Whats the best AR Caliber and why?

[jakeep]

I have an 6mmAR Turbo I love which is based on the 6.5 Grendal. It's better than the 6.5 but ammo is much easier to get with the 6.5. Really depends what you want.

 

[bcannon]

762x51 all the way - very multipurpose round - NATO rnd makes it easier for ammo -

 

[SLIM86]

It ultimately depends on what u want to use it for 5.56/.223 is a good all around caliber cheap enough for plinking but a good round for varmints and small game, i also like 9mm and 7.62

 

[swmp9jrm]

My first AR was chambered in 5.45x39 - much cheaper to shoot than 5.56. But reloading tools and components are hard to come by or non-existent. So, stuck in the back of the safe, I have a 5.56 barrel and BCG - all that's needed to convert to a reloadable cartridge if the surplus ever dries up.

 

[jayhawk]

I guess my question at this point is, has there been anything since this post went dormant that may change anyone's opinions above? The last post was more than 4 years ago. I know a lot hasn't changed in 4 years but has there been anything to dampen or bolster your thoughts above? Keep in mind - I'm a newbie and a lot of what you've discussed here is over my head - but I'm learning.

Thanks

300 AAC Blackout is a cartridge that's been introduced since this thread was started back in 2008. It's a short/medium range cartridge that works well in short barrels, is based on the 556/223 case (only a barrel change is needed to convert to/from 556/223), and works well as a subsonic round with or without a suppressor. It may not be the best all around cartridge, but it is a great option in the right application.

Really, as melensdad was saying, you can configure an AR many different ways, and the cartridge you want will depend on your application and your rifle setup.

 

[balzack2]

I shot a coworkers 6.5 Grendel ar earlier this fall and man was it awesome. Shooting at 300 yards it was dead on and recoil is not much more than the 5.56/.223. Really looking into a Grendel upper if I find one w/o breaking the bank.

 

[Jeremy1066]

5.56x45/.223 cause that's what it was designed for! That being said, if I was going to buy another one in a different caliber, it would .300blk

 

[yotewacker]

I have a few 243 WSSM AR's these are flat shooting with lots of power.

 

[Paul30]

why settle for one. Get the .223 with a .22 LR adapter for plinking. Get a 9mm upper for pistol rounds and a mag block for the uzi mags. I also use a 7.62 x 39 upper but it is not much different than the .223. Of course as a hoosier you can appreciate the 458 socom if you want to use it for deer hunting and use the same .223 mags.

 

[Bret B]

I will have to agree with paul30 why not own a couple different ones. It easy pretty easy to get a couple different uppers to go on one lower. I have a 22lr conversion for mine . It is a blast to shoot.

 

[LionsFan1911Man]

For an all around gun, capable of CQB, long range shots, delivering plenty of energy on target and low recoil, I'd go with a 6.5 Grendel.

I have never even seen an AR chambered in this in any stores. Where would I find one? I am looking to purchase my first AR.........

 

[TAT7]

300blk...why? Because **** you, that's why.

 

[AverageJoe]

204 ruger

 

[wilso448]

Honestly i'd just go with the 5.56. Ammunition is plentiful and comparatively cheap. Then again if you are more into accuracy you can get some black hills or reload your own. It is the most popular for a reason. However it is all up to you, your budget, and ultimately what you will be using it for

 

[melensdad]

For an all around gun, capable of CQB, long range shots, delivering plenty of energy on target and low recoil, I'd go with a 6.5 Grendel.

I have never even seen an AR chambered in this in any stores. Where would I find one? I am looking to purchase my first AR.........

The 6.5 Grendel is a rare beast. I knew of a gun shop in Crown Point, IN that stocked them but the owner retired and the shop closed. I've never seen one in any other shop anywhere.

Generally speaking, buying a 6.5 Grendel is a mail-order proposition. You can buy full guns or uppers from Les Baer, his guns are designated ".264 LBC," but that is the same as the 6.5 Grendel. You can also buy them from Alexander Arms, Precision Firearms, Sabre Defense and several others under the name 6.5 Grendel. Model 1 Sales sells their 6.5 Grendel as the "6.5 Sporter" on their website. Generally speaking, you can simply order a complete upper and put it on any lower.

I currently have 2 6.5 Grendel AR15s, one built as a long range gun and the other in a tactical 3-gun competition style configuration. I'm in the middle of building a custom bolt action 6.5 Grendel on a CZ 527 Carbine. I may try to build a lighter weight AR15 based carbine 6.5 Grendel after I get the bolt action gun completed.

Overall its a very versitile round, will handle plinking, prairie dog hunting, long range target shooting, long range hunting, and even hunting game as large as Elk. It accepts a wide range of bullet weights and that makes it an great all around choice.

 

[JLL101]

My 2 cents worth. I lived with the 5.56 for 7 years in the military. Was a very dependable bad guy stopper at reasonable ranges. Law enforcement agencies nation wide appear to prefer the 5.56 for most urban environments because of a very high stopping rate and minimal collateral damage, injuries, etc. Thus as a home protection weapon the 5.56 is a solid choice. Using the 6.5, 6.8 and especially the 7.62 as your primary home protection weapon runs the risk of injuring (or worse) your neighbors in the urban setting with an inappropriately aimed shot. Hunting with the 5.56 would work with smaller animals but you would be at the rounds potential limits for hog or deer. The 6.5 through 7.62 would certainly increase your chances of harvesting the medium large game of North America. Thus to me, a one gun approach is not quite the optimal solution. A second upper, as has previously been suggested, may be a better approach. Thus a 5.56 upper for home defense and a second more powerful upper for larger game hunting make sense. The kinetic energy difference between the 6.5 and 6.8 is probably not enough to matter in most animals you would hunt for using these calibers at realistic hunting distances. How many shots are you really going to take at 300 to 500 yards? And could you realistically even hit the animal at that distance in the field? For the largest North American animals I would want a 7.62 AR or similar caliber bolt setup.

 

[Bezzle]

I have an 6mmAR Turbo I love which is based on the 6.5 Grendal. It's better than the 6.5 but ammo is much easier to get with the 6.5. Really depends what you want.

Have to second the 6mm (the round the 6.5 wanted to be) as the superior choice, particularly in the "6mm Turbo II 40" (Ackley Improved) or "6mm Grinch" configurations (my understanding is that the Turbo Imp. and the Grinch are interchangeable, as both are based on necked Grendel brass with blown-forward 40-degree angle shoulders and de-tapering). Either satisfies "6mm Optimum" sweet-spot ballistics (with the Turbo shooting pie-plate groups at a thousand yards, and the Grinch winning a benchrest shooting event recently).

Cons:
* 6mmAR of any type remains wildcat, with no commercial source. (.243 WSSM is a commercially-available 6mm round, but based on a thicker parent case; read: lower magazine capacity).

Pros:
* Best long-range ballistics in an AR platform.
* Plenty of good Grendel brass and bullet choices.
* 26 vs 30 (5.56) capacity in large box magazines.

~ ~ ~

Your needs:

* unarmored meat-puppets <200m: 5.56
* behind barriers: not 5.56
* Prairie dog / bad-guy harassment @ 1,000m: 6mm (AR platform), 338 Lapua or 500 BMG (heavy long guns)
* Humping your gun and ammo twenty clicks over rugged terrain: AR-15 in 5.56, 6mm, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC
* Stealth suppressed, or room-sweeping in Mosul without ear-protection: 458 SOCOM subsonic (or use a subsonic pistol)

 

[Roland of Gilead]

That is officially the best first post ever. Even though the thread is 4 years old.

 

[Hop]

Yes, excellent 1st necropost. I missed this thread the 1st time around.

 

[Vigilant]

Heysooos, 5.56mm has been killin' folks since the 60's. The advancements in ammo, and the AR platform, have proven themselves time and time again, and 16 years of dead jihadis is further proof. Shot placement means way more than caliber of choice, do YOUR JOB, and 5.56 will do its job. Yes the .gov wants something else, but that's because, it's something else. Doesn't matter WHAT statistics or tests say, .gov is all about NIH(not invented here), so until THEY invent it, it ain't gonna happen! Buy ammo, TRAIN, and everything will fall into its place!