Considering today’s world of uncertainties in politics, ammo availability, & civility…what factors should a reloader/hunter consider when choosing between an AR10 & AR15 build?
I’m both a hunter and reloader. And i’ve used both calibers. I prefer my AR10 over my 15. (Yes, even .300blk)
.308 just plain old gets the job done without question. I have made perfect broadside shots on whitetail with .223, and no matter how heavy the bullet, some have survived. Headshots or neck shots are dang near mandatory. The kinetic energy at longer distances put .308 on top too. I have also found .308 to be less sensitive to low temps experienced during early morning hours of late-fall, early-winter hunts.
As for reloading, you have a better chance of finding free once-fired range brass in .223 at the outdoor ranges, but recovering your own spent brass is easier with .308 because it’s larger size makes it easier to find in tall grass. Right now it seems i can find small rifle primers for .223, but not large for .308. In addition, Projectiles are more expensive and ship heavier round for round for .308 over .223.
But, I have found better deals (rebate-wise) on factory loaded .308 than .223 over the years.
All that to say that .308 is more expensive to buy and harder to find components to reload, but it is also more effective at a quick kill. I bought a lot of .308 hunting rounds when PSA had good deals on them ($12/20 Federal), but I also have the dies for reloading them down the line.
It’s a lot of variables to consider, but .308 gets the vote for me, so AR10.
+1…for everything SuperPredator wrote ! But reloading the 5.56 is Easy and fast……But reloading the 308….that is a whole different league. It’s tougher to resize and because it s bigger you have to use more care lubricating your brass to re-size it. One mistake…and the case is stuck in the sizing die……then it’s a whole new rodeo to get it removed. For a recreational shooter (like myself)…I don’t shoot enough 308 to save $ by reloading….I have done it….and experienced the benefits….and the headaches….and for me I have found buying my 308 off the shelf brings me more happiness. The aggravation that one stuck case can cause is no longer worth my effort.