New to hunting

[lonesouth]

I talk about hunting like I know, but I've never actually been. Looks like I'll have an opportunity to change that this year, so I decided to make a change. Today I traded an AR-15 for a Browning BAR Shorttrac with a Leupold VX-III 2.5-8x36 in .308 Win. Now that I actually own a hunting rifle I don't mind taking to the woods, I should be able to show something for it and not just talk about it. I'll get a pic up when I get a chance.

[Jumptrout51]

The AR15 is fine for hunting if you know how to use it.

[lonesouth]

All the same, I've read plenty that people tend to disagree with the 5.56 as a hunting round, and as an amateur, I don't want the deer to suffer because I suck at shooting...

It is a little more beat up than I expected, I'm starting to think I got an even trade, so long as it will shoot the 1" groups he said it would. I'm not really concerned about aesthetics anyway, I'd hate to take a $1,500 rifle as a first hunting gun and beat it up.

[Gulf Coast]

I think I would have keep the AR-15,nothing wrong with BAR in a .308. Nice rifle

[lonesouth]

Don't fret, I've got another AR15

[CairoTrout]

Nice rifle. I believe you would benefit from some extension rings though.

[lonesouth]

Looking to pick up some ammo, and see a lot of people using Remington Core-Lokt for decades. Figure it should be a good place to start, so now it seems to be a matter of 150gr or 180gr. Thoughts?

[CaptReelThyme]

There is really nothing around this area that you need to drop a 180g round into. The 150g are a great little load that pack the same punch. The 150g core lock, I believe is a pointier tip that the 180g brother, thus screaming thru bone, organs and skin. The 180g is gonna pack more of a punch, and your shoulder will feel it too. As a someone new to hunting, go buy a box of each, take them to the range and see for your self. 180g gives you confidence, 150g gives you skill. The only time I have used anything heavier than 165g, I was out west Texas and Wyoming. You don't use a grouper rod to catch bream, do you? It's kinda the same. Good luck!



CaptRT

[Gulf Coast]

My choice would be a Remington 150gr Sorocco, check out the Reminton's ballistic site

[CairoTrout]

Federal Premium 150 gr Sierra GameKing

[J Holden]

With the dog sized deer we have around here, pretty much anything will drop them. Any hollow point or soft point bullet will do them in with a lung or heart shot, no point at all in spending extra money for premium ammo, $20 yellow box Remington Corelockt's kill them just as dead as stuff that costs three times as much.

[Gulf Coast]

Your right it will, but for a beginner hunter he want something with a really flat trajectory not a rainbow

[CaptReelThyme]

I don't think for this area trajectory will play a factor. My experience is that most shots are fired within a range of 100yrds. Ballistics on the .308 round show the it peaking at 100yrds, then dropping off from there. Unless LoneSouth, is planning on firing long distances, I would use the Core-Lockt 140g, save the money & harvest a nice deer.

[Gulf Coast]

You win

[onefishtwofish]

I shoot Black Hills ammunition. Very affordable and very consistent. Federal gameking is an excellent bullet too. If you can get 2" groupings at 100 yards, you and your gun are fine for rifle shooting in Florida. You'll hear about crazy claims on crazy distances and crazy groupings. Don't sweat them. A deer's heart and arteries are at least 6" around.

I had a buddy tell me how a BAR was not accurate as it was a semi auto-only a bolt action was accurate (I explained the 7 lug rotary bolt and to NEVER EVER question John Moses Browning on anything ). We shot our rifles to sight them in after our deer trip before we were hunting. I shot half the size of his grouping at 100 yards and he is definitely a better rifle shooter than me. You got a fine gun and a .308 will kill anything you need to in Florida. Does a fine job on Pronghorn too.