How good is a 22 AR-15?

Question

With this shooting in Connecticut I thought it would be a good idea to ask about this before they try legislation on them. I have an assortment of parts and I am just missing a few things. I hunt squirrel and rabbit with an old 22 bolt action. The problem is that I got the gun after it's prime time and I have worn it down to a point that it is falling apart. I'm wondering how good a 22 AR-15 is for squirrel primarily. Are good for being in the brush shooting at squirrel? How well do they hold there accuracy? And would I be better off getting a regular 22 semi-automatic? 

I know lot of you are going to say pick the one that feels most comfortable to me but both are very comfortable. I have never shot an AR-15 in my life but I have healed them in my local gun shop. 

Also are there any advantages of an AR-15 over a regular long rifle?

Russ in NOVA · Accepted Answer

Do you mean a .22lr rifle that is made to look similar to an AR15, but is not really an AR15, or an AR15 in which the normal .223 upper is replaced with a .22lr upper?

IMO, the pistol grip style has no advantage when hunting unless you plan to clear a house of squirrels room by room.  If you want to squirrel hunt with a semi-auto rifle, get a Ruger 10/22.  Great value and pretty accurate out of the box.  You can do a lot more interesting things to accurize a 10/22 than you can do with any AR-like configuration, but if you really want to you can replace the stock to give a "tactical" appearance.

Anything that looks like an AR-15 is probably going to be very expensive for a while or hard to get.  The AR style ads little or not advantage while hunting.

Anonymous · Answer

.22lr AR15 type is stupid waste of money they don't outshoot a basic .22lr rifle like a Marlin 25 or a Savage 64. they are just more "tacticool"

the only reason you'd have a .22LR AR15 is if it's capable of accepting other uppers. the whole point of the AR15 is so that you cna swap uppers whenever you'd like, most .22LR AR15's have a special .22LR lower and not able to do that, defeating the only real reason to have an AR15. 

in general AR15 .22LR out of box isn't any better than a Ruger 10/22 or Marlin 795 out of box. maybe 2" accuracy at 50 yards, they're not tack drivers. AR15's really don't shoot better, so for that kind of money you might as well buy a top-of-the-line Savage Mark II BTVS or an entry level CZ 452. 

in general both 10/22 and AR15 .22lr requires a significant monetary investment before they start shooting as accurately as the average bolt action .22lr.

? · Answer

If you're set on an AR style rifle and you want it chambered in .22lr, I recommend the S&W 15-22. There are other AR type .22lr rifles made, but S&W got it right compared to the others. S&W's design is the closest one that copies the standard AR-15 platform.

I've had a 15-22 for a year and a half now, and it's been functioning with no problems.

Zakonye · Answer

Lots of companies make ARs in .22.  Some are better than others.

You need to make sure semi-autos are legal for hunting in your state (they are not in mine).

And honestly, I think the Ruger 10/22 is a better semi-auto .22

Mr.357 · Answer

I think a Ruger 10/22 would be much cheaper and probably work at least as good and probably be more accurate.

Anonymous · Answer

10-4 on Russ's comment.  Get another bolt action.

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How good is a 22 AR-15?

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