Weapon: RRA M4-gery
Sights: Aimpoint ML2 co-witnessed w/ BUIS
Ammo: Q3131A 55gr fmj
Zero: 50/250yards IBZ
Backup sidearm: Sig P226 Sport Stock loaded w/ fmj
Field Optics: Bushnell Laser Range Finder & compact binocs.
Camera: Canon SLR Digital

I & a friend went on two different hunts on Friday morning and Saturday morning. We have a friend that owns a chicken ranch (hundreds of thousands of chickens) in east Texas, and he's being having hogs problems trying to get in the chicken house. He's not into guns, so we offered our service for free

Arrived @ his ranch early morning Friday, glassed/spot & stalk the area where hogs might be, and after 3.5 hours, I saw a sow (lasered in @ 67yards). Couldn't knee to get a support shot due to branches/foliage blockage, so decided to stand & shoot. She was facing me w/ slight angle, so it'll be an almost frontal shot. Put the red-dot on near center mass, gently squeezed one off... Boom.
Bullet struck @ left neck, and traversed thru heart/lung zone & fragmented in intestine. No exit wound. She bolted off w/ a slight injured sprint into the covers. There was NO blood trail due to no exit wound, but we found her about 25 yards from where she hit.  She approx. weighed about 140#.
We field dressed her (it was a mess since I am not good at this part of the hunt ), it was so messy, I decided not to get my camera dirty w/ blood to take internal damage pictures. Heart & lung was a bloody soop, bullet must have fragmented well.

A couple of hours later, my friend spotted a boar ( approx. weight was about 170# guesstimated from size), lasered in @ 49yards, a perfect broad size shot. Using my AR, he kneed, pop one off, boar took off quick. We have blood trail for the 1st 20 feet and disappeared after that. We looked for him for an hour to no avail, so we decided he's gone  It was getting hot in the day, so we decided to head home, cause we're worn out, and I've already booked a doe meat deer hunt Saturday morning.

Early morning Saturday, arrived @ hunting ranch, we're the only hunters for today, so we have the thousands of acres to ourselves. We decided to spot & stalk instead of staying in a stand. I am the only shooter from my group. After 2 hours of walking & glassing the terrain, we spotted a Fallow doe on the opposite side of an open pasture, thick cover behind her. She lasered in @ 93yards (within fragmentation range of the Q3131A from 16" barrel), but still, this must be a well placed shot.

I set my ass flat on the ground, left knee up for support, she was about 45deg frontal shot/broad side. Waited for a couple minutes for her to turn full broad side, but sometime deers just stand still like their statues. Decided to take the shot, put the red dot @ center mass & hope for the best
Gently let one off, BOOM, bullet struck @ off centered chest, traveled thru heart/lung & ended opposide of ribs, behind the shoulders. No exit wound, no blood trail. She took off running in the covers, and we recovered her layed dead about 30 yards away from where she stood. She approx. weighed about 150#, good size doe.
Upon dressing & quartering, entry wound was about .223 size, no exit wound so not worth taking pictures. Bullet framented well in internals.

Saw two squirrels playing 32yards away, waited one to be in front & second one behind, pop one round off, two dead squirrels

If you would like to see pics of internal damage of Q3131A, please see my previous hog hunt HERE

Turn on the grill & smoker

Wow, I had no idea there were no restrictions on exotics in Texas until today.  Learn something every day!

Thanks for the post!

I don't know about the tree rat, but the hog and doe looks good in my book!!!
A 20" and ACOG wouldn't be fair from close ranges. You close well on these beasts.

Nice and thanks.

HS1

U're welcome, some situations I wished I had a zoom power optic on my flattop for longer range. But then I'll be sacrificing fast & close encounters.

I dont mean to be the asshat in this thread, but why were you hunting with ammo that you almost know isnt going to leave an exit wound and would fragment inside?  You want to harvest as much meat as possible right?  And if your shot doesnt drop them on the spot you would like to have a blood trail.  Just wondering...

Quoted: I dont mean to be the asshat in this thread, but why were you hunting with ammo that you almost know isnt going to leave an exit wound and would fragment inside?  You want to harvest as much meat as possible right?  And if your shot doesnt drop them on the spot you would like to have a blood trail.  Just wondering...

Q3131A will exit & have blood trail if shot broad side, see my previous review on the ammo on the 200# boar. Fragmentation effect will put down your game if placed properly, and do you think 62gr soft point will exit if it enters the front, thru lungs, thru instestin & out the butt ?  I don't think so.

I do harvest as much meat as possible, but I don't eat heart/lungs & intestines.
Both animals have their front shoulders, hind thigh legs and ribs in undamaged condittions. So, no I did not destroy any of the eating meat portions.

Hunting w/ 5.56/.223 is know to know yours & the ammo's limitations.

Let's not make this into a thread about how 5.56/.223 is not good enough to hunt anything besides varmints.

I Dont see any reason not to hunt with an AR, was just wondering why the selection of ammo is all.

Quoted: I Dont see any reason not to hunt with an AR, was just wondering why the selection of ammo is all.

.223 soft point will penetrate a tad better than Q3131A, but it will not do internal temporary stretch cavity damage like the Q3131A, so it may have better blood trail, but your game may run much further. A mushroomed soft point is not much bigger than .223, so I guess that's why I prefer Q3131A over soft points. I make sure I don't aim @ shoulders & thighs cause Q3131A will destroy most of the meat.

If the hunter limits his shots to the 5.56 limitations, then he'll be fine... and the key is shot placement. Heck, I've seen a deer hit w/ a .308 thru heart & lung and ran atleast 90 yards...

The next time some liberal is quoted in some news article talking about how guns like ours have no legitimate purpose, arent used for hunting, and are designed to hurt people, I'd love to see a link to this thread....a .223 bullet is what it is, regardless of whether it flies out of bolt action or an AR...... good hunting!!!

Hunting w/ 5.56/.223 is know to know yours & the ammo's limitations.

Couldn't have said this better myself

Quoted: [...] but I don't eat heart/lungs & intestines.

Mmmmm...boy, I sure do like's me some hearts and lungs and innards!!

Quoted: Mmmmm...boy, I sure do like's me some hearts and lungs and innards!!

Funny thing, my mother in law is hard core Chinese delicacy chef and she always tells me to bring home all internal organs intact, but I never do ... Don't want that stuff served on a dish

Thanks Macro

What is the butt stock you have on the RRA ??? Is your barrel 16 inches or 14.5 inches with the recoil compensator ??? Is the barrel chrome lined ??? How do you like the rifle.....Dependable ??? Thanks.......Mike......

Very nice write up and pictures. Well done.

Is there any chance that you watched that "The Ring" movie is there ?

Quoted: Quoted: Mmmmm...boy, I sure do like's me some hearts and lungs and innards!! Funny thing, my mother in law is hard core Chinese delicacy chef and she always tells me to bring home all internal organs intact, but I never do ... Don't want that stuff served on a dish Thanks Macro

Not to be an ass...


But ya got a sister who likes to shoot and cook?    Say 21-26 years old?

Brouhaha: Canon D30 EOS, 3.5 megs, great camera, takes any 35mm lens.

ArmIkeFmj:
Stock: Ace Entry model
Barrel: 16" non-chrome w/ RRA muzzle brake
This is my 1st AR within 3 months ago, learned about ARs from reading threads on this forum, Thx guys.  100% reliable after 600+rds thru it. This is my new love when hunting, my bolt rifle & hand canons stays in the safe

Thx SkiandShoot.

UglyGun:
My wife do have good looking sisters but they're all married

My wife of 13 years & with my 5 months old daughter, she requested that I don't hunt that much anymore, but spend more quality time w/ wife & daughter ... So I can only hunt on special holidays for barbeques, i.e.  Memorial, July4th, LaborDay, ThanksGV, Christmas, ect...  She's very understanding, I used to hunt every month. Damn, someone has to provide the in-laws wild games to cook up

Spend more quality @ home w/ gorgeous wife & beautiful daughter, or w/ Texas hogs & deers



I am also considering getting an DPMS or Armalite AR10-308 or Springfield M1A Socom for those long distance shot, cause the 5.56mm w/ aimpoint is not going to cut it for 100+yards on hogs & deers. My 26" bull barrel 308Win bolt rifle is not much fun anymore once I've played w/ semi-auto rifles ... Joys of black evil rifles

Quoted: Brouhaha: Canon D30 EOS, 3.5 megs, great camera, takes any 35mm lens. ArmIkeFmj: Stock: Ace Entry model Barrel: 16" non-chrome w/ RRA muzzle brake This is my 1st AR within 3 months ago, learned about ARs from reading threads on this forum, Thx guys. hru Thx SkiandShoot. UglyGun: My wife do have good looking sisters but they're all married h Spend more quality @ home w/ gorgeous wife & beautiful daughter, or w/ Texas hogs & deers href=img14.photobucket.com/albums/v43/5906TswBaby/Ar15HogHunt/LienFelicity.jpg I am also considering getting an DPMS or Armalite AR10-308 or Springfield M1A Socom for those long distance shot, cause the 5.56mm w/ aimpoint is not going to cut it for 100+yards on hogs & deers. My 26" bull barrel 308Win bolt rifle is not much fun anymore once I've played w/ semi-auto rifles ... Joys of black evil rifles hr

You have a great family there, your daughter is a cutie!  You're gonna have to keep an eye on her when she starts bringing boys home.    hite.

Congratulations on your successful hunt, and thanks also for posting all the useful info.

Thx Spr, I told my wife I'll keep the boys she'll bring home in line by showing my gun collection & acting a tad bit crazy

Quoted: Congratulations on your successful hunt, and thanks also for posting all the useful info.

Thanks, I know I always love good hunting stories & ammo's effectiveness, and since I learned so much here on this forum, I like to contribute back also...

I'm a 6ft 4in tall redneck who's got a bit of a thing for asian womenz.

Had the hots for a gal in highschool who was 1st generation in the US after her parents came over from china, tall even.    Super fine!

Now I can't go 2 steps without a double take even with the more petite gals.

AR15 kittykat  .... I also have a RRA rifle but it has the 14.5 inch M4 contour barrel with 1.5 inch recoil compensator attached. I just love the look of your stock. Is it much lighter than an A2 buttstock ??? Where did you get it and for how much ??? Thanks for the great story and photos...Mike

I joined this site some 2 years ago.  Don't post much. (only 3 times that I remember.)  Thought I would start being more active.  I agree with shot placement being the key. I used to have a Mini-14 with 6x scope.  Not that accurate but my son at age 9 killed his first 2 deer at 50 and 90 yards.  After being around family who had AR-15's and seeing how much more accurate they were (old M-16 wasn't that great)  I sold the ruger and bought a BM 16" shorty.  With it and a good 2.5x10 scope I, my son, and daughter have taken deer out to 150 yards with factory 55 grain and handloads(balistic tip).
A lot of these shots were neck shots that droped the deer in place.  Others were broad side, lun and heart, and the deer ran no more than 40 yards each time.  We practice several times a year.  My daughter can hit poker chips at 100 yards regularly.  She's 13 and been shooting 3 years now.

Quoted: AR15 kittykat  .... I also have a RRA rifle but it has the 14.5 inch M4 contour barrel with 1.5 inch recoil compensator attached. I just love the look of your stock. Is it much lighter than an A2 buttstock ??? Where did you get it and for how much ??? Thanks for the great story and photos...Mike

Mine is also M4 contoured, didn't know RRA offered 14.5" w/ 1.5" muzzle brake. I ordered mine in pieces w/o stock so can't compare stock weight. Ace entry (CQB) model stock is very light, solid and tough, and cheek foam is very comfortable. They also offer longer and other versions of cool stocks, their website is www.riflestocks.com, you can order it there or from many vendors on this forum.

Quoted: ... A lot of these shots were neck shots that droped the deer in place.  Others were broad side, lun and heart, and the deer ran no more than 40 yards each time...

I totally agree, head & neck shot would drop em where they stand, heart & lung zone, they would run tad bit of distance.

Awesome.  I have a thread rolling on XM193 vs Mule Deer, you should go over there and post.  Your hunting proves that within frag range M193 spec ammo is absolutely adaquate.  Awesome.

AR15kittykat.... Here is a photo of my RRA M-4 w/ scope. I wish I had the longer barrel like you got.........LOL....want to trade..........I didn't know they had the longer one......http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//500/24371RRAM4-med.jpg
These RRA rifles are accurate. I get 1 MOA all day long.......Mike......

Quoted: Awesome.  I have a thread rolling on XM193 vs Mule Deer, you should go over there and post.  Your hunting proves that within frag range M193 spec ammo is absolutely adaquate.  Awesome.

I've read your rolling thread, and haven't chimed in... I might just do that.

ArmMikeFmj:
I also considered 14.5" from BM, barely looks shorter than 16", and you do lose some velocity, so I decided to get the 16" since I like a longer fragmentation range for hunting.

Good shootin....but that's not a Fallow deer, its an Axis deer.

Quoted: Good shootin....but that's not a Fallow deer, its an Axis deer.

Thx, come to think of it, both Fallow & Axis deers have white dots, how can you tell the difference ?

Quoted: I also considered 14.5" from BM, barely looks shorter than 16", .

With the AK brake it's actually longer (by almost an inch).

To use a 14.5" barrel w/o a long muzzle device (to bring it up to 16") you have to get a tax stamp for an SBR.  Not worth it for hunting - you did good choosing the 16".

Quoted: To use a 14.5" barrel w/o a long muzzle device (to bring it up to 16") you have to get a tax stamp for an SBR.  Not worth it for hunting - you did good choosing the 16".

When I was building my AR, I was the one asking advices on SBR 11.5" barrel , after learning it practically has no fragmentation range, the hogs would laugh at me for just punching a .22 holes in them   So 16" is a compromise for compactness & frag. range.