Semi Auto Deer Rifles

[eagle rider]

This is usually a good debate topic:

 

Semi Auto deer rifles have some distinct advantages, most notably the ability of r a super speedy followup shot.  But the accuracy tends not to be consistent.  Let's hear what kind of groups for loadings you are seeing in your Semi-Autos.  

 

I have a 270 Win BAR Longtrac, It shoots about 1.5" at 100yds.  It tends to like cheaper stuff, Federal Blue Box 130 gr. High Shocks print the best with it.  I also have my fathers old 7400 30-06, prints about the same with just about anything I run through that.  The BAR hold groups better over longer sessions on the bench then the 7400 will.  

[Pygmy]

Inch and a half groups are more than enough for any practical big game hunting..My M70 bolt action in .280 never shot smaller groups than that on it's best day and I've killed a number of critters with it at 300-400 yards.

That said, although I have shot semi auto shotguns all my life, semi auto centerfire rifles just have never tripped my trigger. My only centerfire semi auto rifle is my M1 Garand, which I use with issue sights. My groups with it off the bench run about 4 inches with a 150 spitzer and 47 grains of IMR 4895, which supposedly duplicates the WWII era military loads..

Edited July 19, 2015 by Pygmy

[Lawdwaz]

When it comes to semi auto rifles I have almost no experience.

My one and only story involves a caribou archery hunt that ended with two dead bulls on the very last day of a unreal series of FUBAR days in Quebec back in 1988.

Actually it was t supposed to be the last day but the base camp called our outpost camp on the soup can/string communications setup and told us we were coming out a full day early due to a nasty storm that was approaching. At noon that day the guide pulled his Remington 740 30-06 from his tent and said"you take this?" I said yup, then we smoked peace pipe and went hunting.

From the canoe we spotted a small herd of bulls swimming the river. He motored up a bit downstream of where he expected them to hit the beach. I jumped out of the freighter canoe and did my best sneaking to get in a good spot. They hit shore and I killed two. Pretty lousy end to an even worse hunt.

Oh yea, open sight on that gun too. The local injuns are probably still talking about 'Ol Deadeye I'd guess...........

Edited July 19, 2015 by Lawdwaz

[Doc]

I have absolutely no idea why I have never owned a semi-auto anything. It just never got put on my list of criteria for purchasing a new gun. Probably because it is not a feature that I ever thought was worth the extra dollars. I guess there might also be a thought in the back of my head that any additional complications of mechanisms usually eventually results in malfunctions. Those are not really very concrete reasons to exclude things from the selection process, but for some reason, I just never considered buying a semi-auto.

[sweet old bill]

I have a Remington 742 model in 308 cal. works well, can not tell you how it groups but is dead on for 100 yards if I hold and do not make any human error.

[Jaeger]

I was given a new Ruger Ranch .223 when I first bought my property.  Kept it in the gator for coyotes and groundhogs.  It was never really accurate, ~3" gun.

 

I guess my main reason for not preferring or hunting with a semi-auto is that I like to keep my brass and afraid I'd lose some, spend time looking for them in the brush, that sort of thing.  I don't like leaving stuff like that in the woods.

 

Did have my eye on a Benelli R1 in 30-06 when they first came out.

[fasteddie]

Never owned or shot a semi auto large cal rifle other than in the Marine Corps . Too risky to shoot in flat country . I prefer my single shot 25-06 .

What is a follow up shot ?

[Curmudgeon]

Never owned or shot a semi auto large cal rifle other than in the Marine Corps . Too risky to shoot in flat country . I prefer my single shot 25-06 .

What is a follow up shot ?

 

Back during slug days, I took a follow up shot after putting a slug through a deer's lungs. The deer didn't flinch, just started running and I reacted. I was young and hungry. The follow up shot was a big mistake. It was a gut shot. If I had missed with the first one, I would have had a gut shot deer on my hands. The way it was, I had a terrible mess to deal with where the deer dropped 50 yards away.

 

Never again.

 

[thphm]

I had a 742 Remy. in 30 - 06 , it knocked down every deer I ever aimed at.. My neighbor had a Browning semi auto in 30 -06 also he got many deer with that one.

[Daveboone]

Never understood the fast follow up shot either...take the shot you know you can make, or pass on the shot. Sure, anyone can have an error..a twig you didn't see, etc. but that makes the 2nd shot even less optimal. Now the animal is moving, you aren't as prepared. etc.

When we hunted southern tier when shotguns were the norm, we certainly got pretty dang good with working the pumps purty dang good, but that was also before learning of the importance of patience and shot placement, and the lack of importance of needing to bring a deer home.

[Five Seasons]

I've needed and took advantage of my semi-auto shotgun. Glad I had it. But I've also had a shell jam on extraction preventing a follow up shot after a miss. I've had both good and bad experience. I think bolt action is the way to go for a rifle.

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[dbHunterNY]

only semi-auto I've got is a Rem 742 Woodsmaster in 30-06... it's always gotten 1.25-1.75 MOA no matter what I've put through it for factory loads.  good enough for the deer woods.  I don't hand load otherwise it could be better possibly. comparing that to my Browning abolt 30-06 with a short throw bolt one doesn't seem to be fast than the other.  that's years of shooting deer between the two out of the same stands and trails.  I shot one buck on a dead run from a woods stand twice for a double lung shot.  he dropped with the 2nd with the 1st not slowing him down one bit.  that was with the A-bolt.  not sure how close together the shots were time wise but they were close.  after I skinned it to process the deer both where within a 2" group.  one of my better days for shooting at deer.  since then I don't really use the 742.  jamming wasn't a problem with the 742 if you kept it clean.

Edited July 20, 2015 by dbHunterNY

[gjs4]

The first shot matters most. Have shot blrs and a benelli r1. Not bad but not as accurate. Though I would not hunt with one- ar platform would be the most accurate IMO.

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