AR-10 build for speed (220 Swift or 22-243)

[vog2hunt]

Ok so this is still a concept build. I am wanting a thermal hunting rig that i can get as close to possible shooting 400 yards and stay on fur.

Ideally with the resources i have, i would love to build a 220 swift. However i don't see a good way to feed an AR-10 style rifle, even with a 5 rounds mag.

Second idea is a 22-243 build. However i cannot for the life of me find a load for a bullet under 50 gr. I would say the 35 gr hammer would be of interest since it can hold up to speeds without fragmenting. I like odd calibers and hand loading/work on the brass so odd calibers don't deter me.

Does anyone have info on how to feed a 220 swift AR-10 first off?
Second, are there any throat burning, high speed loads that someone has with a 40-ish grain bullet out of a 22-243 (mid or AI)

 

[Zen Archery]

Only limit will be COAL. AR10 mag length will limit you to 2.800-2.850 range. Unless you choose to widow a magazine. You may also need to widen ejection port. KAK industries sales an expanded upper for WSM size cases. Sounds like a fun project.

 

[vog2hunt]

Interesting point, i wouldn't think that would be an issue at first glance. The OAL for a typical 220 swift is 2.68 and going with a shorter lighter bullet should keep me around that. Maybe i'm missing something?

 

[Deleted member 115360]

Just go 22 creedmoor so you don't have all of the magazine trouble. Both of those would make magazine nightmares.

 

[357Mag]

Ok so this is still a concept build. I am wanting a thermal hunting rig that i can get as close to possible shooting 400 yards and stay on fur.

Ideally with the resources i have, i would love to build a 220 swift. However i don't see a good way to feed an AR-10 style rifle, even with a 5 rounds mag.

Second idea is a 22-243 build. However i cannot for the life of me find a load for a bullet under 50 gr. I would say the 35 gr hammer would be of interest since it can hold up to speeds without fragmenting. I like odd calibers and hand loading/work on the brass so odd calibers don't deter me.

Does anyone have info on how to feed a 220 swift AR-10 first off?
Second, are there any throat burning, high speed loads that someone has wit

h a 40-ish grain bullet out of a 22-243 (mid or AI)

Vog2 -

Howdy !

For something in the 'Swift class w/o the rim, and w/ less case taper, and less overall length; might I suggest.....

" .22-35 Remington " .

I ran my .22-35 in a bolt rifle. First w/ a 24" SS 1-14 for shooting groundhog w/ Hornady 55 SX bullets.

Also shot my .22-35 in a 28" SS 1-8 , to gove me valid 1,000yd capability for either varmint or target application.

The .35 Remingotn case is 1.920" lg, or just .008" longer than a .22-250. The newer " .22 Creedmoor " wildcat runs the same 1.920" case lg.

.22-35 Remington in the 24" barrel gave me a 510yd kill on a grounghog, when shooting a prototype of Hornday's
(then up-coming ) 55 "V"-Max.

The .35 Rem cases I have ( Remington brand ) have a .452" rim diam. I shot my .35Remington-based wildcat in a Wichita WBR1375 single shot bolt rifle that featured the stock .308 bolt face. I never had any failures to feed or extra either fired or loaded cartridges. My Wichita is equipped w/ an AR-15 style exrractor.

Another wildcat idea:
You can use a .22-6mm Remington ( .224 TTH ) die to case form 7 X 64 Brenneke down to .224" calibre.

I have formed 7 X 64 down to 6mm final calibre, using a 6.5 X 55 FL die. I have also used a stock 6mm Rem die.

*** 7 X 64 has a .470" rim diam.

To get the parent brass up-into the die, I use a " perch ", which is made using a shoulder bolt of proper head diam
(< .466" diam ) with threads positioned through the primer ram hole in a .308 shell holder.

After case cut-off and trim to desired oal:
The .224" cal iterration of this wildcat requires a simple inside neck ream and outside neck tur, arrive @ final neck wall thickness and calibre.

No custom dies, and no custom reamers required... when you go w/ a rented reamer, or "smith that has the reamer you need.

Note: using this wildcatting approach ( standard configuration chamber reamer ) case neck lg is fairly long.
Final case oal is thusly a tad longer than a .243Win, but this can easily be offset by seating the bullets deeper in the neck ( if desired ); and making an adjustment to powder charge.

With regards,
357Mag

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I can't imagine why an AR-10, configured for a .308Win couldn't be set up for the 22-243. There is plenty of 22-243 data with light bullets on the AccurateReloading web site, including a load that exceeds 5,200 ft/sec. They shot the slightly different 22-243 Middlestead version. The data came from a bolt rifle, not an AR.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Just go 22 creedmoor so you don't have all of the magazine trouble. Both of those would make magazine nightmares.

I am as anti Creedmoor as they come but this is your best solution for your purposes.

 

[dan belisle]

I run a 22-243 Middlestead. it is faster than my Swift, but not by a lot. It should feed from a 308 mag, mine feeds from a standard 243 Win mag. - dan

 

[esorensen]

My AR10 243 shoots the 55 NBT's at 3900 with Varget and low ES/SD and 1/2" accuracy. Feeds like a dream with the shallow shoulder. I have a 6 CM bolt gun, and had always thought that the CM case would be great in an AR…just hard to change when you have something that works. I imagine with some different powders and different bullets, the .243 would fit the bill nicely. I dont shoot light bullets, just did that for fun to see what that combination would do.

 

[Mike Matteson]

220 Swift cases seem to be harder to come by presently. You might look at 22-250AI case. That should keep the velocity up. In swift I stay at 3900 fps with 55gr bullets.

 

[alpuig]

Ok so this is still a concept build. I am wanting a thermal hunting rig that i can get as close to possible shooting 400 yards and stay on fur.

Ideally with the resources i have, i would love to build a 220 swift. However i don't see a good way to feed an AR-10 style rifle, even with a 5 rounds mag.

Second idea is a 22-243 build. However i cannot for the life of me find a load for a bullet under 50 gr. I would say the 35 gr hammer would be of interest since it can hold up to speeds without fragmenting. I like odd calibers and hand loading/work on the brass so odd calibers don't deter me.

Does anyone have info on how to feed a 220 swift AR-10 first off?
Second, are there any throat burning, high speed loads that someone has with a 40-ish grain bullet out of a 22-243 (mid or AI)

. 22 creedmoor

 

[Bud LaRoche]

22 creed

 

[Mike D Texas]

There's tons of ways to do what you want it just depends on how easy or difficult you want to make the process. 22 Creedmoor is going to be the easy button.
All other methods are going to have some kind of difficulty or compromise of some kind.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I'm as anti 6 and 6.5 needmoor as they come but a 22 creedmoor is probably going to give you the most reliable feeding from an AR10 platform.