Anyone know of a barrel manufacturer for non-standard calibers (finding barrels for bolt guns has been easy enough, but not for the AR)? Thanks.
AR barrels in odd calibers, Where?
- Thread starter eastwood44mag
- Start date
- Status
There's a lot. It depends what caliber you want. A few to look at:
ITS:
http://www.ar15performance.com/
Kies:
http://www.kiesfirearms.com/
AR-Stoner (Midway house brand):
http://www.midwayusa.com/
Wilson Combat:
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Barrels/departments/108/
ITS:
http://www.ar15performance.com/
Kies:
http://www.kiesfirearms.com/
AR-Stoner (Midway house brand):
http://www.midwayusa.com/
Wilson Combat:
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Barrels/departments/108/
i usually go to compass lake when i want a custom AR barrel
though most of the bolt gun smiths can easily do AR barrels...
though most of the bolt gun smiths can easily do AR barrels...
redneck2
Member
DTech (Dedicated Technologies) in Bemidji, MN made an Indiana legal AR upper for me. Took a .25 WSSM and necked it out to .35 caliber. Barrel is from one of the aftermarket guys, Kreiger IIRC. Fits a standard AR lower.
A lot of good sources mentioned. I would still like to hear from the OP what he had in mind for a chambering.
Thinking some variant in 6 or 6.5mm, based on either the .223 Rem or .222 Rem Mag. Got a couple ideas, probably a 6x45, 6x47, 6.5x45, or 6.5x47, and possibly an AI version, if I can find someone who can cut the chamber. Reasoning is to get a sub-sonic, minimal recoil, short-range deer/varmint rifle.
You will have great difficulty getting any of those rounds to cycle the action with a subsonic load. The other problem is that they will have so little energy because of the light bullets in those calibers that they would be completely useless for hunting at any range except may be as a 50yd rabbit gun.
The .300 Whisper and Blackout are effective subsonic because they use a very heavy bullet in the subsonic loads. The 115DTAC is the heaviest bullet in 6mm and there are a couple of 140gn 6.5s. Fired subsonic the 6.5 would have the energy of a 9mm handgun.
Additionally none of the cartridges above can fit a heavy for caliber bullet into a magazine length load. Even with modified magazines the 90gn Berger VLD is the longest bullet that can fit in the 6x45. Bullet options are even more limited with the 6x47 and either of the 6.5s.
With full power loads, the 6x45 is adequate for whitetail. The 6.5 carries a little more energy thanks to heavier bullets but the bullets that will load to mag length are not very well suited for deer.
Bison Armory is doing some work on making reliable 6.8SPC sub- loads that use specially made heavy bullets that are specifically intended for hunting. For your purposes, that might be a better avenue to explore.
The .300 Whisper and Blackout are effective subsonic because they use a very heavy bullet in the subsonic loads. The 115DTAC is the heaviest bullet in 6mm and there are a couple of 140gn 6.5s. Fired subsonic the 6.5 would have the energy of a 9mm handgun.
Additionally none of the cartridges above can fit a heavy for caliber bullet into a magazine length load. Even with modified magazines the 90gn Berger VLD is the longest bullet that can fit in the 6x45. Bullet options are even more limited with the 6x47 and either of the 6.5s.
With full power loads, the 6x45 is adequate for whitetail. The 6.5 carries a little more energy thanks to heavier bullets but the bullets that will load to mag length are not very well suited for deer.
Bison Armory is doing some work on making reliable 6.8SPC sub- loads that use specially made heavy bullets that are specifically intended for hunting. For your purposes, that might be a better avenue to explore.
Black Hole Weaponry has a 6x45 and I know they did some 6.5 PCC tests. Might want to give them a call. http://www.blackholeweaponry.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22&osCsid=2f67c9cdc7b495860a8695ee5756c214
DTech also does a 6x45.
Edit: I missed the part about wanting subsonic. With subs, the velocity is limited and energy is compensated by increasing mass. You probably wouldn't want to use these lighter options, but even something like the .300 sub varieties that are out aren't ideal for hunting until you go supersonic. I have seen a 6x45 shoot suppressed/subsonic, but it would make a very poor hunting gun without the supersonic ammo.
DTech also does a 6x45.
Edit: I missed the part about wanting subsonic. With subs, the velocity is limited and energy is compensated by increasing mass. You probably wouldn't want to use these lighter options, but even something like the .300 sub varieties that are out aren't ideal for hunting until you go supersonic. I have seen a 6x45 shoot suppressed/subsonic, but it would make a very poor hunting gun without the supersonic ammo.
JD Jones has made Whisper cartridges all the way down to the 6mm. Nothing smaller than the .300 really caught on because they really don't have any practical use.
Bigger on the other hand...well, let's just say that there's a .510 Whisper and it has more than 1k lb of energy at 1k yds with a subsonic bullet and has been effectively sub MOA out to 600+yds. Won't fit in an AR, though.
Bigger on the other hand...well, let's just say that there's a .510 Whisper and it has more than 1k lb of energy at 1k yds with a subsonic bullet and has been effectively sub MOA out to 600+yds. Won't fit in an AR, though.
So much for that. Wishful thinking for the day when I can move to a free state and "muffle" my muzzle report. Well, assuming that I did go super-sonic, and to the point of having an effective hunting round (100 yard maximum expectation), what would the effect be of attempting to suppress such a round (I know it won't be as effective as a subsonic load, but would there be justification in trying anyway)?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sure, it calms the muzzle blast but you still get the supersonic snap of the bullet. No reason you HAVE to shoot subs.
The effect of suppressing a .308 shooting full on rounds is astounding. Smaller bullet, smaller *crack*. Suppressed AR's are worlds quieter as well.
300 Blackout is your caliber. Effective to 200-250 yards with supersonic loads (based on trajectory; it is supersonic past 500 yards with most supersonic loads) and perfect for whitetail deer or anything smaller. Subsonic loads are a 100 yard proposition with irons/RDS or longer distance with an appropriate trajectory compensating optic, and there is already some effective subsonic hunting ammo available, with more coming soon. Recoil is more than a .223 but still modest.
All great cartridges for supersonic use by a handloader, offering slightly more energy and higher BC than .223/5.56 loads along with a still flat trajectory. But none are a good choice for subsonic use.
- Status
