AR10 cartridge choice help

cummin_un_glued

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I have a billet AR10 lower and I need a little help deciding what to cartridge I want to put in the upper. I want a 24" barrel I do know that.

Here are the rifles that I already have

223 rem stevens 200
257 wby vanguard series 2
6.5x284 savage long range hunter
270 win ruger model 77
270 win browning automatic
270 wsm model 70 feather weight
280 rem Remington woodsmaster 742
7mm rem mag vanguard
7mmx300win vanguard (at the gunsmith at this time)

so with that said what cartridge would you guys use in this AR10? i'm kinda thinking 243 or 308 since I don't have either of those two calibers or maybe even a 7mm-08. i'm not set on the 308 case either tho so i'm open to any suggestions. pro's and cons of various cartridges in the AR10 platform would be great also.

thanks guys

Dustin
 
.308 is perfect considering what you already have. Also the ar industry has been making the platform around the .308 for quite a while now.
 
Look at the 260 Remington (6.5x308) or the 7/08 (7mm/308)Ballistics.
Some that have not been mentioned.

J E CUSTOM
 
Considering your current calibers, I'd look hard at the SAUM line, even though you'll have to get the upper custom made.

I run a 300 SAUM, and am dead set on building a 7mmSAUM and 6.5SAUM in the future.

IMO, the .243 Win, 6mm Creed, .260 Rem or 6.5 Creed are all fine choices as well, but there is just something about knowing you've got greater range than anyone else on the line.
 
Considering your current calibers, I'd look hard at the SAUM line, even though you'll have to get the upper custom made.

I run a 300 SAUM, and am dead set on building a 7mmSAUM and 6.5SAUM in the future.

IMO, the .243 Win, 6mm Creed, .260 Rem or 6.5 Creed are all fine choices as well, but there is just something about knowing you've got greater range than anyone else on the line.

so your running a 300 SAUM in an AR?

the SAUM line does kinda peak my interest. I had not thought about them for this build. my first thought was to just do the 7mm-08 but i'm kinda a magnum fan. I guess i'm going to have to check into the creed line some more also.
 
so your running a 300 SAUM in an AR?

Here was a little bit of load testing last year while I was in TX.
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f111/my-armalite-ultra-sass-300saum-91672/

I did finally get a chance to take it out to a mile on steel, but we didn't have any cameras good enough to capture it on video, so I hope to be doing it again later this fall.
I'm running 190 VLDs with RL17 and Fed 215 Mag primers.
Took my antelope at 930yds and have no hesitation in it's capabilities. (that video is coming soon.)
I'm planning to run a 7mmSAUM with 162 Amax in the very near future and just swap BCG's between the uppers...as that is the part that is tough to get your hands on.
This was a rough rough rough review of what all went into the build.



These were my first three shots after getting a good 100 yd zero and a rough estimate of a chrono velocity (this was to confirm that velocity)...I was using 210 VLDs at the time, and have since switched to the 190s.
Factory barrel, trigger, upper, lower, yada yada...just customized the rest for fit/feel.
I wish they (Armalite) would bring back the caliber.
 
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I have been considering an AR-10 build myself! I would buy the pieces here and there and see what happens. As far as caliber go, I was looking at the 6.5 Grendel, however, I think the .308 would be a better choice as far as ammo availability! That and I don't own a .308. I was on krieger barrels website and if you send them your upper receiver and bolt group, you can have them install one of there barrels. I guess my intent with this rifle would be a Long Range AR. Would look at either a 24-26" barrel!

"AR-10/DPMS-LR Chambering Services:

We can chamber and headspace an AR10/DPMS-LR style barrel however you must supply us with the bolt so we can properly perform this work. If you are sending a bolt for this purpose we ask that you send the BOLT ONLY (no carrier) and that the bolt be stripped of it's ejector and extractor. This is needed as we spend far too much time dissasembling and re-assembling customers parts. Also, many of the chromed bolts have extremely tight fitting pins causing additional work on our part. The bolts supplied by the customer are YOUR responsibility and we can no longer continue to spend hours every month working on these components.

If you send your bolt assembled and/or with the carrier an additional charge will be added for dissasembly/re-assembly.

If we are performing a complete fitting on your upper, then send your assembled components as always.

Thank you, Krieger Barrels, Inc."

M1Garand & M1A/M14

I would consider doing this, seems pretty easy and you get a quality barrel!
 
6.5 Creed. 260 ballistics without intruding on the powder space due to the 2.850" mag length. 6.5X47 Lapua is a good one too but it's pretty spendy brass to be spittin' out of an AR. One thing you should mention is what do you want to do with it? Heavy 24" barrel or a lighter profile, fluted? A lot depends on your plans for use. 308 is a good all-around, 6.5's are great ballistically with enough juice for hunting, 338 Federal is another hunting round although shorter range. Also the 6mm Creed would be as good as the 243 but something different and allow the use of longer higher bc bullets without seating below the neck and less recoil with a great trajectory. Lots of options, just what do you want the rifle to do?
 
So I've decided that I don't want the recoil of the SAUM rounds because I want a very quick follow up shot if need be. I know I know but hey we all miss the wind or something from time to time and I plan to hunt yotes with this rifle so might have to hit one on the run.

That being said now what about 6.5 creed vs 6mm creed vs 6.5x47 lapua vs 6x47 lapua? I don't want a standard 308 because I do plan to get a very basic 308 upper for a SHTF upper. I do like the more non standard rounds I guess I just like to be a little different.
 
Boils down to cost of components. Lapua or Hornady brass, the Creed is short enough to take advantage of any bullet, the Lapua is better with 130's and below and runs a little slower (this is with 6.5's) Either one in 6mm has enough powder to run the 105's and such and will shoot just as well. I've seen factory dies for the 6X47 Lapua, not sure if the Creed has caught up yet with the factory offerings but I'm sure they're available.

Same same, Creed has a little more case capacity and cheeper brass (but is still is considered very good quality).

Can't go wrong either way but personally on the 10 platform I'd go with Hornady's version. I don't have one, but I do have both 6mmX47 Lapua and the 6.5X47 Lapua but both of those sit in bolt actions (they shoot very well too).

I plan on building two (maybe three) uppers for my AR10, one is a 6.5 something, most likely the Creed, and one in a lighter weight 18-20" bbl in 338 Federal of 358 Win for hogs and big game in thicker stuff. Of course it seems silly not to have a 308 so maybe I'll have to have that too, but the others will come first as they'll have more use for me.
 
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