AR Calibers

[jjamna]

I know that the 6.8 Rem SPC and the 6.5 Grendal will work in a standard 223 size AR lower. Is there any other calibers that will work in these. Something where ammo is readily available. I broke down and bought my first AR (223) and I guess I have been bitten by the AR bug. I am already looking at different uppers. I want something for deer hunting that will be good to 3 to 4 hundred yards. (Really 250 is about as far as I can shoot).

[Kuato]

There are a host of other calibers. Theres 7.62x39, 300 Whisper, 50 Beowulf & even a 50bmg upper that can be mounted. I'm sure someone else will chime in.

[Calamity Jake]

Don't forget the 9MM( not for deer hunting) and the 7.62 Nato(.308)

[oldhickory]

I heard that Colt mad a short run in .222 Rem. back in the 60s.

[scb]

10 mm, 45acp, 17 rem., 40s&w, 458 socom, 450 bushmaster,and .................................. There are more calibers in the whisper family check out SSK's web site. For your deer hunting requirements maybe you should have bought an ar10. .308 is not compatible with ar15 lower, the cartridge is too long. 6.8 might be your best bet for deer if your looking for over counter ammo availability.

[Blammer]

Personally I'd get the 25 WSSM for your AR.

I have one and it shoots really well.

I hand load and dropped a deer at 204 yards with it, 117gr bullet.

Here are two shots at 100 yds, how I have my rifle zeroed

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/25WSSM100ydinfo.jpg

Here are a few shots at 200 yds same ammo on same day.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Targets/25WSSM200ydinfo.jpg

I'm not a great 200 yd shooter. but from the 3 shots roughly a 4 " drop from the orange dot that I was aiming at.

[Blammer]

There is also the 243 WSSM and the 22 WSSM.

the 243 or the 25 is the way to go IMO.

[dk17hmr]

The 6.8 SPC would be a good one for deer hunting out to 250. I have one that I built from parts.

Recoil is about like shooting a 22-250. You can almost watch the bullet holes appear.

I can see kill shots on deer at 400 yards with a good rest, but why not get closer?

They do make 204 Rugers and 20 Tacticals, although not deer calibers they would make great varmint cals.

[jjamna]

SCB I Got it First Because I wanted one
Second for Coyotes
And Deer was third. I have plenty of deer rifles but I was just looking at some uppers in Shotgun News Magazine and thought it would be fun to deer hunt with. I am in KY so the 223 is legal.Also I have been hunting here in Ky over thirty years and have only shot 2 deer over 200 yds, most come between 50 and 150. I have very few places to hunt that a 300 yd shot would ever come about, to many hills and trees. I didn't know or never even thought about the Short Magnums. Where can you get a good upper in the short mag's? I haven't seen any in the magazines.

[Boomer Mikey]

The best long range AR-15 upper is the 6.5 Grindel (.264"). 140 grain bullets are still supersonic at 1100 meters. Alexander arms sells a variety of uppers and complete rifles as well as factory ammo, cases, dies, and DIY parts.

Wolf is making reloadable ammo for the Grindel that Alexander arms sells for $11.00 a box. Lapua brass is $58.00 per 100 and Alexander arms provides reloading and ballistics data for all their products.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/65G_144_123_129_120_90.jpg/300px-

http://www.alexanderarms.com/grendel.htm

The 6.5 Grendel® has the flexibility to move from lightweight varmint bullets in the 90 grain class, which offer superb accuracy for competition and small game shooting, to mid weight 108/120 grain competition bullets and then on to 130 and 140 grain bullets, ideal for longer range, tactical shooting.

The 6.5 Grendel® out-shot the 7.62 NATO at range with half the recoil. Still supersonic at 1200 yards, the 6.5 Grendel® delivered superior external ballistics to the 7.62 NATO during the blackwatter tests.

Shooting a 123-grain Lapua Scenar with a ballistic coefficient of .547 and a muzzle velocity of 2600 fps delivers outstanding accuracy out to 1200 yards. At 600 yards, tennis ball size targets are no match for this flat shooting round. For extreme accuracy, formidable terminal ballistics and long range applications, the 6.5 Grendel® from Alexander Arms is unbeatable.

Sorry for the commercial guys, but this is my next upper... the 19.5" hunter model.

http://www.alexanderarms.com/pics/sspics/hr/32.jpg

or this one... the overwatch.

http://www.alexanderarms.com/pics/sspics/hr/34.jpg

After that it's a .50 Beowulf entry upper with muzzle brake... I would actually prefer the Bushmaster 450 but brass and ammo availability is poor compared to the Beowulf.

Boomer :Fire:

[scb]

"SCB I Got it First Because I wanted one". The only reason required. If ya get a chance try a 300 Whisper, I really enjoy mine. When I take my ar in the woods it's what I use with the 125gr speer tnt bullet. I've kill two deer with it , they don't go far. I've never had a shot more than 75 yds where we hunt so it's got all the power I need.

[only1asterisk]

There are dozens of cartridges that will fit the bill, but
Something where ammo is readily available. kills most of them.

I'm a serious Grendel skeptic, but this is tempting: http://www.centerfiresystems.com/ARUP-65-20A3.aspx

[anachronism]

Isn't the Grendel the largest caliber practical for the AR15? I thought you needed an AR10 for the short magnums & super shorts.

[jjamna]

I am with the Majority here. I like the Grendel and man what a good price only1aterisk posted. I am Going to check out the whisper. Isn't it 30-30- brass reformed? I still have not found any uppers in the short mags.

[RU shooter]

I am with the Majority here. I like the Grendel and man what a good price only1aterisk posted. I am Going to check out the whisper. Isn't it 30-30- brass reformed? I still have not found any uppers in the short mags.
No the 300 whisper is a 221 fireball case necked to 30 cal.

[redneckdan]

only 400 yd options with factory ammo availbe are the oly arms units in 243 or 25 WSSM. I would be comfortable with a 70gr soft point out of a .223 at distances less than 200yds. Loaded to 3000fps it still has more energy at 200yds than a hot loaded .45 colt does at the muzzle.

[GabbyM]

My hat's in for the 6.5 Grendel.
You have a great selection of bullets made for game hunting.
Get a long barrel with a set of iron sights and you've a great Match rifle too.

I'm totally unimpressed with the short magnums and wonder why any one would try pushing those misfits up an AR.

[Blammer]

the same could be said about the 6.5 grendel.... :)

brass for the 450 bushmaster is but a modified 284 case away.... and they is plenty common and cheap.

[Redleg99]

jjamna,

As has already been mentioned, there are several other rounds which will work with an AR-15 lower.
Probably the best are the two you have already mentioned – the 6.8 Rem SPC and the 6.5 Grendel.

Now, there is quite a bit of discussion as to which one is better, but the fact is they both feature bullets of around 120 grains over approximately 30 grains of powder.

In the words of one poster on another board,

It's a call between the slight edge of expansion and fragmentation of the 6.8 bullets, vs the slight edge of better trajectories from the 6.5 Grendel.

(see the rest of the thread here: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=5818&page=2)

I think either one would do fine for your stated purpose (deer hunting at less than 250 yards).
If you really want to go out to 400 yards, you probably want a bigger cartridge than what you can fit in an AR-15.
The AR-10 (the AR-15s bigger brother) is available in both Remington and Winchester .300 short mag chamberings, but these aren’t cheap.

Hope that helps!