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Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 05 Jul 2017 01:41
by Archer
So I've been building adult leggo sets for a while but I've mostly stuck to 5.56/.223 Wylde and 7.62x51/.308 Win.
I have acquired a 7.62x39 upper and some mags and assembled a lower for it that seems to work well.

I've been thinking about getting a 6.8 SPC built up but haven't managed to do it yet.
.50 Beowulf is something I'd like to try.
6.5 Grendel is another that could be interesting if perhaps a bit overhyped by the folks at Alexander Arms as a hunting platform.

A buddy of mine has an Armalite .338 Federal that I think is pretty neat but I'm not finding any barrels or uppers out there right now so it may not be the healthiest of caliber choices right now although it appears bolt actions are still being produced or at least being sold as new even if old stock.
I've also got a bud who's got a .204 Ruger but I'm not sure I want to go there.

I'd like to get a .243 Win upper for one of my .308s.

Anybody else got experience or ideas about other AR caliber options?

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 05 Jul 2017 05:59
by GRV01
Im not an AR guy at all but ive been saying a while now that if i did pick one up or build id go for 458 SOCOM :D

and unless i misread your post (or didnt understand) i think you left off the popular .300 BLK?

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 05 Jul 2017 06:09
by GasGuzzler
I assembled a 300BLK and by the time Radical decided to ship the upper (10 weeks after they charged my card) I lost interest and sold the upper to one guy for a $50 loss and the very VERY nice loading set up (custom Redding forming dies, 300 jacketed Hornady bullets, 500 once fired 300BLK headstamp fully processed brass, Lee collet die, Lee trim set up) to another guy for a $50 profit. Never made a loaded round, never chambered a loaded round. Built a 5.56 upper for that lower and sold it for $200 more than I had in it right before the election. I've since built yet another 5.56 that a buddy wanted more than me.

I'd probably try a 7.62X39 if I were to go off the reserve again.

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 05 Jul 2017 23:49
by Archer
Yep!
I forgot about the .300 Blackout/Whisper.
It is popular. At least 3 of my buds have one or are contemplating one.
Outside of suppressor use I'm not sure I want to go there since I've already got .308/7.62x51 and 7.62x39 and suppressors aren't going to happen in Komifornia.

I also neglected to mention 6.5 Creedmore and .260 Remington from the .308 platform and 6.5 out of a .308 casing is probably a winning setup.

I also neglected to mention a dedicated .22 LR upper which is pretty bad since I was considering putting one of those together last week or so.

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 05 Jul 2017 23:52
by Archer
One of my coworkers has a 50 Beowulf and I've been considering going that way but 458 Socom may have some advantages. I haven't looked into .450 Bushmaster much either.

One of the three however would be nice to have as a .45-70 semi auto equivalent.

The one downside I see to .458 SOCOM is that I think it's still a proprietary cartridge with limited load data available. (Not that the other two are exactly brimming over with data out there either but they are industry spec at least.)

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 07 Jul 2017 17:10
by akuser47
The 300 blackout has my interests. I shot one of my buddies and it is a nice shooting round. Plus I think I'll be able to use my .30 caliber bullets to load these rounds I assume.

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 15 Jul 2017 20:44
by Missionary
Greetings
Have had a 300Blk for a couple years. They are dandy close shooting rifles. Looking to purchase a 16 inch 300 BLK barrel with the "pistol gas port" to have better cycling with sub-sonic loads.
A 200 grainer at 850 fps using Red Dot makes a moderate pop but will sure roll groundhogs over at 50 yards. The pistol gas port should get the action to cycle. Make a fun up close yote rifle.
Mike in Peru

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 16 Jul 2017 17:50
by akuser47
That is pretty much my plan is to put one together, and if HPA passes can it. I think it will be a nice caliber. +guns

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 19 Jul 2017 00:30
by Archer
Got my 6.5 Grendel parts.
Odin Works 20" barrel, gas block and BCG.
Picked up a rifle gas tube and a 7.62 bird cage and give CA's silly laws may eventually get enacted I got a thread protector in case I decide to go featureless.

Have a upper receiver so I only need a handguard a magazine or five and some sights or a scope and rings and I'm set to drop it on one of my lowers.

Got a mag on order but the reviews aren't great. I'll probably bite the bullet and get some in from Alexander. Also have a couple hundred rounds coming in for it as well.

Re: Alternate calibers for ARs?

Posted: 12 Nov 2017 03:05
by Archer
Update...

I've ended up with another 6.5 barrel and bolt carrier group, 24" fluted.
Kind of funny ending up with two 6.5s when I always thought I'd probably go 6.8.
Still several parts I'm waiting on including backordered mags.

I've also ended up with a 12.7x42mm barrel and bolt which is the same as the copywrited AA Beowulf except for the name. This one is 'AR Stoner' from Midway and will get assembled to a Satern big bore receiver.


I've looked into .338 Federal and although I think it might be fun I don't think there's a lot of parts and support for it at the moment and the only complete upper receivers I've seen are Wilson's which seem a little short barrel wise.

Although 6.5 Creedmore is sort of the opposite of 338 Federal it may just be more likely that I'll go there eventually.