What would be the best caliber for the AR10?????????

Aznative

Aznative

New member
I'm thinking about getting a custom upper for the AR10 platform. What calibers do you guys think wouuld make the best large game caliber. Large game being defined as anything from mule deer to Elk.

338 Federal looks a little wimpy, but cases can be had cheaply and the barrels would last forever.

300 WSSM would be great but the brass would be more expensive and that caliber is probably a real throat burner.

The 300 Rem short action mag is also under consideration, but I don't know much at all about this caliber.

Thanks for the input inadvance
 
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Why go exotic? Try the original .308. More than enough gun to bag elk at reasonable ranges(-300yards).



+1

.308 is proven and IMO a hard round to beat.
 
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Just curious what an AR-10 weighs set up in elk hunting mode ?



That was my thought as well.

Maybe about 23 pounds? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

They have GOT to be heavy.
 
I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from buying whatever it is they think they need. I know I have one particular elk rifle that, full up, goes 11.5#, I'm a big boy and I do the gym every day. That rifle at the end of a long elk hunting day feels like it weighs about 150# and I'm wishin it had wheels.
 
308 aint all that zippy if you ask me its kinda rainbowish trajectory wise, if you are set on an AR10 a 260 rem or 243 would be a little flatter shooting, or why not use the regular ar platform and do something on a WSSM case
 
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That rifle at the end of a long elk hunting day feels like it weighs about 150# and I'm wishin it had wheels.



I carry an H-K semi-auto .308 that weighs plenty. The flip side is it puts out aimed fire at an impressive rate due to the weight/recoil reduction.
Wheels sound pretty good, if you work that out post a pic. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I dont know very much about ar's but they nead to be a short achion round right? So maby the new 325-wsm or 300-wsm or 7mm-wsm or 270-wsm or 25wssm?(all leagle elk cals &maby 243wssm but some one creact me if im rong?)

GJ
 
+1 on a lot to carry. On antelope I can see using a flock shooter when they
are running, but to blow up the hams or backstraps on an elk is near criminal
for most hunters. Can't see what else you would lug around a 14 pound gun
for?
 
A lot of you guys are right on about the weight issues. However, elk move only at first or last light. So I don't see carring the gun an issue during these times. The 308 is a little wimpy as far as elk IMHO. AS far as deer and anything smaller it is a great caliber IMHO.

All other calibers that I shoot are all standard run of the mill stuff. Nothing is isoteric. With the ar10 platform, I'm looking for a good elk, moose or caribou gun. With the short action being the issue, I'm considering something different. However, I just might stick with the old 308. It will do the job if the shooter does his, and is surely accurate enough.

GJ2nd got me to looking, and I'm looking at the 338 Ruger compact magnum. Unfortunately there are no deminsional drawings to see what would have to be done to make it fit. The COAL looks like it will fit but that is all. There is zero load data on this cartridge at this time which is a big minus. I'm also concerned about barrel life.

The 338 Federal is kinda slow but will really knock down anything insides of 200 yrds, and it is really easy to get brass for.

I'm really leaning towards the 300 WSM. There is load data and Dillon has a trim die available which makes trimming a breeze. However, the bolt will need to be opened up a little to accomodate the larger base. I still have real concerns about barrel life with this load.

I'm already working on a 243 upper for the smaller caliber stuff. This thread is about what would make a good large caliber gun, but the short action really limits what I can use.

Thanks for the help, and I'll still check in on any new ideas.
 
If you hunt thick country with shorter shots there's nothing about either the .308 or .338 Fed that is wimpy. A good sturdy bullet placed correctly will do the job. If you expect longer shots then maybe one of the magnums might be a bit better. I don't know what your field shooting skills are, but most folks are better off getting close rather than slinging lead from afar. If you can get inside 300 yards either of the above rounds properly applied should do.
 
With the right load I am thinking the 7mm-08 could be an all round good caliber for the AR-10 platform. Again, with the right load and bullet selection it should be suitable for any of the ungulates that roam North America.

I have been eyeing the Remington R-25 in that caliber.
 
300/325wsm! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif, good medicine for all north american big game
 
Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I think I'll stick to the 338 federal for several reasons. It is big enough to take down an eld up to 250 yards. It still uses the 308 case so no bolt modifications or magazine feeding problems. Easy to get brass for it: Just neck up 308 and load.

I'm currently working on getting the rest of the stuff together for a 243 upper. I'll start working on the big bore later, probably after new years.
 
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