# Which AR-15 do you use?



## RPM (Sep 28, 2011)

I see a lot off of guys are using AR-15s for hogs.  I talked to some one from Hog Swat at GON in Macon and he said they have dropped the .308s and strictly go with the .223.
I believe the one they had at the show was an M&P.

Which ones do you you folks use?
I'm thinking of getting one but don't see me coming up with the money that most of them go for.

Any recommendations? 
Birthdays coming and perhaps early Christmas?


Thanks


----------



## roperdoc (Sep 28, 2011)

If you are on a tight budget you may want to put your own together. Not assemble parts, but buy upper and lower separately. Plum crazy makes a polymer lower with a decent trigger that can be found for 120 bucks to your door (joebob outfitters).
Uppers under 300 at jse and other places. 120 for a complete bolt group and charging handle (palmetto state armory, joebob outfitters), mags from 13-20 bucks all over.. Stick'em together, push the pins in and load it up, may want a scope.
The purists may scoff, but these setups shoot well, as well as 1200-1500 dollar setups. I still don't understand why ,when bolt actions are so picky. Check Predator masters forums, ar section. A lot of those guys shoot these guns. I have one myself that is consistently under 1.5 moa w/ cheap ammo, 1moa with the stuff it likes. If you like it, (you will) you can spend more later on another one or three.


----------



## roperdoc (Sep 28, 2011)

Remington R15 and S&W M&P 15 are great guns for the money also.


----------



## deerehauler (Sep 28, 2011)

Stag arms model 8 piston 223


----------



## bigreddwon (Sep 28, 2011)

RPM said:


> I see a lot off of guys are using AR-15s for hogs.  I talked to some one from Hog Swat at GON in Macon and he said they have dropped the .308s and strictly go with the .223.
> I believe the one they had at the show was an M&P.
> 
> Which ones do you you folks use?
> ...



We got this ol boy last night. He's the biggest one yet we have shot with the 223. Of course he got hit behind the ear by TWO rounds simultaneously. Both rounds entered within an inch and a half of each other. He never flinched. 

 Brad from Nuthin Fancy fired one bullet, I fired the other. Sounded like one shot, was pretty cool.  Boom , thudd, plop. DRT.

 At this time my absolute favorite rifle is my Ruger SR 556. Gas piston, almost no recoil and needs almost no cleaning. It just runs and runs and runs. I put a POF muzzle break on it and it hardly moves off target when fired. Hogs hate it.


----------



## kemster99 (Sep 28, 2011)

My daytime rifle is a Stag 16".. The night time set up is a Bushmaster 20" heavy barrel on a lower that i built.  Both are 1 in 9 twist and both shoot the 62 grn Federal Fusions very well..


----------



## thedirtyshame40 (Sep 28, 2011)

Now,, that's a hog...  What is that,,2 1/2 inch tusk???? or more???


----------



## bigreddwon (Sep 28, 2011)

kemster99 said:


> My daytime rifle is a Stag 16".. The night time set up is a Bushmaster 20" heavy barrel on a lower that i built.  Both are 1 in 9 twist and both shoot the 62 grn Federal Fusions very well..



Nice rifles.


----------



## bigreddwon (Sep 28, 2011)

deerehauler said:


> Stag arms model 8 piston 223



Nice rifle. I just got some of those mags. How do you like them? I haven't had any problems and I leave them loaded.


----------



## Jester896 (Sep 30, 2011)

bigreddwon said:


> We got this ol boy last night.



that's a beast right there bud ...good job!!

I have 2...one is a 6.8 SPC piece gun.. but I like my HBAR Match the best


----------



## RPM (Oct 1, 2011)

Thanks for the help guys.

Roper, thanks for the suggestion and suppliers.  I've looked them up and saved their links.  I guess the lower has to be shipped to someone with an ffl.

Those are some nice looking guns to look up!

bigred, great shooting and an awesome hog!  Thanks for the suggestions.


----------



## RPM (Oct 1, 2011)

Some have said they have piston ar's.

I saw a review stating many prefer the dgi system.
What is your take on the 2?


----------



## 68wj (Oct 2, 2011)

RPM said:


> Some have said they have piston ar's.
> 
> I saw a review stating many prefer the dgi system.
> What is your take on the 2?


I think it comes down to personal preference now and the shooters level of comfort with the selection.  Each has its pros/cons.  

My hunting AR is an 18" 68WJ special in 6.8 SPC.   The .223 doesn't see anything other than range time.


----------



## Jester896 (Oct 2, 2011)

I just spoke to a guy earlier this afternoon that outfitted one of the Rugers and sent it to his son...son says it will hit colored golf balls @ 100 and no problem hitting tennis balls @ 200...son says he thinks he'll keep it


----------



## GeorgiaGlockMan (Oct 4, 2011)

I love ARs and hunt with them all the time.  Both AR10's and 15's.

A .308 (AR10) will flat out put a pounding on a hog.

A .556 (AR15) will put a pounding on a hog if you shot it in the right place.  

I've seen them go down with an ar15 like they were hit by Thor's hammer.  You couldn't imagine them going down any harder without being blown to bits.

I've also shot several that ran right away but when you wander into the middle of 50-100 hogs and shoot a couple of fatties not many shots after the first couple are exactly what I'd call aimed shots anyway.  Mostly shooting to keep from getting run over.

From a cost standpoint, an AR15 is about half the cost of an AR10.

I agree with the assemble it yourself comments.  It is hard to go wrong with anything that stag makes.  Buy a decent lower receiver from a local shop and then get everything else online from one place to save on shipping.

A 16 or 18" barrel will be plenty within a couple hundred yards for hogs.  I do have a 20" on my prefered hunting AR but it isn't what you'd think an AR nut would hunt with.  No fancy multi position tacticool stock - erp single position skeleton.  No fancy forerail to mount levers, switches, lights and gizmos.  Just a simple slick & knurled round tube with a bi-pod mount, Nikon scope and padded sling.  This is a coyote slaying machine and a go to hunting/woods rifle.  

If I only had one, this wouldn't be it.  It would be one of the M4 clones with a 16" barrel.

The nice thing about the AR platform is the flexiblity to set it up for what you want.

Get an M4 clone put a decent scope on it and you'll be happier than a pig in . . . well you get the idea.  You can put together a really nice set up for $7-800 minus optics.

If I were to buy a piston system, I'd go completely with the Adcor system and not look back.  They'd been making nice stuff for Colt DOD work long before they were branded for the public.

Good Luck.

biggredwon and kemster99 - great pics.  I really like your night optics.  I've been wanting bad for so long and then the other day my wife and I were talking about my local hog sightins and she just blurts out that she thinks it (a night vision gen III $2K plus scope I explained) is a good idea and wants to go shoot some hogs at the farm.  I think I am in heaven and have corn souring now.  Going to AR15.com to try to track Carlos down again for a new gen 3 quote.  In the meantime, I'll be charging the red Light Force batteries up and digging some holes in the swampy bottoms.


----------



## RPM (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks guys!

Don't think the wife is thrilled with the price tag of another gun.  Truthfully, I don't know that I should be spending the money on another gun either.

I've been talking to the fella who assembles the guns/parts for JSE Supply.  Still looking at the 5.56. 

Here's what I'm looking at:

  Custom 18" BD Mid 1x8 5.56 HBar SS Gas Block Upper  Complete with:
                         Midwest Industries SS9 Free Float hand guard
                         Yankee Hill Phanton brake/comp.  

 Surplus Ammo Assembled Lower Receiver 

 Leapers ACCUSHOT UTG 30mm SWAT 3-12X44 Compact  E Scope w/ AO Mil-dot, 36 Colors EZ-TAP, w/ MS Rings 

 Magpul 20 Round PMag 

 Leapers UTG Tactical OP Bipod - Tactical/Sniper Profile Adjustable Height

Thinking of getting OD butt, grip & mags

Still haven't picked a sling.  
There are a lot of one point slings listed but I've never seen one let alone tried one.  
May stick to some type of 2 point.

What do you think?


----------



## bushmasterar15 (Oct 12, 2011)




----------



## maxscm (Oct 14, 2011)

*6.8 spc*

My choice is the 6.8 SPC loaded with Barnes 85gr-TAC's .


----------



## mike bell (Oct 14, 2011)

Remington R25 in .308


----------



## Jester896 (Oct 14, 2011)

7.62X39 has a tough time with penetration on 300 lb hogs....just don't see the 6.8SPC being that much better with 110gr soft points...6.8 and 7.62X39 both have their places


----------



## 243SuperRC (Oct 15, 2011)

http://www.del-ton.com/ar_15_kits_s/1.htm

Basic rifle kit is $465

Last year I bought a delton rifle kit with a free floated tube and assembled it on a stag lower.  Only issue I had was that it would occationally double fire.  I had to grind some off the underside of the disconnector to allow for more engagement with the hammer hook to eliminate the double firing.  Rifle shoots great!


Here is a good website to get you started on assembling your own.


http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/22...__GAS_BLOCK___Step_by_step_instructions_.html


----------



## 243SuperRC (Oct 15, 2011)

If you don't want to build your own, a friend stopped by Bo Barrow's in Butler, GA - they have DPMS and Bushmasters on sale for under $700.


----------



## deerehauler (Oct 16, 2011)

bigreddwon said:


> Nice rifle. I just got some of those mags. How do you like them? I haven't had any problems and I leave them loaded.



Thanks and so far no issues outta the mag! THink I will get a few more!


RPM said:


> Some have said they have piston ar's.
> 
> I saw a review stating many prefer the dgi system.
> What is your take on the 2?





68wj said:


> I think it comes down to personal preference now and the shooters level of comfort with the selection.  Each has its pros/cons.
> 
> My hunting AR is an 18" 68WJ special in 6.8 SPC.   The .223 doesn't see anything other than range time.



I think it is preference. I will say this the Piston AR is sure easy to clean.  I have had no carrier tilt issues or and of the other problems people complain about on piston AR's I have 1500 rds thru mine and still looks like the day I bought it on the inside.


----------



## broach0018 (Oct 17, 2011)

Im shooting a panther arms M-4. Cant complain..its been a jam up gun and wouldnt depend on any other. I love a 5.56 round!!


----------



## sniper1 (Oct 17, 2011)

Ruger SR-556 chambered in 6.8spc.  I love it hogs hate it


----------



## Wiskey_33 (Oct 18, 2011)

sniper1 said:


> Ruger SR-556 chambered in 6.8spc.  I love it hogs hate it



What ammo are you using?


----------



## gurn (Oct 18, 2011)

We aint got hogs up here but at ah high fence place I seen three good size hogs shot right through with the 223. I think the 53gr x and maybe the 70gr speer semi spizer are bullets that are up to the job. Dont think bullets made for varmits are the bullet of choice.


----------



## Darrenmd (Oct 18, 2011)

I have been using a Mini30 over the last year or so. Haven't had any problems.... Seeing that I hog hunt in the thick stuff.... I don't need to worry about the long range issues of the Mini30 compared to the AR10s..... I have hunted with the AR15 and AR10.... I'll stick with the Mini30.....


----------



## sniper1 (Oct 19, 2011)

SSA Barnes 85gr TSX...I am going to try the Hornady 110gr. V-Max next but the barnes drops them very well


----------



## McCormick hunter (Oct 20, 2011)

SR-15E3 w/Eotech 552 
This years hog weapon , or Colt 6530 lightweight . The 5.56 will put em down , usually I shoot for the neck or head . I found a good sounder nearby but haven't put any effort into killin any yet .


----------



## 68wj (Oct 20, 2011)

sniper1 said:


> SSA Barnes 85gr TSX...I am going to try the Hornady 110gr. V-Max next but the barnes drops them very well



Unless it is a cost thing, I would stick with the TSX for hunting.  The V-Max is a varmint bullet, though at 6.8 velocities it still holds together okay.  SSA's TSX has a very good reputation and I am interested in what their Nosler E-Tip load will do now that it's out.


----------



## Tacklebox (Oct 21, 2011)

Bushmaster 6.8 ,with a PWS piston kit. Hornady 110 gr vmax has put them down for me. Just got a few boxes of the day 120 gr.will be using them for now on.


----------



## Tacklebox (Oct 21, 2011)

*ssa*

I do like Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- ammo. But I have had some not go off. They say that they use military primers an that u need a 4 pound hammer spring.


----------



## DYI hunting (Oct 21, 2011)

I use a Sabre Defense lower and ARP 6.8 SPC with 85 grain TSX for both hog and deer.  It has never let me down and the 85 grain TSX are pushing above 3000 FPS.  I have killed hogs within 80 yards and deer out to around 115 yards, all dropping in their tracks.


----------



## garnede (Oct 21, 2011)

You need to like an AR a lot to buy one for hog hunting.  I can think of a lot of guns that are a lot cheeper that will do the job just as good if not better, but they don't have the cool factor though.


----------



## 68wj (Oct 21, 2011)

garnede said:


> You need to like an AR a lot to buy one for hog hunting.  I can think of a lot of guns that are a lot cheeper that will do the job just as good if not better, but they don't have the cool factor though.


This is just the Hog forum.  Nobody said I can't use mine for other things too.


----------



## cr4zygui (Oct 23, 2011)

I got a 18" barrel chambered to 6.8 spc ss xtreme upper from arp with a aero precision lower receiver and will be upgrading my trigger to a lighter but as of right now it's a dpms mil spec standard trigger.  I hunting anything with this ar even tho I have other rifles like my 270 win 30-06 spr 7 mag and so on.  I put this ar together myself well just the lower, upper was assemble by H at arp.  Taking it put to deer hunting next weekend since my new scope is in for the upgrade.  Just because the ar are pricier than other guns don't mean that you can't get it just to hunt.


----------

