AR vs Bolt Action for Coyotes?

[Crazy Coot]

What do most of you prefer for yotes - AR or bolt action rifle? Also, which caliber do you prefer?

 

[Falro]

I prefer AR for the thermal hunting I do here in Ohio but bolt action feels better if you have time to take the shot and have open county. I shoot .223 just because I was gifted my rifle. Ammo is cheaper and it still knocks coyotes down regularly at 300 yards so why change

 

[packer58]

What do most of you prefer for yotes - AR or bolt action rifle? Also, which caliber do you prefer?

My day guns are AR 223 Wylde and shotgun 3" #4 buckshot, night gun is 222 bolt gun. Follow up or second shots are a lot less common at night for me.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I was doing ADC work on a cattle ranch and called in 5 yotes using a calf in distress call. Was using a 22-250 bolt and got one. Didn't know the ranch owner was atop a hill behind me watching...told me to "gun up" at dinner. Now I carry an AR.

 

[Jakedasnke]

AR .223

 

[hicountry1]

AR 223 for me

 

[Northpark]

AR-15 in 5.56. Prints 5 53gr vMax into .7” at 100 yards and has very little drop out to 300 yards.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I'm a bolt guy all the way. I find AR's awkward and clunky to carry around.
Just not my thing.

 

[Skerhunter]

Pro's and con's to both. If it all works out and they come right to the caller, AR is all I need. If I need to take longer shots I prefer a bolt gun. I would much rather carry around a short AR all day though.

 

[Split toe]

At the moment my thermal gun is a AR10 chambered in 22 creed.

 

[Skerhunter]

At the moment my thermal gun is a AR10 chambered in 22 creed.View attachment 492821

What are the specs and weight for that set up?

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I shoot a single shot .22-250 during the day, thermal AR at night.

 

[Split toe]

What are the specs and weight for that set up?

I'd have to put it on the scales. It is a DNA firearms custom build. 22" proof barrel. Thermal is Nvision Halo XRF. CGS Hyperion suppressor.

 

[mtnkid85]

Ive always preferred bolt guns, though ill occasionally take an AR. I don't like have to go looking for my brass after the AR flings it out and a bolt gun just carries nicer. 22-250 or 223 either will do.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

AR-10 243 TRUCK GUN
AR-15 224 VALKRYIE THERMAL SETUP

 

[satchamo]

I’ve used both a bolt gun and an AR. I’ll never go back to a bolt gun. Over the next month you’re gonna be calling in pairs a lot. Good luck killing double with a bolt gun….

But I’d tell you to go bigger than a 223 if money allows. 223 is economical as hell but it won’t knock the legs out from under a coyote like say a 243, 22-250 or 6 creed will.

I currently run an AR10 - chambered in 243. I shoot the 58 gr vmax and it’s screaming fast.

 

[TheGDog]

Just be real damn careful if like us here in CA you have to unload the dang rifle each and every time you go back into the truck. With an AR... which admittedly I use much less frequently in general (because of the lame neutered stocks we gotta use out here in order to not have to register the damn thing as a so-called "Assault Weapon". I had a heart-breaking incident where I must not have ejected the cartridge in the chamber the last time I put it back in the case for driving to next location. So without realizing it, when I loaded in the mag and pulled back on the charging handle... I inadevertantly traffic-jammed a 2nd round into the chamber, locking it up solid.

And not finding out about it until the dang yote came in. He was very intrigued by the caller so he gave me time to try dropping the mag super ninja quietly... even tried redo'ing charging handle a 2nd time, and still trigger locked-up solid. Was sooo frustrating!!! He must have remained there for like a total of maybe 5 full minutes... barking at the caller.... sauntering over to another higher-up piece of ground overlooking it as well, etc.

I'd just say if you're going to use an AR though, definitely get a nice replacement trigger with a real light pull.

Those bladed-triggers on bolt-guns, I really like those because by just feel alone I know exactly when it's gonna break. And you can adjust em all super low weight, which helps a lot for accuracy in rushed jumpshots, in my experience.

EDIT: before rushing to jump up in cartridge, give those 35gr NTX .223 Rem load by Hornady a try! Their muzzle velocity is 4000fps!

 

[yeahkkyle]

I was always a bolt guy due to the accuracy, and still prefer a bolt for daytime shooting. I ran 6mm cm mainly but recently switched to an AR in 22nosler this past summer for night hunting. Shooting 52gr eldm's at 3650fps and I will say I will not go back to a bolt gun in the dark. Running thermal with a semi at night is great when more than 1 shows up. A cheap small brass catcher is a must with 22nosler brass availability right now. If I were to build another semi gun I'd be looking at a AR-10 in .243 and use ~60gr. I do miss the knock down power of the 6mm cm at times.

 

[Smid]

Other than weight I don’t see any advantage to a bolt gun. I don’t believe the accuracy claim either and don’t get why that’s always people’s go to defense. My ar10 and ar15 Valkyrie are both sub moa shooters when I do my part

 

[go4thegusto]

I'm a bolt guy all the way. I find AR's awkward and clunky to carry around.
Just not my thing.

TruDat....bolt for me on calling setups. AR for truck gun where running shots are more likely.