How may of you choose to backpack and hunt with your AR-10/SR-25/Scar17 over a lighter weight bolt gun? What species are you typically hunting and are you rucking and stalking on foot the entire time or just hoofing it to a fixed position or blind a short distance? Do you choose to hunt with the gasser simply because it's the only larger caliber rifle you own or do you do so by choice and if so why?
- Thread starter tex68w
- Start date
I hunt, occasionally, with a lr308. It's a heavy pig, and I'm only humping it from a quad to a box blind. For a back country hike-in hike-out hunt, I'm a firm believer in "light is right and lighter is righter." A bolt action mountain rifle fits the bill there. Hunting is recreational for me and I choose the tool that adds to the enjoyment. That could be a lever gun, muzzle loader, bow, MSR, etc.
I use my 6.5 creemoor ar10's and before that my ar10 308's for over a decade.
I have used them on pretty much all texas animals. I have carried it and used it in a blind.
I would never say its better or a better choice than a bolt gun unless we are talking hogs....then body count matters.
bench
I have used them on pretty much all texas animals. I have carried it and used it in a blind.
I would never say its better or a better choice than a bolt gun unless we are talking hogs....then body count matters.
bench
I took mine on a deer hunt in southwestern Alaska (Sitkalidak Island). A semi-auto 308 made me way more comfortable with the giant Kodiak bears that wanted to eat me roaming all over the place.
We were hard charging in some harsh terrain (if I never see another alder stand I'll be just fine), but not full pack hunting....we had a transporter drop us off by boat every morning and pick us up every evening.
We were hard charging in some harsh terrain (if I never see another alder stand I'll be just fine), but not full pack hunting....we had a transporter drop us off by boat every morning and pick us up every evening.
I am guilty of using a 30-30 lever for some brush hunting here in south Texas to this very day, I've always had a soft spot for the lever gun.
Agreed in regards to the pigs but I have been using a 300BLK SBR for that job for 7-8 years now instead.
Good point about the quick repeatability of a gasser in that setting where apex predators are everywhere and you have no shelter from their attacks.
Thanks for all of the replies fellas. So far it seems that they are carried at times but for specific duties, not because you lack other options or feel that it is the best option. Keep the comments coming.
I most often hunt with my M1a NM. With scope, mount and rings it tops the scale at around 15lbs give or take. Spot and stalk is my hunting method and a hunt typically involves miles of hiking Arizona hills and mountains with back pack, (no frame unless hiking into set up camp for a week or so). Couse and mulies, elk, antelope, javelina are all on the menu. My comfort with the rifle given its the one I have fired the most by far is the reason I take it on most hunts. I say take what you are most confident taking that one shot with when the big one appears.
I took an old-school DPMS LR 308 24-inch fluted bull barrel hunting for mouflon sheep on Lanai. That was the last time I will ever make that mistake. It was a walk and stock over miles and miles.
I hunt with my gasser, but definitely don't backpack with it. It's a 15 pound rifle, so not the best for that type of hunt.
Ive hunted whitetail with my LR308 a couple times. I have several rifles to choose from, I just pick the one I want to use. My hunting is from a stand and I don’t have a far walk in.
I hunt with one but generally I don’t walk more than 3-4 hrs a day and have never done a hike in with it. Probably wouldn’t but I guess it depends.
Hunt in Hill Country TX, most often on Ranch that is pretty open, hilly terrain. Involves lots of walking and my limited inventory of bolt rifle setups scale 15-17#, so gassers are my go-to’s. 6.5CM if longer shots expected, if mostly under 300yds, a 6.5 Grendel. None are necessarily featherweights, but are pushing near bolt gun accurate.
I have absolutely learned my lesson. I hunt with a 16 inch Rainier ultramatch DPMS G2. I'm having Craddock Precision spin me up in 18 inch barrel as we speak for a little more reach. Once I get it put together I'll weigh the gun and post pictures.
If you have ever seen a big brownie up close that 308 would not give you much comfort.. I have seen them take a lot of punishment and stay on their feet.
308 Mag dump!!!! Hell poachers in Africa use AK-47s to kill rhinoceros
lol, true that, but imagine if you only have a bolt gun. bear toy.
I will stick with a big caliber bolt for the big boys. I hammered a 27" brownie 5 years ago with a 338 Ultra. He was 180 yards out with the first shot. Guide told me to hit the lungs but I chose to take out the shoulders and his running gear. He hit the ground but to my supersize he shrugged it off and got back up. He took 750 grains of lead to keep down. One tough fucker. Guide was yelling ( If he gets his adrenaline up we could be fucked so keep shooting)
Last edited:
On another hunt I watched my guide punch a 9' bear at 35 yards on a full run with a 338 Ultra trough the heart in thick alders. We went from ready to go to sleep to full alert as we followed him into to alders. I don't think he wanted to shoot it but did not have much choice. God I pray my wife lets me do it again as it is the most adrenaline you can get with your clothes on.
Last edited:
I hunt with my full size .308 AR 10 (pig), at 14 lbs. and a full 45lbs pack. However, this is part of my training regiment, I will park and walk in 5 miles to my coyote calling spot and then walk back out. Sure it would be a breeze with my light weight bolt gun at my age (63). It is just my choice, if dangerous game a factor for the area I will have the appropriate type bullets accordingly. It can be done, just understand your limitation and capabilities.
true that, they can still charge and kill 3 seconds and from 40 ft away while being clinically dead. People do not realize that the griz is the apex predator on the planet. Agree on 308 as you want 180gr plus on those guys. 30-06 is the way to go pushing over 210gr imho
I've seen so many whitetail killed DRT with a 5.56 that I'm just completely over even talking about it. While maybe not appropriate for a brand new hunter, it's enough gun in hands that know what they're doing.
I'm pretty much good with whatever anyone wants to kill a deer with. Any gun is probably better than an
and tons of deer are killed with them every year...
I'm pretty much good with whatever anyone wants to kill a deer with. Any gun is probably better than an
and tons of deer are killed with them every year...
I started laughing reading what your guide said. great story!
Scar 17s are light. Anyone that would complain about them is a pussy lol
I use everything from sbr ar15s to a 700 in a Magpul stock to pig AR10s and AIAXs
I use everything from sbr ar15s to a 700 in a Magpul stock to pig AR10s and AIAXs
I hunt with my 6.5 CM AR-10 and my AR-15. The AR-10 is lighter than my match bolt so it’s easier for me. I’m in the south so I always have to be ready for a sounder if pigs or a coyote.
I hunt with the AR-15 because it’s lighter too. I’m smoke pigs with it also.
I don’t like rifles that I shoot and can’t hunt with. I make all of my rifles match and hunt able.
Even though my bolt rifle is heavy, it has 3 deer on it this year.
I hunt with the AR-15 because it’s lighter too. I’m smoke pigs with it also.
I don’t like rifles that I shoot and can’t hunt with. I make all of my rifles match and hunt able.
Even though my bolt rifle is heavy, it has 3 deer on it this year.
NO! Absolutely not.
1500 feet of scree just in the morning, miles on greasy bowling balls. Light is right, lighter is righter, lightest is bestest.
Bears have been taken with just about every cartridge on the planet but.....
Until you have witnessed in person the savagery of old brownie get amp'd up dive into an alder patch, ripping arm diameter alders from their roots, rocks the size of basket balls 75 feet in the air, spine chilling roar, a 30mm chain gun seems small.
Said it before, go stand by the ole yogi in the Federal building in Anchorage and see the size of this 2 man whacker and hear the story, took multiple hits from 338s and still kept the fight on. Dont ever let yogi get amp'd!!!!
1500 feet of scree just in the morning, miles on greasy bowling balls. Light is right, lighter is righter, lightest is bestest.
Bears have been taken with just about every cartridge on the planet but.....
Until you have witnessed in person the savagery of old brownie get amp'd up dive into an alder patch, ripping arm diameter alders from their roots, rocks the size of basket balls 75 feet in the air, spine chilling roar, a 30mm chain gun seems small.
Said it before, go stand by the ole yogi in the Federal building in Anchorage and see the size of this 2 man whacker and hear the story, took multiple hits from 338s and still kept the fight on. Dont ever let yogi get amp'd!!!!
I believe that @RobertTheTexan is taking his gas 308 hunting this year.
My DPMS G2, with scope, loaded 20rd magazine weighs exactly 10 pounds. I use it on hogs and white-tail. The rifle shoots .75 moa cold, then opens to 1.0 moa hot. It has geissille 2 stage trigger, kns pins, lmt 7075 buffer tube, MI 12" keymod rail, Vortex 3-9x40 Diamondback scope, DNZ rings/base, B5 stock, geissille low profile GB, CMMG brake and gray magpul K2 grip, rattle-can OD and black cammo pattern. The barrel is a 16" DPMS 1-10 w/ chrome bore skinny. Blue force 2 pt sling. It's over-gassed as hell but never malfunctions. It's the best rifle I've owned for pigs and deer.
Last edited:
I specifically built from the ground up an AR in 6.5CM to do this and replace my old bolt rifle. F1 receiver set, goal was to get under 7lbs, but ended up at 7.25 when all said and done. With optic and suppressor it's right under 10lbs. I primarily hunt West Texas, day and night for pigs. Also hunt deer with the kids and varmints occasionally. No blinds on our property, all spot and stalk, will typically walk 4 miles or so per day. Goal is to eventually take it on an elk hunt as well.
I made a personal philosophy change years ago to stop buying different rifles and instead use one general purpose rifle instead. Familiarity with the system itself has made me a better hunter/shooter. Now I add things that increase functional improvements to the system, like night vision, suppressors, and thermals. The AR platform makes this much easier to do. Works for me, may not work for others.
I made a personal philosophy change years ago to stop buying different rifles and instead use one general purpose rifle instead. Familiarity with the system itself has made me a better hunter/shooter. Now I add things that increase functional improvements to the system, like night vision, suppressors, and thermals. The AR platform makes this much easier to do. Works for me, may not work for others.
Similar threads
