[MA] .308 advice

[Mordecaidrake]

Hey all,

I'm not much of a hunter, but my father is, well used to be. As he gets up there in age I realize he's loosing time to get out there. I was thinking of getting picking up an AR style 308 so him and I could do some hunting. He's been itching to go and I think it would be a nice father/son bonding event. I come here for suggestions on an AR style 308, that I could use effectively as I love the AR style(have a S&W already, chambered in 556). Thanks in advance, I appreciate any and all feedback!

 

[browncoat]

What does he hunt, and where will he hunt it? 308 isn't going to be very useful for hunting in MA - the critters you can use a rifle on the 223 will work fine for.

 

[Mordecaidrake]

What does he hunt, and where will he hunt it? 308 isn't going to be very useful for hunting in MA - the critters you can use a rifle on the 223 will work fine for.

He hunted dear back in his day, so I was hoping to do the same with him.

 

[cockpitbob]

No rifles for deer in MA. Shotgun slugs, black powder, archery. I think NH, Maine & VT are all rifle states though.

 

[Mordecaidrake]

No rifles for deer in MA. Shotgun slugs, black powder, archery. I think NH, Maine & VT are all rifle states though.

Crap I didn't think of that, shows how much I know about hunting. We can do NH or Maine though, I'm licence (CCW) wise in both, and he is in Maine. He and my mother also own land up in Maine too, so we can hunt there for a real "guys weekend".

 

[white feather]

Doesn't NH limit mags to five rounds when hunting?

 

[MisterHappy]

Crap I didn't think of that, shows how much I know about hunting. We can do NH or Maine though, I'm licence (CCW) wise in both, and he is in Maine. He and my mother also own land up in Maine too, so we can hunt there for a real "guys weekend".

If you've never had a hunting license, you may need a Hunter Ed course to get one. Not sure of the license requirements in other states. In Mass, you need a license to hunt on land of another.

 

[browncoat]

Crap I didn't think of that, shows how much I know about hunting. We can do NH or Maine though, I'm licence (CCW) wise in both, and he is in Maine. He and my mother also own land up in Maine too, so we can hunt there for a real "guys weekend".

You can't always legally carry a handgun while hunting depending on the game laws and the seasons. You'll need a hunters ed course and looking through the hunting regs for the state you hunt in would be a good idea

 

[Mordecaidrake]

You can't always legally carry a handgun while hunting depending on the game laws and the seasons. You'll need a hunters ed course and looking through the hunting regs for the state you hunt in would be a good idea

Oh no doubt, I'd go through all the proper channels but was curious on a good rifle for it.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[whacko]

No rifles for deer in MA. Shotgun slugs, black powder, archery. I think NH, Maine & VT are all rifle states though.

In nh even the soutnern zones limit to shotgun only. Op.....just get a shotgun with a slug barrel.

 

[saber19]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/22...round-with-anti-tilt-follower-stainless-steel

option for 5, 10 and 20 rds

I'd recommend a S&W M&P 10 with a flat top receiver and a quality optic.

It all depends what you want to do with it however, a semi-auto .308 is a bit much for hunting when a bolt action in .308 will cut it, at a fraction of the price. If you really want a semi auto in .308 for other purposes as well as hunting then spend the $1500 for a quality semi .308. Its all about what you want to do, and as pointed out by earlier posters, what you CAN hunt with.

 

[Rockrivr1]

It all depends what you want to do with it however, a semi-auto .308 is a bit much for hunting when a bolt action in .308 will cut it, at a fraction of the price.

Having any AR-10 variant is a great rifle to have, but not for hunting. First thing, they are HEAVY. You are going to be in the field all day and lugging a 15+lb rifle is going to get old really fast. A lightweight bolt action made for hunting is the way to go here. If your dead set on getting a 308 AR I highly recommend a Rock River Arms LAR-8.

 

[browncoat]

In nh even the soutnern zones limit to shotgun only. Op.....just get a shotgun with a slug barrel.

A shotgun is going to be a more versatile choice in the northeast, but it may not be as fun for OP. Heck, if you are looking for a hunting rifle a savage bolt action for 2 or 3 hundred bucks will do just fine - but it's certainly not going to be nearly as cool. One advantage of the bolt action is that it will probably be a pound or two lighter. May not seem like much, but if you are going to be traipsing around the woods all day it might make a difference to your dad.

 

[Queen Bee]

Not all 308s are heavy.. the m&p 10 and the scar are 8lbs

 

[Rockrivr1]

Not all 308s are heavy.. the m&p 10 and the scar are 8lbs

Agreed as the rifle may weigh that. But after you add in base, rings, scope, mag, sling and ammo your probably looking closer to 15lbs then you are to 10lbs.

 

[joseph]

Come down to Georgia. You are allowed 2 bucks and 10 does. Can use any centerfire with scope, open sights and suppressors for hunting deer. Night vision for varmints and hogs. Pay less taxes, cheeper housing, nicer weather and most everything is new. Great trout fishing even in city and up to 60 pound stripers in the lakes. Lots of traffic around Atlanta though. OH, they claim there are 80,000 more single women then men in the metro Atlanta area. LOTS & LOTS of northerners have moved down here to. Like me.

I have hunted with a Browning Safari BAR in 30-06 so I didn't need a 308 AR so I got a 5.56 for fun.

 

[StevieP]

#1 father & son sign up for hunter ed class. Your ltc is 100% irrelevant.

#2. Get a Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle. 7.2lbs empty.

I have a .308AR and wouldn't want to lug it afield.

 

[hv55maxx]

mass AR308 i used this.

https://www.rainierarms.com/drd-tactical-g762-billet-lower-upper-hkg3-magwell-set-dpms

if you buy the rainier apex membership its about $100 off so you "make" $20 in the deal.

takes PTR/HK91 mags. pre bans cheaply readily available.

finished mine but havent test fired it yet since i have a 1 week old but ill get there eventually.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

If you really want the AR platform, 6.8 SPC makes for a good deer gun. That's what I have used in NH and ME. 5 rd mags are available. Jack.

 

[hbennett]

#1 father & son sign up for hunter ed class. Your ltc is 100% irrelevant.

#2. Get a Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle. 7.2lbs empty.

I have a .308AR and wouldn't want to lug it afield.

+1 on the Gunsite.. I own one and love it.. PLUS with a bolt-gun, unlike a semi-auto, what you feed it (within safety limits) doesn't matter.. can't say the same for a gas-operated rifle. Your dad can fire light loads or heavy, depending on what you're hunting, or how recoil sensitive he is. Also, the Gunsite has a THICK soft recoil pad, so shooting the .308 is not uncomfortable. AND it comes with spacers to change the length of pull, which allows you to fit the rifle to the shooter which is a huge plus for accurate shooting.
And, the scout is short, quick to the shoulder, and easy to carry, a plus for hunting. It's also very accurate for a short-barrel rifle.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Crap I didn't think of that, shows how much I know about hunting. We can do NH or Maine though, I'm licence (CCW) wise in both, and he is in Maine. He and my mother also own land up in Maine too, so we can hunt there for a real "guys weekend".

i

The only large game you can hunt with a rifle is black bear.

You can't always legally carry a handgun while hunting depending on the game laws and the seasons. You'll need a hunters ed course and looking through the hunting regs for the state you hunt in would be a good idea

You can also hunt black bear with a revolver .357 or larger.

Get yourr hunters Ed course done asap. They fill up really fast. Late summer and fall it is nearly impossible to get into a class.

If you can't get into a course here, they are free, you can take the Texas Online course but it isn't free. IIRC it is around $35.00. You are better off taking the course here as they cover the relevant laws that are specific to Mass and if th re is something that you don't understand you can ask a question.

Bob