Jump to content
Tactically Inept

AR Alternative Calibers


kuhla

Recommended Posts

So with the AR-15 platform having been popular for quite some time now, some interesting things have come up as people try to maximize the use of the platform (talking about a "normal" lower here). With the limited size of the magwell and reasonable limitations of box magazines, there have been some calibers developed that I think are popular enough to be worth noting.

 

I am not talking about the 6.5mm grendel and 6.8 mm remington intermediate cartridges that were trendy a few years ago. I think those are slowly dying off. Just too similar, too much overlap to existing 5.56 to make sense, even if they are "better", to warrant all the cost.

 

For reference remember that the standard AR-15 mil setup is running 5.56×45mm NATO and the traditional mil AK-47 is running 7.62×39mm.

 

1) .50 Beowulf

 

Dimensions: 12.7x42mm

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_Beowulf

 

Really big. Real slow and you can have a whole box magazine full of it on an AR-15 you initially bought for some other use.

 

2) .300 Blackout

 

Dimensions: 7.62×35mm

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_AAC_Blackout_%287.62%C3%9735mm%29

 

It's almost like a copy of the soviet ammo. For reloaders, you can take 5.56mm casings and cut and press them and load the .300 bullets and be good to go. It's slower if you use the heavier grain and easy to suppress supposidely with the right load and since it's heavier it won't have terrible penetration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 years later...


So apparently 338 Norma Magnum is an interesting caliber between 30.06 and .50 cal developed as an alternative for the Lapua Magnum round but meant to serve as something stronger 7.62 but without the power of .50 cal for anti-vehicle purposes. Can't tell if its more powerful than Lapua or less powerful since the  internet content is conflicting each other.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.338_Norma_Magnum

The machine gun below is ~25 lbs and fires at 600 RPM which is significantly more portable than a .50 M2.

Quote

338 Norma Magnum round is intended to increase the effective range of infantryman from around 800-1,100 meters (875-1,200 yards) with the M240, to reportedly around about 1,700-1,800 meters, and perhaps as far as 1,900-2,000 meters

 

Dat recoil:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7hCLDUl1kI/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...