# Bolt Action vs AR for new coyote hunters?



## TheNewGuy5

All,

I'm relatively new to coyote hunting (and i realize this is an age old question). I'm an avid deer hunter (bow only) and upland game hunter. Over the last yr, my buddy and I have jumped into coyote hunting feet first and now are completely addicted! I hunt with a bolt action .223 and he hunts with a AR. I just took my first coyote at just under 300 yds. What's the max yardage an AR can knock a 'yote out for the count?


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## youngdon

Welcome tio the forum TheNewGuy5

I believe the military says the 5.56 is lethal on humans to 600yds. and i'm sure that snipes have taken targets past that. However in the hands of most shooters I'd say 3-400yds is pushing their capabilities. also I believe coyotes are tougher than people, and will run off with a less than vital zone shot. You'll find his AR will give about 50fps per missing inch of barrel slower performance than your bolt.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard

welcome to PT

i have a friend that used to be a wepons trainer in the USAF

he can shoot AR styles quit accuratley with open sights,i have seen him hit silhouettes at 600+ meters(center mass)


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## fr3db3ar

There is functionally no difference in what happens after the bullet leaves the barrel on either gun. As is already noted, you need more information but there is no reason for the AR to kill a yote at a lesser distance than the bolt.

I shoot 4-5" groups from my R-15 from the bench @ 400. I easily expect that it would kill at that distance as it blows the crap out of jugs of water and buries the 55 vmax into bowling pins at the same distance.


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## youngdon

fr3db3ar said:


> There is functionally no difference in what happens after the bullet leaves the barrel on either gun. As is already noted, you need more information but there is no reason for the AR to kill a yote at a lesser distance than the bolt.


You are correct, provided they are traveling at the same speed.

I think that he'll find that the bolt gun has a lot slower twist rate as well


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## prairiewolf

For me the difference is in the stock, if it is an adjustable stock model. With these you can adjust for heavier clothing in the winter. When you get my age and hunt in the cold, you kinda look like that kid in Christmas story. LOL


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## 220swift

Welcome to the PT forum TheNewGuy5.

I'm a bolt rifle shooter and have no working knowledge of the AR platforms..............you will get good feed back here though


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## sneakygroundbuzzard

prairiewolf said:


> For me the difference is in the stock, if it is an adjustable stock model. With these you can adjust for heavier clothing in the winter. When you get my age and hunt in the cold, you kinda look like that kid in Christmas story. LOL


i cant put my arms down lol


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## Scotty D.

My longest kill w/ an AR (.223 Rem) was a groundhog @ 525 yds....No doubt about the .223 having enough power to smoke a yote @ 500....The exit hole on the groundhog w/ the 50gr VMax was pretty impressive at the range.. :teeth:


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## hassell

Welcome to PT, enjoy the site.


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## TheNewGuy5

Thank you all for welcoming me to this site. I think I have a lot of studying up to do on rifles, bullets and completely understanding the overall workings of a rifle. I grew up around shotguns and archery. Again, I appreciate the openness and look forward to learning a thing or two on here. Happy hunting!


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## Scotty D.

Actually, the one thing that convinced me to sell my AR (other than the adequate profit margin) was the fact that my AR took more time for effective cleaning & maintenance than my bolt actions...Stick powder wasn't so bad, but when I shot ball powders (H335), it got mucked up in a hurry... :teeth:


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## fr3db3ar

That's why I keep a diaper attached to mine


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## huntinguglydogs

i like both but in cold weather a bolt gun is more dependable i have had my r 15 not fire


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## christopher

AR gets my vote


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## Scotty D.

huntinguglydogs said:


> i like both but in cold weather a bolt gun is more dependable i have had my r 15 not fire


 Love your profile avatar pic, huntinguglydogs!!! :teeth:


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## huntinguglydogs

*thanks she's a dandy*


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## TheRo0sTer

I love my AR and I love the accuracy it does have. I'm going to put a red dot back on it and put it away. I don't want to keep shooting it until parts availability is back up. Tomorrow my wife is buying me a Mossberg MVP varmint. I like what I see when I look at images of it. Plus the price isn't too bad. Plus I will have to get comfortable with the non-adjustable stock.

Not mine, but mine will be cooler... because it will be mine.


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## youngdon

You gotta love a wife who buys you guns !!!


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## knapper

My wife dose not buy my guns but she does buy me ammo and tools for them and she likes to shoot them. It does not get any better than that.


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## Its_JaySon

I shoot both in .223. I have a seekins ar and a Remington sps tactical. the sps barely out shoots my ar at 200yds. but for hunting coyotes where follow up shots on multiple dogs may need to be quick, i'd opt for the ar every time.


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## TheRo0sTer

Its_JaySon said:


> I shoot both in .223. I have a seekins ar and a Remington sps tactical. the sps barely out shoots my ar at 200yds. but for hunting coyotes where follow up shots on multiple dogs may need to be quick, i'd opt for the ar every time.


That is what worries me. Now that I carry a bolt action, I will have multiple dogs run in on me. LOL


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## sneakygroundbuzzard

with practice one can be come quit proficiant with a bolt action rifle and make fast follow up shots

lee harvey oswald was supposedly quit good at it and thank the us marines for his training.

there have been many people thu out the years that can shoot a bolt action rifle almost as quick as most folks can shoot a semi auto accuratley

me im not one of them people,i can make follow up shots with my bolt actions but not well enough to hit multiple moving targets before they are out of range.

thats why i bought my AR for hunting yotes,now if i could just call some in and give it a try lol


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## knapper

As a member of a rifle club that shoots high power rifles at different ranges and time limits, I have seen some shoot the rapid fire of ten rounds in 70 seconds and seen them do it with a bolt gun. Not just one guy.


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