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

[Spd522]

221 yds with a 12" barrel 6.5 Grendel pistol build. Ammo was Federal 120 gr Fusion. Buck dropped in it's tracks. I don't know how far it would accurately shoot as I have only shot it out to 250. But I think 300 with this gun is reasonable and definitely doable with the added velocity and accuracy a longer barrel should provide. I researched specifically for a 2-300 yd caliber for a pistol build and the Grendel kept popping up.

 

[Maol]

I'd look at the: 6mm ARC, 6.5 Grendel, or Remington 6.8 SPC.

Harrison, at AR15 Performance lays out his caliber choice opinion-
"If hunting deer and hogs the 6.8 makes more sense, it is a no fuss no muss work horse. There are more choices of hunting bullets and ammo and the 6.8 factory ammo is apx 100fps faster than the Grendel when the same length barrels and bullet weights are used. If you reload the 6.8 can be loaded 200fps faster than the Grendel and do it without breaking bolts like the Grendel does. A larger dia bullet moving 100fps faster = better terminal performance. SD does not mean anything, as soon as the bullet strikes something that SD figure is no longer valid. The bullet construction and expansion is the most important thing for hunting. Having more hunting bullet choices and better terminal performance puts the 6.8 out front for hunting."

His ARP 6.8 SPC barrels' chambers have more free bore, and are more beneficial if you handload.

Our family has 2 with 20 inch barrels, but you could go much shorter than that with the 6.8.

 

[Maol]

Bought the UBR Gen II stock for it today. Have a couple of good scopes to choose from. Someone post a link to a 20 or 22 inch barrel somewhere.

Back in stock March 1st and we'll worth the wait.

 

[SixDemonBag]

6.8 SPC gets my vote.

 

[Winnett1]

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

25 sharps.
Sharps rifle company in Glenrock Wyoming builds barrels and properly weighted bolts to turn an AR into basically a 250-3000.
Great deer and Antelope rifle. You can buy their loaded ammo or load your own by simply necking up 223 brass. Very impressive ballistics. 85-90 gr bullets at 3000 fps.
They offer a master kit, includes barrel, bolt,dies,and I believe some ammo. Built mine about 6 years ago and love it. Another way of showing the AR is a sporting rifle. Good luck on your endeavor

 

[Sid Post]

25 sharps.
Sharps rifle company in Glenrock Wyoming builds barrels and properly weighted bolts to turn an AR into basically a 250-3000.
Great deer and Antelope rifle. You can buy their loaded ammo or load your own by simply necking up 223 brass. Very impressive ballistics. 85-90 gr bullets at 3000 fps.
They offer a master kit, includes barrel, bolt,dies,and I believe some ammo. Built mine about 6 years ago and love it. Another way of showing the AR is a sporting rifle. Good luck on your endeavor

I have been told those velocities are hard to duplicate and that Sharps used a 24" barrel to get them.

.257 caliber options in an AR-15 are pretty limited and, this is one of them. I've pretty much settled on the .257 Ocelot or the 25DTI for ease of reloading and overall performance.

All the 6x223 recommendations and favorable hunt reports I have gotten has me rethinking the .257 Ocelot.

 

[tripdad]

270 msr, ar performance. 2700 +fps 130gr bullets. 6.8 beats grendle for hunting, 270 msr is better than 6.8. No factory ammo though. 6mm dasher necked up to .27 cal. Run brass through sizing die and load easy wild cat. Load i have that shoots good is 130 accubonds at 2600, i can make them go lots faster but accuracy wasn't there. Throw a 90 gr bullets over 3000 fps, probably get there with 100 gr.

 

[jhaney]

I've had a 25 WSSM for years I deer hunt with shooting 100 gr NBT's. About 200 has been my longest shot so far. Ammo is a challenge at times if you don't reload

 

[snox801]

350 Legend. Good to 300-400 yards and 150 grain and 170 grain ammo is inexpensive and still available. Uppers available at Bear Creek Arsenal.

You forgot the part he wanted max point blank l. The legend flies like a rainbow. Great round but 400 yards it is not and has a hell of an arch at 300. I have one and can say at 300 the grendel is way better.

 

[el Pollero]

6.5 Grendel with 123g sst will drop them in there tracks. Built mine for a daughter as a low recoil adjustable stock hunting rifle. When she's not with me I hunt with it almost exclusively.
Built my own upper with a lilja 20" barrel and it's the most accurate rifle I own with factory ammo

 

[Sid Post]

For a cost-effective total solution, I can say my 16" 6.8SPC smacks feral hogs pretty hard at 200 yards which is where my tree line is off my back porch.

300~400 yards is getting a bit far for no holdover though I'd happily use it at that range.

The 18" 257 Ocelot runs ~3000FPS with 87gr options and will hit 2700~2800FPS with 100~110gr loads.

 

[bluejay75]

Whats the best 6.5 Grendel powder for reloading? How does the steel case ammo perform? I think you guys have pretty much sold me!

 

[snox801]

Whats the best 6.5 Grendel powder for reloading? How does the steel case ammo perform? I think you guys have pretty much sold me!

Powder depends on bullets.
But you can count on xbr 8208 being very good for 100-123gr.
For targets I would suggest 100 or the 123gr eld for the cost.
For hunting I would use no other bullet than the hammer 99gr. I've run a bunch and it's by far the best.
I can help you with load data on the hammer if you go that route.

 

[bluejay75]

I have AA2520, 748, 4064, Varget, N540. I could see the Hammer working, especially if they group close to the steel case ammo I plan on practicing with.