The clear difference between the two is that the AR 15 is a semiautomatic rifle while the hunting gun is not.
Some people think AR stands for “Assault Rifle” or “Automatic Rifle” but that is not the case. AR means ArmaLite Rifle. ArmaLite is the name of the company that produces the AR 15 rifles in the 1950s.
Automatic rifles are completely automatic. An example is a machine gun. There have been restrictions on automatic rifles to civilians since the 1930s. So, both the AR 15 and hunting rifle do not fall into the category of automatic rifles.
About AR 15
AR 15 rifles make use of semiautomatic action. This means anytime you pull the trigger, there is a bullet that is initiated from the barrel. The gun’s case is ejected automatically thereby feeding it with another cartridge from the magazine into its firing chamber.
However, before the next bullet is fired, the trigger has to be pulled again and the process is repeated all over again. This is why it called semiautomatic.
AR rifles are very versatile and accurate. They are made with two components which are the lower and upper receivers. The upper receiver is made up of the chamber, barrel and handguard. This upper receiver can be substituted with another upper so that the chamber of the rifle can have different calibres. The substitution is done by pushing two pins. The .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO cartridge are the most common chambering for the ARs. ARs can also use other calibres from .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor to .22LR and .17 HMR.
The upper receiver is the location of the gun’s operating system. ARs are made up of two operating systems. They are gas piston and gas impingement. The gas impingement system allows for the diversion of gas from the barrel of the gun via the tube and returns to the upper receiver to operate the gun. On the other hand, the gas piston system funnels gas from the barrel to drive the piston.
The lower receiver is composed of the grip and buttstock. The two parts can be changed to meet your needs. If you need a better grip with better traction, you can change the grip with ease. Same applies to the stock.
About Bolt Gun Hunting Rifle
Hunting guns are referred to as bolt guns. Unlike the AR guns that make use of gases and some moving parts to function, the design of a bolt gun is simpler. Just a few of the components of the bolt gun can be changed. Bolt guns are commonly made from wood, composite stocks and laminate. The gun allows for some form of customization which includes the replacement of scope mounts, triggers and stocks.
Also, bolt guns can be chambered in different types of calibres. Different calibres such as .30-60, .300 Winchester and .338 Winchester can be used on big game like elk and deer while the .17 Hornet or .22LR are suitable for small game like coyotes or squirrels.
The Uses Of The AR 15
The AR 15 rifles are more attractive to many people due to their modularity. Parts like lowers, uppers and stocks can be used interchangeably. These parts can be easily customized with your AR 15 rifle to be suitable for different shooting purposes.
Remember, this is a semiautomatic rifle and also a multipurpose firearm. The AR 15 can be used for the following purposes:
1. Hunting
2. Shooting competition
3. Security and surveillance
4. Long-range shooting
5. Self and personal defence
6. Law enforcement, patrol, military and duty use
To be realistic, it was in the 90s that the sales of ARs sky-rocketed due to the flat-top upper receiver which allows you to mount extra accessories such as flashlights, sights and AR-15 scopes. The flat-top allows you to customize the AR and helps to maximize the potential of your cartridge thereby assisting you to make modifications that suit your need.
Benefits Attached To Using AR 15
The benefits of using the AR 15 are enormous. But, here are a few of them:
1. Can be modified and customized to suit your personal needs
2. Constructed from light materials like fibre, carbon, plastic, etc.
3. It is versatile thereby making it suitable for different applications
4. Cartridge options can be expanded due to the uppers
5. It requires little or no recoils
6. Rapid follow-up shots are allowed because of its semiautomatic feature
7. It is fast in hitting its target like coyote, rabbit and many more
Using AR 15 For Hunting
AR 15 is a great gun for hunting. But what can you use it to hunt?
The .223 is the most commonly used cartridge for AR 15. With this cartridge, the rifle can be used to hunt down varmints such as coyotes, foxes, woodchucks, etc. The cartridge is not recommended for the hunting of deer and elk. To hunt big game, you have to use the .308 AR-10.
Others compatible cartridges are .50 Beowulf, .17 Remington, 300 AAC Blackout, rimfire ammunition and .22 calibre variants.
Uses Of Bolt Gun Hunting Rifle
Bolt guns are veteran rifles for hunting. They are well preferred for hunting big game. They can be used with hundreds of cartridges. Bolt guns are used for the following purposes:
1. Hunting
2. Target shooting
3. For security and surveillance
4. Long-range shooting
5. Law enforcement use
6. Personal and self defence
Looks like it does exactly what the AR 15 does? Yes, that’s right. The trick for making the most of your bolt gun is to use the right cartridge for its intended use.
The Benefits Of Bolt Guns For Hunting
Bolt guns have excellent field performance. And their benefits include:
1. They are dependable and accurate
2. Compatibility with a variety of cartridges
3. Malfunction less compared to AR 15
4. Have got minimal interchangeable parts
Which Of The Two Is A Better Rifle For You?
You cannot wrong with any of these firearms. The modularity of the AR 15 makes it easy for you to customize it to your preference and the bolt gun is very reliable. A bolt gun and the AR 15 can be used to kill a black bear even from 230 yards.