New Bushmaster AR-15 - General Questions

iHunt

iHunt

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Hey all!

Friday night I won an AR-15 and I am jacked about it! its a .223/5.56 caliber and this is the first AR that I have owned or shot. It came with a muzzle brake which I am guessing is the cause for the gun being soo loud. Is it worth it to keep the muzzle brake on the gun? I plan to do 50-50 target shooting and coyote hunting with it!

Also, for those that hunt a lot with ARs, should I put a bipod on the front or is that not needed? Which scope would you recommend for hunting? It came with a red dot sight which looks fun for target shooting but wont be very helpful in the field.

Do you guys use FMJ bullets or hollow points for varmits?

Is reloading worth the investment?

Thanks in advance!
 
I'd shoot polymer/plastic tipped bullets for critters. IMO, reloading is almost always worth it. That said, if there's a cartridge I wouldn't load for it'd be the 223 as the ammo is relatively expensive and I doubt there is a centerfire round with better diversity of factory rounds.
 
1. I have a Bushmaster Predator and love it. Only thing I would change is drop in a new trigger. The factory one has about a mile of takeup. You need much more control for varmints.
2. See above on reloading. Agree with 1 pointer.
3. Scope choice is up to you and style of shooting. I put a decent 12x on it for parried dogs.
4. I don't think bullet choice is too big a deal here. But my coyote is hollowpoint.
5. I don't think a muzzle break is necessary at all. A suppressor on the other hand, yes very much so.
 
If I'm not mistaken, it's a flash supressor and not a muzzle break. AR's are inherently loud. I shoot 53 grain Hornady V-max bullets and they perform beautifully on coyotes and other varmints. They don't tear up hides since 9 times out of 10 there's no exit. I have a 3-9x40 scope on mine and it has been good enough.
 
I agree with Cushman, the short barrel is probably the main culprit behind the loud report.

I also agree with 406, an upgraded trigger is the best mod I've made to an AR. I've used Timney and Rise Armament drop-ins, and like them both equally well.

Some states don't allow FMJs for even varmint hunting so check the regs.

I don't much like bipods myself, just personal preference. I prefer shooting sticks if I can't shoot off my pack.
 
Is there a difference between the flash suppressor that Cushman mentioned and the suppressor that 406Life suggested getting? I shot it twice and my ears were ringing, I can't imagine ripping 10 shots in a row or hunting without hearing protection...
 
Yes, AR's are loud! I had a S&W 223 that was even louder than my Rock River 6.8 SPC! I swear it seemed like the S&W action cycled faster and sound was coming out of the ejection port! Hearing protection is a MUST when target shooting. For deer hunting (my 6.8), I don't worry about it. But hunting other critters where shots may get you less excited, then at least use plugs.

I suggest getting a 3-9, 3-12 or some other scope. Beware that you need extra high rings on an AR to properly see through the scope. Leupold's Mark AR Mod II 3-9 or 4-12 is a nice match and at a good pricepoint. Check out Schmalts on here for a great deal!
 
Oh that's a good point. Would it be worth it to get my 12x scope on a removable mount just like the red dot is so I can go back and forth between the two or will my accuracy severely suffer from that?
 
iHunt said:
Oh that's a good point. Would it be worth it to get my 12x scope on a removable mount just like the red dot is so I can go back and forth between the two or will my accuracy severely suffer from that?
Click to expand...

Switching between optics on the same barrel is far from ideal. I wouldn't trust the zero on either without range time. I wouldn't do it.
 
My .556 AR wears a P223 Nikon 3x9x40...good trigger...removed the bipod. Shoots factory very accurately. I reload all the bolt guns but won't for this one.
 
406LIFE said:
Switching between optics on the same barrel is far from ideal. I wouldn't trust the zero on either without range time. I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...

I don't think Bushmaster sells an AR with an actual muzzle break, so you likely have a flash suppressor as mentioned previously. If you are sensitive to the overpressure/concussion, they do make concussion reduction devices that can thread on to replace your birdcage.

Not to quibble on this, but depending on the mount you have, you can certainly get decent return to zero when swapping optics. I wouldn't do it on a dedicated precision rifle, but with the Larue mounts I use, placed back on the exact same spot on the rail, I cannot detect a shift at 100m.

Bipods aren't universally helpful, but if it works for you, giver hell.

If were are going to keep the red dot, I would get myself something with a little more magnification for varmint/pdog type shooting.

Last, invest in some good magazines(Magpul P-mags or Lancer L5s are both good)
 
That was also something I was thinking about, what to do about magazines. The one that it came with seems really cheap, is that normal?
 
iHunt said:
That was also something I was thinking about, what to do about magazines. The one that it came with seems really cheap, is that normal?
Click to expand...

USGI mags aren't bad. Not sure what it came with, but they could likely be junk. Good polymer mags are too cheap not to set yourself up with.

Look for some 20 rounders too, they are way lower profile, better for hunting IMO.
 
Yeah, It seems like they are made out of a thin gauge metal. The first thing I noticed was laying on the ground would not be an option for hunting since the mag sticks so far out! That's why I thought about the bi pod. Not sure what type of mount the red dot is on, but it locks on with a simple lever. Clearly designed for fast removal. Im not worried about a zero with the red dot since that will be for close range "fun" shooting, but I am worried about the hit to accuracy on my longer range scope. Id like to be able to hit a good sized target at 1000 yds if I ever get a place to shoot that far out.
 
For those that coyote hunt as well as do a lot of range shooting, so you shoot two different loads, one for practice and one for hunting or do you shoot your hunting load all year long?
 
2 different loads will probably impact differently. I shoot my hunting rounds year round because the target rounds I broke the barrel in with don't shoot anywhere close to the hunting round impacts.
 
I would take off the muzzle brake/flash hider and put on a thread protector.
https://www.amazon.com/AR15-223-Thread-Protector-Pitch/dp/B009PCCES0

The I would replace factory trigger with a CMC 3.5# flat trigger.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CMC-Tactica...320158?hash=item33c7e9cbde:g:cOUAAOSw-0xYk5fa

Next, I would top it with a Vortex 4x12x40 with BDC.
https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optic...qid=1490649943&sr=8-1&keywords=vortex+4x12x40

I load 50gr Hornady z-max bullets over 26.8gr H335 and the BDC reticle on the scope is almost perfect out to 500yds
 
A couple of other tidbits

1. Number your magazines with a paint pen. AR mags are not meant to last forever, and if they are numbered it is easy to ID the bad ones.

2. Mount your red dot as far forward as you can on the receiver. This will reduces the size of the red dot in relation to the target and cause less tunnel visions, making it easier to aim precisely and shoot with both eyes open.

3. Upgrading your butt stock will make it easier for you to get a good cheek weld and as a result you will be able to shoot more accurately.

4. a new trigger is good advice.
 
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