I have been a life long student of rifles and handguns. That means I have learned pretty close to 10% of what I DONT't know. I love tinkering and musing and loading a shooting. I head shoot deer unless I am hunting with a handgun, usually a 1911 04 a 625. I have killed enough white tails to know it really doesn't take a cannon to kill a white tail deer. It takes a cannon or more to anchor one from a bad shot, and sometimes a good shot that doesn't break the spine, skull, or shoulder(s) will require a gaping hole. If you wait for the shot a 22 will kill an elk. With that in mind i have been hunting the last two years with my AR. It was an entry level DPMS Oracle. I put a velocity trigger, free floated hand guard, and a too big scope on it. I shoot a 69 grain Sierra tipped match king. I wait for the shot, take my time, and squeeze. Now, with that said, I see deer almost daily. I am an old, fat, lazy man.I hunt to fill the freezer. A huge rack doesn't excite me nearly as much as two or three fat does feeding quietly. I get about as excited as i get when I shoot one out of a group and the others don't run out of sight/ range. Two for one, whoo hoo! ( no daily limit in my state. 1 buck, two does, all in one day or spread over the season, doesn't matter.) I would love to hunt elk or moose, and I would probably get "buck fever" as badly as anyone over a bull moose. Deer are food. "hunting " deer is a chore. So...I can tell you I do see the value of a more powerful load. I Might appreciate one myself if I was after Bears, moose, elk, even pronghorn. I probably wouldn't be nearly as patient if I was out of state or out of town and had limited time and access to game. I also understand first hand a 5.56 will deliver if you are a shooter. My 1911 has taken quite a few critters, both game and varmint out to measured 100+ yards distances. A #68 H&G will take white tail, as well as coyote, 'coon, 'possum, stray/feral dogs that kill calves,but that is another story.
Anyhow, My question or thread starter is this; the AR is here to stay. WHat are some of the forum members favorite alternative calibers? As I stated I have little need for anything except a 5.56. But my situation is different. I would advise most new hunters to look hard at a 30/30, 35 remington, or a 243 or bigger, likely even a 308 in a bolt rifle. What would you tell a new shooter to look for in the AR platform? and that includes AR 10. I really like the ballistics of the 25 sharps with an 85 grain bullet. 300 Black out has proven its self in the deer woods. 6.8 spc works. what else? What would you design yourself, and why? the 458 SOCOM sounds like a real deal black bear cartridge. Just trying to stir the pot, get folks thinking. No one got rich re working old Mausers and Springfeilds, but man, di we get some the the great cartridges from tinkerers and experimenters who were willing to put their money where their ideas were.