Favorite caliber in the AR platform and why?Or what caliber do you hate and why?

[RyanG90]

6.5 Creedmor subs are fun to shoot

 

[Twodogs]

Sence no one else has brought it up, I like the 6.8 SPC I've got two one 16" and one 11.5" that is an SBR, I have killed a lot of coyotes and a few deer with it.

Also have a .300 BLK and a .223

 

[Anonymous 510]

I have plenty of 556 rifles which r fun and a decent shtf gun but I also own 9mm which is more of a plinking toy for me... but the 224 valkyrie is nice haven't been able 2 stretch the legs yet though... 300 blackout is always a great time at the range 450 bushmaster is one of the bear guns I roll with and 50 beowulfs I fell in love and made 2 the only problem I would say is 450 can be a animal depending on the load you put into it but with the right upgrades it's a flat shooter cant really say I hate anyone of them cause then I wouldn't own them... but I have 7 complete lowers atm gonna be getting more calibers here soon...

 

[Anonymous 510]

I really want 2 make a 300 hamr or a 338 spectre as well

 

[Flopsweat]

That's what I have heard and it's the reason I haven't jumped on that caliber in the AR platform. I guess I'll have to find an AK if I want to shoot any.

5.45 will run great in them if you stay away from the lacquer coated ones.

 

[OrPackrat]

The only time I've shot an AR in .50 Beowulf, another guy at the range had one on the lane next to me and offered. I was aware of the cartridge and had read a bit about it, but for some reason I had in my head 6.5 Grendel (they're from the same poem, right?) which I had shot before. As you might imagine, the recoil was a little more than I was expecting. I still managed to shoot a pretty decent 3 shot group though.

Had a 50 Beowulf pistol and rifle, they didn't feel much different that 556 IMO.

 

[Flopsweat]

Had a 50 Beowulf pistol and rifle, they didn't feel much different that 556 IMO.

This one recoiled about like a 300 Win Mag I had shot earlier that week. Not the end of the world, but it got your attention. It could not be mistaken for a 5.56. The cartridges looked like 50 Beowulf.

 

[DirectDrive]

'
Favorite : .223/5.56 (it's what the platform was originally designed for)
Favorite "special chambering" : 6mmARC
Least favorite : 6.5 Grendel (too slow, a bridge too far)

 

[OrPackrat]

This one recoiled about like a 300 Win Mag I had shot earlier that week. Not the end of the world, but it got your attention. It could not be mistaken for a 5.56. The cartridges looked like 50 Beowulf.

Gas system might have been funny, I've shot my brothers 300win mag and it's a light rifle with a lot of recoil, the 2 ARs I had a pistol and rifle in 50 Beowulf, with underwood 325gr JHP ammo.

My first experience shooting 50 Beowulf, the recoil did not impress me...

 

[boattail]

I would have to say 20 Practical. I have three uppers chambered for that caliber. Two are 24" full bulls and one is a 16" National Match. All three are tack drivers on Beldings squirrels. I have a combined total approaching 10,000 rounds fired through the three. Love the round.

 

[DirectDrive]

I would have to say 20 Practical. I have three uppers chambered for that caliber. Two are 24" full bulls and one is a 16" National Match. All three are tack drivers on Beldings squirrels. I have a combined total approaching 10,000 rounds fired through the three. Love the round.

20 Practical is a fantastic idea.
I don't get 20 Tactical.

 

[Flopsweat]

Gas system might have been funny, I've shot my brothers 300win mag and it's a light rifle with a lot of recoil, the 2 ARs I had a pistol and rifle in 50 Beowulf, with underwood 325gr JHP ammo.

My first experience shooting 50 Beowulf, the recoil did not impress me...

I just looked at a muzzle energy chart (lb/ft) and it seems to be closer to the 300 than the 223:

.223 1100 to 1600
.50 2400 to 2700
.300 3400 to 3900

Also the .300 Win Mag that I shot a few times was a bench gun, not a hunting gun. I don't know what he was running in that .50 but I've shot a lot of different rifles over the years, and that was a stout round. I own a couple of .308's and several shotguns. It felt a lot like bench shooting a 12 GA slug, which I've done a bit, and which compares roughly to a 300WM.

So while that amount of recoil doesn't make sense unless he was running it dangerously hot, I don't think you could mistake an ordinary .50 Beowulf for a .223 unless you are all but immune to recoil.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I would have to say 20 Practical. I have three uppers chambered for that caliber. Two are 24" full bulls and one is a 16" National Match. All three are tack drivers on Beldings squirrels. I have a combined total approaching 10,000 rounds fired through the three. Love the round.

Impressive

 

[Caveman Jim]

View attachment 1881716

AH Haaa. I see.

 

[Mono1]

5.56

As long as it's 69 Grain.

Its One Ragged Hole.

All. Day. Long.

On the Other hand, with my .308 it specifically requires Federal GM210M primers. It's Fussy like a Woman.

But,

They are ALL my Children. So I Love Them All, Equally.

 

[Illuminaughty]

Obviously the popular 's Will be listed up here but I'm interested in some of the quirky ones.

My favorite caliber so far has got to be the 300 blackout. I haven't had a single issue with The lower I built and the PSA upper I ordered for it and it has become my favorite truck gun.

It's not that I hate it but the 7.62x39 is probably the worst caliber I've dealt with in the AR platform. Extractors for days lol

Depends on the application.. for home defense, ++ if you can afford the ammo to train, agree on the 300blk out AR due to minimal parts/mag change. If strickly hunting then maybe a 350 legend

 

[OrPackrat]

I just looked at a muzzle energy chart (lb/ft) and it seems to be closer to the 300 than the 223:

.223 1100 to 1600
.50 2400 to 2700
.300 3400 to 3900

Also the .300 Win Mag that I shot a few times was a bench gun, not a hunting gun. I don't know what he was running in that .50 but I've shot a lot of different rifles over the years, and that was a stout round. I own a couple of .308's and several shotguns. It felt a lot like bench shooting a 12 GA slug, which I've done a bit, and which compares roughly to a 300WM.

So while that amount of recoil doesn't make sense unless he was running it dangerously hot, I don't think you could mistake an ordinary .50 Beowulf for a .223 unless you are all but immune to recoil.

Looking at the free recoil energy tables, it would appear the Beowulf is closer to the 300win mag.

Strange it did not feel that way...

 

[lucusloc]

Ooooo, I am going to be controversial; I do not like the 300 blackout. I think the fact that it can "properly headspace" in a .223 chamber is one of the biggest oversights in modern firearms history. The cartridge needs to be erased from history and redone in such a way that it is not a hazard to prior chamberings.

I think .223 is a wonderfully utilitarian cartridge, and one of the best options on the market for basic home defense. With proper bullet selection it has excellent terminal performance (delivers lots of energy very deep into tissue) combined with excellent barrier penetration behavior (it fragments in the first wall, meaning it delivers very little energy past that). This makes it about ideal for home defense applications where minimizing collateral is as important as stopping the threat.

For fun I like 10mm (or 9mm if I am feeling frugal). PCC style AR-9s are just about as fun as they come; light recoil, short range, and can be shot basically all day. But they are bigger than a .22lr and so still deliver the thrill of shooting "real" bullets.

Of course if I want some more expensive fun I am going big bore AR. I am currently on a mission to collect 'em all, from 350 legend all the way up to 50 Beowulf. I am ven looking to expand the collection into the big bore AR-10 space. Basically if it can fit into the mag well of an AR-whatever and is bigger than ~.35 I want it.

 

[DangerDog]

5.56 with 16 inch barrel. Carbine or midlength gas system. Most versatile platform and comfortable for me. Ammo and parts are plentiful.

 

[gmerkt]

I stick to the conventional .223 / 5.56mm in AR's. I kept two of them, both with carry handles.

I've tried .300 BO, liked the idea of the inherent versatility of the cartridge. But all that versatility resulted in different points of impact. And a lot of time spent with the chrono. For me, it was a toy that I tired of.

Then there was the Armalite AR-10. After all, that's what started the AR ball rolling. It was a lot of fun. But I had a few M1A's already so it was somewhat redundant for my purposes.

It's only my opinion, but coming up with more chamberings for AR's is something akin to a solution in search of a problem. But it's a hobby, people can do what they want.