make the bullet more powerful and doesn't turn a simple semi auto one trigger pull rifle into a heavy duty tree chopping machine gun. But it "looks" scary so the ignorant masses panic and say things like "Why should you be allowed to have that thing!?". People are more afraid of AR-15s than they are of Glock .45s or high powered hunting rifles which is funny. Making your gun LOOK "tacticool" doesn't make it more deadly just like putting a bunch of stickers on your car and a loud muffler doesn't make your car faster. Irrational fear is the leading issue in this situation and plenty of other situations. So many people just refuse to educate themselves on a subject and have absolutely no problem living in their little bubble of ignorance with their ears plugged.
The reason why the AR and AK look so scary is that they are the pure derivative of form and function. Efficient functionality is frightening to dysfunctional people. I say again that the dumbing down of America has been much too effective.
With more power comes more recoil. A heavier gun can be an advantage for some. Semi autos can come in handy in case some predator is willing to fight for your kill.
A good example of practical vs tacticool is my shotgun. I recently replaced the factory stock with an M4 style stock. The pistol grip is unnecessary but I like how it bothers the ignorant. It is still practical because I shoot with different people of different sizes so the adjustable LOP is useful. Coincidentally this new stock offers a nice and easy cheek weld that perfectly lines my eye up with the bead. Meanwhile just to be silly I mounted a rail and installed a red dot sight. The extra elevation means I have to abandon the cheek weld to use the optic. I could get a comb riser but if I do I can't use the bead as effectively later. It is completely unnecessary and adds compounded issues.
Here's a suggestion. Replace the stock with a Mission First Tactical Stock. You can get them with a cheek riser if you want. Optics on the rail, with the holo sight in a side mount. You can shift sides just by twisting the weapon a bit and works much better than putting the holo in top of the optic.
If I were to start deer hunting again, I'd like an AR in 6.8mm. Would be great for Florida sized deer. If I were to start boar hunting, I'd like an AR in .450 Bushmaster.
Where do you live? I can still own a fully functional MG-42 in the US. With the proper forms of course.
I don't like chances with boar, I prefer 45-70 govt for that particular animal. I would have said a .700 nitro express but that's overkill and that gun stays inside. (Who buys double rifles at flea markets? Hehe)
Don't know what kind of boar you have in Ohio, but here in Texas a .17HMR is just fine for the job. Got one for my oldest daughter for her high school graduation present. Left handed model. Is nice. Showed her this video before shelling out the cash for the rifle, just to make sure she'd have the where-with-all to use the gun. Can't wait to go shoot some boars with her. [video=youtube;fgUAh6jYtOs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUAh6jYtOs[/video]
To the ignorant masses, the cartoon shows damage that no assault weapon could achieve, but would not know any better. Gigantic gaps blown out of elephants and whole carcasses disintegrating could only be achieved with explosive ammo in large caliber destructive devices, rockets, artillery or so forth. The focus of the liberals is almost always on the "bad guns" and not the bad people (unless they are wearing a confederate flag).
I know of no state where you can legally hunt big game with a so called "assault weapon". The term assault weapon should refer to a weapon that is capable of fully automatic fire.With out jumping through a bunch of hoops,the average citizen does not own a fully auto firearm, nor do they hunt big game with one.The term assault weapon is often misused by today's biased liberal media. They use it when they are describing the "scary black guns" , that operate no differently then a semi auto hunting rifle. Most states have laws that determine how many bullets can be in a hunting rifle at any one time. Here in Wyoming the law says"one in the chamber,with no more then four in the magazine" . Gun banners really need to become more educated about things they think they are experts at.
You are confusing the term assault rifle with "assault weapon", one is legitimate the other is imaginary.
AR 15's are great coyote and woodchuck rifles ARs in 308 are great for hawgs and deer MIAI (M14 clone) in the shorter barrel version is a great deer rifle in heavy brush the first semi autos in America were hunting rifles but its caliber not action that is what counts as you noted
I dunno how I got connected to this site, but the story, and the site say a whole lot about "hunting with assault rifles": http://ar15hunter.com/the-6-5-grendel-ar15-my-go-to-gun-for-hogs-and-predators/ The 6.5 Grendel is basically the Russian 7.62x39, necked to .264. If I had any interest in medium game hunting, I'd get an upper and mess around with it. The trouble for me is that I'd probably do the same with it as I did with my first AR upper. I wore the barrel out, just playing with different loads.
Short of some species of bear. Not happening in the US very often. Even most wild hogs will run, some will charge. But its pretty rare. But, many use AKs and ARs for various game. I would rather take a "tactical" rifle with poly or synthetic furniture out in the woods than a finely finished wood stocked gun.
.45/70 government isn't much more powerful than .450 bushmaster. I've read about people who use .223 ARs for boar.
I know someone who got gored by a boar and after seeing that, not a chance of using a .223 on the ground. In a helicopter? Why not.
