Will a semi-auto get you more game than a bolt-action?

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Picher

Picher

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I think it could, provided the user is as good a shot on both still and running game as a bolt, lever, or pump hunter. That doesn't mean that the average "Gravel Pit Master" can fully take advantage of the firepower afforded by a semi-auto. Why? I think that many semi-auto hunters tend to shoot the first shot before they are on-target for a quick kill, especially on running game! Each shot after the first one is usually a worse situation than that first shot, so that first opportunity should be delayed until the sight picture is as good as it will probably get.

The first deer I ever shot was running across a big field, after being shot-at by another hunter. I took my rifle out of the car, loaded one round, then leaned on an object and fired as it topped a ridge in a hayfield, 200 yards away. It went down dead. That was about 55 years ago, when in my early 20s.

Since then, I've killed several running deer, and yes, missed a few, but rarely (if ever) wounded any to have them escape to die a horrible death. A few times, I've mentioned my favorite, shot left-handed from a tree stand, but all of them that I hit were done with a bolt-action. I've missed with handguns and a shotgun with slugs and think that a bolt-action might have gotten those critters because I'd have been more deliberate because I may have had only one decent opportunity, and would have used greater care.

JP
 
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I for one would never take a shot at any running game unless I was using a shotgun. If you've both hit and missed running game, that means you've also had several shots in-between where they were wounded. Where I grew up that's irresponsible hunting.
 
If you basing weather or not to take a shot on your guns action type, you need to reevaluate. I have shot a lot of deer with both bolt action and semi auto rifles and with single shot handguns and revolvers. Never did the action type make come into my decision to shoot or not. And yes I have shot running deer, and several coyotes.
 
I'd bet that depending on your conditions or terrain, a semi or quick repeater can make a difference in coming back with venison or not. When we're out in western KS I still hunt draws and gullys mid-day where jump shots on bedded deer occur frequently. I still use a bolt gun, just a lighter, compact rifle with a lower magnification optic.

Normally based on my terrain; open to semi open, vast majority of deer are killed stationary, browsing, slow gate, action type doesn't play a major role in success.
 
Assuming your own marksman ship is up to the rifles ability, bolt actions are considered more accurate than semi autos, pumps or lever actions. So inherently I’d yes as a semi auto gives you the follow up shot with out any interaction from the shooter.
 
Running shots are tough, but not impossible. With practice they become much like shotgunning for flying critters. You figure out with muscle memory where the critter will be and fire with a lead and the critter dies. With rifles and running game you add in a level of difficulty for having a single projectile and then another level of difficulty in game bounding along. Always fire when the animal is on its way down, gravity keeps that part pretty constant, the critter changes when and where it goes back up.
 
I've only used bolt or lever rifles for hunting, and it's pretty rare that I need more than two shots. Usually it just takes one. That's just my experience hunting mostly deer and elk in the western US. I wouldn't be opposed to a semiautomatic hunting rifle but I'm not going to spend any money to get one because my hunting rifle needs are well covered with what I currently own.
 
I'm a bolt action fan first then lever actions. I feel that the first shot is the important one. A follow up shot with either the bolt or lever is fast enough in practiced hands.

Never liked the spray and pray mind set that a semi automatic can induce.

Jeff
 
I definitely like having a semi-auto for some hunting. Got into a mess of Armadillo's a few months ago and one or two of them would have gotten away if not for the fast followup shot allowed by a semi-auto. I agree an unseasoned hunter can be tempted into the "spray and pray" method by a semi-auto, especially one with a larger magazine, but for the experience hunter it can, on rare occasions, be the difference between a clean kill and a lost harvest.
 
I can say with certainty, I’ve been able to capitalize upon the speed of semiautos to harvest more game in multiple instances.

I started hunting coyotes with a bolt gun 30 years ago. I built my first AR 20 years ago for Service Rifle competition, and inevitably, I tried it for coyote hunting. I had knocked down a handful of doubles with a stickshifter in as many years before I picked up the semiauto, so I THOUGHT I was good at converting on the run-away shot. Once I started with the AR, I shot as many doubles in one season as I ever had - total - before, and I started laying down TRIPLES as often as I had previously taken doubles which I had never even attempted previously with a bolt gun.

In those early days, KS allowed up to 9 deer per hunter, and throughout HS and college, I would fill all of my tags to fill my freezer. I had a few ambush spots and a few drives where I could push deer out onto winter wheat which stretched a half mile. I laid down multiple doubles, both with a bolt gun and with semiautos over those spots - even designed my sets with visibility of that escape path in mind to let me fill another tag.

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Triggers don’t make guns fire, fingers do. “Spraying and praying” is a discipline problem, not a mechanical issue. I recognize some folks do willingly choose to make poor decisions in their lives, lie, cheat, steal, do drugs, but a mechanical opportunity never told someone to shoot faster.
 
I think it could in certain situations and I've been in a few. Or at least, I've been in a few that required fast work and multiple shots. Americans tend to have this weird thing about ONLY taking a single shot at a still critter. In the video jmorris posted above, that is clearly not the only way to skin a cat, or hog as it were. I have to disagree with the rhetoric above and that which will assuredly follow, shooting moving game is a matter of skill, not ethics. Years ago, we were constantly culling rabbits in orange groves. One of my favorite tools of choice was a Winchester 94/22. I hadn't even realized the skill I had developed with the levergun until I just reacted when presented with two does and popped both. The first was still and took a shot between the ears. The second was not seen until the first shot and was moving when I put one through both shoulders. Those I was hunting with thought it was somebody else with an automatic, the two shots were so close together. The two water buffalo I took two years ago were also both running when the shots were fired. So was the blackbuck I took last year. A lot of it depends on how you're hunting.
 
Firepower has always been the selling point of semi auto's. But why stop there? How about a mini gun?

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If the game warden would just allow us to use fully automatic weapons, and they don't have to be 20mm machine cannon, then hunting would be so much more interesting, why it would be just like a video game! As the song goes, the hills would be alive with the sounds of gunfire! (maybe the lyrics are a little off!) :eek:

There is no doubt that a second shot for a semi auto is quicker than for a bolt or a lever. But how many people practice shooting at running game? How many of those running shots connect with the animal, or simply go whizzing off into parts unknown?
 
Slamfire said:
Firepower has always been the selling point of semi auto's. But why stop there? How about a mini gun?

View attachment 904925

View attachment 904926

If the game warden would just allow us to use fully automatic weapons, and they don't have to be 20mm machine cannon, then hunting would be so much more interesting, why it would be just like a video game! As the song goes, the hills would be alive with the sounds of gunfire! (maybe the lyrics are a little off!) :eek:

There is no doubt that a second shot for a semi auto is quicker than for a bolt or a lever. But how many people practice shooting at running game? How many of those running shots connect with the animal, or simply go whizzing off into parts unknown?
Click to expand...

Brother and I use to tape simple targets across the open center of old tires and role them down a bumpy hill and shooting at them to practice. It does a half decent job at mimicking a bounding deer if the bumps are right and the hill steep enough. I have shot a few deer and other critters on the run. Head shot a running armadillo a few weeks ago. Missed him on the first shot as he zig when I zag but on the fast follow up shot we both zig and he got a 220gr Maker Rex in the right ear.
 
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Like anything else, it depends more on the hunter holding the rifle than whether it is semi or bolt or single shot. You hear the same thing with the archery crowd when they talk about crossbows, it’s too easy now and the same as a rifle..... Not true, but people tend to have issue with someone hunting different than how they do it, “the right way”.

Being a better hunter and spending more time in the woods will get you more game. You can miss with bolt actions the same as semi. A semi auto can allow you to miss faster, or potentially take more game. A semi auto in the hands of a skilled shooter is going to be faster if you are going for multiple targets.

I’ve noticed when I am out during deer season, if I hear one shot I am fairly confident they got a deer. If I hear two shots maybe, but a smaller chance. If I hear them empty the gun, more times than not the animal is long gone. If you can’t hit an animal standing still, how can you expect to hit it doing a full sprint bounding 6 feet in the air?

Depending on my mood, I hunt with everything from an AR in .277 Wolverine, bolt action 30-06, 50 cal muzzleloader, to a bow. It is all good, and can depend on the terrain what makes the most sense. I never feel like I have a particular advantage or handicap hunting with one rifle or another based on action type.
 
Varminterror said:
I can say with certainty, I’ve been able to capitalize upon the speed of semiautos to harvest more game in multiple instances.

I started hunting coyotes with a bolt gun 30 years ago. I built my first AR 20 years ago for Service Rifle competition, and inevitably, I tried it for coyote hunting. I had knocked down a handful of doubles with a stickshifter in as many years before I picked up the semiauto, so I THOUGHT I was good at converting on the run-away shot. Once I started with the AR, I shot as many doubles in one season as I ever had - total - before, and I started laying down TRIPLES as often as I had previously taken doubles which I had never even attempted previously with a bolt gun.

In those early days, KS allowed up to 9 deer per hunter, and throughout HS and college, I would fill all of my tags to fill my freezer. I had a few ambush spots and a few drives where I could push deer out onto winter wheat which stretched a half mile. I laid down multiple doubles, both with a bolt gun and with semiautos over those spots - even designed my sets with visibility of that escape path in mind to let me fill another tag.

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Triggers don’t make guns fire, fingers do. “Spraying and praying” is a discipline problem, not a mechanical issue. I recognize some folks do willingly choose to make poor decisions in their lives, lie, cheat, steal, do drugs, but a mechanical opportunity never told someone to shoot faster.
Click to expand...
I agree that the gun does not fire unless the trigger is pulled and semi autos do have a place. I have experienced seeing other hunters shoot fast and miss faster. I have hunted with semi autos and did not see the same results that you have by killing more ducks or upland game than I have with a good o/u or pump. I do like the follow up shots that come with lever, pumps, bolts, and semi autos that you don't have with a single shot. That said single shots will make you focus on making a good shot.
 
I have had one situation big game hunting where having a semi auto meant I got my deer, when a bolt gun probably would have meant an empty freezer. It was a surprise meeting with the deer at less than 6 feet and the first shot hit a massive stick between us. Who would of known that scotch broom could double as body armor. I immediately stood a little taller and let the next one go, then broke out my butcher stuff.

Small game is different, semi autos can commonly help there over bolt guns, but a levergun is right up there too.

A minigun is a bit slower for a meat hunter....
 
I hunt exclusively with a bolt gun now days but I've used a semi auto some in the past. And I have doubled and even tripled down on deer a few times. Back when I had little time off, this helped.

I Prairie Dog hunt with a buddy that shoots an AR. He can make multiple kills on the same mound while I'm cranking a bolt. I made him buy a brass catcher because he was beating up my truck! He also works on his rifle more than I do to keep it running.

But to each his own.
 
WisBorn said:
That said single shots will make you focus on making a good shot.
Click to expand...

This is a false construct.

There is absolutely nothing inherent to the design of a single-shot which does ANYTHING but fire a bullet. The mechanical device cannot and does not force any enhanced focus or prevent any reduced diligence. If a person is willing to take a sub-optimal shot, the mechanical device in their hands won’t change that.

It is true that reloading a single shot is slower than the self-loading action of a semiauto. But nothing about any of these designs forces anyone to be more or less responsible for their own actions.
 
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