I have a friend who is just getting into hunting. He is dead set on getting a semi auto bernelli rifle. Wants to be able to pull the trigger and not have to pull the bolt. I'd like to hear from the you guys on here the pros and cons versus these two kinds of hunting rifles.
Bolt action vs Semi Auto
- Thread starter medic11
- Start date
I'll start I guess...
A few points...
Bolt: typically lighter, fewer parts, more simple to operate, usually more recoil than same caliber in a semi, slower follow up shots if required.
Semi: typically heavier, more complex, sometimes a little more complicated to learn to operate for new shooters, lighter recoil (see above), quicker follow up shots.
A few points...
Bolt: typically lighter, fewer parts, more simple to operate, usually more recoil than same caliber in a semi, slower follow up shots if required.
Semi: typically heavier, more complex, sometimes a little more complicated to learn to operate for new shooters, lighter recoil (see above), quicker follow up shots.
Bolt-action
Semi-automatic
Either choice is acceptable if the gun is of high quality except for long range hunting where the bolt-action superior accuracy makes all the difference.
Lower felt recoil of some semis is a huge and often forgotten advantage.
Alex
- very accurate
- durable
- low-maintenance
- lighter
Semi-automatic
- lower recoil
- extremely fast full-up shot
- less accurate but still adequate
- high-maintenance but still reasonable
- heavier
Either choice is acceptable if the gun is of high quality except for long range hunting where the bolt-action superior accuracy makes all the difference.
Lower felt recoil of some semis is a huge and often forgotten advantage.
Alex
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
IMO a serious hunting rifle should be as simple as possible.
Those speaking of recoil , well , when is the last time you felt recoil when shooting at an animal?
I simply look at it from a what could go wrong stand point.Especially if you are out in the muck and snow and something goes wrong.Easier to get a bolt action up and running than a semi if something happens.
Gotta remember though this is coming from a guy who has a phobia of command starts, cell phones and power windows.
Those speaking of recoil , well , when is the last time you felt recoil when shooting at an animal?
I simply look at it from a what could go wrong stand point.Especially if you are out in the muck and snow and something goes wrong.Easier to get a bolt action up and running than a semi if something happens.
Gotta remember though this is coming from a guy who has a phobia of command starts, cell phones and power windows.
burnt_servo
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- right in the middle of b.c.
the bigest draw back to using a semi auto for hunting .......
what happens if , for what ever reason , you get a round jammed in the chamber right when you desperately need the gun to go "BANG " ......... it does happen .
i've seen semiauto's rip the rim right off a fired round .
this is probally not a real issue if you hunting deer or something else that would have a hard time stomping you to death ........... but what if it jams when your nose to nose with a grizz ?
at least with a bolt action you can beat on the bolt ( gently of course ) and unjam it alot easier than any other rifle type
bolt actions are much less finicky .
i also like having large capacity mags in any of my rifles ....... i'd rather have 10 rounds in the bolt / lever rifle than 5 in the semi auto rifle and another 5 in a pocket somewhere ( and maybe growing legs and disapearing )
with that said , bernelli ( and browning ) make some very ###y semiauto's ..... and if browning offered their rifles in 9.3x62 i would have a extreemly hard time resisting buying one
what happens if , for what ever reason , you get a round jammed in the chamber right when you desperately need the gun to go "BANG " ......... it does happen .
i've seen semiauto's rip the rim right off a fired round .
this is probally not a real issue if you hunting deer or something else that would have a hard time stomping you to death ........... but what if it jams when your nose to nose with a grizz ?
at least with a bolt action you can beat on the bolt ( gently of course ) and unjam it alot easier than any other rifle type
bolt actions are much less finicky .
i also like having large capacity mags in any of my rifles ....... i'd rather have 10 rounds in the bolt / lever rifle than 5 in the semi auto rifle and another 5 in a pocket somewhere ( and maybe growing legs and disapearing )
with that said , bernelli ( and browning ) make some very ###y semiauto's ..... and if browning offered their rifles in 9.3x62 i would have a extreemly hard time resisting buying one
nomad 68
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
As the owner of both, i say bolt over semi hands down.Bolt is more accurate and far less maintainence.Semi auto's can be more tempermental than a woman.You can't use the hot premium ammo in them.Besides,unless your a terrible shot,you shouldn't need all those rapid follow up shots.I'd take a pump or lever over a semi IMHO.
Where are you, and what type of hunting do you do????
I like a Pump as my first choice, and a Semi as a close second for deer hunting..We do alot of deer drives with dogs, and a quick follow up shot is often required...I have never been able to bolt or lever a rifle, and get back on target quick enough for this type of hunting.
The Benelli is a good choice, as is Browning(never had a jam)..Avoid Remington at all costs..
I like a Pump as my first choice, and a Semi as a close second for deer hunting..We do alot of deer drives with dogs, and a quick follow up shot is often required...I have never been able to bolt or lever a rifle, and get back on target quick enough for this type of hunting.
The Benelli is a good choice, as is Browning(never had a jam)..Avoid Remington at all costs..
- Location
- Niagara Region, Ontario. For now
Only reason for the semi would be stalking in heavy bush and then I'd be looking at a small short gun like the Mini 30, definitely not the Benelli.
Other than that I see no advantage other than slightly quicker follow up shots.
You can also get a very accurate good quality bolt gun for much less than you will pay for the semi.
The most important thing in all of this is going to be scope choice anyways.
Just don't let him go buy something cheap for glass, or high powered on the semi.
Those quick follow up shots mean nothing when u can't find the running animal in your scope!
Other than that I see no advantage other than slightly quicker follow up shots.
You can also get a very accurate good quality bolt gun for much less than you will pay for the semi.
The most important thing in all of this is going to be scope choice anyways.
Just don't let him go buy something cheap for glass, or high powered on the semi.
Those quick follow up shots mean nothing when u can't find the running animal in your scope!
For quick follow up shots you just can't beat a semi-auto... I've used a browning BAR for about 20 years along with bolt action guns and I've never had the BAR jam when shooting at game. I have had a Remington 700 not fire on an extremely cold Nov. deer hunt though. The bolt guns are more accurate but for hunting game the semi seems to be accurate enough and with the quick follow ups there has certainly been game shot that the bolt gun wouldn't have had a chance at.
Both are fun and I guess it really depend what the hunting conditions are.
Both are fun and I guess it really depend what the hunting conditions are.
I see the accuracy argument come up in most repies...If the shooting is 200yds or so the difference in accuracy when shooting at 10'' vital zone is a mute point IMO..Even less when shooting off hand under 100yds.
When I am in a stand, I often take my Ruger #1, or a bolt gun, where I know I won't need a follow up shot...When shooting at a moving target or shooting off hand I like the option of having a fast follow up shot ready to go whether I need it or not.
When I am in a stand, I often take my Ruger #1, or a bolt gun, where I know I won't need a follow up shot...When shooting at a moving target or shooting off hand I like the option of having a fast follow up shot ready to go whether I need it or not.
I owned a BAR MarkII that jammed twice in cold ,wet weather. In the first instance, a second shot wasn't required, but in the second instance, it prevented a friend from getting a follow up shot on a moose, after his first shot hit a branch. In both cases the rifle was properly maintained, but the conditions were more extreme than the action could deal with.
Sure do...1st, 2nd, and 3rd...More than one deer at a time come out of a drive sometimes..I have taked quite a number of doulbes, and a couple triples.Thanks to the quick follow up shots from my pump gun...
I witnessed my uncle take 7 deer with 9 shots that had a dogs on them on one drive...Not with a bolt gun I might add.
IMHO it's an outstanding rifle, I had the 300win mag in the wood stock. It's a well designed rifle with an efficient gas system that ate up the recoil quite nicely.
I regret having to sell mine a few years ago (new baby girl arrived). I want to get another Benelli R1 someday.
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I own semi's...sold my Browning BAR, only because it looked too damn nice to scratch in the bush.
I am split with the semi versus the bolt. Right now I own a M14 and a Ruger mini 14 semi and several bolt guns.
The semi is heavy and provides a quick followup if needed. In all honesty, I only needed the quick followup because my bolt action was too long and I had to re-acquire the target in the scope after removing my face from the stock. With my m14, I do not have to reacquire entirely. The same went for the BAR.
The BAR and my M14 have never had a misfire or stovepipe. My bolt guns are a little lighter to carry.
Perhaps the best reason for my leaning preference to a bolt is that they are inherently more accurate and safer to carry. They are also much quieter to load a round than a semi. Lost a coyote to the "clack" of chambering a round (I do not practice carrying a semi auto rifle with a round in the pipe, regardless as to how safe they are). Bolt guns are inherently more safer in my opinion and one can have an open bolt with a round in the chamber for that final call or stalk.
I am split with the semi versus the bolt. Right now I own a M14 and a Ruger mini 14 semi and several bolt guns.
The semi is heavy and provides a quick followup if needed. In all honesty, I only needed the quick followup because my bolt action was too long and I had to re-acquire the target in the scope after removing my face from the stock. With my m14, I do not have to reacquire entirely. The same went for the BAR.
The BAR and my M14 have never had a misfire or stovepipe. My bolt guns are a little lighter to carry.
Perhaps the best reason for my leaning preference to a bolt is that they are inherently more accurate and safer to carry. They are also much quieter to load a round than a semi. Lost a coyote to the "clack" of chambering a round (I do not practice carrying a semi auto rifle with a round in the pipe, regardless as to how safe they are). Bolt guns are inherently more safer in my opinion and one can have an open bolt with a round in the chamber for that final call or stalk.
