Best AR for Coyote hunt?

[Phillyfan]

OK, so I might be restarting the age old Ford/Chevy debate here, but I really don't know anything about AR's and I know that many of you do.

My Father-In-Law, lucky enough to have a cool one, is interested in getting an AR for coyote hunting. Obviously, it would be for fun too or else what's the point? He started researching and was overwhelmed by all the different configurations and manufacturers. To make it easy, what would be your recommendation? And if it is a piece by piece build please be specific. Lets put the budget between $800-1400 not including optics.

Appreciate any input.

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[Phillyfan]

Oops, guess I should add that he wants to stay with the .556/.223 caliber.

 

[jrd541280]

just getting started in the AR thing myself, bought a new S&W M&P Sport 15 for $599 at Griggs in pasco about a year ago. Been very happy so far.

 

[Twodogs]

A light weight rifle that's easy to carry , A low powered scope for close or running shots, most of my kills are in the 30-40 yrd range. A good trigger.
Look for a rifle that is configured the way you want it if you can't find one then build it sucks to buy a rifle only start changing out all the parts to get the rifle you want.
lastly no one rifle will be a do all rifle I have 5 AR's so far.

 

[P7M13]

I dunno - my po' man's wisdom says, "the one you own."
You said he has "a cool one". Why not use that? Mine: Olympic Arms A2 cheapie with iron sights.
My buddy shoots a LMT A4 with Eotech. Definitely more quality in his rifle than mine, but we are about the same out to 200 yards. Without glass, I cannot see much past that. At 300 yards, a Shoot-N_See 12x12 target looks like a dot to me. His Eotech dot is something like 5moa, so at 300 you cannot even see the target.
My boss is sub-moa with his AR15-A2/iron sights out to 600. Practice makes all the difference. YMMV.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

Unlike what was popular 5 or 6 years ago, you do not need a huge, heavy bull barrel. It will just be a pain, quite literally, once you start to move with it. I would go with a light-medium contour 16-18in barrel. Keep it simple with a magpul or similar folding stock. A PRS or similar stock just weighs too much. Unless you are shooting in eastern Or I would recommend a 4 power scope or similar. Any ar will do the job perfectly, so might as well make it comfortable to carry.

Nutnfancy came out with a video about putting too much crap on your Ar. I have been on KISS band wagon since before it was cool.

A 5-6 lb Ar 15 is a thing of beauty.

 

[Phillyfan]

Thanks a lot for your responses, guys. Appreciate you taking the time to share some knowledge/opinions.

 

[Stomper]

This is my (yet to be blooded) AR hunting rig, nothing too fancy. It's a 6.8SPC, but a .223/5.56 easy enough to substitute.

18" free float barrel w/Houge overmold hand guard. (no flash suppressor)

bi-pod (that will be moved off the gas block to the hand guard)

Leupold 1.5-4x20 AR series scope.

45* offset A2-style BUIS.

CAA pistol grip.

Magpul "enhanced" trigger guard.

Magpul MOE rifle fixed stock.

 

[U8395279]

OK, so I might be restarting the age old Ford/Chevy debate here, but I really don't know anything about AR's and I know that many of you do.

My Father-In-Law, lucky enough to have a cool one, is interested in getting an AR for coyote hunting. Obviously, it would be for fun too or else what's the point? He started researching and was overwhelmed by all the different configurations and manufacturers. To make it easy, what would be your recommendation? And if it is a piece by piece build please be specific. Lets put the budget between $800-1400 not including optics.

Appreciate any input.

For a nice true hunting rifle in that price range, consider a DPMS Prairie Panther Brush. Mossy Oak Brush camo covers the rifle. The barrel is a lightweight 20 inch fluted stainless, that keeps the overall weight nice and comfortable at only 7.1 lbs, yet gives you full power 20 inch barrel ballistics. Barrel has a 1x8 inch twist, so it can shoot just about any weight of bullet well. And the barrel is Teflon coated to eliminate any reflection at all. Nice Carbon fiber fully free floated handguard that aides in accuracy and also in keeping the weight down.

Factory MSRP is $1,239, but one can easily find it for $1,099:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/75789

Anyway, this is right in the middle of your price range, and would be very well suited indeed for coyote hunting.

Definitely avoid rifles with heavy weight barrels, Even in just a 16 inch carbine, a heavy barrel will knock your weight up to 8 lbs. And much more with a longer heavy barrel.

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[U8395279]

A light weight rifle that's easy to carry , A low powered scope for close or running shots, most of my kills are in the 30-40 yrd range.

If you are calling your coyotes in that close, you should be bringing along a shotgun. No problem then with taking a running shot.
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[U8395279]

I have a sig sauer ar15 m400 with a 20" barrel set up for hunting. Put a 60 round mag in it, turn the weaver extreme scope down to 4 and put a grin on your face.

Man, a 60 round mag would add so much weight to your rifle and make it far more bulky and unwieldy. I just cannot envision doing that for hunting. It would add over 2 lbs of weight to your gun. A person does not want a weighed down rifle for Coyote hunting. I've never used more than a 20 round mag for varmint hunting with the AR-15.

Honestly, if I could not kill an animal with 20 rounds, I figure that animal deserves to get away, and I deserve to fail.

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[U8395279]

I agree read the post again.

I did. That is why I quoted what you said.

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[Johnnie]

My latest obsession is a Remington R15 VTR CarbineCS .223 w/a Leupold Mark AR 3-9x40. I use Hornady Vmax 55gr and 300yd shots are possible, 200yd shots reasonably easy, and 100 yds you can shoot the gnuts off a gnat. I think they retail for around $1200

 

[Joe13]

Any AR will do the job...

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'll generally electrical tape a mouse squeaker to the forearm of the long gun I'm using for varmints.
On an AR, I'll just use iron sights.. ideally one with a quite large traditional "battle" sight aperture.