What caliber for an ar sbr

[gotigers]

1st choice: Go with 10.5", 5.56 with a quality barrel; FN, Daniel Defense, Noveske, etc. There is a lot of ammo that perform very well in short barrels. Ex. MK262, 5.56 75gr TAP, etc. 5.56/223 is cheaper and i have 3 other 5.56 ARs. Better terminal velocity and less wall penetration than 9mm.

2nd. 9mm. Cheaper than 300blk and fun to shoot.

3rd. 300blk. Great terminal velocity and can go very short, but expensive.

 

[gotigers]

double tap.

 

[UhKlem]

If you are in a suppressor state then a .22LR upper with a suppressor will bring you much joy. Although if you have a .223 AR then a .300 AAC barrel and a 9mm pistol can with subsonics is probably no more expensive and more versatile. Just don't make the mistake of having supersonic loads around and accidentally damaging a pistol can. Some folks are having good luck casting 230gn .308 subsonic bullets for cheap, almost as cheap as loading 9mm with plated 147 gn subsonic loadings.

 

[wacki]

.22LR for when you want to have fun.

300 BLK for when you want to get serious.


I'd love to see the articles where 5.56 performed nicely in a SBR. 300 BLK performs better in that config. And you don't need a gas block to adjust from super/sub and suppressed/normal.

If you reload 300 BLK just seems like the obvious choice to me.

 

[Centurian22]

I'd vote .300BLK

 

[parkerdude]

I'm interested in something similar, my vote is for AR pistol in .300BLK and then SBR it when the opportunity presents itself.

In the mean time, I can shoot it and do load development work.

Good Luck!

 

[cottonmouth]

I decided if I was going to go the SBR route I would get a SBR, a 7 inch 5.56 and it runs great. If I get another one it will be in 9mm.

J.B.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Very often you will get less backpressure and less noise at the ear (although more at the muzzle) with an over-caliber supressor. Less POA shift too.

Mike

 

[gotigers]

Here are some velocities out of my 10.5" from a couple weeks back.



I went with 5.56 for the cheaper ammo and better availabilty.

I went with 10.5" because it it the shortest i can go and get 2300 FPS and 800 ft-lbs from most ammo plus the suppressor i want warranties 10.5". In other words, it is the shortest i could go. 11.5" would be a good option as well.

An 8.5" 300blk might be my second upper for the NFA lower. 300blk might not be around forever, so i didn't want an SBR that i couldn't find ammo for.

 

[SuedePflow]

If you handload, I'd go with .300 AAC.

If you don't handload, I'd go with 9mm.

 

[SuedePflow]

300blk might not be around forever, so i didn't want an SBR that i couldn't find ammo for.

You already can't find factory ammo on the shelves anywhere for it. The good thing though is that .223 brass and .308 bullets are plentiful and surely will be for a very, very long time.

 

[Aaron Baker]

The good thing though is that .223 brass and .308 bullets are plentiful and surely will be for a very, very long time.

I'll second that idea. The greatest thing about .300 AAC is that you can make brass from .223 brass quite easily--just cut off the neck, run it through a die, and trim to length. Lots of people shoot .223 and don't reload, so finding brass is easy. .308 is a very common bullet size, so you'll never have trouble finding those either. If you can get powder and primers, you can load for .300 AAC.

I do all of my loading with a Lee Loader hand press, which makes the cost of getting into reloading extremely low. No reason not to do it, really.

Aaron

 

[Mike1234567]

Uppers in 300 Blackout or .458 SOCOM can both be changed to .223 Rem/5.56 NATO with just a barrel change... and they use standard AR mags.

 

[Aaron Baker]

300 AAC uses the same bolt face as the .223/5.56. .458 SOCOM uses a different bolt face, so you have to change both the bolt and the barrel.

I have an SBR in each and have used both for whitetail deer.

Aaron