What's your dream cartridge?

**Jack Kardic** · 26 November 2012, 05:53

I'd like to see someone develop a .40 caliber modern rifle round (suitable for use in battle rifles, not the .408 Chey) I've always been a "big heavy bullet" kind of guy, and I have the size to deal with some immense recoil. I just feel like I'm missing out, because I've been shooting .308's since I was 13, and I want something more my size.

I'm just interested, if you could have any cartridge you wanted, what would it be like? (All laws of physics still apply)

**Paulo_Santos** · 26 November 2012, 06:38

What would it be for? Anything specific, or do you mean something like a do-it-all cartridge? Does platform matter?

**Pork Chop** · 26 November 2012, 07:58

i wouldn't mind an AR chambered for 6.5x55 swiss.

**Jack Kardic** · 26 November 2012, 16:31

@paul - Anything. The majority of the popular calibers in use today were originally platform-specific, and in many cases lived or died by that platform. It seems to me that most innovation in firearm design has happened in response to challenges with new and better rounds. Just trying to get a little action going in the Ammunition section and maybe a few ideas for garage tinkerers.

**Paulo_Santos** · 26 November 2012, 17:15

Well, I was a huge fan of the 6.8 SPC. Unfortunately it hasn't progressed like most of us have wanted.

The same creator has been working on the 7mm Murray which would be a real nice all around combat round.

**Flatlander** · 26 November 2012, 20:20

The ballistics of the 6.5 Grendel on the light weight of the AR-15 platform strike me as pretty ideal - a 5.56 works pretty good for the kind of hunting I do, but a heavier bullet would work better. Moving up to an AR-10 makes for an awfully heavy rifle, once it's loaded.

**Paulo_Santos** · 27 November 2012, 04:45

Originally Posted by Flatlander

The ballistics of the 6.5 Grendel on the light weight of the AR-15 platform strike me as pretty ideal - a 5.56 works pretty good for the kind of hunting I do, but a heavier bullet would work better. Moving up to an AR-10 makes for an awfully heavy rifle, once it's loaded.

I really like 6.5 Grendel also, but I would like it better in a platform that would handle it better. Kind of like what LWRC has done for the 6.8 with the wider magwell.

**Flatlander** · 27 November 2012, 05:32

Maybe a topic for a different post, but what does the standard AR15 lack for the 6.5?

**Paulo_Santos** · 27 November 2012, 07:14

Originally Posted by Flatlander

Maybe a topic for a different post, but what does the standard AR15 lack for the 6.5?

The bolt face is not as strong due to it being thinner compared to a 5.56 bolt. And the magazine issue, which is also the problem with the 6.8, which is what LWRC has apparently fixed. Since the cases are fatter on both the 6.5 and 6.8, they couldn't get a true double stack and it was impossible to make polymer mags for them. I've fired close to 20K rounds of 6.8 and used every single mag out there and the reliability was nowhere near as good as the 5.56. If you sit there at the range shooting slowly, it would work fine, but during fast shooting and full auto, that is where the malfunctions began.

**Flatlander** · 27 November 2012, 08:57

The new LWRC 6.8 is a lot to absorb ... and may be a whole lot of money. I am well enough pleased with the 5.56 for my purposes ... til the range gets stretched out. If you were just trying to make a longer range repeating rifle out of it (not a battle rifle) ... is the reliability of the 6.8 or 6.5 satisfactory or a headache?

**Paulo_Santos** · 27 November 2012, 09:56

Originally Posted by Flatlander

The new LWRC 6.8 is a lot to absorb ... and may be a whole lot of money. I am well enough pleased with the 5.56 for my purposes ... til the range gets stretched out. If you were just trying to make a longer range repeating rifle out of it (not a battle rifle) ... is the reliability of the 6.8 or 6.5 satisfactory or a headache?

If you plan on using the 6.8 or 6.5 for hunting, it is worth it and it won't be much of a headache. But I would not use it for duty use or SHTF due to reliability issues and lack of affordable training ammo.

**Flatlander** · 27 November 2012, 10:10

Thanks. I keep waffling between a 6.5 (or 6.8) and a 308 for open country and across-canyon use :)

**Paulo_Santos** · 27 November 2012, 11:09

Originally Posted by Flatlander

Thanks. I keep waffling between a 6.5 (or 6.8) and a 308 for open country and across-canyon use :)

.308's are getting lighter and lighter.

**caporider** · 27 November 2012, 13:18

6.5 SPC?

With the Six8 Magpul PMAGs allowing 2.32" COAL I just might experiment with necking down a 6.8SPC casing to fit, say, a .264 Hornady 123gr SST. With the stronger 6.8 bolt and the 6.8SPC case's powder capacity it would be interesting to see how a 6.5SPC would play out. Of course I'd have to have a barrel chambered, yadda yadda yadda... But it sure would be fun.

**Zagmp03** · 2 October 2014, 10:40

I think 6.5 Grendel is getting to be where it's at...the limiting part is not necessarily the cartridge, but that it's stuffed in a magwell (and magazine) that is too small and so has feed issues. I've read up on them and it seems to be an ideal cartridge between 5.56 and .308, but the reliability part is what is holding me back from buying the parts to build an upper.

It just has such great all around ballistics in an AR platform...The next thing would be to build a bolt gun to match...

Thread: What's your dream cartridge?

Thread Tools

Display

What's your dream cartridge?

Posting Permissions