Jul 17, 2024 | 05:10 pm 662 0

Ultimate AR-15 Night Hunting Build: Top Components Recommended by Coyote Hunters

The ideal Night Hunting setup varies depending on personal preferences, the type of varmint, predator, or game you are hunting, geographics, budgets, and much more. But today we’re going to be taking a real close look at an outstanding AR-15 built specifically to be the “Ultimate Nighttime Coyote Hunting Rifle.”

The components of this rifle build were selected using the reviews, feedback, and collective recommendations from Pro Staff, Professional Coyote Hunters, Precision Rifle Competitors, and third-party reviews from external media and content creators.

If you’re a fan of the AR-15 platform or if you’re looking to get into building out your own night hunting setup, you’ll quickly find they’re much easier (and sometimes more affordable) to do your own custom “build” part by part compared to other rifle platforms that might require more specialized tools or gunsmithing skill.

Why an AR-15?

An AR-15 is very popular rifle platform for coyote hunters for the following reasons:
They’re affordable and easy to build and customize
Being a semi-automatic rifle, follow-up shots can happen much faster.
Aftermarket parts, manufacturers, accessories, and are all over the place so there’s not shortage of options when it comes to replacement parts and upgrades.
Because of the integrated top rail, modern AR-15’s by design work great with a wide range of optics, especially thermal scopes and thermal clip-ons.

Pick The Right Caliber For Your Hunting Application

The 6mm ARC has become one of the most recommended calibers to use for Coyote Hunting since it was introduced by Hornady in 2020. Firing a .243 projectile, and optimized to run in the AR-15. The 6mm ARC is a low recoil flat shooting laser beam of a cartridge great for taking out Coyotes and Predators at further distances.
Its low recoil paired with a well tuned AR makes it so you can take faster follow-up shots, get smoother through device footage, and spot your hits (or misses) much easier compared to other 6mm and larger calibers.

If you’re into reloading, there are dozens of different bullet manufacturers, dies, and powder options out there, making it possible to customize your rounds to your preferences. Scouring the Coyote Hunter forums and facebook groups, you find an unlimited amount of discussions are debates on the best mix of speed, bullet drop, and all the other ballistic data points.

If you’re not into reloading, Hornady makes a fantastic round called the Hornady V-Match ELD-VT using an 80 gr projectile that can be found in most of your ammo retail stores.

Although 6MM ARC is becoming more and more popular in the night hunting community, The .223 Remington will likely still hold the number one spot as the most popular coyote hunting round on the AR-15 platform. But thats the beauty of the AR Platform, If you’ve got a caliber in mind that you’d rather hunt with, there’s a solid chance there’s an AR parts manufacturer out there that makes a barrel and BCG that can accommodate it.

Choosing the Best 6MM ARC Barrel

Now that the 6mm ARC has been decided as the go-to caliber for this build. You’ll need to pick a barrel. Since 6MM ARC has come out, dozens of barrel manufacturers have started creating options with that chambering.
Since this is going to be a coyote hunting rifle, this build can’t be too heavy. Hiking from stand to stand night after night with a crazy heavy rifle can really take the fun out of night hunting. But at the same time, this rifle needs to be durable and reliable even after this rifle gets bumped around in the truck, hiking around, rained on, dirty, and anything else that might happen to the gun while you’re out doing your nighttime shenanigans.

The barrel option that was most recommended was the 18-inch Proof Research Carbon Fiber Barrel so that's what we went with.
Weighing in at just 1lb and 14 oz. Going with a Proof Barrel puts you off on a great start of a lightweight and solid durable build. Proof Research is famous for their premium barrel options proving themselves time and time again as a big name in the game of accuracy and build quality.

Choosing a 6MM ARC BCG

Picking a quality bolt carrier group is just as important as selecting a quality barrel. After all, the barrel and the BCG are the two main components that handle the big explosion occurring every time you pull the trigger. So make sure to invest in a quality BCG.
There’s been a lot of hype recently about KAK Industry’s K-Spec BCG with outstanding reviews so that’s the one we chose to go with for this ultimate build.
Equipped with dual extractors, sand cuts, and down vents, this thing is designed for reliability and gas blowback mitigation.

If you have plans to run your rifle suppressed, this BCG is a great option. Because running a suppressor normally means you’ll encounter a bit more gas blowback, KAK Industry came up a unique design where instead of redirecting the gases sideways out the ejection port door, they have them vented downwards into the magazine well away from your face and eyes.

If you’re still new to 6mm ARC. You’ll learn that 6MM ARC, parent cartridge was the 6.5 Grendel. Because they share the same bolt face. Most magazines and Bolt Carrier Groups designed for 6.5 Grendel will be compatible with 6MM ARC.

Upper Receiver, Lower Receiver, and Handguard: So Many to Choose From

Aero Precision has carved out a name for themselves within the AR-15 world as the best bang for your buck. It seems like every AR-15 owner nowadays has at least an Aero Precision lower in their arsenal.
While still being affordable, you’ve got awesome options that are still great quality with some pretty good styles which is why they’re very common within the night hunting community.

The Aero Precision M4E1 came recommended because of its stout rail mounting system to the upper receiver. It’s got a unique design that gives you a very solid connection between the upper receiver and the handguard. That way if you choose to run a thermal clip-on, IR Laser, or any other aiming device on your handguard you know you’ll keep everything zeroed.

Although it isn’t the most lightweight builders set on the market, we’ chose to go with something that’s got a full rail and plenty of mlock slots to work with for different thermal devices, tripod mounts, and night vision accessories.
We managed to get our hands on the M4E1 Highland Hunter Camo pattern from a limited run that Aero did back in September of 2022.

Which Trigger Should You Get for your AR-15?

Arguably the biggest name when it comes to premium triggers is Giessle, and they didn’t disappoint with the Giessle Single Stage Precision Trigger that we used for this build. Whether you prefer single-stage or two-stage triggers, They feel super crisp, light, and reliable. If you can compare a standard mil-spec trigger side by side to a Giessle, you’ll understand why they’re so popular in the hunting and tactical communities. Other popular trigger manufacturers among AR-15 Night hunters include Timney, CMC, TriggerTech, Rise Armament, and HiperFire.

Do you need a suppressor when Night Hunting?

“You don’t need it….. But it helps!”
Once you start night hunting with a suppressor you’ll never wanna go back.
After speaking with dozens of Coyote Hunters and Night Vision enthusiasts about their preferred suppressor model and brand. We learned that you can’t really go wrong with any of the brands out there. The biggest factors though to consider when selecting a suppressor should be sound mitigation and muzzle flash reduction. Some suppressors excel in one and compromise on another. But all of them are still much better options than running bare muzzle brake in the middle of the night.

This build currently has a Dead Air Keymo Muzzle Brake on it so it can be used with the Dead Air Sandman S. The Sandman S has been around quite a while as a tried and true full auto rated .30 caliber can. While this can gets the job done, it’ll likely end up being replaced with a more lightweight can. Dead Airs new Lazarus 6 suppressor might be a great option (If or when it gets released) since it’s been designed and optimized specifically for the 6MM ARC.

Many gun shops and outfitters have also reported that the Silencerco Sythe-TI has been flying off the shelves lately. The Silencerco Sythe-TI is an all-titanium suppressor weighing in at just 7.3 oz. Something like that would pair perfectly with a lightweight hunting build chambered in anything from .223 all the way up to .300 RUM.

Pick your Charging Handle

Among all the charging handle makers out there, Radian has been at or near the top since they started Making AR-15 parts. Charging Handles can be designed to be ambidextrous meaning it can easily be pulled back with either hand or even just one finger. Other charging handle designs are optimized to help mitigate gas blowback in your face if you’re running suppressed.
For this build we chose to go with the Radian Raptor LT cause it is lightweight, durable, and didn’t break the bank. Other popular options include the Radian SD, Silencerco GDCH, Aero Precision Breach, and many more.

There’s also a growing community of AR users who’ve chose to forego the charging handle and instead run a side charging setup. There’are pro’s and con’s to either option but its definitely worth looking into.

The Best Thermal Optic for this Coyote Hunting Rifle

We chose to go with the AGM Clarion 640 for this build specifically because of its dual base magnification capabilities. Being able to stay on the smaller lens size for scanning and detecting coyotes, then quickly switching to the bigger lens size to zoom in without any image degradation is an outstanding feature to have. Because the 6mm ARC shoots so flat with little recoil I can just set the reticle where I want it and let it fly. If the Clarion isn’t in budget, the AGM Rattler V2 is by far the most popular Thermal Scope within both the Coyote and Hog Hunting communities. The hog hunters tend to gravitate towards the Rattler V2 with the smaller lens size so they can have a wider field of view and a lower base magnification.
Meanwhile, coyote hunters tend to stick to larger lenses with higher base magnification to help them take longer shots.
Going with the Clarion on this build makes it easier to accommodate both those scenarios.

Choose your Buttstock!

The biggest deciding factors behind this decision are weight savings, durability, and cheek weld which is why we went with the Smoke Composites Carbon Fiber Buttstock and Buffer Tube. This specific model weighs in at just 5.15oz (without the added buttpad and cheek riser)
Smoke Composites has been becoming more and more popular in the PRS, NRL, and Competition shooting communities. But it’s also an outstanding option for a hunting rig!

Gas Block - Adjustable or Not Adjustable? Which Should you Go With?

This debate is another hot topic among the forums and AR builders groups. But for this style of build, we think you should consider going with an adjustable gas block. Especially if you want to tame the blowback if you’re running suppressed.

Having the ability to quickly tune the gas system as we tested the different ammo options and suppressors made things so much easier. There are many different adjustable gas block options on the market, but for this one, we chose to go with an Aero Precision one. The adjustment screw just barely pokes out past the end of the handguard making it super easy to quickly tune it with an Allen key.
Is it something you absolutely need? Maybe not, but it helps!

What is the Best Tripod For Coyote Hunting?

Shooting off a tripod is soooo nice. Whether you’re standing or sitting out at your stands in the middle of the night, having a stable shooting position is paramount! For this rifle build we chose to add a Fatboy ARCA plate to work with the Fatboy Elevate Two Section Tripod and Invert60 Ballhead. Although its a big heavier than other options out there, its incredibly durable and quick and easy to adjust quietly while at a stand.

Other popular brands that our pro staff team uses include BOG, Two Vet Tripods, and Leofoto, and Ultradyne. All great options that cover every budget out there.

All the Rest (Accessories, Upgrades, and More)

For the remaining parts, like the forward assist, grip, safety selector, ejection port door, etc. Pick your flavor! You can’t go wrong as long as it works! For this build we chose to just go with a standard mil-spec forward assist, a Magpul MOE ejection port door (super easy to install), a Strike Industries Rubber Overmolded Grip, and a 45/90 aftermarket safety selector.

One unique thing we chose to add to the rifle has been awesome. Years ago i came across a forum thread about a hunter who was having a hard time finding their coyotes in the brush after they’d been shot. Another member suggested bringing along a laser pointer. Once a coyote is taken down, you can use the laser pointer to point out the location where the dog was taken and guide your buddy to the spot. We found this great gadget that doubles as a Picatinny rail section and mounts to the mlock slots on the rail. After you take down a dog, you can leave your setup on your tripod pointing to the spot where your fresh kill went down. No more wasting time sweeping fields going “I know I hit him! Where’d it go?!”

And that’s a wrap!

All-in-all, the best AR-15 Night Hunting Rifle comes down to whichever system works best for you. Just make sure to select your parts and components based on quality, and reliability, and decide if they’ll work best for your application. In this case, we chose our components based on the feedback and recommendations from seasoned coyote hunters here in the western United States, parts availability, price, and a little bit of style. There’s nothing wrong with going for both form AND function.

We’d love to hear your feedback!

Anything you agree or disagree with? Do you have any awesome wisdom or recommendations for the new guys building their AR-15 Coyote Hunting Rifle?
Leave a comment below!!

Modified: Jul 18, 2024 | 11:32 pm