Thread: Why semiautos

So a question, what would be your reasons for using a semiautomatic for hunting or pest control over a bolt action.
The only ones I can think of are for pest control as in a target rich environment you can transition quickly between targets, you can rapidly follow up on misses especially as often your shooting position is less than ideal.
Can anyone add anything else to the mix feel free to think centrefire as well as rimfire.

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

Bullshit!

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

Disagree. I carried my AR15 into the bush often enough looking for deer.

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

Well I used mine for hunting - or did I misread your comment?

was hunting not a "sport"

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

According to the police.

If you value any of the manure those idiots at PNHQ spill...

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

Interesting if that was the original intention, if so, why are they banned when B cat is not?

I got E cat entirely for pest control, no affiliation to any sport shooting club. I was actually a bit surprised that once I had E I could then use the rifle anywhere, I had expected to be limited to using it for pest control purposes only, as this is what I applied for.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

The only ones I can think of are for pest control as in a target rich environment you can transition quickly between targets, you can rapidly follow up on misses especially as often your shooting position is less than ideal..

Not something I would admit to animal rights people, but a large mag semi auto allows you to put 'holding' shots into animals, you may have only a 3 second window to knock down 20+ goats in bush, in 3 seconds you can empty half a 30rd mag into a mob of goats at close range, you don't have to use perfect kill shots every animal first shot, it's only a couple seconds until the kill shot takes them out.

Too many of the general population don't understand the difference between hunting (meat collection, one shot ideally should be plenty, very careful shot placement) and pest control where meat collection is not the primary purpose and you just want to cull as many as possible in shortest possible time. The difference is often very clear when hunters come shooting on the farm, they are often far too slow and methodical in taking a shot and we loose the target.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

Not something I would admit to animal rights people, but a large mag semi auto allows you to put 'holding' shots into animals, you may have only a 3 second window to knock down 20+ goats in bush, in 3 seconds you can empty half a 30rd mag into a mob of goats at close range, you don't have to use perfect kill shots every animal first shot, it's only a couple seconds until the kill shot takes them out.

Too many of the general population don't understand the difference between hunting (meat collection, one shot ideally should be plenty, very careful shot placement) and pest control where meat collection is not the primary purpose and you just want to cull as many as possible in shortest possible time. The difference is often very clear when hunters come shooting on the farm, they are often far too slow and methodical in taking a shot and we loose the target.

Yes, professionals have for many decades employed tactics and shooting techniques that wouldn’t be regarded as particularly ethical by your average meat or trophy hunter. Driving deer towards choke points with a shooter waiting in ambush; using immobilising shots to drop deer on the run; the list goes on. Clean one shot kills weren’t practical when cullers were dealing with big numbers, but most of them did their best to prevent any undue suffering. Agree that there’s a big difference between culling and hunting

My ar was my favourite rifle... Lefty so just made it easier... Liked being able to modify/customize to my liking and make it different to all the rest... great for pest control....easy and comfy to carry long distances with side mounted sling....and with the 22 bolt kit it's was walk in shooting goats,deer,pigs in day time with 223 , walk out at night with 22 kit in for possums. Now I have to carry two rifles to do the same walk.

Originally Posted by 7.62

Yes, professionals have for many decades employed tactics and shooting techniques that wouldn’t be regarded as particularly ethical by your average meat or trophy hunter. Driving deer towards choke points with a shooter waiting in ambush; using immobilising shots to drop deer on the run; the list goes on. Clean one shot kills weren’t practical when cullers were dealing with big numbers, but most of them did their best to prevent any undue suffering. Agree that there’s a big difference between culling and hunting

They did the same tactics and were effective with the old 303 as well. deep snow helped

Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

In your opinion?
Or based on law/fact that you would like to share?

My old MSSA Endorsement specifically listed hunting as a legitimate use to use my MSSAs. And I did.

So I guess its your opinion only.

And back to the OP's question.
I'm a leftie, but shoot rightie.
My son is a rightie, but shoots leftie.
Guess what is easier to use for the both of us? Bolt or Semi?
Its a no brainer.

Semi.

Originally Posted by dogmatix

In your opinion?
Or based on law/fact that you would like to share?

My old MSSA Endorsement specifically listed hunting as a legitimate use to use my MSSAs. And I did.

So I guess its your opinion only.

And back to the OP's question.
I'm a leftie, but shoot rightie.
My son is a rightie, but shoots leftie.
Guess what is easier to use for the both of us? Bolt or Semi?
Its a no brainer.

Semi.

He is right in a way. When E first come out you had to have a real legitimate purpose or you wouldn't get one. Definitely didn't get one for hunting unless for pest control/helicopter work.
It relaxed a bit early 2000s
I got only got mine because a cop did it for me after I flew him around on a police job with E cat firearms in the machine and he asked if I had my endorsement. I was using them for years without one so he sorted everything rather than charge me for it.

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Originally Posted by eamars

The old E(MSSA) was for sporting and competition only purpose. There is nothing about hunting.

There was with mine. I made sure of it.

AO was impressed how I covered all the bases and possible outcomes, including "any other shooting discipline I may decide to take up in the future"

Different strokes for different folks