Basically, 30%, if you count the 223 Wylde. 1 5.56 10.5" sbr 1 223 Wylde 18" 1 300blk 16" 1 300 blk 8.5" sbr 1 6.5 grendel 18" 1 6.5 grendel 11" sbr
Unless I am mistaken, which my ex-wife used to indicate was more often than I was right, all of the chamberings I initially indicated were built specifically to fit the confines (obviously some would say limitations) of the AR platform. What others see as limitations, I see as the platform's greatest strength. I am by no one's estimation a great gunsmith. But within a couple of years I was able to learn by trial and error almost all of the in and outs of how to assemble ARs (AR22, AR9, AR15, AR10/308, et al) to fit any caliber, need, want, whim or folly I chose. And while they may not match others' ideals of what the most powerful cartridge in a particular caliber should be, they more than exceed my wants/desires in a relatively low cost, interchangeable, ever evolving and eternally tinkerable platform. .300 BLK may not meet your expectations of what a .30/30 does, but that's not what I was measuring it against to begin with. I can't build a 5 lb., silenced, subsonic, side charging .30/30 that my mother can use for home protection (probably more accomplished people than me can), but I can and have built one in .300 BLK. And in .350 Legend. Even in 7.62x39. And next month if I decide I no longer need it for that purpose but want to take it pig hunting, I can swap out the barrel, put on a thermal scope and handload some 110 grain or 170 grain blacktips and go do that. And if I think that might be a little underpowered I can put on one of my dozen .450 bushmaster uppers instead. As far as staying power over the next 20 years, if I'm still alive I'm pretty sure I will have more than enough brass for all the different calibers my family currently handloads for, which is well over a dozen. If the market decides it no longer wants to support my pet calibers, I've got plenty of extra bolts, parts kits, buffer tubes/springs, barrels, receivers and so forth to last me 50 years and then probably another 50 on top of that. I don't have anything against non-AR style rifles or other chamberings that don't work in an AR. I have quite a few of those. Thankfully I still live in a state, for now, that let's me have both. My opinion, respectfully.
Awesome! What kind of system do you have on the .45acp? Regular DI system or blowback, delayed blowback, etc? I am interested in building a couple but have read they can be finicky to cycle.
Carried an M16A1 back when I worked for Our Crazy Uncle. I have no desire to own a civilian copy of it now. I own no AR-style firearms.
Since I only have one it's 100%., but that's not to say a 7mm valkery might not find its way to my gunsafe.
There are many choices. I see no reason to use another caliber because I have seen the damage a 5.56 NATO and .223 can do. Although I have been seriously interested in a 6.5 Grendel and some form of 6 MM AR and I still may get one, I don't see a big need to spend the money since I prefer Bolt action rifles with hunting cartridges for hunting anyway.
Try out a grendel, it's like the 5.56s big brother. I have had a lot of ar15s over the years, but 223/5.56 make up 20 percent of my current Ar's. 300 blk is just too much fun, the 6.5 Grendel feels like a whole order of magnitude more powerful (it's not, but it feels like it), 7.62x39 is so cheap to shoot, as is 22lr, and 458 socom is a cannon in a small package. I have had a few other calibers, and I have a few on my "to do" list, all of them are fun. I do prefer bolt actions and single shot rifles though...
I have a handful of 223/5.56 which were built for competitions which required such, which buoys my percentage a bit, but for most of the last ~18yrs, around 1/4 of my personal AR’s have been chambered in 223/5.56. However, somewhere around 3/4 to 2/3 of those rifles I’ve been commissioned to build or rebuild for others have been 223/5.56.
I voted 100% but I'm an underachiever- I only have one AR. Of course, I have a PWS that looks like an AR to the casual observer. It's .223 Wylde.
I haven’t shot an AR in years. I have 1 lower and 6 uppers. Let’s see: 204 Ruger (this was my first AR - DPMS and very, very accurate, this is my single lower) 223 Wylde 6x45 (bought used but never fired) 6mm WSSM (bought used and probably put a couple hundred rounds through it, but I’ve never spent the time to develop a really good load. Brass is a PITA to work with.) 6 AR 40 Turbo Improved (best 5 shot group of any rifle I’ve ever owned - 4 bullets through 1hole and a flyer - .25”) 6.5 Grendel (bought for hunting & shot it lots, but never hunted with it. I’ve since bought a bolt action 6.5G and the not touched the upper since)
50% .223, 50% 300BO I like the 300 BO for deer/hog hunting, and my younger son likes to hunt with the .223 .223 is a lot more affordable to go to the range and have fun. Even reloading, 300 BO can get spendy.
I like that. I agree. When you double or triple the mass of the bullet, without sacrificing much velocity, you're getting a significant gain in terminal effect. Plus there's just something magical about the sweet spot occupied by the 6.5's.
I own only about 40% of my ARs are .223/5.56. I have them in 5.45, 350 Legend, .300 Blackout, 7.62x39, .458 SOCOM & I may get one in .300 HAM"R if it takes off like they say.
30 Herrett Rimless was known as 300 Herrett and built for the XP100. I didnt know they made AR barrels in it! I have a pair of contender barrels in 30H and one in 357 Herrett. I have 2 ARs in 5.56 2 in 6.5 Grendel 1 in 7.62x39 1 in 50 Beowulf Next one i want in 10mm
All of my AR15 are chambered in 5.56 (.223 Remington). L to R a Colt SP1, another Colt SP1, a Colt Sporter Target, a mix master (only scoped AR 15) and the last one is my old Armalite AR 10T. So as to AR15 rifles I guess 100%. Ron