Which AR15 cartridge for hunting

[agshooter]

I am wanting to build a hunting upper for my AR. 223 is not legal for deer here.

So I am looking at the 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges. The 6.8 just doesnt appeal to me.


I am debating on the 6.5 Grendel, 6mmAR, 6mm HAGAR, 240 Tomahawk, and the 6PDK.

I want to be able to shoot varmints at 250+ yds and deer out there a bit too. I believe the 6mm will be faster and flatter, but will it buck the wind as well as the 6.5mm and have the energy at distance?

I reload, so buying factory ammo is not the issue.

 

[mnhntr]

I would go 6.5 grendel.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I think all will do the job just fine, though if large deer are on the menu, I'd probably opt for the 6.5 Grendel. There are really good .244" bullets available these days, though.

Between all of those, my decision would probably come down to brass cost and availability.

 

[joeschmoe]

I've been wanting a 300 Blackout for this role. Brass and bullets are easier to come by and fewer parts need to be changed. Same mags too. Ammo prices are much better than the other options.

 

[taliv]

6.5 creedmoor or 260rem

(out of a bolt gun) my dope on my 260AI (140 Berg hybrid @ 3000 fps) is within .1 mil elevation and wind to 1000 yards compared to 6 CM (105 Berg hybrid @ 3100 ish) but it has a LOT more impact on the target and past 1000, the larger bullet has a big advantage.

so i would expect the 6.5 CM to shoot the same bullet about 100-150 fps less in a bolt gun, which means i think you're right, the 6 will be flatter and faster and buck the wind, but it won't have the energy on the target.


I would DEFINITELY avoid the 6mm AR and 6mm HAGAR. I've never heard of the tomahawk or 6PDK

 

[dprice3844444]

try to find something that's a standard caliber in case your somewhere and lose your ammo

 

[MichaelK]

My first choice would be the 6.5mm Grendel. Second choice would be 7.62X39mm. If I had a .450, that would be my third choice.

 

[dvdcrr]

One thing to think about is that a 100 gr 6mm bullet is longer than a 100 gr. 277 and case capacity is very important in any case made to fit through the AR magwell. And with the relatively new guilding metal or copper expanding bullets like the 85-100 gr. 277 cal Barnes, you can get more speed and penetration.

 

[dvdcrr]

I liked my 6.8 and would have used it more but I'm frequently up against large deer at 300+ (yds). So my AR now is a 308. I also like my Kimber 270 wsm a lot.

 

[meanmrmustard]

For deer? Whitetails?

Any of them.

I've killed large deer reliably with 223/556 for over a decade. Choose your range and bullets wisely. Little to no meat destruction, inherent accuracy, very little recoil. Meat destruction and recoil are both overrated.

I don't think you could really go wrong with any AR chamberings.

If I'm going past 200 yards, however, I'm probably going to take 6.5 Grendel or 300 BLK.

Edit to add: Sorry. See you aren't allowed .223/556. Apologies, as 556 is a great whitetail round.

 

[mnhntr]

I was also thinking about a 6.5 WSSM which would be way cool.

 

[R.W.Dale]

My longest shot to date on a deer was 280 yards with a 7.62x39 ar15

I've messed with the entire range of ar cartridges for hunting. Then I used 223 and realized that it works just as well for my purposes

 

[meanmrmustard]

My longest shot to date on a deer was 280 yards with a 7.62x39 ar15

I've messed with the entire range of ar cartridges for hunting. Then I used 223 and realized that it works just as well for my purposes

Have you tried the Barnes VorTx, 55 gr. all copper HP?

I highly recommend it.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Have you tried the Barnes VorTx, 55 gr. all copper HP?

I highly recommend it.

Not yet. I keep using 55g Sierra gamekings and the deer keep dying from em.

I'm going to use a 22-250 next season and I may use a similar bullet for that application

 

[68wj]

If no 6.8, I would be happy with 6.5 G over the other options.

 

[TIMC]

6.5 Grendel for me, this cartridge is outstanding for medium game and long range varmint hunting. My longest successful shot to date is just over 300 yards on a coyote.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Not yet. I keep using 55g Sierra gamekings and the deer keep dying from em.

I'm going to use a 22-250 next season and I may use a similar bullet for that application

Also a good choice.

With the all copper construction, and absolute minimal weight loss, the Barnes in front of a 22-250 would be a combo that the deer would hate.

Good luck, sir.

 

[303tom]

For deer? Whitetails?

Any of them.

I've killed large deer reliably with 223/556 for over a decade. Choose your range and bullets wisely. Little to no meat destruction, inherent accuracy, very little recoil. Meat destruction and recoil are both overrated.

I don't think you could really go wrong with any AR chamberings.

If I'm going past 200 yards, however, I'm probably going to take 6.5 Grendel or 300 BLK.

Edit to add: Sorry. See you aren't allowed .223/556. Apologies, as 556 is a great whitetail round.

Not every state allows the use of any center-fire round as we do here in Missouri, but if you can`t use the .223/5.56. Then (agshooter), I suggest the .243 Win. or .308 Win.......................

 

[sixgunner455]

The problem with the .243, .308, .260, and 6.5 Creedmore and all those other cartridges that work so well is they'll never fit in an AR15 receiver. Hence, the development of the .300BLK/Whisper, 6x45mm, 6.5 Grendel, and 6.8 SPC/6.8x43mm.

I am currently having a 6.8x43mm upper built due to its performance (doing what you want to do is well within its capabilities) and the fact that it is becoming the mainstream higher performance AR15 cartridge. WalMart ammo availability being the litmus test of that, 6.8SPC ammo was delivered to WalMarts throughout my state yesterday morning - Federal Fusion, 115gr. I've yet to see any of those other options on a shelf at a WalMart.

I am intrigued by the 6x45mm and the .300, because they work with all standard AR parts except the barrel since the cases for them are just necked up 5.56 brass, whilst the 6.8 and 6.5 require different bolts and magazines since they are based on completely different cartridges. I got turned off on the .300 because its performance advantages (duplicate .30-30 hunting rounds, or subsonic heavy bullets with a suppressor) are just not enough to me to justify the expense of another upper. The 6x45mm's easy adaptation from 5.56 brass is very attractive, as is using common 6mm/.244 bullets, but it will be outperformed by my new 6.8 upper using heavier bullets and a larger case.

I don't say that I'll never have either of them, but for now, the only other AR15 cartridge that is intriguing me enough to tempt me to start buying parts for an upper is the .458 SOCOM. Shoehorning .45-70 performance into an AR15 carbine - that's an intriguing round.

Truthfully, though, between the 6.5 Grendel and the 6.8, we're splitting gnat hairs. Both are excellent. I just don't trust how thinned out the bolt face for the Grendel has to be, so I decided on a 6.8. We'll see how happy I am when I get the box of parts I handed my builder yesterday back as an assembled upper.

 

[adelbridge]

7.62X39 is widely available, ultra cheap and packs the most heat. To me it is a no brainer unless you like to have something different than the crowd. I had a 6.8 SPC upper and was not impressed with ballistics and ammo prices were terrible. I hunt with an AR-10 in .308 and it is a pig of a gun.

 

[snakeman]

The 6.8 spc worked very well for me last year and took two foxes and a big nine pointer.
Check this thread.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=683831

 

[dvdcrr]

I mostly agree with the above, good points. On the AR10 being a pig, check the MP10, I recently bought one and it really seems lighter and less bulky than the Arm (t). carbine to me. I like it a lot. 8.6 lbs with scope, probly a shade under 9 with sling and loaded mag

 

[ngnrd]

I wish the 30RAR had better industry support. It should be a pretty good medium game cartridge that works in an AR15.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Not every state allows the use of any center-fire round as we do here in Missouri, but if you can`t use the .223/5.56. Then (agshooter), I suggest the .243 Win. or .308 Win.......................

That's what my "edit" was for. It baffles me as to the laws of some states and their frivolity when concerning game worthy cartridges, but hey, I don't make the rules.

I think ethics should be left to the individual, their circumstance, and game intended.

You wouldn't catch me using .22LR if legal.
.223 is, to me sufficient at certain range, for medium to small game/predator.
Bigger short actions, 6.5mms, and slugs are more than adequate to me.
I've no use for .308, .30/06, or .300 win mag.

I hear tell there's an AR pattern rifle in .30/06 these days.

 

[SpentCasing]

I like 6.5 Grendel for hunting. 6.8SPC for fighting.