My wife surprised me with an AR15 for Christmas. Didn’t ask for it, wasn’t expecting it and have never owned one. It is a complete 80% kit that I will have to get milled to shoot. Has a 7twist 18” barrel. Seems pretty nice. Thinking I’ll take it out to shoot ground squirrels this spring and maybe a badger or coyote. Also bang some gongs.

For this purpose and usage what ammo and scope do you recommend? Was thinking like 50-55 grain vmax loads? Maybe a 10x SS or a 1-8x Vortex strike Eagle?

I’m way out of my league here so open to suggestions.

Find frontier ammo loaded with 75gr hornady bthp. Use that for everything, I run 10x swfa on my AR and 1-4 swfa on another.

Whatever scope you’d choose for the same purpose in a bolt gun.

either the vmax type you mention or 79S 75 bthp. Can't go wrong with the 75s as all around, but they won't open up violently on varmints like the vmax stuff does.

I"m a bit different than some, but 75 bthps we keep on hand for about anything use wise as a mainstay reloads though. Its that or 62 barnes.

Just a caution. You have to do the milling of the 80% for it to be legal.

For ground squirrels and coyotes the lighter varmint bullets will provide much more dynamic results than the 75BTHP. I like 55gr ballistic tips and 53gr Vmaxes for coyotes, get that explosive expansion that folds them up on the spot. Might blow holes in them if you’re into skinning coyotes, I take their picture and leave them lay so it doesn’t matter to me.

I use a lot of the 75BTHP but have had erratic results with them. Coyotes with seemingly pencil holes that ran a ways before they went down. One pretty big pig caught one in an eye socket that just cratered a huge hole in his head but didn’t penetrate the brainpan. Probably 40 other pigs I had good results on, YMMV. The 77 Sierra TMK has been pretty awesome on a couple deer and some pigs. Not as large a sample as the Hornady so the jury is still out but promising so far.

I like small optics on 16 and 18 inch ARs, I feel they balance and handle better. Have a 1.25-4 VXR on mine.

Yep this is true. If it were me I would spend 40-50 bucks for a lower put it together, shoot it and save the 80% for later.

Exactly. He may not know that, as his op made it sound like he was going to have it done elsewhere. Cool beans that his wife got him an ar though. Lucky guy.

Hairing, how far away are your gongs set up? For longer distance shooting id grab what 79s suggested. As an example: If the gongs are 400+ yards away, id use those. If you handload, pick up some 77TMK bullets. Ive experienced phenomenal accuracy with them. They also pass the fbi's minimum requirement in penetration testing. Probably why a lot of guys use them for deer hunting. Id use something like the 53gr v-max for ground squirrels. Good luck with it.

I am covered - I have a friend that spent time in the army and worked in the armory - he has done 4 or 5 of these 80% kits and has the jigs. He was the one that mentioned it to my wife and that's the main reason she ordered it.

Also, I talked to a local shop today that specializes in AR's and they will mill it and serialize it for me for $150. Don't plan on doing that, but good to know.

Right now this will probably just be a fun gun...Ill but some 75/77 grain stuff and plink some LR steel (I can hang it out as far as you want to shoot) and some vmax stuff for varmints...Right now Im thinking come spring this will be a fun little ground squirrel gun out to as far as I want to shoot them.

IMO, you are a lottery winner with your wife.

Ex-wife and last GF were Obama voters.. Never again.

Fiocchi 50 grain vmax have shot very well in about half a dozen guns I have shot them in. Sub moa. Ed k

Just a word of caution, be careful with the Frontier ammo. Some of their loads have a nasty habit of spontaneously disassembling an AR-15. There is a thread over on arfcom tracking most of the reported kB's if you're interested.

It's not all loads, it seems to be mostly around the 55gr fmj and the 68/69 OTM loads. It doesn't appear the ammo is bad per se, just loaded to the ragged edge and it doesn't play nice with certain chamber, gas port, bcg, and spring rate combinations.

In all likelihood, you should be fine, but something to be aware of, and if you're not willing to take the chance there are alternatives for the same cost per round. SGAmmo has Fiocchi 50/55 gr v-max for 0.32 cpr. There is an Armscor 62gr bonded softpoint for 0.30 cpr.

Typical Hornady ammo. I would rather shoot Wolf.

I've had good success with Fiocchi 50 gr VMax in the accuracy department.

'Nother + on the Fiocchi 50 grain Vmax.

Shoots GREAT in my 16" AR , and Daughter and son in laws AR's

We split a 1,000 round case from Cheaper than Dirt.

Virgil B.

Mindlessly repeating 4th-hand rumors like some lonely old woman.

y'all don't like the 62 grain SOST load OR the 62 grain BTHP Frontier ?

They don’t buck the wind very well at 600yds..

most deer I have shot have been under a hundred yards, so you know I am not so much worried about 600 yards as I am about terminal performance at 50 yards, I bet there are not many 600 yard shooters here.

I'm happy for you... I'm not shooting deer with mine, I use my AR15, for NRA mid range prone shoots.. far as the last part of your comment, you will be surprised who's shooting out to 500,600,700 yds with their AR's..

As for a scope, it would be hard to beat either of these two at these clearance prices.

Nikon 3-12x42 M-Tactical MOA
Nikon 3-12x42 M-Tactical MRAD

Everybody on the internet can shoot to 1000 meters with their keyboards

I shoot to 1001, so i have you beat..

You do realize several on here shoot service/highpower with their AR's.. I know it's hard for some on here to comprende.. But their are some guys who actually participate in local competitions..

No ol Jimmyp only shoots out to 200 yds..

No just to 201 yards