6x45 AR

[mnnate]

I shoot an 18" bhw 1-10 twist 6x45 as my main coyote rifle. I've loaded 85gr sierra game kings and shot a couple deer with it and load 65gr vmaxes for the coyote work. Very happy with the pop the vmaxes have on yotes. Easy to load for. I will agree that they can get mixed up if you don't clearly mark and keep seperate. My mags for my 6x45 and 223 ars are clearly marked.

[Deputyhiro]

you can switch to 300 blk too with just a barrel change, apparently. I just started looking into it... may be my new caliber.

[Sigfan220]

you can switch to 300 blk too with just a barrel change, apparently. I just started looking into it... may be my new caliber.

You can switch to a whole lot more than those two. If we are talking wildcats(6x45) then the options are plentiful, even just looking at ones that only require a barrel change(223 bolt face). 17 rem, 17-223, 20prac, 20tac, 204 Ruger, 223AI, 6x45, 300 BLK and similar (300-221, 300 whisper etc) and others. I have seen write ups of guys with 7mm-223 uppers. That's the fun thing with wildcats, the options are endless. If you can think of it, somebody probably already has and reamers are available. If not there are places that will cut custom reamers and custom dies can also be purchased.

[northernbird]

My dad was asking about options for a larger caliber upper just yesterday, I little research found me this list of options available for the AR platform.. I think theres 62 on that list

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=337969

I spent a bit more time yesterday looking at the 6.5 grendel and the 6.8 SPC and both seem like pretty sweet rounds. Lots of hardcore fans on both sides that like to argue about which is better of course. I'd really like to get my hands on either one of them.

[Sigfan220]

I do not think the list is accurate. 1) the 338 whisper does not have a 223 bolt face. Look at a 300 bulk and tell me where a 338 bullet will fit 2) 222 rem mag would be to long on oal even though it would have a 223 bolt face. You could probably get it to work with some bullets but why?? A 223 ai would yield the same or better ballistics and you could seat the bullets like normal 3) 20 vartarg I question how well this short little guy would feed?? 4) the 7tcu has oal length and mag issues from what I read, if you look at a standard mag and imagine a 223 necked up to 7mm it would make spence that there may be problems

A few of the others seemed odd but these ones jumped out at me. 20 vartarg may work fine I didn't do any research but that is one short little guy for a 223 mag.

[Sigfan220]

6x47(222rem mag) would also be too long

[northernbird]

yeah, not my list.. my point was to illustrate the rather long list of options. I haven't heard of half of the calibers listed. I'd think you would have to have a pretty specific use in mind, or just really like to tinker and reload to make alot of those work.

[67camaro]

What exactly is your dad looking for? Larger diameter? Longer range?(kinda hard to beat .223, though 6.5Grendel does that as well as the 6mm wildcats.) I have a .450 bushmaster and couldn't be happier. Other large diameters that are well known .458 socom and .50 beowulf. These do not use the same bolt as .223.

[northernbird]

He was looking for something better than 223 for deer using an AR-15 lower. My first thought was the 300 Blackout, but then when I saw how many options there really were I started looking at them too. Seems the 6.5 grendel and 6.8 spc both would give you better options at greater distances than maybe the 300 blackout.. kinda in the early stages of thinking about this. Lots more to learn.

[Sigfan220]

What about a wssm upper? It would require a bolt change but would give ar10 performance in an ar15

[OldmanFCSA]

I have a 7.62X39 upper for an AR-15 lower that has the power of a 30-30. Magazines are critical to ensure proper feeding. Mine work great, 29 rounds per mag. It came with the proper BCG.

[67camaro]

The three in my previous post would be excellent for whitetail as would 7.62x39 ad oldman posted. Another as may have been mentioned that I have seen popular with whitetail hunters is the 6.8(I've seen factory ammo on shelves everywhere for this).

[bleukahuna]

I built one about 25 years ago for deer hunting. Used an Olympic full heavy ultra match 20" barrel, that's what was available then. My intent was to turn it down to the old M-16 profile but it arrived the day I was headed to deer camp so I assembled the upper before I left, assembled ammo in camp, sighted it in after the morning hunt and shot 2 deer with it that afternoon. The way it groups, I decided not to mess with the barrel and it's been my go to coyote gun for many years, has taken uncounted prairie dogs and about a dozen more deer. I ended up building a light weight 6.8 spc for the light brush carbine this was meant to be.