Have you shot a deer with an AR15?

[smithers599]

Tell us your story. Location, distance, rifle/scope setup, ammo, effect on deer.
Bonus points if you begin, "There I was...."

 

[Tim McBride]

There I was, in the Nebraska Sandhills hunting whitetail on a friends ranch...
AR, 16inch upper, ACOG, 64gr Federal Fusion.
Shot a deer from about 150 yards. Ran a bit into a small swallow pond and died
I got to strip naked in 20 degree weather, wade out, grab the deer and bring it back to the shore.
Got dried off and jumped in the truck that had the heater going full blast.
Fun times.
I've killed several other deer with various .223 rifles but none involved me having to wade into water that had a little layer of ice.
I still have to hear about whether or not "drowning" is a legal means of take from a warden friend...

 

[Ballistic Therapy]

.223 is not my preferred caliber for deer but I have killed a couple deer with it.
Not with an AR though.

 

[smithers599]

Bump. Any other deer/AR15 reports?

 

[338lapua]

Head shot, about 150 yards, 77 grain Sierra match king. Dropped where it stood. Gave a friend the meat, I hate deer meat. Shot on my land in WV out of a window in my bedroom.

 

[smithers599]

Head shot, about 150 yards, 77 grain Sierra match king. Dropped where it stood. Gave a friend the meat, I hate deer meat. Shot on my land in WV out of a window in my bedroom.

Hmmm, that probably would not work out too well in Phoenix.

 

[338lapua]

Works great in rural West Virginia though.

 

[Bill Poole]

Friend of mine, who likely does not frequent this forum, got a deer a coupla years ago with a .300 BlackOut. A different friend got an Elk with a 6.5 Grendel (that I would consider under-powered for Elk). (both of the above in AZ).

AR-15 works if you choose the right cartridge & bullet, if that is your preference.

My preference is to shoot AR-15 at Camp Perry, and a Ruger No1 at animals.

Poole

I just noticed, the thread sat idle since August till I just now noticed it and replied.

 

[shooter444]

A friend of mine, who is on this forum, has told me for years about how his father would take deer out his back door with a 22short, for years, when he was a kid. At least that is how I remember it, and, I'm sure he will correct me if needed,... if he reads this thread.

I have heard, since I was a kid, about many, many deer being taken with 22lr, but, I think that was more of a strong light in the night type scenario.

Personally, I have melted through tempered steel fence posts at 150 yards with 223cal./ 36 grain Barnes solid copper bullets,... I don't doubt for a second that it would penetrate a deer skull at that distance, as well.

Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Pipedoc]

I never shot a deer with a AR but I did shoot a pig at 75 yards with a 45 gr Wally world white box of Winchester. Put a very large hole through the shoulder and it went about 10 yrds and dropped. No doubt a 223 will drop a deer with a well placed shot. Hell look at the damage it can do to a man.

 

[Hac]

5 or 6 years ago, I took some kids up to a Kiabab doe hunt, my god daughter, my best friend son and 2 co-workers sons totaling 4. I gave my g-daughter a 308 win for her Bday and she planed on using it during this hunt. Long story short all 4 kids harvested there deer with the same rifle a home built lightweight ar in 223 with some hand rolled barnes all copper 55 grain projectiles loaded with CFE223 or BLC2 can't recall but if you really need to know I have it, the shots ranged from 150 yards - 80 yards all dropped in there tracks, my best buds son has harvested 3 doe with the same piece of 223 brass and it loaded ready to go. My 2

 

[Jack Dupp]

At first I thought this was an Elk34 thread. I have shot a couple deer with an AR15. Killed them D-Con dead no problem. No awesome story to tell though.