How many of you out there live in a city because that’s where your job and friends are? And how many of you wish you could get away from all that bustle and still afford to live? Many of us make that trade-off of living somewhere busier and noisier than we’d prefer in order to do what we love - or at least pay rent and put some money in the bank. However, many of us need to balance out that noise and bustle by heading out to the country every so often, and we do so by hunting. There are a plethora of reasons so many choose to spend their spare time out in the middle of nowhere, sitting perfectly still in a duck blind or carefully creeping through the underbrush. And given the many advancements in technology, there are a wide variety of options for hunting weaponry. However, thanks in large part to mass shootings and anti-gun pushback, firearms such as the AR 15 get a bad reputation; despite what some politicians want you to think, you can hunt with one. Here’s what you need to know about hunting with an AR 15: Customization is Key As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, the ability to easily customize an AR is one of the most appreciated features of the firearm. Everything from the upper receiver to the tactical grip or KeyMod handstop can be easily swapped out on a daily basis, if you really wanted to. And many hunters appreciate this feature of the AR because they can modify their firearm based on their intended quarry for the day. Know Local Restrictions Yes, we know this point seems obvious to many of you, but if you haven’t been out in a while or this is your first time planning a hunting trip with your AR 15, you may want the reminder. One of the most common issues AR users run up against with hunting is a caliber restriction. Some areas prohibit hunting with .223 caliber rounds because they believe a round that size isn’t powerful enough to kill a deer. However, this isn’t necessarily true, which leads us into our next point… Pick Your Rounds Thanks to the easy customization, you can still hunt with an AR 15, even if your area prohibits .223 caliber rounds. Simply swap out the upper receiver to chamber a different size round - and there are plenty of options out there for the AR. Changing to different rounds will also affect your effective range. However, one of the other key features of the AR 15 is its accuracy; you can give yourself a longer effective range or change the caliber depending on what you want to hunt. The semi-automatic capability also means you can hunt pack-traveling animals like wild pigs without getting overwhelmed. If you’re planning a hunting trip with your AR 15, make sure your firearm is ready to go. Shop RailScales for the best tactical grips and stops. Our custom AR parts are compatible with both M-LOK and KeyMod rail systems, so get light, thin, heat-protective M-LOK and KeyMod handstops and rail grips from RailScales today!