Id say the AR due to its flexibility and the fact that parts and accessories are all over the place and pretty cheap given how flooded the market is right now. Im seeing quiet a few entry level AR's in the 599.00 range!

Why an AR over a Scout Gun? Pop a couple of pins and I can go from 223 to 300 BO to 6.5 Grendel to 450 Bushmaster in just minutes with an additional upper. I have semi auto fire capability if I need it and in a Scout Rifle thats not an option. The guns are like a box of legos...you can quickly configure it to fit just about any role you need it to fill...ie M4 for CQB or 24 inch free floated barrel with a scope for dusting ground hogs way out there or putting a 62gr Barnes Tripple Shock into a deer/hog if its legal in your area. Not my first choice in a deer or hog rifle but if you do your part and put a bullet where it needs to go it will pick up the check. Mags are available from 10-40 rounders and there are even higher capacity drums if you really want to drop the money for them and can find one thats reliably functioning. Keep it reasonably clean and it will run like a champ. If it breaks it can usually be fixed with a few simple hand tools. The military is still using it and the 5.56 and I dont see that changing anytime soon. Its one of the widest selling guns at the moment which ensures that parts and ammo will be available for years to come. Recoil is mild and that means even the wife will likely enjoy shooting it as much as you do! Put a decent red dot sight on it and you can engage multiple targets scary fast with it and score hits on target. If you get one I would highly recommend a 5.56 chamber instead of 223 and a 1-9 twist rate for bullets up to about 69 SMK's or a 1-7 twist rate for the heavier than 62gr VLD bullets if you fill you need them.

Just my buck o' five on your question....

 

30-30 is good for 200 yards. Consider a bolt action 30-30 with a scope. It will give you a better ability to hit the target at 200 yards and you will only need to stash one ammo. Not everyone needs a black rifle. Most here will give the nod to the black rifle or a 308. Nothing wrong with them. Just pick something that you can and will use

 

My lever action 30-30 will hit stuff at 200 yards, with the irons. Why does he need a bolt gun for that?

Get the AR. It's as cheap as it will likely EVER be, and can become whatever you want it to be as your needs and finances change.

 

I have a bolt action 30-06 that was my dads, he bought it from Sears in the late 60's..?... it has no serial number, no mfg. marking, just 30 06 stamped on a big thick barrel... it will drive nails at 100yds and 1 1/2 groups at 200yds.. and I am not a "great shot". Get used to your 30-30..get a really good scope and learn to shoot it! Save your $$ for other expenses...like lots of ammo!!!

 

Depends on what role you want this rifle to fill. If you simply want a reliable longer distance rifle for hunting and survival... a .308 bolt scout rifle will work fine.

If you thinnk you want to have a rifle in order to send a lot of lead downrange quickly then an AR15 might be what you want.

For the price a scout rifle and decent AR will be about the same. .308 ammo is more expensive, but with a bolt you won't be doing mag dumps at the range.

 

At 15 is a very user friendly tool. It does not have that heirloom, pass down quality to it. Just one of those things everyone needs.

 

A bolt action 30-30 is the worst of both worlds. Low range and low firepower. If you go bolt action it is hard to beat the .308 with much greater range and effectiveness.
I would lean toward the AR for reasons already mentioned. Don't sell your 30-30 lever short though. For your range it is pretty good, although slow to reload.

 

The AR would be (was) my choice given the scenario, I also knew at some point there would be a scout rifle along side it. I've seen this situation before (me) and it is a matter of which one comes first and not an either or situation.

I can highly recommend the Ruger GSR in .308 with the polymer mags. And the Colt LE series carbines.

 

The AR would be (was) my choice given the scenario, I also knew at some point there would be a scout rifle along side it. I've seen this situation before (me) and it is a matter of which one comes first and not an either or situation."

That pretty well sums up how I feel.

Currently my issue with the .30-30 is the lack of a light. Living on a homestead, it's my "I heard something outside/the dog is aggressively barking right outside the house" gun.

Formerly, the light wasn't a big deal, but I felt kinda dumb trying to hold and aim a rifle whilst holding a spotlight a few weeks back. A pack of coyotes had gotten to close to the house and chickens for comfort. Might be a way to ghetto rig a light to it, but I'd like to leave it pretty well as is.

 

Clint Smith put out a lever gun video where he mounted a light on the sling, to avoid F&G laws.
Worth looking for.

 

I would say go with a AR. Range 300+ meters, large magazine capacity, easily reloaded, good for plinking, and homestead defense. Can be used for hunting but not my personal choice, ammo currently is plentiful and decently priced. Add better optics and you can hit 500+ meters with practice. In the current situation to not have a magazine fed higher capacity long gun is a flaw in your home defensive armaments IMO.

 

The political and economic climate is perfect to acquire an AR15. But the plethora of options and accessories will make your head spin. We are in precisely the right place at precisely the right time and need the least cash necessary for a purchase of a semiautomatic platform that will be of use for a very long time. Seize it.

 

on your AR15 mount your optic where your nods goes and you have a scout rifle, lol

with your ranges your better off getting the AR..much better do it all gun imo.

 

Get an AR type rifle and mount a scope on it. Use it like the Filipino Marine Scout-Snipers use their rifles. You would be using your AR like a scout rifle in some ways and like a sniper rifle, when the need arose, in other ways.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Scout_Sniper_Rifle

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...o+marine+scout+sniper+rifles&qpvt=filipino+marine+scout+sniper+rifles&FORM=IGRE

 

The OP asked for help dealing with a pack of coyotes at night, and some of you are suggesting buying an AR and mounting a scope.
Have any of you actually tried to target a fast moving predator at night with a gun like that?

Perhaps you might want to replace that scope with a red dot sight, or a holo sight, and a weapons light.

Personally, I would leave the AR in the safe and carry a 12 ga shotgun, loaded with 4 buck, and mount a weapons light.

 

Yeah, I've never had any success hunting coyotes at night. Unlike deer, they don't always freeze when spot lighted. And even when they do, a 100yrd shot isn't as easy as during the day with a light, unless you do have a red dot

 

My 1st weapons were a Marlin 60 22LR,Winchester 30-30 and a Mossberg 500 20 gauge,these were my 3 weapons for my 1st 10 years of hunting and I could deer hunt,waterfawl hunt,upland bird hunt,rabbit hunt and shoot squirrel,that's all I needed when I was low on funds and starting out. Still have all 3 and now I have more then I really need but hey it's addicting.
Don't really know what the OP is going for but if he has a 30-30 and is getting a 12 gauge for the wife why not get a 22LR,you'll be able to put all kinds of meat on the table and protect your home.

 

Thanks all for the advice. The AR is definitely the next rifle up, unless the magic $100 pops up for a sweet little savage .22 semi auto at wally world.

I've got a little 870 20 gauge that is usually loaded with #3 buckshot, but it's on loan to my parents. I'm hoping that when I get the gun back, I'll be able to mount a light to it.

Again, thanks for all the good advice.

 

Consider a .308 AR. They are capable of taking large game and shooting at 800+ yards. Brass case boxer primed ammo is available for under 60 cents per round. Its more than twice as powerful as a 5.56 AR15. I'm seeing them for sale at hardware stores for around $800. Pretty solid deal for a gun that really does it all. Good battle rifle that will get you out to long ranges and be able to kill deer with no problem.

 

I'm looking at these now. Also an M1A, bolt action or SA. Mossberg has a couple of nice ones with scopes already mounted.

 

I like the cz 512 .22 magnum rifle. its autoloader. dont forget hi points pistol caliber carbines, or cz's scorpion carbine. but the ar would be a nice touch to any collection. i would get one of the 500-600 dollar ones so you wont be to particular about it and will probably shoot it more since your not so worried about wear and tear on an expensive one. for myself, i am hoping for a savage scout 308 bolt action or the cz 512.

 

Eventually I want one of everything, and multiples of the fun stuff :
Now I've just gotta wait for my cousin the prince to send the money he emailed me about...

 

Oh, by the way, you can also find illuminated rifle scopes for night time use. The reticles will light up when you turn on a switch and you can get those scopes in variable power too. Just shop around and take your time as you put together your AR system that you will be using. The nice thing is that you can switch it around many, many times until you get it the way you want it.

 

I was in the mood for a new rifle last week. I do not like the AR style of firearms. It is OK if you like them. I just don't. We also have a coyote problem. I usually use a 25-20 on them but they run off and die. I don't get a carcass to hang on the fence until the vultures Show me the carcass a few days later. I purchased a Savage 22 mag semi auto
. I picked up a couple
boxes of 22 mag soft points At Big 5 and am in my waiting period. Ammo is not expensive and easy to find.

 

Wait...you can't kill them with a 25-20 putting out 500+ lbs of ME, so you went to a .22 Mag that does just over 300, but in semi?:xeye: So you can shot them more times, or what??

BTW...the .22 Mag has killed a LOT of coyotes over the years, as has teh .25-20, I'd bet. I'm just questioning the idea that you went to a smaller bullet, but in semi, as if that will kill coyotes better.

 

I like a good reflex sight (Eotech) for lowlight conditions. If I were going to hunt coyotes with an AR that's probably what I'd use for optics.

Learning how to call coyotes is a good skill set to have. Just be aware any and all predators looking for dinner will respond and things could get pretty sporty. Around here a shotgun isn't of much use for coyotes, lot of wide open space and coyotes get pretty cagey after they've been hunted.

 

When we bait and shoot coyotes at night around here the weapon of choice is a full choke 12-ga. 3" Magnum loaded with #4 buck or T shot, mounting an AN/PVS4 on a Remington 870 Turkey Gun.

 

The coyotes that haven't been hunted will usually come right in to a call...While practicing calling I've had to stand up to keep them from getting too close, like in my lap..LOL

I'm not sure we can bait them here, it might make things a bit easier if we could. However a tuft of fur place in a visible location can sometimes be enough to bring in the more wily coyotes. Hunting them for pelts use to be a way to make a few dollars, now it mostly helps the ranchers.

 

I've been looking at a scout rifle myself lately. I like the Savage Model 11 Scout. I would have looked at the Mossberg MVP Scout, however in Canada they're not available with 10-round mags like the Ruger and Savage rifles are. I think that is because the Mossberg uses mags that can be used in semi-auto rifles, and so they are capped at five rounds for Canada.

I would look at rifles that can accept both .308 or 7.62mm ammo, or .223 or 5.56mm.

 

I highly recommend a Trijicon MRO Red Dot for your AR. They are built like a tank (Fog/Water/Shock Proof), have Eleven brightness settings, and can be left ON on setting 3 for up to Five years so it is always ready to rock.

Mine has been ON since March 2016 and is still running strong :thumb:

It is very accurate being 2.0 MOA.