Best caliber for night hunting?

jk2paintworx

New member
I am getting into thermal and figure I will end up with a dedicated rifle for night hunting. I currently have a 22-250 Tikka, AR .223. AR 6.5grendel. I almost always choose the Grendel since its light weight and Puts em down consistently. I can put my thermal on my .223 but I have had too many runners when I used it so I am hesitant. I like my 6.5G but want to use it for daytime. I have enough parts laying around to build up another AR but not sure of caliber. I don't handload so it needs to be something with factory options. How does the 6.8SPC stack up against the 6.5 Grendel? What are you guys using at night?
 
I moved from a .223 AR to a 6.5 Grendel AR (with a Pulsar thermal) for exactly the same reasons you mentioned "too many runners". Since you don't reload, your happy with your Grendel, why not build another Grendel for night time use? One factory load will get it all done. Makes sense to me! Midsouth recently advertised several bbls, parts, etc for building a Grendel.
 
22" 22 Nosler....absolute proven coyote hammer. Consider it a 22-250 in an AR platform as far as power. Factory 55 bts at 3500 plus. I like a laser like cartridge when shooting with thermal. Dead on hold to 225 and less than 6" of drop at 300 if zeroed about 1" high at 100. Pm me if you wish to know any of the details about what I shoot and what you don't want.
 
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I have really liked the 6x45, but since you don' hand load it wouldn't be an option. Grendel or 22 Nosler seem to be the best options right now in an AR platform. Too early to tell what the .224 Valkyrie will do with the 60 gr. factory loadings, but that may soon be a good option as well. I'd like it in a slower twist than being offered right now, but I like the capacity and rim of the 6.8 parent cartridge.
 
Another 6.5G and a .22 Nosler are two of my options for sure. Grendel would be a no brainier since I am already familiar with it but .22 nosler sounds like fun. I want to keep the rifle light though and a .22 barrel would get pretty heavy and cumbersome since I will be running a supressor as well. How do they like 16"-18" barrel?
 
Yes, 6.5 Creed is a great caliber, but only available in bolt action or an AR10 platform which is going to be heavier than the AR15 platform. Follow up shots with thermal make the semi-auto's really shine.
 
Originally Posted By: jk2paintworxAnother 6.5G and a .22 Nosler are two of my options for sure. Grendel would be a no brainier since I am already familiar with it but .22 nosler sounds like fun. I want to keep the rifle light though and a .22 barrel would get pretty heavy and cumbersome since I will be running a supressor as well. How do they like 16"-18" barrel?
You will lose a couple hundred feet per second.
 
I was looking back at some data and when I tested the Nosler 55 BT factory 22 Nosler stuff through one of the 18" Stoner sewer pipes I got a 3 shot average of

1. 3292
2. 3292
3. 3259

I see I fired only 1 max load of varget with the 55 bt and it was 3093 fps.

22" WOA 12 twist with the factory Nosler 55 bts was
1. 3481
2. 3481
3. 3463

22" WOA 12 twist with 30 Varget and 55 bts was
1. 3252
2. 3250
3. 3267

22" WOA 12 twist 33 cfe223 with 55bt's are 3500 plus or minus depending on the weather

Looks like going 22" down to 20" in the 6x6.8 cost about 100 fps from low 3300s to low 3200s when shooting 70s and Arcomp.

20" BHW 6x6.8 was 3450 with 31.5 8208 and 58 v max. and if I recall my buddies 10 twist 22" was closer to 3550??? I know it cleared 3700 with h322 but was most accutrate around 3650 with 58 and h322.

These #s just happen to be in pics on my phone.....thought it might help some one.
 
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Who makes a good Lightweight barrel for the .22N? 18" is fine. 16" would be better if it won't loose too much performance. The supressor is cool but the extra weight and length is a bummer (A VERY WORTHWHILE bummer). I like the Ballistic Advantage Hanson profile barrels but they don't offer it in the Nosler.
I have a side charge left eject Gibbz Arms upper in .223. Can I use that upper with the .223 bolt and slap a .22 nosler barrel on it?
 
I don’t know anything about night hunting but wouldnt a fast bullet be more beneficial since ranging is difficult?

Just read varminter223
 
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Ya Humpness. I want the fastest, Flatest Killenest bullet I can shoot out of the shortest lightweight barrel. And accurate TOO! The .22 nosler sounds fun and a ez barrel swap into my Lefty AR would be a snap.
Who invited you over to the Darkside Humpness? I thought you were a daytime hunter. Lol. Nice to see you lurkin Brother.
You Know You Wanna Do It!
 
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