Empty AR15 receiver...What upper should I buy or build for a 300 yard deer AR?

[Eric_F]

I'll add another vote for 6.5G. I've taken five deer with my 129 gr ABLR load. Longest was 195 yds, and it dropped right there. I've also shot a PRS match out to 600 with it, as below. Ammo is going to be spendy and difficult to find right now, but you can easily buy once fired brass off forums if you reload.

 

[snox801]

Sorry I dont know how to add a link but just look up hammer bullets on bing or google. Then look under .264 second page has 99hammers and 97 absolute. The absolute seem to be able to get more speed. I have my hands on them and couldn't get enough xbr in the case to gain any speed. So I just received 100 new lapua brass today and gonna try rl10 and tac that leave more room in case.
I know I have several boxes of grendel ammo if you need I don't shoot it and probably never will.

 

[Huskershooter6.5]

Built a 6.5 grendel upper for my AR with a 20"Faxon barrel, 3 deer down with the 123gr sst. This guy was right at 200 yards and dropped in his tracks. It's one of the most accurate guns I own and I only spent $600 on the upper.

 

[backwoodsshooter]

I'm a big 6.8 fan, I have 2 rigs set up. A 12.5" ARP barreled upper and a White Oak 18" that I use for hunting the most. I load Barnes 95ttsx shoots better than a 6.8 should imo...

I can't knock the 6.5G either, it is a great cartridge and if I hadn't gotten into the 6.8 earlier on I would be running a 6.5G instead. My dad runs the 6.5G, it's his favorite cartridge period.

Really you can't go wrong either way. Just depends on what you can find right now I suppose.

i looked at the 6.5G before my 6.8. but at the time components for the 6.5 was hard to come by and on paper, there wasn't much of a difference in performance 300 yards and less. barrel length never really mattered as most shots i'd take would have and are in the mountains of NC are under 200,

my 6.8 with 110gr Accubonds is a hammer and hold minute of venison up to 250-300 lol. that's what i use to put meat in the freezer these days

that 8 point i dropped with a 90gr gold dot

second one was my first deer ever, she was shot with a 120gr SST

Same rifle in both pics. AR15performance 6.8 barrel, vortex 2-7

 

[bluejay75]

I'll add another vote for 6.5G. I've taken five deer with my 129 gr ABLR load. Longest was 195 yds, and it dropped right there. I've also shot a PRS match out to 600 with it, as below. Ammo is going to be spendy and difficult to find right now, but you can easily buy once fired brass off forums if you reload.

What are those rifles from left to right?

 

[Eric_F]

What are those rifles from left to right?

The left and middle ones are other guys' at the match, left looks like a Savage Stealth but that's just a guess. My 6.5G is the one in the right, 18" Alexander Arms lightweight barrel and Weaver Tactical 2-10x32.

 

[bluejay75]

Weaver. I see it now.

 

[snox801]

6.5 grendel through and through 99 hammers. Notice hole in horn. Lol was doing some culling and decide to try the Grendel.

 

[Alb Greg]

6.8 SPC

 

[300win mag fan]

Another vote for the 6.5 Grendel. I've got an AR pistol set up with 12.5" barrel using the 110Gr Controlled Chaos bullets, and a Griffin Armament can. Took 5 deer this year with it, nothing over 200 yards, but only one deer took more that 2 steps. Also have a Howa bolt gun that I'm running 120 Nosler Bal Tips in, super accurate. Only got to use that one on 1 deer, once again DRT. It may not be a long range laser, but it's a very capable round.

 

[MountainShotz]

Greetings Gents,

While its the off season for big game hunting, I intend to either buy or have built an AR15 upper that will reliably take deer out to 300 yards. Zeroed for max point blank range and hold over for those last few yards.

Share your experiences if you have such a rig built and share your longest kill. Show your rig to if you dont mind. Will give me some ideas.

Bluejay

I love the 6.5 Grendel for an AR 15. IMO it's just a great round.

 

[levers4life]

6.5G 20" 5R barrel 123gr SST over 8208XBR. This is my "meat stick" one and done! I have taken 30+ Axis & Whitetail at 50-300yds. 12 or so hogs at same distances. I have never recovered a bullet, I have never needed a follow up. Is is a tad heavy though.

 

[pixeljockey43]

Greetings Gents,

While its the off season for big game hunting, I intend to either buy or have built an AR15 upper that will reliably take deer out to 300 yards. Zeroed for max point blank range and hold over for those last few yards.

Share your experiences if you have such a rig built and share your longest kill. Show your rig to if you dont mind. Will give me some ideas.

Bluejay

I've always been a 6.5 grendel fan. Built one years ago with a 20" Saturn barrel and can easily shoot 1/2" 100 yard groups with 123 sst's. My farthest kill shot was 325 on a large mule deer in Wyoming. Like any caliber, it's about shot placement.
I just finished a 224 Valkyrie that I'll test with 75 and 90 grain loads to see how it compares. Good luck with your decision!

 

[gvjm]

I started with a 6.5 Grendel and was a little disappointed in its field performance. I went to a 300 Hamr. With certain bullets you have 300 yard gun but I'd probably not go over 200-250 with it. Mine is a 16 1/2 barrel and it an absolute joy to carry in the field weighing on 7 1/2 lbs loaded and scoped. It's insanely accurate with bullets in the 110-130 grain range (1/2 MOA). With 150s(300 yard load) the accuracy grows to just over an inch at 100

Greetings Gents,

While its the off season for big game hunting, I intend to either buy or have built an AR15 upper that will reliably take deer out to 300 yards. Zeroed for max point blank range and hold over for those last few yards.

Share your experiences if you have such a rig built and share your longest kill. Show your rig to if you dont mind. Will give me some ideas.

Bluejay