I'm building my first AR-10 and would like to hear some opinions. No specific application. I just like to target shoot. Hopefully this will distract the CDC & WHO experts for a while as well.
^ That's kinda what I had read also and helped me decide last summer on buying the 6.5. Bottom line, if your ambition is to eventually target shoot long range, like 1k ft plus, the 6.5 is the better round, if you plan on using this same rifle to hunt med-large game, the 308 is your better choice.
They are both fun in an AR platform, but the cost of the 6.5 is a little steep for plinking. The performance of the round is much higher though, especially for long distance.
Price per round has me leaning .308. If it's just me, I can stop after a while. If my wife or child get a hold of it, they just keep handing me empty magazines to load.
The answer is always 6.5 Creedmoor. The only time this wavers is if you're just wasting ammo, then 223.
If I were a little more hardcore it would be but I enjoy an AR platform. Plus, I've got a dollar amount in my mind for each firearm a buy/ build.
I was hitting 1250 with an 18” bergara ridge rifle in 6.5 creedmoor. I killed deer and hogs with the same rifle during hunting season. go 6.5 I got video of 1k but need to get video of the 1250 shots next time I’m at the range
If you're just shooting and burning up rounds, 7.62×51mm NATO. If you're going for distance, accuracy and have money to burn, go with the 6.5. 5.56 and 9mm are for gheywads.
If you are buying match grade, 6.5 is actually cheaper in many cases now. The manufacturers are throwing a lot of development and support behind this cartridge. It performs better than .308 and is starting to beat it on price too. If you are buying cheap ammo to just make noise, then sure .308 still has good cheap options.
6.5, reduced recoil, all common bullet weights are accurate, easier at long range as the BC is higher. Easier wind calls and less elevation at distance. 308 168's have a tendency to tumble past 800 if conditions aren't good. 175's are the better choice if shoot at distance. Either way large frame AR's are more picky than the .223 variants. I'd suggest a bolt, better accuracy, easier to shoot, you won't go through ammo as fast and it doesn't beat up the brasss. You can also find cheaper 6.5 than 308 if you're talking decent ammo. If you're shooting crap ammo and you don't care about accuracy get the .308. I only shoot FGGM 175's in my 308.
6.5x.284 Might as well go fast. Of course you need to reload or pay about 3 bucks a round for the ammo.
And only get about 100 fps more, while loading for a much more finicky round. I just cut down/set back a Kreiger 6.5-284 and turned it into a prefit style 6.5 Creedmoor. 42 grains of H4350 behind Barnes Match Burners(cheap) immediately outshot the best the 6.5-284 had manage in the 300 or so rounds it fired.
If you handload, 6.5 if you use store bought ammo, 308. Start handloading if you already don't and get the 6.5.
This is true and also why a bolt gun is worth considering. The large frame ARs can be tough to tune and get to run right due to manufacturers not all making parts to the same standard. So you are building using a variety of components that may not play together nicely. Unless you are really experienced with building these, then I don't recommend it. If it was small frame AR, different story.