30 cal advise

[Kbop]

I need some advice here, i have a AR15 and want to get a larger caliber semi auto rifle.

I have the AR15 because i'm familiar/comfortable with the M16 and M4.
i want something with a longer range and Ft Lbs on target.  I was thinking about a .308 - AR10 or M1a - not sold on either but looking for options.

can you all help me out?

[JohnyMac]

The .308Win (7.62x51 Nato) is a good cartridge. The .308 Win is actually the Savage .300 is ~1.9" in length vs 2.0" for the .308 Win. I forget but I think the taper of the casing is a degree or two different also. Anyhow, I load .300 Savage rounds to the same specs as .308 Win. Sorry I digress.

The AR 10 is a good weapon. With that written you get what you buy in a barrel. What weight bullet will you be using? Match up the bullet to the proper spin rate and buy the best quality barrel you can afford.

The M1a is a great rifle - Period! With that written the make-up/fit of the two weapons are totally different just like the Glock Vs. the 1911. If you like the AR type ergonomics stay with it. Buy the lower and upper minus the barrel. and then match it up to what you want to accomplish. 

[Kentactic]

.308 is good to 1000 yards(assuming ideal bullet choices) but starts to really lose gas after that. My rem 700 that now belongs to another member on here (unless he sold it) was reliable and idiot proof to 750. You could just dump rounds and make solid hits. I was shooting a 168 grain SMK that excelled below 600. If great distance is the goal with 308, you'll want to shoot either the 155(cant recall name) or 175 SMK. Better coefficient bullets.

[Nemo]

Either rifle that shoot that cartridge will be fine.  Its enough that if you can put bullet on target assuming person is pretty much out of the game.

Anything person or not within 1000 yards is in danger.  Most animals of reasonable size inside that may require tracking a good ways and inside 4-500 should be down quick with a solid hit.

Go with the one your comfortable with.  Keep in mind the idea of ease of differentiation caliber wise is to be considered also.

Nemo

[DMCakhunter]

An easy upgrade if money is tight, get an upper in 6.5 Grendel. Same lower, same magazines (maybe need a new follower). Wolf even makes ammo for it, steel and brass cased.

[CJS06]

Kbop

A couple of things to think about.  As others have already mentioned the .308 is a good cartridge out to 1000yds with practice and a good barrel/bullet combination. I shoot an LMT MWS in .308 which is an AR patterned rifle.  I can get good consistent hits out to 1200yds using 165gr Noslers and 168gr A-Max. As kentatctic mentioned the 155gr Scenar is a great bullet for longer range. That said 1000yds is a $#!% ton father than most people are really ever going to bang away.  I only every shoot out at that distance when I travel to Wyoming or Utah.  A majority of the time 600yds is the extreme end of the range that I shoot at.  If you are truly going to use this rifle to concentrate on shooting at 1000+ yds then drop the semi auto plan and look at a bolt gun and possibly consider another round like the 6.5 Creedmore.

If you are going with an intermediate gun out to 6-800 yds max with occasionally 1000 then the .308 is a great round. I love the classic nature of the M1A but with the proliferation of very good quality AR patterend .308s that are not break the bank expensive and share the ergonomics and controls you are used to I would lean that direction.  I love my LMT MWS($3k range) and have been super impressed with the American Defense UIC 10A ($2.25k range) that has a Criterion barrel and was super accurate.  If I had no budget I would get a KAC SR25 ($4.5k range).

Another thing to consider is to spend some time truly wringing out that 5.56 that you already have. I have taken both my Warsport and Noveske out to 800+ yds with excellent results. I shoot 75gr A-Max and 77gr Black Hills and have very similar results to my .308.  A good glass and taking time to learn the ballistics of the gun will turn out some pretty impressive results.
Granted the .308 will be a harder hitter throughout the various ranges.

Chris

[Kentactic]

Chris makes a good point. I recall several years back, a guy setting a new record in precision long range, shooting a .223. This was a 1000 yard competition with the best of the best on a windy, hilly range. It's not an ideal caliber but it can do it.

[gadget99]

I will chime in a bit here.

From my experiance. I would make a few observations.

A stock AR will get you out to 600 on a body size target. So stick with what you have and do some serious range time. I used to coach and compete myself with rack grade M16A2's with stock green tip ammo out to 600yds. (Iron Sights)

If you want a long range ability. (Past 600) The get yourself a good bull barreled 308 bolt action with a Leupold M3A scope on it and once again get some serious range time going. A stock Remington 700 Police in 308 will be more accurate than the average shooter can shoot all day long. For long range work if you need a semi-auto then you do not need to be engaging at those distances. (Trust me)

Now I know that this may be a simplistic and at some point I could do some explaining.

Experience -
4 yrs U.S. Army Sniper (Panama)
4 Yrs Shooting team coach at U.S. Army South Level
10 yrs assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (2 yrs Service Rifle Team, 5 yrs Custom Firearms Shop and 3 yrs Staff)

[Nemo]

The man who would know has spoken.  Those creds should give you your answer.

Nemo

[Kbop]

alot of good information.
Thanks all!

[mountainredneck2051]

A good rem700 and scope setup is pretty idiot proof for long range accuracy
However I wouldnt want to be the guy running around with it if shtf, a good battle rifle with a nice scope will pretty much do the same job but you have an actual fighting weapon should you need it.
Snipers are very mission specific, both in how they operate and their gear.
A m1a fal g3 ar10 setup as a dmr will serve you much better in almost every situation you could encounter.