School me on AR caliber possibilities

[notso556]

Let me begin by saying only have experience with ARs in .223/5.56. And have a couple in the 16" carbine configuration. But that is the sum total of my experience/knowledge.

So, on to my question. I recently acquired several Anderson multi cal lowers and am trying to figure out what to do with them. I'll probably build a longer rifle for kicks. And maybe a pistol. But I got to wondering what various calibers I can have with such a receiver. And what I will need other than the upper in the new caliber. Different mags probably? My thought is to build out all the lowers and then grab an upper whenever something strikes my fancy.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. I really am ignorant about this.

 

[11B CIB]

There’s a list with about a hundred entries for AR15 platform calibers

You need to start with what you want: Distance? If so, how far? Hunting? If so, what critters? Jack of all trades? Home defense?

For me, 5.56 does all of that reasonably well I haven’t found the need to go to 6.8, 6.5, 300BLK, 277WLV, 7.62x39, or 22 Nosler.

 

[Criminalcamel]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AR_platform_calibers

Rimfire calibers[edit]

• .17 Mach 2
• .17 HMR
• .17 Winchester Super Magnum
• .22 Long Rifle
• .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire

Centerfire calibers inch measurement[edit]

• .17 Mach IV
• .17 Remington Fireball
• .17 Remington
• .17×223
• .17×204 Ruger
• .17 Tactical
• .19 Calhoon
• .19×223 Calhoon
• .20 Tactical
• .20 Practical
• .204 Ruger
• .20 PPC
• .20×6.8 (BHW)
• .20 LBC (BHW)
• .219 WASP-C
• .222 Remington
• .223 Remington - Original AR-15 caliber: .223 cartridges may function in a 5.56×45mm rifle, however 5.56×45mm cartridges can produce excessive pressure in a .223 rifle.
• .223 Remington Ackley Improved
• .223 BoZ
• .22 PPC
• .22 LBC (BHW)
• .22 Nosler
• .224AR (Necked down 6.5 Grendel)
• .22×6.8 (BHW)
• .243 LBC (BHW)
• .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .25-45 Sharps
• .25×6.8 (BHW)
• .257 Bobcat
• .264 LBC (BHW)
• .270 AR
• .277 Wolverine (6.8×39mm)
• .30 Carbine
• .30 Herrett (.308-6.8)
• American 30 (BHW)
• .30 Remington AR
• 300 OSSM[1][full citation needed]
• 300 AAC Blackout (7.62×35mm)
• .300 Whisper
• .300 Winchester Magnum
• .300 Sabre
• .30 Coyote (30×40)
• 30×6.8 (BHW)
• 32ACP
• .338×39
• .35/40
• .35×44 (BHW)
• 338 spectre
• .357 SIG
• 357 Automag
• 358 Yeti - Wildcat [2]
• .375 Reaper
• 375 SOCOM
• .40 S&W
• 44 Remington Magnum
• 44 Automag
• 440 Corbon Mag
• .45 ACP
• .450 Bushmaster
• .458 SOCOM
• 475 Tremor
• .499 LW
• .50 Beowulf
• .50 Action Express
• .640 Express Magnum

Centerfire calibers metric measurement[edit]

• 5.45×39mm
• 5.56×42mm(5.56-6.8)
• 5.56×45mm NATO - Original AR-15A2 caliber: can also safely fire .223 Remington
• FN 5.7×28mm
• 6.5×40
• 6×45mm
• 6×6.8 (BHW)
• 6mm Hagar
• 6mm PPC
• 6mm AR, a necked-down 6.5 Grendel
• 6mm AR Turbo, 6mm Dasher, 6mm Fat Rat (6mm Grendel AI) and other variants of the above cartridge
• 6PDK, a necked-down 6.8mm Remington SPC
• 6MM BR
• 6mm BRX
• 6.5mm BRX
• 6.5×6.8 (BHW)
• 6.5mm Grendel
• 6.5mm Patriot Combat Cartridge
• 6.5 BR
• 6.8×39mm (.277 Wolverine)
• 6.8mm Remington SPC
• 7×40
• 7 sCAR
• 7 BR
• 7mm Valkyrie
• 7.62×24
• 7.62×37mm Musang
• 7.62×39mm
• 7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical
• 7.92x33mm Kurz
• 9mm Parabellum
• 9×23
• 10mm Auto
• 10mm SOCOM

Calibers which will not feed but which are used in rifles where the receiver functions only as a trigger group[edit]

• .50 BMG
• .408 CheyTac
• .338 Lapua Magnum

 

[Daleo8803]

Ya it depends on what you are wanting to do.

 

[doose]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AR_platform_calibers

Rimfire calibers[edit]

• .17 Mach 2
• .17 HMR
• .17 Winchester Super Magnum
• .22 Long Rifle
• .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire

Centerfire calibers inch measurement[edit]

• .17 Mach IV
• .17 Remington Fireball
• .17 Remington
• .17×223
• .17×204 Ruger
• .17 Tactical
• .19 Calhoon
• .19×223 Calhoon
• .20 Tactical
• .20 Practical
• .204 Ruger
• .20 PPC
• .20×6.8 (BHW)
• .20 LBC (BHW)
• .219 WASP-C
• .222 Remington
• .223 Remington - Original AR-15 caliber: .223 cartridges may function in a 5.56×45mm rifle, however 5.56×45mm cartridges can produce excessive pressure in a .223 rifle.
• .223 Remington Ackley Improved
• .223 BoZ
• .22 PPC
• .22 LBC (BHW)
• .22 Nosler
• .224AR (Necked down 6.5 Grendel)
• .22×6.8 (BHW)
• .243 LBC (BHW)
• .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum
• .25-45 Sharps
• .25×6.8 (BHW)
• .257 Bobcat
• .264 LBC (BHW)
• .270 AR
• .277 Wolverine (6.8×39mm)
• .30 Carbine
• .30 Herrett (.308-6.8)
• American 30 (BHW)
• .30 Remington AR
• 300 OSSM[1][full citation needed]
• 300 AAC Blackout (7.62×35mm)
• .300 Whisper
• .300 Winchester Magnum
• .300 Sabre
• .30 Coyote (30×40)
• 30×6.8 (BHW)
• 32ACP
• .338×39
• .35/40
• .35×44 (BHW)
• 338 spectre
• .357 SIG
• 357 Automag
• 358 Yeti - Wildcat [2]
• .375 Reaper
• 375 SOCOM
• .40 S&W
• 44 Remington Magnum
• 44 Automag
• 440 Corbon Mag
• .45 ACP
• .450 Bushmaster
• .458 SOCOM
• 475 Tremor
• .499 LW
• .50 Beowulf
• .50 Action Express
• .640 Express Magnum

Centerfire calibers metric measurement[edit]

• 5.45×39mm
• 5.56×42mm(5.56-6.8)
• 5.56×45mm NATO - Original AR-15A2 caliber: can also safely fire .223 Remington
• FN 5.7×28mm
• 6.5×40
• 6×45mm
• 6×6.8 (BHW)
• 6mm Hagar
• 6mm PPC
• 6mm AR, a necked-down 6.5 Grendel
• 6mm AR Turbo, 6mm Dasher, 6mm Fat Rat (6mm Grendel AI) and other variants of the above cartridge
• 6PDK, a necked-down 6.8mm Remington SPC
• 6MM BR
• 6mm BRX
• 6.5mm BRX
• 6.5×6.8 (BHW)
• 6.5mm Grendel
• 6.5mm Patriot Combat Cartridge
• 6.5 BR
• 6.8×39mm (.277 Wolverine)
• 6.8mm Remington SPC
• 7×40
• 7 sCAR
• 7 BR
• 7mm Valkyrie
• 7.62×24
• 7.62×37mm Musang
• 7.62×39mm
• 7.62×40mm Wilson Tactical
• 7.92x33mm Kurz
• 9mm Parabellum
• 9×23
• 10mm Auto
• 10mm SOCOM

Calibers which will not feed but which are used in rifles where the receiver functions only as a trigger group[edit]

• .50 BMG
• .408 CheyTac
• .338 Lapua Magnum

to be a bit less verbose... you can choose whatever your heart desires.

 

[Catfish]

Are you going the SBR/supressor route or sticking to non NFA items?

 

[notso556]

Are you going the SBR/supressor route or sticking to non NFA items?

Non NFA. At least for now. Might cross that bridge down the road sometime.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

Some of the popular chamberings are based on the .223 cartridge so that you can use the same bolt and magazine as the “standard” AR. The .300 Blackout is the best known example but there are others.

 

[Ikarus1]

Some of the popular chamberings are based on the .223 cartridge so that you can use the same bolt and magazine as the “standard” AR. The .300 Blackout is the best known example but there are others.

just make sure you mark your magazines before you try to squeeze a .30 cal into a .223 chamber

 

[notso556]

Thanks for this. Now another question.

I said "build" but probably should have said "assemble". I'll probably get the lower parts from Anderson but where would you go shopping for completed uppers?

Thanks

 

[JimP42]

Also, be aware that some of the pistol caliber ARs need a dedicated lower or at least a magwell block for the magazines to work.

Besides 5.56, 300BLK and 6.5 Grendel seem to be the most popular now (for suppressed or long range respectively) but that could change next month. There are lots of choices though. If you are not a reloader, take ammo price and availability into account.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

Thanks for this. Now another question.

I said "build" but probably should have said "assemble". I'll probably get the lower parts from Anderson but where would you go shopping for completed uppers?

Thanks

I've had good luck with complete uppers purchased from Palmetto State Armory.

 

[MadMardigan]

The answer is always 6.5 Grendel

 

[billyh]

If you reload there is a pretty sweet mid-long range setup in the bst section for sale (insert selfless pitch to buy my stuff).

 

[notso556]

Yeah, no reloading of rifle, just pistol, so retail ammo cost would have to be considered.

As for PSA, one of my current rifles is half Anderson and half PSA and I just got together the components to do another Anderson/PSA assembly. So I have no qualms about PSA. But it seems that once you venture off their 5.56 carbine track their pickins are pretty slim. So was hoping someone would drop an alternative for complete uppers that I had not heard about.

But I do appreciate all the comments and advice. That's what these forums are all about.

 

[Catfish]

If I had a few extra lowers that survived the unfortunate boating incident I'd sit on them and watch for sales on small parts until I found a niche I didn't know needed filling. I wouldn't build them all just because.

 

[Mightyox04]

Wild cat rounds keep me up at night. I love ballistics.

 

[Wahoo95]

Don't overlook the fun of building one in 22lr

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[11B CIB]

Don't overlook the fun of building one in 22lr

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Working on that now, myself

So was hoping someone would drop an alternative for complete uppers that I had not heard about.

But I do appreciate all the comments and advice. That's what these forums are all about.

If you pick sort of which caliber you’re leaning towards and a few other details, like price range, barrel length etc, we can go from there

 

[JimP42]

Wahoo is right (again) about that. A dedicated 22LR AR is lots of fun.

 

[notso556]

Again, a lot of good thoughts and comments here. And I appreciate them all. Thanks

 

[SLM]