ZX10Aviator
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6.5 Grendel, whats what I ended up building.
AR chambering for hunting 4-legged mammals in NW USA
- Thread starter B yond
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Terry Vincent
Member
Gentlemen,
I've gotten into this discussion late, however, I see the relevancy for each member's presentation regarding caliber/cartridge choice. I vote for the 7.62 x 39mm due to my experiences with the above cartridges since 1966 to the present. Currently, I am mentoring Afghan border patrol agents and look forward to my return to CONUS. My first experience with an AR-15 platform in 7.62 x 39mm goes back nine years when I purchased a DPMS 16 inch heavy barrel in this caliber for deer hunting in Minnesota. Since then, I have employed this rifle on successful western antelope, turkey, and elk hunts.
Originally, magazines were an issue, however, today's products make this a nonfactor. I have used C-Products magazines without any malfunctions for five years and hunt and shoot exclusively with a five round C-Prod. mag.
It is mandatory to reload the 7.62 x 39mm to realize maximum performance. I have found I achieve 2605 fps average with a 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip launched with a maximum charge of AA1680 in Remington brass. (Please research Paco Kelly's article, "Unintended Consequences." on reloading the 7.62 x 39mm) The small primers in this brass case perform in my rifle better than large primed cases to the extent the effort of finding and loading small primer brass is worth it. The Nosler, as well as the Barnes .308 130 grn TSX, shoot into MOA, and both carry slightly more than 1,000 ft/lbs of energy at 300 yards. The barrel on my DPMS upper mics at .3098, but has no affect on degrading accuracy at these velocities.
Ballistically, I sight my rifle in for 250 yards which makes 300 yard impacts 5 inches low, and the round never travels more than five inches above or below the line of sight from 0 to 300 yards. Forum members will know with these stats, the 7.62 x 39mm meets or exceeds the other AR platform cartridges at these ranges. Perhaps the quintessential reason for the 7.62 x 39mm is the low cost of practice ammo, low cost of reloading, and acceptable terminal ballistics on game at reasonable ranges.
I've attached several photographs of terminal ballistics for your evaluation. The broadside impact show entrance and exit at 155 yards (Nikon Laser) while the quartering towards the gun photo was at 277 yards (lased again). Both are from the 125 Nosler BT at muzzle velocity of 2605 fps. The Barnes 130 grn is reserved for elk, and I have not recovered any bullets from game animals shot with this rifle.
I've gotten into this discussion late, however, I see the relevancy for each member's presentation regarding caliber/cartridge choice. I vote for the 7.62 x 39mm due to my experiences with the above cartridges since 1966 to the present. Currently, I am mentoring Afghan border patrol agents and look forward to my return to CONUS. My first experience with an AR-15 platform in 7.62 x 39mm goes back nine years when I purchased a DPMS 16 inch heavy barrel in this caliber for deer hunting in Minnesota. Since then, I have employed this rifle on successful western antelope, turkey, and elk hunts.
Originally, magazines were an issue, however, today's products make this a nonfactor. I have used C-Products magazines without any malfunctions for five years and hunt and shoot exclusively with a five round C-Prod. mag.
It is mandatory to reload the 7.62 x 39mm to realize maximum performance. I have found I achieve 2605 fps average with a 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip launched with a maximum charge of AA1680 in Remington brass. (Please research Paco Kelly's article, "Unintended Consequences." on reloading the 7.62 x 39mm) The small primers in this brass case perform in my rifle better than large primed cases to the extent the effort of finding and loading small primer brass is worth it. The Nosler, as well as the Barnes .308 130 grn TSX, shoot into MOA, and both carry slightly more than 1,000 ft/lbs of energy at 300 yards. The barrel on my DPMS upper mics at .3098, but has no affect on degrading accuracy at these velocities.
Ballistically, I sight my rifle in for 250 yards which makes 300 yard impacts 5 inches low, and the round never travels more than five inches above or below the line of sight from 0 to 300 yards. Forum members will know with these stats, the 7.62 x 39mm meets or exceeds the other AR platform cartridges at these ranges. Perhaps the quintessential reason for the 7.62 x 39mm is the low cost of practice ammo, low cost of reloading, and acceptable terminal ballistics on game at reasonable ranges.
I've attached several photographs of terminal ballistics for your evaluation. The broadside impact show entrance and exit at 155 yards (Nikon Laser) while the quartering towards the gun photo was at 277 yards (lased again). Both are from the 125 Nosler BT at muzzle velocity of 2605 fps. The Barnes 130 grn is reserved for elk, and I have not recovered any bullets from game animals shot with this rifle.
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