Which AR round for whitetail deer?

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I've narrowed it down to 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, and .458 Beowulf, with 6.8 SPC in the lead. I've read that the first 5-7 rounds of 6.8 will feed from a standard USGI 30-round magazine, I am assuming it would feed from a 5-rounder. Anybody know if this is true? I also like the wider variety of .270 caliber hunting bullets I can load for the 6.8. Also uppers and 6.8 parts generally seem to be less expensive.

Are there any pro's or con's I should know about these choices I listed for hunting? Or are there any other calibers I am forgetting that would suit my purposes?
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Well first the .458 is Socom not Beowulf. The Wulf is .50 and not a good choice for ranges out to 250 yards. The farthest shot I have made on a whitetail with my Beowulf has been 140 yards with the 300 grain FTX bullet. I wouldn't feel too comfortable pushing a shot too much farther than that.

The Grendel is what I chose for my medium caliber AR. I am running 129 grain SST bullets and a 19.5" barrel with good success. So far my longest shot with the Grendel was last Saturday when I took a coyote at 225 yards. I think the Grendel would do well for what you want.
 
First of all, I too believe the 7.62x39 is worthy of consideration. I have enough experience with it to know it's potential out to at least 300, and I consider it a pretty effective killer at that range. Consider that it has the mass, velocity, energy, and momentum of a full power .357 Magnum out to at least that range. With a 200 yard zero, you're only talking about a foot and a half of drop at 300 yards. That's aim for the head, hit COM on my torso targets, or aim just over the backbone on a deer. And I have to say that with around 1600 fps and 700 foot pounds of energy at that range, I like my chances with the 7.62's mass and diameter over anything the 5.56 has to offer, even with similar energy and higher velocity.

But for the OP, I'd get one of those AA 6.5 Grendel uppers. The loads available for this cartridge edge out anything the 6.8 has to offer, and it has a better selection of hunting components.
 
Update, gapless gas rings and a softer butstock spring has things running like a top. Now just the classic problem of finding 20 round or less mags from C-Products.
 
Now just the classic problem of finding 20 round or less mags from C-Products.
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This is the advantage the other rounds mention hold over 7.62x39

But in the context of a hunting gun where a person only carries 5 in the box it's a non issue
 
The biggest problem with the .458 SOCOM is going to be cost and availability, unless you reload. At least, that's what I hear from those who use it - the only folks I know of who DO use the .458 are reloaders.

I'd probably recommend the 6.8 SPC, FWIW.
 
Interesting discussion ~ the last time I hefted the AR/M16 was during the SE Asia games of '68. Our team came in second. Found the plastic small bore long guns hard to warm up to. Now, some 40 something yrs later my interest piques. Did a look about and couldn't spot what I really felt comfortable with for hunting. Have been 6.5 loyal for decades and discovered the AR10 in 260 Rem which is favorite of mine. So, for one that has an AR15, wanting to keep costs down w/just the component change-out, the Grendel would seem to hold promise.

Off topic a bit but as I'm getting into building up the AR10, I'm sensing some gray areas that concern me and may have to bail out of my project. :eek:
 
My wife uses a Colt 7.62X39 match upper on her Colt AR-15. With quality hunting ammunition she's very accurate out to 200 yards and the rounds kill whitetail very effectively.
 
I don't know why this has become such a long drawn-out deal. I would have figured that the 6.8 SPC would be a no-brainer here.
 
Look into the wssm cases. My kids have killed deer with the 6.8spc but I much prefer my 25wssm AR15 for deer. For deer hunting you do not need 10 plus in the mag.....

Good luck.
 
I know guys who hunt mule deer with .223. I wouldn't do it, but the laws here are broad. White tails are smaller.

I grumble a bit that the ammo and upper availability for the AR-15 are such that it is a bit....inconvenient to use anything other than .223. (I really wish someone besides Alexander Arms made Grendel uppers. Oh well.)

I am working towards being able to say I use evil black rifles exclusively for hunting, I'm building an AR-10 with at least .308 and .243 uppers, maybe .260 as well, and I'll see if anyone makes an upper in 7mm-08.
 
The fly in the ointment is the 30RAR is still vapourware well over a year since it's "introduction"

I had the hots for this one but have since got tired of waiting and went the .30HRT route (125g bullet @ 2675fps)
 
69gr BTHP would do the job in .223 rem
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BushyGuy - did you read the OP's start of the thread? The .223 is not legal to hunt with in VA, any suggestions for a .223 round is moot and not exactly useful is it.

Krochus - Here in VA, we can have a 100 rd drum and hunt with it full if we so choose to do so. They removed the mag limit on everything but migratory waterfowl last year or the year before. Don't see a purpose of taking 20 -30 rds into the woods for hunting... you can only drag so much deer :) but you can do it if you want to.
 
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Krochus - Here in VA, we can have a 100 rd drum and hunt with it full if we so choose to do so. They removed the mag limit on everything but migratory waterfowl last year or the year before. Don't see a purpose of taking 20 -30 rds into the woods for hunting... you can only drag so much deer but you can do it if you want to.
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Yep, the which is why I would prefer a round that would feed out of USGI 20 and 30 rounders, which I have quite a stock of.
 
I am never one to tell people how many or what size of magazine they can own, carry, or hunt with, BUT, if I encountered someone hunting deer with a 100 rd mag, I might be inclined to ask how many shots they thought they would need to do the job.
 
I'm shocked by the 7.62 x 39mm upper suggestions. I read everything I could get my hands on about them, 90% of which was negative (reliability, hard-primer problems), and I bought two anyway (DPMS and Oly Arms). I tried a half-dozen different mags. I piddled with both for a year or two, but had the same array of problems most others do. I'd do a lot of research, consider both sides carefully, weigh the pros and cons...and then don't do it!
 
jffielde said:
I'm shocked by the 7.62 x 39mm upper suggestions. I read everything I could get my hands on about them, 90% of which was negative (reliability, hard-primer problems), and I bought two anyway (DPMS and Oly Arms). I tried a half-dozen different mags. I piddled with both for a year or two, but had the same array of problems most others do. I'd do a lot of research, consider both sides carefully, weigh the pros and cons...and then don't do it!
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If expect 7.62x39 to be a non .223 ar15 (bullet hose) to shoot the cheapest ammo you can find 40rds at a time then NO a 7.62x39 is NOT for you.


However if you're looking for a hunting upper to shoot handloads 5 at a time from the magazine or one or 2 shots at Bambi under 300yds then 7.62x39 is as good as anything else suggested and better if you already load for it
 
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