Most people buying full auto M16s (assuming this is a U.S. centric question) are doing so because those are collectors items. They cost upwards of $20k (edit: just checked and the cheapest one I can find is $31k, yeesh) and appreciate in value.
People buying non-NFA semiauto ARs do so for a multitude of reasons. If someone says it is for defense, then while the chance of using it as such is slim, if it does happen it is a lot more practical than using a bow and arrow.
For hunting, there are a lot of variables. For the most part intermediate cartridges aren’t ideal for hunting, and in a lot of places they are banned for that purpose (at least for deer which are the most commonly hunted animal). You’d legally be required to use a full power cartridge much of the time. Bow and arrow hunting of deer is not something most people can pull off and it would lead to a lot more wounded deer running away.
I do think it’s fairly common to use intermediate rounds on wild hogs, but at that point it’s more about culling masses of them much of the time.
No one is saying that.
The AR platform (semi auto) is cheap and reliable.
Good luck buying a full auto, those cost more than cars and have so much red tape buying.
If you are talking about the off the store shelf civilian semi auto AR15, you can 100% hunt with it. I use mine for coyote hunting or 2/4 legged critter defense. 5.56 or 223 is a really great varmine round. Flat shooting, light recoil, super quiet with a can, cheap rifle and ammo.
Sure, it’s not as much as a challenge,but an AR15 cost the same price as a low end compound bow. Recurves are expensive. You also have to have a place to shoot and practice your bow, have the physical strength to actually shoot it.
Nothing wrong with hunting “modern” weapons. I used to bow hunt, but havent for 10 years due to basicly having to buy a whole new bow since the carbom fibre and string degrading naturally. AR15s are great (and safe) to hunt with and not a new concept.
Depends what school you’re trying to go to
Fully automatic weapons are illegal in my country, but bow hunting is common. So people don’t say anything about M16s but use bow and arrow for a challenging hunt
Bows require strength.
M16 point and squeeze trigger.
/s
Does the M16 have a lot of stopping down power or range? Seems to me, these are important criteria for hunting.
For home protection I would want a pump action 12 gauge.
The AR-15 derivated guns in 5.56mm tend to be decently mechanically accurate (depending on the exactly setup and blahblahblah) and have a flat trajectory which makes them practically accurate.
The ability of 5.56mm to wound is velocity dependent. Within the range where the velocity is high enough (600 to 800 meters, again depending on specifics) they are quite damaging, at least to humans. 5.56mm was designed specifically with humans as targets in mind, and designed to kill with hit to the heart/lungs/head. It minimizes recoil to allow the maximum volume of aimed shots in the shortest time, to maximize the chance of hitting a vital.
For hunting something like deer, a lot of gun people have shown 5.56mm is capable of taking down a deer with a similar hit to the vitals, however many locations still regulate that 5.56mm is not legally allowed, so it’s sort of a moot point.
For home protection I would want a pump action 12 gauge.
Not my personal choice or recommendation, but I’ve had this conversation enough to know it is hard to change minds.
5.56 or 223 is a solid coyote or groundhog round and has been popular for 30+ years now. With the properly set up AR15, they can reach out 500m no problem
Either 5.56 or 12GA are great home defense rounds.
I completely spaced on the use against coyotes. AR-15s seem about ideal for that.
Hogs is another common critter.
With the right hollow point and good shot placement, I don’t see it having a problem taking down a white tail
I’ve always hunted hogs with a 30-30 because hogs are pretty agressive and will attack.
Either will work. Here in Ohio, our tiny population of hogs are small fries compared to out west
Yep I know about hogs (some other comment somewhere I mentioned them) and the biggest stopping of 5.56 for hunting is usually a legal ban on them rather than practical with the right ammo. Honestly might be for the best because otherwise some Bubba with non-hollowpoint ammo and a crooked scope would be out there maiming deer.
I mean current laws now don’t stop some hillbilly from maiming a deer with buckshot because of “headshots one drop herrr” or a low charged 38 caliber muzzleloader.
I hope they open up the laws more. My state allows all straight walled rounds 350 legend-50 cal, but no bottleneck for deer. You’re telling me a 45-70 or 50-110 is safer to use than my 22-250? Just fudd brained people making laws
