I just got my first ar-15. Its a bca side charging upper with 5r rifling a stainless 18" barrel in 223 wylde. The lower is a psa classic with an a2 stock i just put a vortex crossfire ii 2-7 scope on. And Its a fun toy maybe a coyote gun but now I’m thinking of getting a just in case shtf ar pistol. I’m not sure what caliber to get. Should I go with another 223 wylde-5.56, 300 blackout, 7.62x39 or 6.5 Grendel the 12" psa upper looks badass. I’m just completely confused on what caliber, gas tube length, barrel length and twist rates to look for i just want something dependable that if i absolutely had to i could trust my life with. any and all opinions and information is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys & gals
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10.5" or 11.5" 5.56. 300blk without a suppressor isn’t very fun. 6.5g is a great hunting round, shoots very flat.
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Thank you sir ill start lookingin to it i’m definitely too much of a poor to get in to suppressors and I don’t have the patience to fool with btfe either lol. with the 6.5 Grendel is the 12" upper a waste does it need a 16" barrel To get the most out of it?
I dont own a 6.5g, but I would assume a 16" would give you slightly better performance.
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IMHO, if you really want a useful SHTF gun, pick a caliber that will have ammo easily scrounged. Think of it this way - “most” of the bad guys (or fallen good guys) are probably running a .223/5.56x45 variant or a 7.62x39. If you have to bug out, you’re likely not going to be able to pack up and carry all 2 million rounds you have stashed in your safe, and will need to share that truck space with food, water, creature comforts, and possibly kids.
Also remember that you may be in a position to trade ammo for fuel or fuel for ammo, so having something that just about everyone can use is more useful than a boutique round that is used by only a smaller fraction of shooters.
From personal pain, I wouldn’t bother with anything less than 10.5" on your pistol. You need the maneuverability of a shorter barrel but the legs to get out to 100 yards or so in case of emergency. Plus, anything shorter than 10.5" will likely have a pistol length gas system and be a pain to dial in.
Oh, and welcome to the addictio----I mean club!
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You hit the nail on the head my friend i guess 5.56 is the way to go i recently watched a garand thumb video and according to him an ar pistol or sbr in 5.56 with a 13/14.5" barrel is the sweet spot I’m not sure about 7.62x39 the price and availability of ammo is definitely a plus but don’t they have problems feeding or with firing pins breaking? The only reason I was thinking about the 6.5 Grendel is because it’s got a little more ass behind it than the 5.56 but I suppose that just means I need a 5.56 pistol and ar10 in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor lol seriously though thanks for helping me figure this out
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I find 7.62x39 all day for about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of .223 reman. I live down in South Fl, a lot of dudes down here love the AK platform just because of the notoriety and look.
I have learned to use Magpul pistol grips with the modular storage. I keep a spare bolt and firing pin on each “giddy up” gun; when I take the pretty range queens out to play, I always have enough crap in my kit to rebuild a rifle front to back along with a full cleaning kit and first aid/trauma kit. I like to think it’s the Boy Scout deep inside me; my wife says I just bring too much sh*t!
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The wife says you bring too much that sounds backwards to me lol I’ve got a good line on ammo too I’ve been using ammoseek its a search engine for ammo,guns,mags and parts they have 223 tula steel case for around 48 cents a round reman brass for 55ish a round and norma tactical 55 grain for 59 cents a round all without an order cap
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Currently, ammo selection factors fairly highly for me when it comes to suggesting a firearm.
And current “better” bullet designs is what keeps the 5.56 coming back.
That said… a 11.5" 5.56 pistol would be a first choice for me. PSA has made sure there are a ton of those out there.
So, parts, ammo and accessories are darned near everywhere for .223 / 5.56 AR’s
As for 7.62x39… after all these decades of shooting a AR15… I still don’t have a 7.62x39 AR.
I do have a AK and a SKS… and those have never let me down.
If ammo was readily available, and stock piled priced… a 6.5 Grendel , 6.8 , or a 6MM ARC would be on its way today.
I guess I am saying… the 5.56 AR is very common… for a darned good reason.
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Look at the 450 Bushmaster it has the power to stop a truck.
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Thanks bfoosh & cowboy,bfoosh you make a really good point and cowboy ill definitely look in to the 450 bush
Have either of you checked out ammoseek its a search engine for all things firearms you can find some good deals on ammo and they are all in-stock
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Have 2, 10.5 uppers (5.56&300blkout). The decision was made because of the interchangeable BCGs. Am currently trying to decide if I need a third in 7.62x39. All psa of course. This ammo sortage/price hike, has got my mind reeling. If you do decide on the 7.62x39 be sure to get an enhanced firing pin and mags to fit. I’ve heard you can use 5.56 mags, just can’t put as many rnds in them.
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Timmy check out ammoseek they have a ton of in-stock deals for every caliber under the sun i even found 30-40 krag ammo at a good price anyway i think I’ve figured out my game plan for the pistol I think I’ll go with a bca 10.5" side-charger in 7.62 with a carbine length gas tube and use the psa ks47 lower so I can run cheap ak mags I know people are sketchy about bear creek but my 18" stainless “socom” profile barrel with a side-charging upper on top of a psa classic a2 lower runs like a sewing machine and didn’t come all banged up either i got lucky or they finally got the stuff together i wouldn’t have figured it out without all you guys you all really set me straight and I truly appreciate it this forum is my new favorite place on the internet
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As a “shtf” build i would go 5.56, that’s going to be what a lot of other people have
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Recently put together a Ar pistol in 556 with7.5" barrel and love it!
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14.5 556 or 223 wylde if you plan on using the heavier projectiles. Silver solder a vortex flash hider if you want a real stock instead of a brace. 10.5 or 11.5 can have pressure related reliability issues due to the short distance between the gas port and end of the barrel. Hence the military switching to the 14.5.
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The bca upper and psa ks lowers are not compatible. You will have to get psa’s proprietary upper. I now own two x39 pistols lol.
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In general I don’t consider a AR pistol to be a SHTF gun. The system was not designed for carbine length much less pistol. Lots of work went into making the M4 reliable. Stick with that at a minimum or a 18 or 20 in 5.56 or 223 Wylde.
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I’ve been hitting ammoseek, ammograb, bulkcheapammo, etc., as funds allow. I also have a full list of shortcuts bookmarked in my browser for the sites the search engines doesn’t connect with. It’s usually a good way to waste an hour or two every payday when I look to replenish after the weekend.
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