AR Caliber Compatibility

[camper4lyfe]

I want to build another upper, one more suited for deer hunting than standard .223/5.56. I'd like to keep things simple as far as components go and within the -15 platform, so I'm curious what calibers can be used in a standard .223 AR mag since I already have a blocked 5/10rnd mag.

In addition to that, I'm curious on what other parts, aside from the barrel, that would need to be specific to that caliber. BCG? Or at least just the bolt?

Thoughts?

 

[Jem45472]

300 BLK requires just a barrel change. 6.8 would require barrel, bolt and mag changes.

 

[RooftopKorean]

224 Valkiyre
458 SOCOM
450 Bushmaster
50 Beowulf

requires change of:

Barrel
Bolt
Mag

 

[camper4lyfe]

224 Valkiyre
458 SOCOM
450 Bushmaster
50 Beowulf

requires change of:

Barrel
Bolt
Mag

I feel like 458, 450, and 50 would be a bit overkill, don't you?

 

[RooftopKorean]

I feel like 458, 450, and 50 would be a bit overkill, don't you?

No such thing

On a serious note for deer probably, just offering additional information.

If you want that additional oomph, the 300 Blackout will probably do it without breaking the bank.

 

[camper4lyfe]

No such thing

On a serious note for deer probably, just offering additional information.

Well, when your goal is to fill the freezer, you don't want to lose half the deer.

 

[camper4lyfe]

224 Valkiyre
458 SOCOM
450 Bushmaster
50 Beowulf

requires change of:

Barrel
Bolt
Mag

You mention 224 Valkyrie. How would that differ from .223? Caliber-wise, it's nearly identical. What sort of ballistic advantage would it have?

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

6.5 Grendel

 

[camper4lyfe]

6.5 Grendel

What caliber specific components does that require, outside of barrel?

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

What caliber specific components does that require, outside of barrel?

BCG and magazines. I actually have some mags I can spare if you go this route.

 

[@thewheels]

What caliber specific components does that require, outside of barrel?

Bolt & for best feeding, mags.

 

[Edwardteach72]

BCG and magazines. I actually have some mags I can spare if you go this route.

Doesn't it use the standard BCG just have to swap the bolt?

 

[dsdmmat]

17 Remington requires a barrel change. Probably a poor choice for deer but anything smaller like Fox and coyote should be good.

6.5 PCC barrel change

6.5 Patriot Combat Cartridge (6.5 PCC) Review

6.5 Patriot Combat Cartridge (6.5 PCC) Review I am a big fan of 6.5 mm (.264″) cartridges and the idea of a new 6.5mm wildcat for the AR15/M-16 quickly caught my attention. Known as the 6.5 …

rifleshooter.com

6mm-223 barrel change.

6×45mm - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

So

Doesn't it use the standard BCG just have to swap the bolt?

Sorry. That's what I meant to say.

 

[Bob]

You mention 224 Valkyrie. How would that differ from .223? Caliber-wise, it's nearly identical. What sort of ballistic advantage would it have?

.224 Valkyrie is a 6.8SPC necked down to .223. It uses the heaver range of .223 pills, typically 75 grains and up. It shoots REALLY flat for a .223 round, and muzzle velocity can be anywhere from 2700 to 3200fps. Depending on the setup, it can stay supersonic well past 1000 yards.

You can run it in a standard .223/5.56 lower. Upper would obviously need to be dedicated. Uses standard 6.8SPC mags.

 

[Marine Cpl]

You can also just keep what you have and instead just buy a .223 load that has proven itself for deer hunting like the 70 gr TSX or the 75 gr Gold Dot.

No barrel change. No magazine change. No bolt change. Just the load.

 

[camper4lyfe]

You can also just keep what you have and instead just buy a .223 load that has proven itself for deer hunting like the 70 gr TSX or the 75 gr Gold Dot.

No barrel change. No magazine change. No bolt change. Just the load.

That thought has crossed my mind as well. My biggest issue is that my current build weighs about 10lbs. It's not something I want to carry through the woods, so I would still need to build something a bit lighter (and most likely in carbine length rather than a 20" stainless barrel)

 

[dsdmmat]

Get a carbon fiber wrapped barrel and keep it 20 At inches. Give the 75s every inch of speed they can get.

 

[JamieZ]

I have a 6.8 spc for deer hunting, if I had a 6.5 grendel too,,,,,,I would still want to build a 6 ARC with a BSF carbon wrapped barrel. I think from what Ive read that the 6 ARC is a better caliber than the 6.8 and the 6.5. Plus the 6 ARC uses the same bullets as my 6 Creedmoor but it would be slightly slower using matching 105gr bullets.

Basically Im not responding to your post but talking myself into building one

6mm ARC - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JamieZ]

That thought has crossed my mind as well. My biggest issue is that my current build weighs about 10lbs. It's not something I want to carry through the woods, so I would still need to build something a bit lighter (and most likely in carbine length rather than a 20" stainless barrel)

If you want to build carbine length go with the 6.8 spc,,,,less velocity loss than other calibers posted in this thread with the shorter barrel or like dsdmmat said and I said,,,spend the money on a carbon wrapped barrel,,,,my 6 creedmoor BSF barrel is very, very accurate and much, much lighter than the OEM one.

 

[1075tech]

Built my 6.5 Grendel pistol specifically for hunting. 12" barrel. With Nosler 129 ABLR loads, theoretical MPBR of ~250 yards (200 yard zero) Max effective range of 600 yards based on Noslers minimum impact speed of 1300 ft/sec

 

[Vapor]

Had a 55 grain soft point bust through both shoulders, but it was a doe, and out of a 22" bolt gun.

Still, pick a strong bullet between 69-77 grains and get a light weight 20" upper. You're set.

 

[Robin]

Do you want to use your .223 bolt? Do you plan to reload for the new caliber? There are so many to choose from. I put together a 350 Legend which uses the same .223 bolt and I do reload for it, but there is a good amount of hunting ammo varieties available, well normally. It seems to be an inherently accurate cartridge and destroys water filled milk jugs at a hundred yards like a thirty ought six!!!!
Still got a ton of squash here if you want some!
Robin

 

[camper4lyfe]

Do you want to use your .223 bolt? Do you plan to reload for the new caliber? There are so many to choose from. I put together a 350 Legend which uses the same .223 bolt and I do reload for it, but there is a good amount of hunting ammo varieties available, well normally. It seems to be an inherently accurate cartridge and destroys water filled milk jugs at a hundred yards like a thirty ought six!!!!
Still got a ton of squash here if you want some!
Robin

I would like to get into reloading someday, but I don’t have the gear to do it yet.

 

[meketrefe]

what do you mean with blocked magazine?
Do you want to use the same bolt?
do you mind reloading or otherwise hard to find ammo? 6x45 or 6mmTCU are a very nice calibers, same 223 case but 25-30% gain in killing power.
The nice thing about the 6mm is the amazing selection of hunting bullets one has that one doesn't have in the 22 caliber.
the 6mm assortment pretty much start where the 22 ends.

 

[meketrefe]

17 Remington requires a barrel change. Probably a poor choice for deer but anything smaller like Fox and coyote should be good.

6.5 PCC barrel change

6.5 Patriot Combat Cartridge (6.5 PCC) Review

6.5 Patriot Combat Cartridge (6.5 PCC) Review I am a big fan of 6.5 mm (.264″) cartridges and the idea of a new 6.5mm wildcat for the AR15/M-16 quickly caught my attention. Known as the 6.5 …

rifleshooter.com

6mm-223 barrel change.

6×45mm - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The PPC is dead. I worked with the designer of this cat and he never got the results that is what I predicted.
I do have a 6.5TCU that does better given one has a PRI or Cmag with 2.31 coal due to the coal of the 6.5bullets and
one is restricted to the 100-110 grains but there are some nice ones. Some pmags also work great.
BTW I still have the barrel and dies and would not mind selling them.

 

[camper4lyfe]

what do you mean with blocked magazine?
Do you want to use the same bolt?
do you mind reloading or otherwise hard to find ammo? 6x45 or 6mmTCU are a very nice calibers, same 223 case but 25-30% gain in killing power.
The nice thing about the 6mm is the amazing selection of hunting bullets one has that one doesn't have in the 22 caliber.
the 6mm assortment pretty much start where the 22 ends.

I’m not set up for reloading, so I’d need something available off the shelf. I’d like to get into reloading, but it’s down the road a ways still.
My only reason for .223 bolt is budgetary. I already have one so it saves me a bit on the build, at least initially.

the blocked magazine is just a 10rnd limited to 5.

 

[Xae289]

If you don't reload and want to go cheap and easy, go for .300 Blackout and just get an upper with a carbine length gas tube. You wouldn't want subsonic ammo for hunting (or for much of anything living in a state where supressors are a no-go), so a carbine length gas system is fine.

You can use the same bolt, magazine, buffer, spring, whatever. From a 16" barrel, it's comparable in ballistics to .357 magnum from a rifle barrel, so it'll do the job fine for deer.

 

[Skinny420]

I built a .450 bushmaster last year for deer and possibly bear. The doe i hit blew rib bones out the other side. Made a mess but not much meat loss. Had i hit both front sholders it would waste a bunch of meat. Also mags like to jam with this caliber. 300 blk was plug and play and fires real good. Should be plenty for deer but less than ideal if that bear does ever show up.