bestar15cartridge

When it comes to the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, there is no denying that the 223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO are the kings of the centerfire cartridges. As it is the standard issue ammo for the U.S. military and an incredibly potent varmint round, the 5.56/223 Rem is by far the most popular centerfire rifle cartridge in North America.

 

Even though the 223 and 5.56 are both battle-proven rounds, some shooters wanted more out of their AR-15. They wanted more power and range without having to upgrade to the heavier and more expensive AR-10 platform.

 

Adapting new cartridges to the AR-15 platform is nothing new, as the 6.8 Remington SPC, 300 AAC Blackout, 224 Valkyrie, and 50 Beowulf have all seen moderate acceptance in the AR shooting community.

 

Enter the 6.5 Grendel cartridge, which gave shooters the range and stopping power they wanted in their lightweight modern sporting rifles.

 

But is it worth it to upgrade your AR-15 or buy a new one in 6.5 Grendel or should you stick with the tried-and-true 223/5.56 NATO?

The standard AR-15 chambered in 5.56 NATO is truly America’s rifle and is a symbol of American ingenuity and freedom. Although the 5.56 NATO has proven itself in the jungles of Vietnam and deserts of Iraq, some gun owners wanted something more…

 

They wanted more stopping power, better terminal ballistics, and a rifle cartridge that could be used for both home defense and big game hunting.

 

The 458 SOCOM cartridge is the answer that these gun owners were looking for, as its heavier bullets can deliver bone-crushing kinetic energy that can stop feral hogs or whitetail in their tracks.

 

However, is investing in a big bore 458 SOCOM upper receiver really worth it? Or is it better to stick with the AR-15 platform mainstay, the 5.56 NATO?

 

The 458 SOCOM makes for an amazing hog hunting and self-defense cartridge as well as just being fun to shoot in an AR-15. However, the 5.56 NATO has been the gold-standard AR chambering since its release in the 60's.

 

The 458 SOCOM really helps increase the stopping power of the AR platform but it does so at the cost of magazine capacity, range, and most of all, recoil. Ammo availability is also an issue for the SOCOM round as it is not a SAAMI certified cartridge and only custom ammo manufacturers make factory ammo for it.

 

The 5.56 on the other hand is incredibly easy to find and is relatively inexpensive to shoot.

 

In this podcast, Dave and Chris take a deep look into the 458 SOCOM and 5.56 NATO to determine what is best for your next AR-15.