Whats Your Nontraditional AR15 Caliber Choices?

[MJR007]

I would like to read the reasons for your picks. Here goes mine. I live in NY so large magazine capacity is not important. I have never been a big fan of .22 caliber centerfire rifles for fur or meat and my combat days are long over (I hope).

First pick – 25 WSSM. Kills deer and coyotes very dead and can “almost” match my 25.06. It is not my favorite to reload.

Second pick – 7.62 x 39. This is my current build project. It should be a fun light deer rifle and after dinner toy.

Third pick – (for my last stripped lower) .458 SOCOM. If my son wasn’t so interested in the 7.62 I would be doing this. With the bullet selection this just looks like a ton of fun.

What's in your safe?

 

[benzy2]

Well on the smaller end I really like the .204 Ruger as a Varmint round. I also like the AR10 in the standard .308 but that isn't really the same.

 

[prelaw09]

mine

6.5 Grendel. from what I have been reading it is the bees knees for an AR platform

 

[HoosierQ]

I would think a .243. That would probably need to be in a AR10 platform for length but I am not an AR guy inb terms of experience.

Here's a good one 7.92x33...same thing as the Sturmgewer 44 (I think it was).

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

These non-traditionals interest me to some extent:

AR15: .50 Beowulf, .25 WSSM, 6.5 grendel, .204 Ruger

AR10: .260 Rem, 7mm-08 .243 Win

Of those seven, I have one, and it's the best one - .260 rem.

 

[3pairs12]

6.8spc

 

[gvnwst]

AR-15, 6mmBR(X), 6.5g, 6mmAR (Turbo [40]) .458 Socom, 7.62x39, 5.45x39, and the .204 ruger.
AR-10, 7-08, .243 win, and i would LOVE a AR-10 in 6.5x47 lapua, it fits, and would be awesome. It is very similar to the .260, so if i cant get a 6.5x47, a .260....

 

[R.W.Dale]

see signature lines

 

[Bailey Guns]

I have AR-platform rifles in:

5.45x39, 5.56mm, 6.8SPC and .308. I also have a mixed bag of direct impingement guns and piston operated.

I love them all.

 

[waterhouse]

.22LR

Cheap to shoot, easy to suppress, fun to play with in an AR setup.

 

[browningguy]

I have a 6x45 and .50 Beowulf.

 

[RP88]

waterhorse beat me to it

 

[matrem]

Considered, both .50 Beowulf & .458 socom..But had to ask myself..What advantage do these have over a Benelli 12ga with slugs?.. I can think of some viable disadvantages..And I'm a HUGE fan of ARs!
I think a 6.5 or 6.8 is in my future, though.

 

[wally]

I've 5.45x39 (S&W) and 7.62x39 (J&T). My AR in 7.62x39 proves the Comblock ammo ain't as inaccurate as the AK makes it out to be.

The 5.45x39 upper I got for cheap shooting when I have time to clean after using corrosive ammo (still can be found for ~$130/1000), and otherwise, Academy has had 5.45 on the shelves when 5.56 and 7.62 is all gone.

I'm debating a .22 upper, probably from Spike's

Getting mags is the main hassle with the alternate calibers.

--wally.

 

[CoRoMo]

.22lr
6.8
.308
.338 Lapua
.50 Beowulf

 

[dejr2000]

6.5 Grendel
.458 Socom
.300 Whisper

 

[jkingrph]

I have not received it yet, but have an upper in 6.5 Grendel on order. I already have some Wolf ammo put back, and just finished reforming 2000 cases from 7.62x39 to 6.5 Grendel, plus some match bullets stocked up. Now if that upper would only get here!

 

[Ranb]

I have 458 socom, 300 whisper. Would like to get uppers for 22lr, 6x45, and a 7mm.

Ranb

 

[CapnMac]

Wishlisting

My wish list has a 6.8spc upper on it.

Beowulf is fun, grendel, too, but, from my familiarization time, 6.8 might be the best compromise.

That is, until somebody takes up my idea to adapt 270wssm or ressurect the milspec .280 <g>

 

[Brian Williams]

I want one in 9x40mm, take a 5.56 and blow it to a straight wall case and load it with 357 max dies.


Edit to add after you blow it out straight, trim to 40mm

 

[drgrenthum]

.300 whisper, and 22lr

 

[gvnwst]

I want one in 9x40mm, take a 5.56 and blow it to a straight wall case and load it with 357 max dies.

That would be cool!

 

[Girodin]

.22 for cheap fun.

.50 Beowulf for having a sledge hammer.

Considered, both .50 Beowulf & .458 socom..But had to ask myself..What advantage do these have over a Benelli 12ga with slugs?..

I have a saiga 12 and this was a question I had as well. The answer for me was accuracy. I have seen some 100 yard groups that a non dedicated slug gun isn't going to touch. The other question if practicality is a big concern is what can it do that a 45/70 lever gun cannot and for significantly less $. Again the 45/70 has some notable advatages. At the end of the day for me that one comes down to wanting a semi and an AR platform.

 

[MJR007]

Ar15 + BIG hole = super cool

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Forgot to mention, in addition: .500 Phantom for AR10, and .338 spectre for AR15!