Which proprietary AR15 caliber will be available in 20 or so years?

[Mags]

With all the talk of supposed unneccesary newly released short magnum calibers not lasting too long I got to thinking about alot of calibers that were made just for the AR15 that may not be around in the not to distant future.

I may want to delve into the world of proprietary uppers, but I want to make sure I will be able to find brass and ammo in the future for my builds.

So what caliber designed for the AR15 will be around in 20 or so years? Note: You can vote for more than one option.

 

[GCBurner]

I'm saving up for a .50 Beowulf upper. The thought of having the punch of a .45-70 in a handy semi-auto carbine just sounds like fun.

 

[R.W.Dale]

To an extent most of the above.

I use the old 358winchester analogy, when was the last time you saw a rifle so chambered? How many guns are avalible today? Yet 60years later you can still get ammo

I'll just about garentee that today there are more uppers for EITHER of the 6.X's than all the 358's that ever have been or ever will be made.

FYI the only proprietary cartridges on your list are the AA ones

 

[Fat Boy]

The day is December 4, 2030...makes me think of an old song..."In the year 2525"...

This post is great for me, because I enjoy thinking about "what if"- given the changes in firearms in my lifetime, I imagine guns 20 years on may be nothing like they are today-

On the other hand, if the 1911 is any indication, calibers may be pretty similar to what they are today- interesting thought process

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

I'm sure they'll all be available in 20 years. The price might not be so great though.

 

[jameslovesjammie]

What difference does it make if you reload?

 

[Mags]

James, I do reload and it obviously makes a big difference if you can't get brass. New brass just ain't going to last 20 years.

 

[Balrog]

Nothing is in the works that is enough of an improvement to justify the billions of $ required to switch.

While true, that does not mean our government will have a problem wasting money on something new.

 

[68wj]

I assume you are meaning AR-15 variant calibers and not proprietary. There are only a few proprietary calibers on that list.

It's anybody's guess. The AR seems to more accepted at the deer camps now so probably whichever caliber gets the most civy application beyond blasting dirt piles (that's what the 5.56 is for ) While whichever caliber the DOD embraces (and subsidizes) will always be #1, hunting/sporting ammunition can make up a decent portion of profits for firearms and ammo producers and can keep a secondary caliber in the catalogs. Of course, we will be shooting energy weapons and traveling in tubes by then anyway!

 

[Mags]

Ok guys maybe I think I used a word that I was unsure of the meaning in the OP : "proprietary". What I meant was a round that was designed specifically for the AR15.

 

[Hammerhead6814]

I'm hoping the 6.8 SPC will be. I'm really hoping someone adopts the sucker so we'll have more production ammo and surplus available so price will start dropping!

Seriously, cheapest 6.8 I've found was $16.00 on sale at Cabela's. It's almost enough to convince me to buy reloading components for it.

 

[Messenger Guard]

Phased Plasma, 40 Watt range. Don't you guys go to the movies?:banghead:

 

[Tirod]

The .30 cal necked out .223 has been around since before the first Soldier of Fortune shoot in Columbia, MO. So, the .300 AAC already has the distinction within reach. And plenty of cartridges are resurrected for reasons of renewed popularity or for wildcatting, hence the resurgence of the .30 Remington rimless .30-30 into the 6.8 SPC. The 6.5G is really the 6mm PPC from the '70's, just necked out.

What gets me are all the knowledgeable comments that any one cartridge will die, when in fact, many stay on the market for decades and live on with handloaders into the next century.

No reason to think any WON'T be available. It's the young enquirer with little experience who doesn't know it. Yet, with muzzleloader season staring many in the face, they can't see it.

Good grief, we're still having fun with cap and ball, no reason to think some new metallic cartridge will go away in a few short years.