{"id":12157,"date":"2023-04-06T04:35:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T04:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?p=12157"},"modified":"2023-04-07T02:05:32","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T02:05:32","slug":"ar-10-calibers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/ar-10-calibers\/","title":{"rendered":"AR-10 Calibers For Your Next Build"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The AR-10 is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/history-of-the-ar-15\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AR-15 platform\u2019s <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bigger, bolder older brother. While the AR-10 has been around for decades, there are AR-10 calibers that you may not be as familiar with. The platform experienced a surge in popularity that began in the 2010s. This was due in part to the availability of new chamberings for the rifle on the civilian market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before the boom, if you were building or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wilson-combat-ar-10-rifle-review\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">buying an AR-10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, everyone assumed you were getting a rifle chambered in .308 Winchester. That&#8217;s because it was really the only option readily available to civilians on the market. The AR-10 platform was initially chambered in 7.62&#215;51 NATO when Armalite pitched the weapon system to the U.S. Army. However, the Army declined to adopt it as their battle rifle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We love having options, especially when it comes to rifles. In fact, if you decide to take a deep dive into the AR-10 market, you will run into more than a dozen different calibers. But, too many choices can lead to information overload and make it tough to pick just one caliber. With that in mind, we have done the leg work for you and compiled a list of five of our favorite AR-10 calibers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Popular AR-10 Calibers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t see your favorite AR-10 chambering on our list, that doesn\u2019t mean we think it\u2019s a bad round. We aim to help you narrow your search by highlighting a few top options. When selecting cartridges for our list, we considered factors such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Versatility\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ammo availability\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parts availability\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practicality\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build costs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, we left the highly capable .500 Auto Max off our list. Although this behemoth of a round is relatively easy to find, it\u2019s expensive. So are the rifles and components designed to withstand the force the .500 Auto Max generates. It is also primarily designed for one purpose, taking down big, dangerous game.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you love the .500 Auto Max (or some other cartridge that didn\u2019t make our list), build your rifle in that caliber.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> That\u2019s the beautiful thing about the firearms world. You can always build or buy another gun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Best AR-10 Calibers<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that settled, the AR-10 calibers that made our list include (velocity\/energy averages will vary by barrel length):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- Codes by HTML.am --><\/p>\n<p><!-- CSS Code --><\/p>\n<p><!-- HTML Code --><\/p>\n<div class=\"b-wrss-table-wrap\"><table class=\"responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Caliber<\/th>\n<th>Bullet Type<\/th>\n<th>Bullet Weight<\/th>\n<th>Velocity (Muzzle)<\/th>\n<th>Energy (Muzzle)<\/th>\n<th>100 Yards (Velocity\/Energy)<\/th>\n<th>200 Yards (Velocity\/Energy)<\/th>\n<th>300 Yards (Velocity\/Energy)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>.308 Win\/7.62 Nato<\/td>\n<td>FMJ<\/td>\n<td>150gr<\/td>\n<td>2,820 FPS<\/td>\n<td>2,648 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,597 FPS\/2,246 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,385 FPS\/1,894 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,183 FPS\/1,586 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>.243 Win<\/td>\n<td>SP<\/td>\n<td>100gr<\/td>\n<td>2,960 FPS<\/td>\n<td>1,945 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,729 FPS\/1,653 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,509 FPS\/1,398 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,300 FPS\/1,175 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>.300 Win Mag<\/td>\n<td>SP<\/td>\n<td>150gr<\/td>\n<td>3,200 FPS<\/td>\n<td>3,410 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,958 FPS\/2,915 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,729 FPS\/2,481 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,512 FPS\/2,101 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>6.5 Creedmoor<\/td>\n<td>TMJ<\/td>\n<td>120gr<\/td>\n<td>2,900 FPS<\/td>\n<td>2,241 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,672 FPS\/1,902 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,455 FPS\/1,606 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,248 FPS\/1,347 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>7mm-08 Rem<\/td>\n<td>SP<\/td>\n<td>139gr<\/td>\n<td>2,840 FPS<\/td>\n<td>2,489 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,608 FPS\/2,098 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,387 FPS\/1,759 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,177 FPS\/1,463 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>.338 Federal<\/td>\n<td>SP<\/td>\n<td>200gr<\/td>\n<td>2,700 FPS<\/td>\n<td>3,237 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,487 FPS\/2,746 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,284 FPS\/2,316 FT LBS<\/td>\n<td>2,090 FPS\/1,940 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<h3><strong>.308 Win VS 7.62&#215;51 NATO<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_12232\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12232\" class=\"wp-image-12232 size-full\" title=\"comparing 308 VS 7.62 NATO\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5401-Web.jpg\" alt=\"A photo comparing 308 VS 7.62 NATO\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5401-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5401-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5401-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5401-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12232\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Twins, or seeing double? 7.62&#215;51 NATO ammo (Center), and .308 Win ammo (Right).<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before \u201cthat guy\u201d points it out in the comments, yes, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/308-ammo\">.308 Win and 7.62&#215;51 NATO<\/a> are separate cartridges. But they are so close that it was worth mentioning them together.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 7.62&#215;51 NATO cartridge is what the original AR-10 was chambered in, and it remains a perfectly capable round. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This cartridge is excellent for hunting most game and performs exceptionally in self-defense scenarios. It\u2019s also proven itself in combat, with numerous militaries worldwide utilizing it.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 7.62&#215;51 NATO can be found at gun stores, sporting goods shops, and online ammo depots nationwide. It is also relatively affordable, especially compared to some of the more obscure cartridges out there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its fraternal twin (the non-identical kind), the .308 Win is unquestionably the most common AR-10 chambering, bar none. It is a timeless classic, meaning you can find ammo and components for your rifle practically everywhere. The .308 Win packs enough punch to take down black bears, elk, wild hogs, and, of course, deer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Are The .308 Win And 7.62&#215;51 NATO Interchangeable?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growing up, one of my dad\u2019s favorite sayings was, \u201cAlmost only counts with horseshoes and hand grenades.\u201d Though the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/308-vs-7-62-nato\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7.62&#215;51 versus .308 Win<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> specs are \u201calmost\u201d identical, that \u201calmost\u201d matters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, are these cartridges interchangeable? Yes and no. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have an AR-10 chambered in .308 Winchester, you can fire 7.62x51mm NATO rounds from the same platform. But, if you try to fire .308 Win cartridges in certain rifles chambered for 7.62&#215;51, you may run into a headspace issue which could damage the rifle. If you&#8217;re unsure, have a local gunsmith inspect the weapon for you before proceeding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best approach is to shoot the cartridge your rifle is chambered for from the manufacturer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>.243 Winchester<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_12239\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12239\" class=\"wp-image-12239 size-full\" title=\"Hornady brand 243 win ammo \" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5410-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of Hornady brand 243 win ammo \" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5410-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5410-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5410-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5410-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12239\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The .243 Winchester is a low recoil option, with lighter grain weights and powerful performance.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want more punch than you can get out of an AR-15 but don\u2019t want to deal with monstrous recoil? If this sounds like you, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/243-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.243 Win<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> might be the ideal cartridge for your AR-10 build. Like the .308, the .243 is a true classic that you can find almost everywhere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be fair, this smaller, lighter cartridge does not offer the same long-range performance or force as the .308 Win. But it has plenty of power for downing <a href=\"https:\/\/rumble.com\/v1gbd7k-.243-win-vs-deer-remington-core-lokt-tipped-ammo.html\">mid-sized game like deer<\/a> or hogs. You can even take out slightly larger animals with a well-placed shot or two.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The .243 is a good fit for smaller-framed shooters. It\u2019s also an excellent choice if you like to spend a lot of time at the range and don\u2019t want to leave with a sore shoulder every time you unload a box or two of ammo.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>.300 Win Mag<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_12237\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12237\" class=\"wp-image-12237 size-full\" title=\"federal fusion 300 win mag ammo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5403-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of AR-10 calibers showing federal fusion 300 win mag ammo\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5403-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5403-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5403-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5403-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12237\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">.300 Win Mag has a kick, but it also has top-tier ballistic performance and a wide availability of bullet types.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With all the new-fangled hunting rounds out there, it can be easy to overlook tried and true cartridges like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/300-winchester-magnum-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.300 Win Mag<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But this time tested cartridge checks all the boxes and then some. There are only a few manufacturers making AR-10 rifles chambered in .300 Win Mag, but as they say, quality over quantity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easy to find ammo? Yep. Versatile and practical? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without any doubt. Capable of delivering superb performance in a wide range of applications? Absolutely! In terms of ballistics, .308 Win Mag sits near the top of the long action cartridges. It&#8217;s hard to do better until you bump up to .338 Lapua or .50 BMG. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You get the best features and performance of the long-action, without the compromise of extra size and weight.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The .300 Win Mag is a personal favorite of mine. It can take down most big game and provides a flat trajectory so you can reach out and touch your target from hundreds of yards away. Does it have a kick? You bet. But with the right rifle setup, glass, and muzzle device, followup shots at distance are achievable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>AR-10 Calibers: 6.5 Creedmoor<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_12235\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12235\" class=\"wp-image-12235 size-full\" title=\"6.5mm creedmoor ammunition\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC2691-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of 6.5 creedmoor ammo, one of many popular AR-10 Calibers\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC2691-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC2691-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC2691-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC2691-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12235\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If accuracy, speed, and a flat trajectory matter to you, you can&#8217;t go wrong with the 6.5 Creedmoor.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 6.5 line of cartridges has taken the AR world by storm over the last few years. While the 6.5 Grendel has developed a cult-like following, it is more commonly used in AR-15 platforms rather than AR-10 variants. That\u2019s one of the big reasons we only included the 6.5 Creedmoor on our list. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides, we just like the ballistics and performance of the 6.5 Creedmoor better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/6.5-grendel-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.5 Grendel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a young athlete who hasn\u2019t quite grown into his frame. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cartridge is sleek and fast but doesn\u2019t pack as much of a wallop.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/rifle\/6.5-creedmoor-ammo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.5 Creedmoor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a bit more mature. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It offers exceptional long-range accuracy, less recoil than the .308, and outstanding ballistics performance. The .308 Win still beats out the 6.5 Creedmoor regarding kinetic energy. But the 6.5 Creedmoor holds its own and allows you to deliver shot after shot with surgical precision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>7mm-08 Remington<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efficient is a great word to describe the 7mm-08 Remington cartridge. It&#8217;s part of the .308 Win family, only necked down to hold a 7mm bullet. Its case length is a hair longer than the .308 Win cartridge, at 2.035&#8243; in length. In terms of popularity, it&#8217;s right behind the .243 Win, with plenty of factory load options. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re familiar with the 7x57mm Mauser cartridge, you can expect similar velocities from the same barrel length, with the 7mm-08 having a slight edge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hunters like it because of its low recoil and ability to adapt to a variety of terrains. It&#8217;s a flat-shooting cartridge that&#8217;s just as at home in the dense forest as it is in the low, open plains. Many deer hunters swear by it, and those hunting larger game talk about its abilities with reverential tones. It may not be a &#8220;cool kid&#8221; like the 6.5mm Creedmoor, but it would be a mistake to not give it a second look. It&#8217;s a .30-caliber cartridge with solid performance that excels in a variety of tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>.338 Federal<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If hunting big game is your thing, or you want to have the option to take on prey like moose and bear, check out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/reloading-supplies\/bullets\/rifle-bullets\/338-lapua-bullets\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.338 Federal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This round is based on the .308 Win cartridge but features a larger neck to accept the beefier .338 projectile.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The .338 Federal certainly packs more power due to the heavier bullet. But that extra weight will cost you in range. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, you\u2019ll be limited to targets within 300 yards, as the .338 Federal begins dropping like a ton of bricks past that distance.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to hunting bigger game, you can use the .338 Federal to take out wild hogs and deer. This robust cartridge will stop any mid-sized animal in its tracks \u2013 provided you hit your mark.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Choosing Your Chambering<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_12267\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12267\" class=\"wp-image-12267 size-full\" title=\"ar-10 rifle with 308 caliber ammo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5469-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of a ar-10 rifle with 308 caliber ammo\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5469-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5469-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5469-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC5469-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12267\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From hunting and recreation to self-defense and competition shooting, the AR-10 platform offers a lot of versatility.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, this decision boils down to one question \u201cWhat do you intend to use your rifle for? Here are our recommendations for everyday uses:<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Hunting<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to fill your freezer, you need a cartridge that will drop your target quickly and humanely. You don&#8217;t want to spend your time walking around the woods wondering where your game went. With that in mind, I suggest the .300 Win Mag.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The .300 Win Mag has the power and ballistics performance to put down your medium to large-sized game. It also enables you to precisely deliver your shots, assuming you have outfitted your rifle with a nice optic and dialed it in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Self-Defense<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/category\/self-defense\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">self-defense<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you need to consider two main factors, stopping power and penetration. Ideally, you want a round that hits like a freight train and leaves a large wound cavity so that you can stop a threat in its tracks. However, you don\u2019t want your cartridge to push through your target and end up in your neighbor\u2019s refrigerator.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In light of those considerations, the .308 Win and 7.62&#215;51 NATO are the best options for self-defense. Due to their popularity, plenty of different cartridges are available in these two chamberings, meaning you will have no issues finding <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/what-is-hst-ammo\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reliable self-defense ammo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Recreational Ownership<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to buy or build an AR-10 just because? I\u2019ve been there and can support that enthusiasm toward the Second Amendment.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want an AR-10 that is fun to shoot and you can take out to the range often, I recommend the .243 or .308. The .243 has manageable recoil, and the ammo won\u2019t break the bank, meaning you can practice all you want. The .308 has more recoil and is a little more costly, but the ammo is readily available, making it an excellent choice for recreational shooters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Competition\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a competition setting, the 6.5 Creedmoor delivers. It provides world-class accuracy at absurd distances. The 6.5 Creedmoor has a flat trajectory, manageable recoil, and good velocity up to and beyond 1,000 yards. More than a few championship shooters have earned titles thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to join the competition scene, other 6mm cartridges are also viable options. But, as noted above, the 6.5 Creedmoor outpaces rounds like the 6.5 Grendel in most metrics, including long-range accuracy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>AR-10 Calibers\u00a0\u2013 You Don\u2019t Have To Pick Just One<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_12230\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12230\" class=\"wp-image-12230 size-full\" title=\"shooting an ar-10 rifle outdoors\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC8427-Web.jpg\" alt=\"a photo of a man shooting an ar-10 rifle at an outdoor range\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC8427-Web.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC8427-Web-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC8427-Web-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC8427-Web-790x527.jpg 790w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12230\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you&#8217;re planning to build your dream AR-10, don&#8217;t forget to budget for accessories like optics, magazines, and ammo!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the AR platform\u2019s many great traits is its versatility and modularity. After you build out the foundation of your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/what-is-an-ar-10-battle-rifle\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AR-10 rifle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can go back and make modifications later.\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you can build your version of the perfect lower, complete with a high-end trigger and ergonomic grip. You can select an upper to match and finish your build with a BCG, barrel, hand guard, and gas tube system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, if you decide to change your caliber, you can always build another complete upper and swap out your existing one in seconds. This versatility allows you to experiment with several chamberings without the cost of building another complete rifle.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, you can do that, too. I mean, you can never have too many ARs. Right?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The AR-10 is the AR-15 platform\u2019s bigger, bolder older brother. While the AR-10 has been around for decades, there are AR-10 calibers that you may not be as familiar with. The platform experienced a surge in popularity that began in the 2010s. This was due in part to the availability of new chamberings for the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,561],"tags":[1475,334,342,343,1271,1476,586,587,345,1237,1474,708,1472,1473],"class_list":["post-12157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ammo","category-ammo-guides","tag-243-winchester","tag-300-win-mag","tag-342","tag-308-ammo","tag-308-battle-rifle","tag-338-federal","tag-6-5-creedmoor","tag-6-5-creedmoor-ammo","tag-7-62x51","tag-7-62x51-ammo","tag-7-62x51-nato","tag-ar-10","tag-ar-10-calibers","tag-ar10-calibers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>AR-10 Calibers For Your Next Build<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are more than a dozen different AR-10 calibers available on the market. 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