Caliber Choice? Piston System...

[CaptnC]

I'm trying to figure out which option is the best, might not be the smartest...but the best for short range hogs at night with a digital NV scope.

Here's where I am; I just received three AR rifles with Osprey piston systems. Only one is a chambering I find desirable.

They are 300 BlackOut, 6.8 SPC (not the II) and 7.62x39. They all have 16" barrels and carbine length gas systems.

Here is what I want; I want to put a can on it when it gets out of jail this September (fingers crossed) but I'm not interested in doing anything subsonic. So that almost knocks the 300BO out right up front.

While .270 Winchester is a long time favorite of mine, I'm not big on the 6.8 SPC. With it not being the type 2 chamber, even more so. So is it a big deal breaker for 6.8 SPC because it is the old chamber?

7.62x39 is what I have set up with the night vision right now. I just finished moving parts this past weekend to this rifle so I would have my most preferred parts on it.

Now I'm thinking, should I buy a 16" carbine length GS 6.5 Grendel barrel and scrap either the 300 BlackOut or the 6.8 SPC? I have three 6.5 Grendel's already so brass, bullets, powder and dies are all on hand. I can say the same thing for the 7.62x39.

The Night Owl NV has limited range. From what what I've seen so far it would be a bit of a challenging much past 100yds. That said I don't want to go to a pistol length barrel and deal with pistol brace or a SBR.

 

[Gord0]

300blk for component cost and intended range. Load up some Speer 150gd BLK with a bunch of CFE BLK and you're looking at 2100-2200fps out of a 16" and great expansion down to 1450fps

 

[MudRunner2005]

6.5 Grendel gets my vote.

That said, you should also build a .300 BLK. It's cheap and fun to play around with. Most expensive part is the .30 caliber projectiles. Cut-down LC 5.56 brass, make your own cases for next to nothing (usually free pickups at the range), and uses 10-20 grains of powder a pound jug will last a LOT of rounds.

 

[CaptnC]

The guns are secured already. So that cost is already accounted for.

My share of an Estate Sale netted me 4 300 BlackOut's, 3 6.8 SPC (but only one is the"SPC II") and one 7.62x39. One of each caliber has the Osprey piston system already.

The only dies I currently have is the 6.5 Grendel and 7.62x39. I do plan to keep at least one of each caliber (except the 5.56...going to let my kids have all of them) so reloading dies will have to be bought.

Any way...back to the real issues. I dont know much about the Osprey piston system. Im told you can stay on target better, its much cleaner, especially when using a can. They claim nearly zero recoil. I've shot all three and to be honest i couldn't tell the difference.

Which caliber do you think is the best choice to run with the piston, 16" barrel, carbine length gas system and a can in next few months?

I agree with Mud on the 6.5 Grendel. I passed over the 300BO and the 6.8 to build the three Grendel's I have now.

I sure wish this guy had felt the same way, but he didn't have a single Grendel in the bunch. Plenty of everything else....

The Night Owl is only 3x so I was thinking the 30 caliber's had and edge. I'm not sure you do a ton of head shooting with that low of a power unless it's close. But as I said I skipped over the others to pursue the Grendel.

Then finally I'm stuck with the carbine length gas system. According to Osprey the carbine system rules. Which cuts into my barrel choices. Dam sure don't want to go the pistol route and hate to spend another $200 for a SBR stamp....

Oh...nearly forgot. I shot two of the 6.8 rifles and the best eit her could do was 5 MOA at 100yds. The BlackOut was pretty much one hole. And IMO a big plus has 5R rifling! I couldn't find that in the 16" Grendel.

I have a hog hunt in 10 days and the 7.62x39 looks to be my best NV choice of the rifles I plan to take. High on the list is another 7.62x39 I have to use for medium distance day time hog gun.

But I would like to settle in on "the best choice" that fits all of the restrictions it will have by the time my can gets out of jail!

 

[.30US]

.300 BLK would be my least desirable of the options. I'm a relatively new owner of a 6.8SPC, but I worked with the guys that created it and a number of my buddies have hunted S. TX with them very successfully. After building some match M1As, I wanted a Mini-14 to work on and came across a 6.8 one cheaper than I could get a .223 one, so I finally got into 6.8. So far, I have only shot Federal ammo with the 90gr bonded Gold Dots. I like to tinker and improve everything, but am not thinking I'm going to bother with the SPC II chamber; I'm pretty sure it will shoot minute of coyote as is. Of course, you could always swap a barrel on any of the 6.8s you aren't interested in and shoot .224 Valkyrie since you already have bolts and magazines. Wilson still has their barrel sale going on: https://shopwilsoncombat.com/224-Valkyrie/products/1060/

I just ordered my first 7.62x39mm AR, but I confirmed with the manufacturer that it was intended for .311, and not .308, bullets. That was always the drawback I saw with the Mini-30 and other various US-made 7.62x39s. I want something that shoots the cheap ammo well. If I'm going to be loading .308 bullets in a 7.62x39mm case, why not just use my .308 AR?

 

[CaptnC]

Thanks .30US...not interested in a hot rod 22. I agree the BlackOut is the least desirable, but I like the .30 bullets in the AR 15 platform.

Which brings me back to the 7.62x39. I don't have the faith you have in the accuracy of cheap steel cased Wolf ammo. So I would rather have a 7.62x39 with an actual .30 barrel. I've read the steel cased Russian ammo still works fine and no worse in the accuracy department.

I reload for everything so I would like to run some lite .30 bullets in my 7.62x39. I have some .30 125gr HP Match bullets loaded up and ready for a range day. I need to shoot the at 200yds to see if the 50yd accuracy will hold at longer distances.

 

[.30US]

I don't have faith in the 7.62x39's accuracy! I bought a 5.5" barreled AR in it that shot 8" groups at 100 yards with Wolf steel ammo when tested. Plenty good for what I would expect from it.

What part of Texas do you hog hunt? My family Ranch is in E. TX, but have mostly hunted S. TX the last few years. I've been playing with various calibers for coyotes and hogs, but only getting home to Texas once or twice per year has limited my time using them. I assembled a .25x45 AR to use with my .30" suppressor just for the same use, picked up the 6.8 Mini-14, and just got a great price on parts to build a .338 Federal upper for my Fulton Armory FAR-308. Now I just need more time to hunt in Texas or to spend more time on public land where I live, now.

 

[cohunt]

If you have an old 6.8 chamber, they can be cleaned up quick and fairly cheep with a spc 2 reamer--but really no need if they shoot well as all factory ammo sold is "spec 1" -- so the spec 2 chamber only shines when it comes to handloads

6.5 g vs 6.8 spc has always been a bickering point--- they are so close that I consider them the same in an ar chassis

6.8vs 6.5 seems to be which ever you buy first, once you have 1 you dont really need the other as they are so close

But if you are only getting 5 moa with the barrel you have then something is wrong, either try a new bullet/powder combo or try cleaning the copper out of the barrel.

The 7.62x39 can be a good option if you pick the right bullet -- and as others said make sure you know what size you need .308 or .311 bullets.

The 300bo can be decent also as long as you keep your distances under consideration-- the 110 tac-tx bullet is a wonderful option for that cartridge

 

[CaptnC]

cohunt,
The 6.5 Grendel was my prefered choice. Seeing how they are so similar and I now have a 6.8 maybe that would be easiest route to take.

The ammo came with the deal from the estate. The man was also a reloader. I have broken down some of his reloads and they are what the box says they are.

In all my years reloading, I have never seen a bullet/powder combo shoot this bad! I will say I shot the same box of ammo out of both rifles.

I have pulled down close to half of the estate rifles and so for they are all unfired! So I'm sure it's not fouled with lead and copper. It's crazy he built so many and never fired any of them. I was the 4th buyer of this guy's private collection so I got the left overs...

.30US,
Sweet little rig! It's not my cup of tea, but I know a good looking weapon when I see one!

I hog hunt where I can. Going to a day lease next week on the Sabine River. A buddy has hunted it several times and has killed quite a few there. My deer lease Comanche Co. Texas also has some but they get shot at a lot. I could have shot one there a couple weeks ago at 9:30pm but really just wanted to test my new NV on pigs. My wife shot one there during turkey season. And I also put in for Texas Parks & Wildlife drawing hunts.

You need a spotter/skinner/shooter let's me know...I pretty good at all three!

 

[cohunt]

if you are looking for a different cartridge and want 30 cal-- you can try the 30 HRT/30 herrett ar or 30 american ("wild cats" but simple ones) -- they really put the hammer on hogs

as far as someone elses hand-loads, I never trust them--I would start with well know hog hunting ammo-- the 120sst by hornady have been decently accurate in any 6.8 I have shot and that bullet really kills the hogs--also you can try the 90grain or 115 grain federal fusion also--when it comes to handloading the 6.8 with a spec 2 chamber you can shoot anywhere from 80 grains up to 130 grain bullets with the right powders

Ive never been into the 6.5G as I bought a 6.8spc first so I can't really help you out there

 

[.30US]

.30US,
Sweet little rig! It's not my cup of tea, but I know a good looking weapon when I see one!

I hog hunt where I can. Going to a day lease next week on the Sabine River. A buddy has hunted it several times and has killed quite a few there. My deer lease Comanche Co. Texas also has some but they get shot at a lot. I could have shot one there a couple weeks ago at 9:30pm but really just wanted to test my new NV on pigs. My wife shot one there during turkey season. And I also put in for Texas Parks & Wildlife drawing hunts.

You need a spotter/skinner/shooter let's me know...I pretty good at all three!

I'd love to. Unfortunately, my family's ranch is on the market, but some great friends regularly have me as a guest down around Encinal. One of these days I'll retire home to Texas! When I get home from deployment, I've talked a buddy into some public land coyote hunting and camping in our State.

I've got about as much use for that little 7.62x39mm as a hole in the head, but I want to support a buddy's company, and I'm lobbying for my employer to adopt them over the piston rifles we have now. I've carried a piston rifle for 12 years, but prefer DI guns to piston, and this little SBR would let us retire multiple weapons we carry in favor of one, and one line of training, too.

 

[30BR]

For the kind of hunting you want to do, I would think a .458 SOCOM would be ideal...
https://www.kakindustry.com/ar-15-parts/upper-parts/barrels/458-socom/kak-socom-8-fc

 

[CaptnC]

Guys I'd like to stay with one of the chamberings I currently have. I'm not interested adding another.

Looking for the best combination to use with what I have. The Osprey piston system, which l already have. And the system be used with a can and night vision for shot out to 100yds.

Chambering choices are 6.5 Grendel (don't currently have a 16" carbine length gas), or 6.8 SPC, or 300 BlackOut, or 7.62x39....

 

[Gord0]

I think all of those options will give you satisfactory results. I like the 300blk because it will have the least amount of muzzle flash and blast, even through the suppressor. Also the least amount of recoil making it easier to get back on target. Components for plinking rounds are pretty cheap ( .20-.25¢ per round ) There are excellent bullets designed for lower velocity that will tear hogs up. Barnes 110, 120, Hammer hunters, and the Speer 150gd BLK if you want some sectional density.