AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/1/2012 8:24:51 AM EDT
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Lots of good info. But need your expert advise. Looking for caliber for general hunting; deer hogs yotes cats. Want to stay in AR15 frame size. Will not ever shoot over 200 yds. Most shots 150 or less for sure. Will reload for sure. Already have a 223 target rifle and Armalite M4. Want descent knockdown at ranges listed and easy to reload. Like the 300 AAC and the 30 AR. Not a fan of the 6.8 but not out of the picture. Thanks
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look at this chart...the 300 Blackout isn't listed, but is generally 500fps slower than the 308 Arrow. In a nutshell, these are your choices in a Standard AR platform unless you go for something like the 50 Beo or 450Bush...they are comparable to a the performance of a 50 cal ML.
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Quoted:
Lots of good info. But need your expert advise. Looking for caliber for general hunting; deer hogs yotes cats. Want to stay in AR15 frame size. Will not ever shoot over 200 yds. Most shots 150 or less for sure. Will reload for sure. Already have a 223 target rifle and Armalite M4. Want descent knockdown at ranges listed and easy to reload. Like the 300 AAC and the 30 AR. Not a fan of the 6.8 but not out of the picture. Thanks The 300blk is slower than a 7.62x39 and the 30RAR is a little slower than a 308 so you are at opposite ends of the 30 cal AR spectrum with those 2 choices. If hunting is your main goal and those are the 2 choices the 30RAR is the better performing option by a long shot. The 6.8 is probably the best all around choice for hunting with an AR15, there are 28 factory loads and 30 something bullets in the correct weight range (85-130gr)to provide good terminal performance. |
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I've got a 30RAR just for hunting and love it. I actually put my usual deer hunting rifle down and now only carry my 30RAR.
Granted you said you didn't mind reloading ...... but for right now, you've got to generate your own brass for 30RAR at $18-20/box. That's almost like paying $1/pc of brass. Not ideal, but I do it.  Hopefully Remington will start selling bare brass.
With that being said ....... 6.8 is a great round (with more options availible currently) and would be my choice if I didn't buy 30RAR. |
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I know many like the .30 Blackout, and similar cartridges. They are good for tactical purposes, but I have not used them for hunting, and have no experience as to the effects on game.
The 6.5 Grendel is a great hunting round, and has a decent availability in factory ammunition. With the proper setup, it is supersonic out to 1200 yards according to Alexander Arms. I have shot it out to 600M and it did very good. Since you said 150 yards or less, most of the time, and you want maximum effects on game, I would go with either a .458 SOCOM, or a .50 Beowulf. I prefer the Beowulf, but if you hand load, the .458 has better choices available. Ammo availability for the Beowulf is spotty a times, but Alexander Arms does offer a decent choice of loads, when it is available. I have waited up to 7 months for select loads, but have heard they have a new ammo manufacturing machine or process, but something intended to help production. |
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Buy a barrel in 300 AAC Blackout and you will be good to go by swapping out your old .223 or 5.56 carbine barrel (and you can always switch it back). Much easier and cheaper than the many components you have to get for other calibers.
You can reform your existing old .223 brass and use your old AR magazines. Check out Wilson Combat for in stock premium hunting bullets if you don't want to use VMax, TNT or Ballistic Tips. http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Bullet-762x40WT-110-gr-Barnes-Tipped-TSX-50_Box/productinfo/NW274/ |
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Quoted: 6.8 or 6.5, the 6.5 is a little cheaper to shoot if you don't reload. I wanted the most out of a AR15 so I went with 6.8. Please tell me what "the most" means? The fastest MV's? Best B.C.'s? Best S.D.'s? The bullet weights? The terminal performance? The external ballistics? The flattest shooting? Hardest hitting(i.e. KE) at most/all ranges from an AR15? Sounds completely subjective to me. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
6.8 or 6.5, the 6.5 is a little cheaper to shoot if you don't reload. I wanted the most out of a AR15 so I went with 6.8. Please tell me what "the most" means? The fastest MV's? Best B.C.'s? Best S.D.'s? The bullet weights? The terminal performance? The external ballistics? The flattest shooting? Hardest hitting(i.e. KE) at most/all ranges from an AR15? Sounds completely subjective to me. The 6.5 and 6.8 covers all you mentioned.  I plan to add a 6.5 in the future, if you were wondering...
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Quoted:
Quoted:
6.8 or 6.5, the 6.5 is a little cheaper to shoot if you don't reload. I wanted the most out of a AR15 so I went with 6.8. Please tell me what "the most" means? The fastest MV's? Best B.C.'s? Best S.D.'s? The bullet weights? The terminal performance? The external ballistics? The flattest shooting? Hardest hitting(i.e. KE) at most/all ranges from an AR15? Sounds completely subjective to me. Most factory loads, most bullets in the usable weight range, best terminal performance, fastest muzzle velocities for the same weight bullet out of the same length barrel. Best performance from a short barrel. Cheaper barrels, cheaper brass(already formed), most industry support in ammo and rifles. IMO |
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You already shoot .223, so you might as well add a .223 variant/wildcat.
The 300BLK, 7.62x40, or 6x45, should fit your requirements, and they all have factory ammo available and easily sourced reloading components. And can this thread not turn into another 6.8 vs 6.5 bitch fest? |
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Quoted:
You already shoot .223, so you might as well add a .223 variant/wildcat. The 300BLK, 7.62x40, or 6x45, should fit your requirements, and they all have factory ammo available and easily sourced reloading components. And can this thread not turn into another 6.8 vs 6.5 bitch fest? Come on, everyone know that the 6.8 is better! LOL
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