Is there a better caliber than .223 for longer distances that is cost effective to shoot?  Im getting ready to do another build so im just curious.  Thanks for your input.

having virtually no experience in other caliber ARs, i would say that cost effectively, there wont be much thats better that .223

not really sure what other calibers look like balistically, but in my area, its impossible to find 6.5, 6.8 spc, etc anywhere.  in MA i can't order ammo online either.

.308 would be a solid choice for a long range AR and I know that it can be shot out to 1000 yards fairly effectively (by shooters much more skilled than i)

.223 can be shot effectively out to 6 maybe 700 yards i believe.  of course you'll have to be shooting good ammo to reach out that far accurately and will be rivaling standard hunting cartridges (.308 30-06 etc) in price at 20 dollars a box or so.

somebody else will chime in to help you out more than I can.  remember that i have minimal experiences in calibers other than .223 and .308

Any idea what 17 hmr does?

Nothing's really cost effective to shoot. When you add long range your nit going to get much. You can get 7.62 surplus still might want to look into that. Plus you can reload it fairly easily.

Define long range. Out of a 20" barrel, 77 grain ammo will still be going 1125 fps at 800 yards. If you want something longer range than that, look at 6.5 Grendel. It will be more expensive, and it will use non-standard parts like the bolt and magazines.

unless you reload your better stepping up to something based on a 308. magazines, and parts will be a bit easier to come by at this time.

+1 and even an 18 inch barrel is over 1k fps at 800, but there is a lot of drop.

 

"Better" and "Cost effective" are in my limited experience, words that don't really belong in the same sentence. I Own ARs in 7 Calibers
6.8  and 6.5 give you better long range performance but Ammo is Pricey and both require Barrlels new mags. and a special bolt.
7.62x39  give you better mid range punch , it requires special  barrel mags and bolt . The Ammo has been historically cheaper but who nows how it will look when the madness settles.
300 Blackout give you the same punch as the 7.62x39 (yes incrementally better in some tests) only requires only a  barrel and uses all your 223 mags. If you want to run suppressed this is a sweet package.  Ammo cost are higher
5.45x39  requires a special barrel bolt and mags. Ammo cost have been cheap , but who knows what it will look like when the madness stops. it performs at the low end of the 223 range/
My most cost effective ARi is my TacSol AR22 I run my Halo on it and use it as a "yard gun" (much to the dismay of my shrinking red squirrel population)  It is funny this is the one I spent the least on and use the most. It is also the cheapest to shoot.

What's longer ranges? I shoot at 5-600 meters with 5.56 all the time, Its not pretty I often get 15-20" groups depending on ammo sometimes more, but I do it. and when all is right I can keep them centered on a standard torso target out to 500 M. IN SD I shoot prarie dogs at 650- 700, once again not pretty but  easily doable.

It's really hard to find places longer than 500 yards to shoot.

.17's are tack drivers but they do not like wind. They are tons of fun out to 150yds on a calm day...  Beyond that there isn't much energy left in that little firecracker.

You will need a 30 cal for longer distance. Because of the hoarding going on, I'd look into reloading.

6.8 SPC!!!!.....ammo is cheaper than .223 right now. All around better than 223. 6.8 is alittle better round than .308 and is on a ar-15 platform not the tank "ar-10" platform.Grendel's good too,but parts hard to find.

shoots rats    real tiny bullet.  I won a bolt action one at a ducks unlimited banquet.  I have yet to soot it.  I think it is real good for small varmints.  I imagine it would deflect from a thick blade of grass.

I'm loading 168gr .308 match rounds for around $.50 a shot. That's about the same price as M855 around here when you can find it.

not even close except in kool-aid drinking fantasy's

Yeah, somebody's been drinking the gallon-sized jugs...

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference in power between a .223 AR and a 5.56?  I know that most ARs are 5.56 and can therefore also shoot .223, but I have seen rifles that are just .223.  Maybe a better question is, what's the maximum load you can use in a .223?  I'm just curious.  

Also, I currently have two ARs that are 5.56, but I've been thinking about getting a higher powered AR for longer distances and/or large game.  To be honest, I'm much less interested in being able to shoot longer distances, than in having a higher powered rifle for larger game, like large black bears/grizzlies, etc.  I had thought about getting a 300 blackout, but now I'm not so sure.  Would this ammo be powerful enough and how difficult is it to find?  I've also thought about a .308, 6.5 or 6.8.  What would you guys get?

Yea, 5.56x45MM NATO.

5.56 NATO is a different cartridge than .223 Remington but is extremely close. 5.56 usually has a thicker case wall and can cause an overpressure situation in a .223 chamber. 300 Blackout is almost identical to 7.62x39 but it feeds in an AR magazine and has the advantage of being very suppressor friendly when loaded to subsonic velocities. .308 is definitely the most common of the three you listed but I wouldn't recommend it for grizzlies. The .308 AR platforms can also be chambered in 7mm-08, .243, .260 Remington, and .338 Federal. If you are ok with a bolt action upper the AR can be chambered in anything up to and including .50 BMG.





 

.308 AR-10 or 6.5 Grendel AR15



Depends what you deem a "longer distance"?  What is your desire as "better"?  What do you consider "cost effective"?



With anything other than 5.56, you're probably going to have to look into reloading.



.308 is more readily available and might be cheaper than 6.5, but the gun and parts cost more.


 

As far as being cost effective look @ the 5.45x39. 2 local gun shops around here usually  keep it for $19.99 per 100. No good to me as I sold my AK74

The problem with 5.45x39 is that as far as I know there is no source for reloading components or domestic ammunition manufacturing of the round. When the surplus dries up it will become a very expensive gun to shoot.





 

Just get yourself a .300 Remington Ultra Mag or Wing Mag  and call it a day. Not as cheap to shoot as a .223 or .308 but it will shoot allot fartther. Besides everyone should have a good bolt action for when you really need to reach out and touch someone