AR vs bolt action

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Nciyotehunter

New member
Hello, I recently purchased my 1st thermal scope and have started night hunting. I’ve had some luck and I am definitely addicted. I have been using a savage 12 fv with a Boyd’s stock chambered in 22-250. The gun is really accurate and puts the coyotes down really well but is really heavy and not the easiest to maneuver. I love the 22-250 but was thinking of going to an AR for something lighter and shorter. I was wondering what all you night hunters go to fire arm was? If you could spare the time please respond with your gun of choice. I’d like to get some ideas from all you seasoned night hunters. Thanks for your time!
 
I used a 12 fv in 22 250 the first year I night hunted after too many runners with my stag model 6 AR shooting 60 v maxes. I switched to a 22" 22 Nosler side charging AR and there was no real need to change that set up but I like to tinker so I have tried other calibers. Since then I've tried the 6x6.8 shooting 70 BT's at 3265ish and a 20" 243 AR10 shooting Dogtown 70's. After several years of night hunting I can't find a reason to shoot anything but an AR. Never have to take my eye out of the scope and it's easy to mount on a pod with a rail. Best calibers in an AR15 imo are either the 6x6.8, 22 Nosler or the 6 DTI if you want to keep track of fireformed brass. The 22x6.8 would be effective as well but I've never owned or loaded for one. I'm not a fan of having to use bushing dies. I like a longer barrel for speed and balance. If you run a 20 plus inch barrel I think most of the advantage of the big bore calibers goes away. So many 55 to 75 grain 6mm bullets to choose from as well. If you have a supply of 22 cal. bullets the 22 Nosler is a no brainier. Max load of cfe 223 powder and a 55 and 3500 fps is no problem out of a 22" barrel.
 
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If you don't reload, taking on a new caliber might be quite the chore to find ammunition especially for new calibers that haven't built up a tremendous popularity yet. I couldn't find any 22 Nosler ammo in stock. Not saying it isn't available but at this stage it isn't readily available. Of course I couldn't find any 22-250 or even the old venerable 243 either, but local gun shops would be more likely to have those in stock than boutique calibers.

I have 3 AR's but am perfectly satisfied shooting a bolt action Ruger Predator in 243, but everybody doesn't like the same thing. Maybe a lighter weight 22-250 would fill the bill?
 
Good advice already given. I have a bolt gun in 243 and a DPMS G2 in 243. Like em both. Used a 22 Nosler AR last year and liked it but prefer the 243 for the extra thump/flop.

If I had to choose I'd pick the bolt action. Less expensive, cleaner, quieter, better trigger and never any drama. I'd definitely go 22-24" barrel even with a suppressor it's worth not losing the velocity. Your mileage may vary.
 
I did the opposite of varminter .223. I started with a 22-250 and tried the 6mm variants including a 6WOA (ie: 6x6.8). Overall, I have never used a caliber that I liked better than the 250. Berger bullets make all the difference. I am back to it and don't have any plans to ever change. I have 2 22-250 bolt guns and an AR-10. The bolt guns are lighter and not nearly as dirty but I love my AR-10 as well.

 
That's one big factor between the bolt action and AR if shooting suppressed. The bolt action is just so much quieter and cleaner, plus I don't seldom if ever lose a piece of brass. I love the Banish 30 suppressor, and as P&Y mentioned, even though it is a bit ungainly in the truck with a 9" suppressor and 22" barrel, it doesn't give any issue at all once on the tripod.
 
I would have gone to an AR in the 22-250 but after finding out it's built on the AR10 platform that nixed it for me. I like to stay as light as I can. I've been using a .223 at night for at least 3 years now shooting a friend's/dealer who commercially reloads about everything. Using his 55 grain Vmax bullets that he says he loads a little hotter than Hornady's Superformance. I've had less than 10 unrecovered in those 3 years and am just short of 300. I like an 18" flutted or lighter profile barrel (have 2 AR's set up). I like the 18" over the 16" for a few fps advantage and feel it balances better. The AR gives you the advantage of getting on another target quicker and that with the suppressors has really made a lot more doubles, triples possible, especially going to the suppressed. I sight it in at 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" high at 100 and have several shots right at the 300 mark by just holding on the top of the shoulder. Probably don't even have to go that high. That's what's been good for me. I'm in east central Ia. and I see your in nortern Ia. If NE Ia. probably a lot more hills and will not be shooting over 300 often. NC. Ia. probably more rolling but I would think more like what I have and NW. Ia. I'm not sure.
 
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I started with my Flir on my .223 AR because of the weight mobility with a 16" barrel. Quickly I switched it to my .204 AR which really helps being so much more flat shooting, especially in open country where depth perception just isnt great. I added a suppressor to the 204 this year and its been finicky but needs a gas block change, once thats worked out this will be my thermal set up. Having the problems I thought id try it on my weatherby vanguard 243 bolt gun so I ordered a pic rail and got it all put together. A few issues I noticed right off the bat are bolt clearance depending on your gun/thermal/batterypack set up. I had to move mine forward for the bolt to clear and can still get a somewhat decent sight picture but its far from ideal. I haven't had time to take the bolt gun out yet, but there is still a bit more confidence in plain reliability compared to an AR.
 
I use a 22 nosler with 18" barrel with a banish 30, gen 1 night vision. but all my shots are closer at night, if I could shoot the same distance at night as I do in the day I'd use my 22-250.
 
I should add that suppressor aren't legal here in IL. After the first shot is fired it's rare that any accompanying coyote will stop within a decent shooting distance. With that said last year I think 15 percent of what we killed were shot running after the first shot. That wouldnt have happened with a bolt action. With the advent of the new calibers to me the bolt action has been made obsolete for shooting coyotes and that is coming from someone who primarily used a swift and 6mm rem.

The other upside to an AR is they are detachable mag fed. Stripping rounds out of a blind mag isn't too efficient. Detachable mag in a bolt gun would be a must for me.
 
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Originally Posted By: varminter .223 the bolt action has been made obsolete for shooting coyotes

Take it back! LOL
 
Originally Posted By: P&YOriginally Posted By: varminter .223 the bolt action has been made obsolete for shooting coyotes

Take it back! LOL

Reminds me of this video. My hunting partner shoots an AR unsuppressed and I must say he rarely shoots more than once, but in the following video he goes on the rat-a-tat-tat binge. We were supposed to shoot synchronized but my bolt had lifted and I couldn't fire. He rushed his first shot and panicked.

 
I never said anything about not buying more bolts or selling any.
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Haha been there, done that! At least he got some redemption.

I usually yell "and don't come back" after an unsuccessful barrage.
 
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It was so out of character for him. Used to be when I was shooting an AR with thermal and he was using digital that he would tell me, "Quit shooting". I of course ignored him. It was good for me to get chance to tell him the same thing. But it is a perfect example of they won't stop if you keep shooting at them, and they usually do stop if you can hold yourself together long enough.

Seems to me if they are sort of bouncing along stiff legged they will stop pretty quickly. If on a flat out run, they may still stop but be out of range or at least a long long shot.
 
If they are bouncing along with their head up looking like they are gonna stop we give em a chance to stop. However when their head is down and they and hammer down we shoot. We really cleaned up on runners last year but this year we must be a bit rusty but we have picked a few up. They see some pressure around here and most of the time they don't hang around.
The one advantage to the bolt is that we may end up using less ammo lol.
I think they call it accuracy through volume.
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I would inquire what guys might find as a downfall or
disadvantage to an AR for night hunting on a pod?
The only downfall imo is the slamming bolt upon loading which is cured by the side charge design.

 
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I killed a jag of coyotes with the 6x45, and affectionately named it the Parvo. Other than what you mentioned, when I went suppressed I didn't like the increased amount of residue in the action and on the brass. Although I used a Superlative Arms gas block, it was still dirty. The AR is also noisier than a bolt action suppressed I think. I went to the bolt action 243 for the added range, and also because it forced me to take better shots since I couldn't depend on the fast follow-ups of the AR. I caught myself just throwing lead sort of a spray and pray approach I guess.
 
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