Figuring out caliber for multi-use AR platform

[RobSWVA]

Slowly gathering parts that have multiple applications (front rail, etc), but still kinda stuck on the chamber. I have two main reasons for the gun. 1: sport shooting 2: deer. I've heard both sides of pro/con on using 5.56 for deer, and while I'm sure there are positives for both arguments, I'm not one to want to end up leaving an injured animal to suffer and die as a waste. So, now I need to figure out what chamber to use on my AR platform to feel confident regarding the previous statement not happening. I'm also leaning towards attempting, if possible, to build one lower and have multiple uppers down the road, that way I can swap between a couple/few different calibers at some point. Mainly at this point though, I'm needing the dual use upper to start with. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Oh, almost forgot. No need to reach out and touch someone, live in the appalachians, so 100 yds would most likely be the furthest shot to worry about, and even then thats gonna be rare.

[JoshAston]

I'd go with 5.56 and use Barnes TTSX for deer. But if you're averse to 5.56 then 6.8 should meet your needs rather handily.

[GaSwamper]

.277 Wolverine would be perfect for you. Check out the Mad Dog Weapons forum for the loaded ammo announcement that was posted today by Mid-South Munitions. This thing is moving fast!

[Ride4frnt]

.300blk will take a deer no problem, but the round has kind of lost it's appeal to me until I go suppressed. .223 is plenty enough to take a deer reliably with the right load and shot placement. If you put a hunting load right in the "boiler room" that deer isn't gonna go far. That being said, I wouldn't want to shoot a deer with a .223 round at much further than 100-150 yards. Where I hunt I'm lucky if I could even shoot 100yds without hitting a tree, but I hunt with my .25-06 anyway.

http://www.americanhunter.org/mobile...d=21670&cid=56

[Computalotapus]

I am deer hunting this year with .223. Longest shot will be maybe 75yds. I thought about 7.62x39 or maybe even .243 WSSM for next year
Sent from my Windows Phone 8.1

[RobSWVA]

.277 Wolverine would be perfect for you. Check out the Mad Dog Weapons forum for the loaded ammo announcement that was posted today by Mid-South Munitions. This thing is moving fast!

I had been thinking about going that route, but is the round being produced commercially yet? I dont have reload equipment yet, thats my next project after my rifle is built

[WHSmithIV]

Hard for me to make a call on. I've never hunted deer with an AR. I've always used my .303 Lee Enfield.

[RobSWVA]

I'd go with 5.56 and use Barnes TTSX for deer. But if you're averse to 5.56 then 6.8 should meet your needs rather handily.

I'm not necessarily avoiding it, I just hear so much back and forth about it, I would prefer to err on the side of caution and go a bit bigger to feel confident in a clean kill. It's still on the table though, just looking at all my options at this point before I invest in a barrel.

[GaSwamper]

Here's why .277. Just so happens I took this doe a couple hours ago. 120yd shot 10.5'' barrel 95grTTSX. I was back a little more than I would have liked mostly a lung shot, deer was down in 30yds.

[RobSWVA]

Here's why .277. Just so happens I took this doe a couple hours ago. 120yd shot 10.5'' barrel 95grTTSX. I was back a little more than I would have liked mostly a lung shot, deer was down in 30yds.

congrats on putting some meat in the freezer! It looks like I'll be missing out on the season this year, but that just gives me more time to prep for next year I guess. I had really thought about going w/ the Wolv, but the only issue I have is I dont have reloading equip or exp, so kinda worried about ammo availability; but, I've got some time before I get my rifle pieced together, so that may become a non-issue between now and then. Guess I'll have to keep my ear out on the ammo thing and keep plodding away on making up my mind. The .277 is in my short list though.

[VIPER 237]

For 100 and under the 300blk is perfect. Same mags and bolt as a 5.56, suppresses very well, very accurate, easy on your parts, and excells with shorter barrels.

[mustangfreek]

Here's why .277. Just so happens I took this doe a couple hours ago. 120yd shot 10.5'' barrel 95grTTSX. I was back a little more than I would have liked mostly a lung shot, deer was down in 30yds.

Nice !!

Seen that pic up on facebook and thought of someone from this forum was the slayer...lol.

[SINNER]

I hunt deer almost year round between hunting 3 states different seasons and the crop damage permits. I have used many calibers from .22LR to .338 Lapua's. And a 50BMG once. lol 5.56 is woefully inadequate for white tails. Regardless of bullet type, 95% of the time even a perfect shot results in a long search for an animal. Head shots on small does are an exception of course. In rounds that fit the AR15 platform I have used 6.8SPC, 6.5 Grendel, 5.45x39, 7.62x39, and .300 BO. Along with a few other big bores thrown in. The Russians are limited by bullet types unless you handload and honestly why waste time loading those with so many other choices out there. The .300 Blackout is by far the most effective round out of all those. I use a 16" Daniel Defense barrel on my most often used AR hunting rifle and from 25 yds to 200 yds it is deadly. I run a 10.3 DD pistol barrel for pistol season the last few years and other than a slightly limited range it too hits with authority. Over 150 yds I pass on the shot with the pistol. The Barnes 110 gr. TAC-TX is a great factory load, as is the Nosler 125 gr. Ballistic tip. Handloads I run the Hornady SST's in 125 gr with 19 grains of H110, running right around 2200 FPS . I do not have a .277 Wolverine but ballistics are going to be right in line with the 6.8 and other than people who do not already have the proprietary mags and bolt needed I see no advantage to yet another round to sort through.

[tirod]

When I made the decision a few years back it came down to the 6.8 having a flatter trajectory and longer range because of it. That's not to say .300 won't knock down deer, and it's a good point to mention a lot of shots are under 100m.

But for an all around rifle, longer ranges are also part of the mix. You might try antelope with 85 gr Barnes bullets, but a .300 would run short.

I was considering .300 for a pistol build but decided the main reason I wasn't shooting the 6.8 much was that there was no $8 a box ammo on the shelf. Now, there is, in 5.56 - but not .300 or 6.8 either. While there may be promises of imports or surplus from contracts, it's two months from another SHOT Show and likely, more empty promises, same as many times before.

If you are wanting to hunt with 5.56, stay away from light GI loads and look for Barnes in 77 gn bullets designed to expand down to 1,800 fps. Your hunting trip isn't someone else's vermin hunt - no doubt it's nice to see deer and take a shot, many years go by and that doesn't happen, too.

Unfortunately another part of being an all around rifle. My first was an HK91 in .308 for 18 years, later I built the AR and it's been a lot less work hiking back into the woods.

[RobSWVA]

Well, its been ALOT of back and forth on this issue for me, but since I am getting close to buying a barrel, I think I've finally got this thing figured out. While I was leaning towards the .277 WLV for a little while, a discussion with a friend of mine brought up some really good points that changed my mind. Due to comparisons on cost of barrel and cost on ammo, I'm gonna go with .300 aac for my first build. I dont really have any need for long range up in the mtns here, its got plenty of takedown power for whitetail, ammo is fairly cheap, and I found a nice melonited barrel for 140+ shipping. Thanks for all of ya'lls imput on this, it gave me quite a few ways to go and helped me narrow down my final list. Once I get some parts ordered and arriving in the next month I'll have to start a build thread