I recieved my American Rifleman yesterday. In it was an article about Winchesters new SXR auto loading rifle. I don't understand stopping production of the m70 and bringing out an auto-loader. Of course Winchester went broke making the m70. For whatever reason.

As a side note the author used the rifle on a Black Bear hunt last spring. Makes me wonder about the way the Winchester deal went down.

Question:
So here is my question. I don't like auto loading rifles and I didn't think that they were real popular but I have been wrong before. How many of you like/use auto loaders.

Choices:
I own and use an auto loader as my primary rifle.
I own and use an auto loader as a secondary rifle.
I own an auto loader but rarely or never use it.
I do not own or use an auto loading rifle.

 

Having voted that I use auto loaders as a secondary rifle, I must say that outside of paper punching I don't hunt with them. The M1 and AR are fun guns for sure, but not my idea of a good deer rig, now the A5 Browning is a different story.

I agree with Buckshot somewhat. I've had many a good day in a praire dog town with my scoped AR15 HBAR. Although they have bullets for the 223 up in the 70, 80, and 90 grain range I don't think that it would be my first choice deer rifle. But on the other hand there are AR's in 6.8 Rem and 6.5 Grendel which are very capable deer cartridges. Include too the AR10's made in 308, 243, 300 WSM, that are very accurate and definately in the deer calibers.

Alot of states don't allow semi-auto rifles for big game hunting.

My "autoloader" is a Rem Nylon 66 that I got as a Christmas present--my first "real" gun. I think I've shot it once in the past 15 years, so guess I should take it out and dirty it up some?

Autoloaders are extremely popular up here in Wiscosnin during our whitetail season. Most of our shooting is under 100 yds and with the brushy conditions alot of people like the quick ability for a follow up shot. I own lots of bolt actions for out west or Alaska hunting but around here I love my browing Bars' and a couple of lever actions including BLR and Marlin lever actions (45-70).

I had two Browning BAR 30-06's when we lived back east and hunted deer in the Adirondacks. They were popular there to. I never could get them to shoot real well, but good enough for the woods. Now I own all bolt actions for hunting, and a M1A .308 and AR15 .223 for fun.

my autoloaders consist of a garand, a mini-30, a winchester m190 in 22lr and a BAR in 300 win mag.... the garand eats regularly, the mini 30 semi-regularly, and the BAR is on a diet...

I love a semi-auto in a 22 rimfire and if I could get a 223 with a ten round clip that looked like a win 100 (I really don't like the military style of autos) I'd buy it for coyote hunting.

Other than that all centerfire rifles I own are bolt action except the two lever actions my Father left me.

I've got BAR's in .270 and '06 that I use on occassion, plenty accurate enough for most hunting. Is the Winchester just a restyled BAR?

I don't own an auto loader other that a 22lr but I don't count it. I do own a pump that I use occasually. I prefer mauser bolt guns.

Rad

Your poll questions don't fit the audience!

Browning auto SHOTGUN -- for CLAYS, not birds!

AK-47

AR

M1A1 Garand

I'd never own an auto-loader rifle for HUNTING! Seems somehow "not sporting" -- besides which, I want a bolt or a breech lug locked down behind the cartridge case. Auto "defense rifle" ??? You betcha, baby!

Scoped hunting rifles are Ruger No. 1 in 45/70, and Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06.

quote:

Originally posted by 45/70 Govt.:
Your poll questions don't fit the audience!

Browning auto SHOTGUN -- for CLAYS, not birds!

AK-47

AR

M1A1 Garand

I'd never own an auto-loader rifle for HUNTING! Seems somehow "not sporting" -- besides which, I want a bolt or a breech lug locked down behind the cartridge case. Auto "defense rifle" ??? You betcha, baby!

Scoped hunting rifles are Ruger No. 1 in 45/70, and Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06.

No they fit the audience. I am finding out that auto loaders are more broadly used in other areas but it seems more people use them as target or home defens guns.

The Winchester SXR is made, styled and advertised as a hunting rifle.

I have a 10/22 (doesn't everyone?) but no selfloading centerfires at the moment.

My x fatherin law gave me a bar in 7mm mag. I plan to use it just to see what it is like. If nothing else it should be nice to own one. The price was right.

I have several 22lr in semi-auto and a Remington 742 in 30-06 that I use from time to time in the Florida glades and Georga. My father on the other hand exclusively use's a Remington 740 in 30-06 and has taken more deer than I can remember with that rig from Florida to Texas.
Craven

I've probably taken a good number of the whitetails I've taken w/ a Remington Autoloader. I've hunted w/ 742s and 7400s. Made my longest shot to date w/ a 7400(Antelope buck at 455, good rest, clean kill). That being said, I wouldn't hunt w/ another. Had many problems w/ autos even had a BAR that shot about 6" despite alot of BAR owners having good accuracy. The BAR didn't jam like the Rem though...

They used to be the rifle to have years ago around here. Pumps were popular too. Nothing wrong w/ a pump, I've seen some that were pretty good shooters.

Only bolts for me now. If i cant get em' in one shot, I don't need to be shooting anyway. After years w/ a bolt rifle I can get another round chambered quite fast if needed.

Reloader

I don't have an auto in a big game cartidge...yet.

I use a semi-auto for coyotes quite a bit and will get another soon. I used an M1A1 while in the service and would like to get a Nat Match for a truck gun. It would make dumping several running pigs from a sounder a possiblility. Both my Grandpa & Grandma used semi-auto Remingtons for deer in Minn for years. I think they bought the first ones ! They dropped many a deer and even two at a time. They never had issues with reliability or accuracy, my M1A1 never misfired or jammed. My mini-14 never jammed until I put on a bridge type scope base that was intrusive. If kept clean, and properly lubed for the climate they would be fine. They usually weigh more than I like though.

I'd get a Benelli before I'd buy a Winchester or a Rem for that matter. Nate

My two autoloaders are Win Model 100's. One in a 308 Caliber the other in a 284 Win. They shoot great, just prefer my bolts over them.

How accurate can I expect this BAR in 7 mag to be? All of my hunting rifles are bolt action and I shoot my own handloads. My 270 sendero will bump holes as my other two also. I will be happy if it will shoot factory ammo inside two inches @ 100 yds. Is this asking too much of an automatic. I haven't shot the rifle yet! Would like to try it on a wild hog!

I have a Browning BAR .270 that was my father-in-law's. He was a great bird hunter, but didn't do much game hunting. So when he decided to do some deer hunting with me I advised him to buy the BAR because of its similar configuration to his beloved Auto-5's.

It is surprisingly accurate and has a good trigger. I sometimes carry it when I expect the possibility of running into a mob of hogs. That happened a couple of years ago and I mangaged to down three porkers at about 200 yards with the 4 + 1 BAR. While it is a fully acceptable deer rifle, I prefer to carry my bolt actions when doing serious hunting for "trophy" species. But I wouldn't hesitate to depend on it if necessary for antelope, elk, or black bear.

Here in Wisconsin we hunt in a couple ways. Yes, alot of people set up stands and wait for the deer to pass on heavily travelled trails. But we also do alot of "drives" We have a crew of about 8-10 hunters and during the mid day we have about 1/2 the guys "post" on a trail or at the edge of a woods and the other guys line up and move toward the posters trying to "drive" the deer to them. When a deer jumps up out of a thicket it can almost be like "bird" hunting.....you gotta swing fast or the opportunity is gone in a couple seconds. I have a little 308 bar stalker set up with a low powered scope (1.5-5x) sitting on top of "see through mount" that let me see the normal open sites. The back and front sights are both Williams "firesites" that glow and let you pick them up quickly. For me the set up is the best of both worlds. With my favortie handloads it will shoot MOA. The scope is perfect for sitting in early morning and late afternoon....the firesites are great for a close in "jumping shot". That little 20" barrel makes it real nice when driving out swamps and alder brush where you get the crap slapped out of your face and your hat gets knocked off your head a couple times every 100yds of the drive. We work pretty hard for the deer here in our area......we must be goofy.
Carrying a 26" magnum bolt action in these hunts is pretty clumsy but you see guys carrying them here in the brush too.