[yotehunter]

I must admit, I am new to hunting but have owned guns for some time, and try to shoot them as much as possible. I am a big fan of the AR platform, and think the black rifle is one of the best home protection guns one can own.

When I started getting more interested in hunting, I immediately looked to the AR's. I purchased both the R-15 and R-25 from remington. .223, and .308 respectively. The 308 would be my deer gun, and the 223 my predator gun.

At about the same time, a friend introduced me to the Thompson Center Encores. I held one of those baby's, and I immediately KNEW I no longer wanted the R-25 for deer hunting. Way too heavy, way too clunky, and didn't seem like a true "sport" like hunting with the single shot, TC. So out went the R-25, and in came a TC encore pro-hunter, in 30-06. I am absolutely IN LOVE with this gun! We did a trigger mod to it, and it is absolutely amazing.

Now deer season is over and I am really looking to get turned onto predators. I like many things about my R-15 (thanks Byron South for the hard sell ) but there are many things I cant stand. Weight, how beefy it is, the huge riser I have to use to mount a scope, the trigger, etc. It just doesn't seem like the ideal predator gun to me. So now.... I am looking at replacing it with the TC Icon precision hunter.

Am I crazy, or what? I am young, and was never exposed to bolt action rifles. I really had zero influence whatsoever, this is all homemade. In the end though, I am leaning towards the bolt action rifles for accuracy, more sport, less weight, better trigger, and just a better overall "feel". Plus, I don't want to feel like I can "spray and pray" out there. I want to think more about the ONE (or 3) shots that I have.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this. I feel bad getting rid of the R-15 because I do like this gun but that Icon is looking better every day.

Go ahead.... let me have it!

 

[jeremy]

All personal prefrence, I just got out of the army spent 14 years in the Infantry. If you wanna weapon that you can engage multiple targets with ease, performs great and dont have to baby. Then an AR platform is for you. There are so many options with that weapon. Anyone who says that weapon isnt accurate (when set up right) may not have spent much time with it. I do love the single round kill though. I hunt with an encore 22-250. Cant afford the R-15. I have had several missed opprotunities where 2 dogs came in one dog left. Hard to get that next round in the chamber of a single shot. The Icon I know has a magazine, but trying to to work a bolt with a running dog isnt easy. Trust me semi auto weapons dont spray. Bolt actions and single does leave seed though.

 

[Tommy]

Whew, I thought I was gonna be the oddball. I shoot a single shot (HR Handi Rifle in a .243) as well as a Savage Model 10 in .22-250. I agree with jeremy, multiple dogs are a challenge but an experienced shooter (we don't have enough coyote to call in multiple dogs enough for me to get good!) can handle the task at hand. I hunt with several guys that shoot the AR, and I am a big fan! The thing that I just loved about the ones I have shot or seen in action, were super fast handling and deadly accurate. I am also amazed withtheir minute of coyote at long range. So, I am on both sides of the fence you might say.

Most of the guys around here are shooting Rock River, what do you guys opt for?

Tommy

 

[coyotekidd]

I've always owned/used bolt actions but since I've started coyote hunting I purchased a Ruger Mini-14 .223. I love it. Less expensive than an AR but you can dress it up like one. It comes w/five round clip so multple shots for multiple dogs is not a problem. It has nice sights and shoots great right out of the box.

 

[MGTEXAS]

Well let me add my opinion for what it is worth. I am considering going to an AR platform. I also have shot literally thousands of rounds through the m16 and I believe that the AR platform is very accurateand reliable. I've killed hundreds of dogs with a bolt gun and the second and third shots are pretty difficult to make on running dogs. The quick follow-up and quick time back on target are what i am wanting by going with the AR. I have had as many as 6 dogs come to the call and my best was to take 2. maybe I am just old! But I am going for an AR for next season.

 

[micraelee]

Well, I am new to the sport, and have served my time in the army as well. And like many of you, I have hunted with bolt actions for years and love them. But this year I wanted to check out what all the fuss is about with Predator hunting and it is Awesome. Anyway not knowing a whole lot about about the sport, I have spent many hours reading and researching different things. It seemed that the AR was the only way to go. So I ordered the R15 and after sighting this baby in, just to see how accurate this thing is and the super quick follow up shots, I can easily look over the bulky of the gun. I was suggest the
R15 to anyone.

 

[MGTEXAS]

what scope and mount did you go with on your r15?

 

[IBGunner]

I've tried the AR platforms, SKS, and Ruger minis and went back to bolt actions... Ruger 77 Mark II in .223 and Savage Model 10 in .22-250. I prefer the balance, accuracy, and safety of the bolt guns over the semi autos.

 

[chuck richards]

I have both an AR and a bolt action. I prefer the bolt for hunting right now. I do not have any glass on the AR right now and cannot afford what I want to put on it. My bolt gun is a rem 700 sps in 223. Have nice glass in a bushnell elite 6-24. It is very accurate and will be even better when I work up a load. The AR is very accurate with open sights out to 100yds and acceptable out to 200. So it is a toss up right now. I have yet to call in a yote so do not have the experience with followup shots in this area with either. So go with what you are comfortable with and can shoot well.

 

[IBGunner]

I would like to suggest a practice exercise for bolt action predator shooting. I like to set up a pop can at 50 yards on open ground and shooting off a bipod or cross sticks, taking four or five shots as quickly as possible without dropping the scope from eye view and cycling the rounds as quickly as possible. As the can rolls from impacts the shooter has to learn to reaquire his sighting while cycling the bolt and adjusting to different shooting angles. Once you get good at this, adjusting and taking backup shots on a coyote is a snap.

 

[Pete Armstrong]

I have a customized DPMS AR .223 cal. It has a 20″ floated bull barrel, 1-9 twist, with a double stage trigger. On top is a 4X16X40 Center Point scope. With the 1-9 twist, it likes heavier bullets. I shoot 75gr. match rounds, which print 1/2″ or smaller groups out to 100 yds. Can the AR hang with the bolt actions. Up to a certain range, my opinion, yes. Recently, we set up a shooting course involving the AR's and a .308 bolt action. Three inch water balloons were set up at 25, 50, 75, and 100 yds. We were timed and given 20 rounds to complete the course. The objective was to pop the balloons at each stage with the least amount of time and rounds. The top gun award went to my gun with 4 consecutive hits in 10.5 seconds. The bolt action had 4 consecutive hits. in 20.2 seconds. Can they compete, Oh Yeah !

 

[knapper]

The part about scopes is a tough one but, have you heard of Shepherd Enterprises? My son and I have two rifles set up the same from action to barrel and stock. He put a Shepherd on his and put a Leupold on mine. When we were at the range sighting them in he was amazing when we moved from 100 to 200 and then to 300 yards, the have the sight picture set up to range with 18 inch circles out at different ranges. You figure out how tall your standard animal for size and then put it in the right size circle and that tells you the range cross hair to use for that distance. It is pretty amazing how accurate they are. They don't give these away.

 

[poe]

I am and allways have been a bolt action fan. However thats mainly all I have ever used. I have thought about getting a single shot NEF or H&R but I have heared bad things about accracy with these guns.

 

[Fox Commander]

I agree with poe. I have always used bolt action and love them. It is also illegal to hunt with the AR rifles here. I believe i will always stay faithful to my bolt action.

 

[mikesxpress]

Pretty hard to beat an AR that is setup correctly. Accurate out to 300 yards in a .223 with little compensation sighted in at 150.

 

[Cur Dog]

I use a bolt Savage Model 10 Predator in 22-250. I have shot a lot of rounds thru AR's, but do not own one at this time. AR's are a very good choice as I see it, because of the quick follow up. They are fairly accurate and work very well where you have good openings. I still like my bolt the best, but plan on an AR in the future.

 

[badger]

Never owned a AR type though I've shot a few. Just not what I'm after I guess. I like the one shot challenge so I shoot a TC Encore with heavy .223 barrel. Granted I probably won't litter the ground with dead dogs but that's really ok with me. Some buddies shoot AR's and are very happy with them but we'll see who ends up with more fur at the end of a year's hunting.