After reading all yalls comments and doing a bunch of research and contemplation,I’ve decided to build or buy an upper for my AR. Mostly due to cost, but several other reasons led me to this over a lever gun or other rifle.

I’ve narrowed it down to 2 rounds, 300blk and 350 legend.

I like the 350, but am leaning toward the 300 bc of availability of 30 cal bullets and the simple 556 to 300 conversion. Also, I’ve read a lot about the reloading process and it seems the 350 is a bear to load for, mostly bc of its slight taper and head spacing on the case mouth.

I’m interested in a 110gr TSX load and a 125gr PSP load in the 300 blk. Everything I studied puts it real close to 30-30 performance.

I know I’ve already asked some about the 300blk but what’s y’all experience with these two rounds.

Remember this will be a sub 100 yard rifle.

For ease of ownership, I think the 300blk would be hard to beat for what you want.

Sub 100yards? 7.62x39...

When I build another 300, it’ll be the HAMR. If I wanted a 350 and was gonna load, I’d get a true 357 AR, and easily load in 223 brass, with easy to find 357/358 bullets...vs 9mm. Just me. A blackout will do fine to 100, and the 9mm Wannabe won’t do it enough better for a deer to know.

Dang you! I’ve got more research to do now.

300blk works great for me. I reload alot and use supers for deer. Usually Barnes bullets but Hornady sometimes. I use a pistol configuration. 8.5" barrel and sig brace. Nice and compact. The 350 didn't really catch my attention since the bullet selection wasn't what I wanted for reloading.

I’m pretty sure I’m going 300 blk. The Barnes 110 looks good but so does the regular 125 psp by Hornady or Sierra. I will prob give those SGK a shot as they expand well at moderate velocity in my experience.

I'm getting a 6.5 Grendel built. Just waiting on the barrel. After comparing ballistics,recoil etc personally I think this was the best one for me.

The Barnes 110 is the go to bullet for deer and pig. The Hornady 110vmax is also good. Even though it is a varmint bullet , it does not explode at 300blk velocities but actually mushrooms really nicely.

That’s why it surprises me the Barnes works good. They like to be driven fast. I figured something like a ballistic tip or SGK would be the ticket.

I think that the Grendel is probably the best all round hunting cartridge that will fit in the standard AR15 lower. That being said, for me right now, I still think the 300blk is what I want. Later on I’ll most likely build another upper in 6.5, but I want the 300 first.

I have an old 700 in '06 I want to turn into a 9.3x62.

While that is true for most Barnes 308 bullets the Barnes tac-tx is specifically built with the 300blk in mind so the expansion happens at 300blk velocities.

Good to know about the TAC bullets. I’ve watched a lot of videos and hunts where guys were using 300blk with success. The ones that had trouble were shooting 150gr and heavier bullets.

I use cheap 147-150gr FMJ, or subs at times, for pigs outside of deer season. I shoot them in the head and they drop right there. I use the Barnes Vortex (tac-tx 110) almost exclusively for deer/pigs during the season. That bullet will kill handily out as far as most people ever shoot their .270, .308 or 7mm. Which is about 200-250 yards with a 16” barrel and maybe only 200ish with a shorter pistol configuration. However, you may not get a pass through on larger animals. All but a couple of my 300blk kills dropped where they stood though.

Good info. Thanks.

The Nosler BT 125s work great in the blackout, too. Regardless of bullet, I’m not shooting deer with a blackout past 150. I just don’t think it’s got enough azz to handle anything but a perfect angle consistently...IMO (only) it’s really no better much past 100, than a 223 with a good Barnes TTSX, just fatter... I’m not trying to crap on the BO....I have one and have killed stuff. I just think it gets over billed AND under billed, and it’s good to have proper expectations....biding my time to top some 300 HAMR brass with my stash of Barnes 150gr ‘flying ashtray’ 30-30 hollow points.

Those 55gr TSX in 223 with make a deers vitals looks like a 308 just passed through. When I build this, it will be a 100 yard and in gun... most likely much closer.

I load some 75gr Speer gold dots in 223 and I think that would be almost as good as any 300 bo round or 6.5 grendal.but none of those are what I'd call a brush gun other than having a 16in barrel and slightly easier to carry through super thick brush which you can't shoot through anyways.ive thought about getting a 45-70 or 450 Bushmaster but I just new I'd grab my normal 24in barreled rifles knowing I might go hunt cutover or powerline.

One of the best brush guns in the world was developed about fifty years ago for a nasty little war in Vietnam.