What caliber should I go with next for the AR platform?

[Jack O A T]

for sure it's comparable to any other premium hunting round. Just a lot more expensive to blast off a 30 round magazine when you go out with friends. which you will want to do if you line up a bunch of pumpkins and other "expendables". but if you reload and save your brass, that's where it really shines. plus you can load to whatever spec you have in your rifle (there were some different specs for chambers over the years) so you can take advantage of the velocity if you want.

Shhh! Let him take the bait a little before confusing OP with the SAMMI vs SPCII "talk". Lol
Hand loading will definitely wring out all the performance allowed in the improved SPCII chamber (most new rifles and barrels made now). But to be honest, the multitude of different factory loadings that ARE compatible with the SAMMI chambers will work plenty well enough for the typical hunter whether the quarry is hog, deer, coyote, HD, paper, or the ever-elusive pumpkin.

 

[Atom242]

6.5 Grendel for sure. It's a beast of a round, still get 25 plus rounds to a mag, you stay in the AR 15 platform, and it's fairly inexpensive to shoot. I have your same AR building addiction.... 5.56 X 3, 6.5 Grendel, 458 Socom (awesome hog round), 9mm, and coming soon 300 AAC.

 

[greg vess]

ARP barrels are manufactured to except hot loads which adds speed and ft lbs. of energy to the already exemplary round. I am working on getting a 115 round up close to 3000 ft. per second.

 

[Bdrmbully]

Go with the 50. Beowulf. I love mine and it will put a crater through a hog I'm sorry I love mine so much I had to show it and I think it should be your next build...

 

[hawk-eye]

Here is a wildcat caliber for you. SSK Industries makes a 6.5MPC
It is a necked up 5.56 case and a 6.5mm bullet stuffed in.

I have one, but you will have to load them by hand. No production ammo yet. Been loading these like eating popcorn.

Had the stainless barrel threaded for a suppressor and it is a blast to shoot.

 

[Tskinne3]

The 25-45 sharps has really peaked my interest and I think it will be my next build. Those new 100 grain swine smasher rounds look nasty!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Ken Ford]

Looking to build another AR, addicted to building them. I have one in 556, 9mm, 300 blk. So my question is, what caliber should I do next? Should I do 7.62x39 or another 556. I know there are some other calibers like 6.8 but have no knowledge of them. Might even use this rifle for hog hunting. Open to all suggestions.

5.56

Cause we're gonna need them soon.

 

[greg vess]

IMHO there is no need to go beyond the 6.8...These huge rounds are novelty guns and will never be put to good use. I mean never be used for they are intended for. The 50 Beowolf was intended to stop cars by causing severe damage to the engine block and so are the other rounds in that size. You can forget a 400 yard shot with one of these rounds for they will drop 12 feet. The 6.5 in a 5.56 case has to much projectile for what little powder it holds. You must take into consideration the availability of the the rounds and the versatility of the round. I am not saying you should absolutely go with the 6.8 but pick a round that will be around pretty much everywhere and one you can do a lot of different things with. Such as target, hunting, self defense, size and weight of ammo for SHTF moments. Any of the smaller 6 mm rounds will do this effectively. Also take into consideration the recoil for follow up shots. All of the bigger rounds are going to take this option completely out of the equation.

 

[greg vess]

View attachment 784127 View attachment 784125 View attachment 784118 Go with the 50. Beowulf. I love mine and it will put a crater through a hog I'm sorry I love mine so much I had to show it and I think it should be your next build...

Slick looking go though!

 

[Shovelhead]

They are like potato chips.. one is not enough. I am going with a 6 X 45 on this next build. I like the idea of not having to modify anything other then necking up a .223 case. Now the question is which Marvel character will be it's Cerakote theme? Maybe Harley Quinn? Deadpool?