Bolt Action vs Semi Auto?

Canadaman30 has something there. When I loaded the Voere, cranking a 30-06 round into the chamber sounds akin to a Browning M2 HMG chambering a live round. I swear every forest creature in the boreal forest from Fort Mac to Meadow Lake heard it and just knew I was hunting in thier backyard with that Voere rifle! :(
 
I grew up with BDL's. Still have several of them. My 7mm served me well for years of hunting.

Then I started getting better hunting gear, boots, clothes, gloves, knives, optics, and getting whatever could give me any advantage in the field (even laser eye surgery).

Thought I'd try semi-auto for the advantages over bolts (reduced recoil, no operator error, reload with shooting hand still in place, reload still looking through the scope)
Bought every semi I could find at the time (all 30-06 even though I had always hunted with a 7mm) . Browning BAR, Browning Longtrac, H&K 940, Rem 4,740,750, Benelli R1.

For that last 5 or so years I've hunted with the R1 and haven't looked back. I take the BDL's to the range to dust them off, but when it come time to hunt for keeps, I want every advantage I can have.

And now that I am a semi-auto hunter, my hunting techniques haven't changed at all, I still don't "spray & pray", but if a second shot is needed for multiple targets, I'm ready.

And the vid of the guy with the bolt shooting pigs was great, and he's a great shot, but I wonder how many he'd get if he had a semi? I doubt any less.
 
Drillbit said:
I grew up with BDL's. Still have several of them. My 7mm served me well for years of hunting.

Then I started getting better hunting gear, boots, clothes, gloves, knives, optics, and getting whatever could give me any advantage in the field (even laser eye surgery).

Thought I'd try semi-auto for the advantages over bolts (reduced recoil, no operator error, reload with shooting hand still in place, reload still looking through the scope)
Bought every semi I could find at the time (all 30-06 even though I had always hunted with a 7mm) . Browning BAR, Browning Longtrac, H&K 940, Rem 4,740,750, Benelli R1.

For that last 5 or so years I've hunted with the R1 and haven't looked back. I take the BDL's to the range to dust them off, but when it come time to hunt for keeps, I want every advantage I can have.

And now that I am a semi-auto hunter, my hunting techniques haven't changed at all, I still don't "spray & pray", but if a second shot is needed for multiple targets, I'm ready.

And the vid of the guy with the bolt shooting pigs was great, and he's a great shot, but I wonder how many he'd get if he had a semi? I doubt any less.
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Out of curiousity, why did you prefer to hunt with the Benelli R1 over the other semi auto rifles you have?
 
Tytalus said:
Out of curiousity, why did you prefer to hunt with the Benelli R1 over the other semi auto rifles you have?
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The Benelli has the best fit and feel for me, when I shoulder it, it's a perfect fit down the sightline. It shoots a horizontal group about 1.5" @100. - The mag is also a little tight to snap in. + Much easier to clean/maintain than all the others too. I put around 500 rounds per year through it.

The Longtrac and the Winchester SXR are close, close seconds (just realized I missed the sxr in the above post), they don't fit as good for me, but they are more accurate and the mags snap in easier. I converted my longtrac to the sxr fully detachable magazine system. Longtrac is up on the sxr cause it has a bolt release.

The H&K has a 25" barrel and was pretty heavy. Also, mine came with B-square base/rings because it needs a special claw base, and the b-square kept coming loose. The proper h&K base/ring set-up was 600 used. Anyway not accurate (probably from the cheap base set-up) and too long & clunky. Rolling block bolt was different to clean and destroyed brass.

Model 4 was good, 740 was good, 750 brand new still won't cycle (warranty issue). The fist 2 were ok but the mags are sticky to get in and out. Have to make sure they're in all the way or sometimes won't pick up a cartridge.

BAR was great, but I hate the magazine system (personal opinion). I've seen a couple guys I hunt with handle them pretty good and are fast on a mag change, but I never really gave it a chance. Also the few guys in the group have had their floor plates freeze shut in extreme weather hunting conditions. Very accurate rifles.

Anyways, never had any malfunction issues with any, but they have all been maintained a bit with G96. Hunt with several guys all with different semis and haven't had any function issues. Lots of cold weather hunting too. The 750 was a dud from the start. Has never cycled properly yet.
 
One more thing to think about is if you reload, do you want to be looking around for your brass after every shot? I haven't shot many centre fire semi auto rifles, but all the ones I have experience with throw the brass a good 15 or 20 feet. Fun for plinking, but not my choice for a hunting rifle.
Kristian
 
turbo_bird said:
One more thing to think about is if you reload, do you want to be looking around for your brass after every shot? I haven't shot many centre fire semi auto rifles, but all the ones I have experience with throw the brass a good 15 or 20 feet. Fun for plinking, but not my choice for a hunting rifle.
Kristian
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Yep, you're going to leave evidence at "the scene".

I'm by all means not rich, but if I lose a few pieces of brass in the snow, I don't lose any sleep. Brass price is pretty minimal compared to the many other expenses of hunting.
 
turbo_bird said:
One more thing to think about is if you reload, do you want to be looking around for your brass after every shot? I haven't shot many centre fire semi auto rifles, but all the ones I have experience with throw the brass a good 15 or 20 feet. Fun for plinking, but not my choice for a hunting rifle.
Kristian
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Non-issue issue IMO.

Myself for the few times one would be actually shooting a deer at a time, who cares really? Especially with a calibre as common as the 30-06.
 
I am a big fan of SA for hunting.. Ill make all I can to make my first shot count... But I like to know that I don't have to worry about cocking the bolt for the next one if I need it for whatever reason
 
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