Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Semi-auto for Elk?

Picked up a Browning BAR in 300 Win Mag last year anticipating a future elk hunt (hard to do from Illinois). I have taken it to the range a couple of times and am truly impressed. Groupings were as good as or better than my bolt and recoil with the BOSS is less than any large cal. rifle I've shot. It's a bit louder but that will be the last thing that bull elk will hear. Although heavier than the bolt, that's not something I worry about when I'm on the stalk and smell the elk in the woods.

Try to slow load a semi auto like you can with a bolt. Kachunk! They are not as accurate as well.

Slow load? Why?
I carried autos (select fire and belt fed) for several years as a US Marine and later as an employee of the DOD and I never needed to do anything that way.
I lock and load my firearms either when I get out of the truck and in some cases when I leave my home.

I can see the reason to leave an empty chamber (or unprimed) in a few types under some conditions, like those that have small half-cock safeties. Those include the older lever actions and my muzzleloaders but for the most part I feel any rifle or shotgun that is not as safe as a military rifle or machine gun is not a gun I'd keep.

Yes I have a few exceptions like my older Marlin 30-30 and my old Winchester M95s, so those get carried in slick or steep country with empty chambers, but they are no quieter to load the chamber then my ARs or my M14, or my M1. I had a Benelli R1 in 270 Short Mag (sold now to a friend) that would shoot 1-1/4" and the longest shot I ever made on an elk in my life was made with that gun and it did just fine. And one thing I did note about the R1 was that is was actually very quite to load the chamber with. The nosiest one is probably my M1.

And as far as them not being as accurate, that depends on what you are comparing them to.

My M1 and my M14 will both shoot under 2 MOA. My ARs will shoot under MOA with most hunting ammo, and one of them shoots under 3/8 MOA. My 308 Auto shoots about 7/8" groups with ammo it likes and I have shot a few 5/8" groups, but I can't always get them that small. But I don't need to either.

Here is a photo of the very best groups I ever shot with iron sights in my life and it was shot with an AR15 in 6.8SPC. 100 yards. 4 rounds The one in the corner was my last sighter. My spotter said "come up one click and left one click and shoot a group". I had 4 round left in the mag.
Now I have shot a LOT of similar size groups with ARs but this one is noteworthy to me because I didn't use a scope.
6.8 at 100 by .com/photos/156296479N08/]Steve Zihn, on [bleep]

To say the AR is not accurate is to have to give explanation as to what "accuracy" means to you. This rifle is not my choice for elk, but one in 308, 7-08, 338 Federal or 358 Winchester all would qualify with flying colors.

I never carried any rifle on an empty chamber. I too always loaded my semis when I got out of the truck or camp house. Tent camp I left it loaded. I suppose it would be hard to prove that they are loud enough to spook game, especially after the truck drove up, ha. I squirrel hunted with semi auto 22s, and used semi auto shotguns and pumps. My last semi-auto was a Mod 750 carbine in 35 Whelen. It was an excellent rifle, both reliable and accurate, but my old Mod 700 35 Whelen AI was too jealous to allow it to hunt with me...off it went. Now, I wish I had it back, ha.

Everytime I see a hunter with a semi auto I cringe. That's just my personal bias.

Ive owned and used a BAR in 30/06 for decades, its extremely accurate, and 100% dependable ,
never a failure, too feed,fire, or function, but then I keep rifles very well maintained.
Ive used it on several mule deer hunts and the only issues Ive ever had were it is too shiny/flashy
to use without a cover to keep it from reflecting like a mirror, an easily cured problem
with a set of cheap tye dyed green/grey/tan womens support hose, slipped over the stock and forearm
and a couple rubber bands

https://www.speer-ammo.com/products/bullets/rifle-bullets/hot-cor-rifle-bullet/2211
52 grains of H414 and a 215 fed primer produces decent consistent accuracy in my bar
these bullets are lethal on mule deer and elk, Ive loaned the BAR out in the past to others and had zero complaints with the result on a couple elk others have shot,
in fact two guys eventually purchased similar BARs after using mine.


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