Hunting caliber AR15

suzukiray · November 24, 2019

4 hours ago, sketch said:

same here. hand deprimer and a punishment cramp later.

Lol!! Yep, that's the one!!

392heminut · November 24, 2019

2 hours ago, Albroswift said:

Thinking of getting one of the pin/liquid type drum tumblers, really like the finish results but messy.

I've been kicking that around for the last couple of years too. Yeah, it's a bit messy but damn does it make the brass look nice!

392heminut · November 24, 2019

Double post

Edited November 24, 2019 by 392heminut

Cunuckgaucho · November 24, 2019

It's actually not that bad ,messy and dust free

I built my tumbler and it uses two 1 gallon Coleman cooler(1/2" PVC for agitators) so I can tumble i large batch of brass or two seperate calibers.

My routine is I load up the cooler then run it for an hour. i then pour out the water( but not the pins and brass( it's not critical to get every bit of water out) I then reload up water and cleaning solution for another hour.

I empty the cooler into 507565_tumbler_and_bucket_with_splash_gu and then crank to separate pins from brass then quick rinse with hot water

I then spread out the brass on food dehydrator trays and run on low heat for 20-30 min.

There is no toxic dust as everything stick to the water.

So range brass pick up

After cleaning( primer pockets also polished)

After seeing the price of a tumbler vs capacity :embarrassed: I've got CAN$100 into this one :banana: ( I can also tumble my steel SCUBA tanks :thumbup: ). Capacity ( per each cooler) 9mm=500pc,.45ACP =375pc, 5.56mm=275

Albroswift · November 25, 2019

Sweet

Albroswift · December 7, 2019

Picked up the Frankford pin tumbler on sale last week, first run 250 large rifle mix 308, 30-06, 338WM about maxed it out. Brass had been previously tumbled, Lubed, sized, deprimed. Ran 1-1/2 hr, not bad. Ran 250 rounds 223 (Resized to 25-45) for 2-1/2 hrs, reused the same solution, great results. Going to rig up a big screen on a box fan for drying, first couple batches laid out on a towel and ran the box fan over them. Actually had one of those Frankford separators shown above laying around, still a bit messy but like the results, especially the primer pockets. Haven't tried the method mentioned above replacing the solution 1/2 way through.

ARTrooper · December 7, 2019

On 10/14/2019 at 11:29 AM, Albroswift said:

Want to build something for Western Washington Blacktail on an AR15 receiver set. Regulations here min .24 caliber. Too many options, maybe 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 6mm/.243? Don't want to go 7.62

Give me some ideas my friends!

I would say 6.5 Grendel. Thats my next build for a deer hunting rifle for my young boys and maybe the wife too.

Unless i am wrong, feel free to correct me, 6 5 grendel will have more energy on target for deer hunting ranges than 25-45 sharps.

Albroswift · December 7, 2019

Going by Loaddata.com, where the 2 calibers overlap with similar bullet weights in the 85-120 gr, pretty similar velocities, 6.5 a little higher. Using Sharps data, the opposite is true (Go figure.) The 6.5 can use a bigger variety of bullets with (I would assume) better BC's, also heavier bullets, so there is an advantage there. So I went with the 25-45! Barrel is in the mail.

shooterrex · December 8, 2019

6.5 Grendel put my Doe down at 186 yds.

Albroswift · December 8, 2019

Where we hunt deer (Western WA) most of our shots are pretty close. Wooded hills, valleys, ridges. Pretty much have to hunt with the muzzle up! No prone position or dope cards required. Just gotta be quiet and observant.

ARTrooper · December 8, 2019

So after looking into some things further, i remember now why i pushed the 25-45 out of my mind. It has barely better balistics at 200 yards than my .300 blk with decent hornady or nosler hunting bullets, but with a smaller diamter bullet. They say it is a 300 yard hunting cartridge, but i would say it is 250 yard maximum on deer, based on the ballistic charts i have seen.

Now to me, the difference between my .300 blk and the 25-45 sharps is not enough to make me want to build a new rifle, other than for the reason of you can never have enough guns if you have the money.

The biggest problem i found is i feel likr 25-45 is a handload only round, which is nice that it uses a .223 parent case. But i could not find factory loads anywhere in the normal websites i buy ammo and parts. I couldnt even find ammo for it on ammoseek.com.

Now looking at 6.5 grendel, it has about the same energy at 500 yards that 25-45 sharps has at 250 yards. Way better for deer hunting at any range if you ask me. Plus better sectional density so you getting the penetration you want with deer instead of bouncing it off of a shoulder blade and causing massive damage to meat with a ricocheted bullet or shrapnel. Sadly i had this happen ones with .243 winchester.

And finally onto 6.5 grendel's ammo availibility. The stuff is everywhere. Many small gun shops and larger retail stores i have seen it in. You can even get steel cased wolf ammo for some fun plinking for 24.5 cents a round. Not to mention some decent affordable hunting or target ammo from the main manufacturers.

My two cents is the grendel is the way to go and will last the test of time, we will see if 25-45 does.

Albroswift · December 8, 2019

Yeah, all good points.

Offsetting that, I only reload, never buy (well, maybe if I see a case of 223 or 40 S&W on a screaming deal...) and have close to 5 gallons of commercial 223 brass, lots of good powders on the shelf, so for me ammo a big plus in the 25.45. Cheap bullets and every thing else almost free. Pile of magazines in the shop, plenty of 300 yard guns in the safe already, and wanted a light profile easy on the wallet 16" so the 25.45 is it. Maybe do a 6.5 20" next year!

98Z5V · December 9, 2019

1 hour ago, Albroswift said:

Yeah, all good points.

Offsetting that, I only reload, never buy (well, maybe if I see a case of 223 or 40 S&W on a screaming deal...) and have close to 5 gallons of commercial 223 brass, lots of good powders on the shelf, so for me ammo a big plus in the 25.45. Cheap bullets and every thing else almost free. Pile of magazines in the shop, plenty of 300 yard guns in the safe already, and wanted a light profile easy on the wallet 16" so the 25.45 is it. Maybe do a 6.5 20" next year!

This is such an easy cartridge to make, brother. Pass your .223/5.56 brass through the 25-45 resize/deprime die, and you're done. Instant 25-45 brass. It's that easy. My best accuracy results were with Sierra GameKings in the 90gr flavor - excellent accuracy. I'm using RL-7 powder and CCI-400 primers. Nothing special. It's a great round, and I need to put it to a coyote, it's driving me bananas...

I still need to sort out my load with the Barnes 100gr TSX projectiles. If I can make that work, it'll be one badass coyote-smashing load.

Belt Fed · December 9, 2019

I killed a buck with the Grendel at 650 yards this year. Least that's what the guys GPS said. deer went straight down. All I had was a neck shot, I passed on two shots on nice bucks last year like that. I thought he's either gonna die or walk. I missed first shot, he acted confused. guess he couldn't tell where the shot came from with the muzzle brake . I adjusted and got him then. this was my first time hunting with the Grendel. I been hunting with the creedmore and pretty much know where to aim at that distance.This was with 120 grain federal fusion ammo. I'm sold on the 6.5 caliber. I don't reload so I have to depend on factory stuff. If I reloaded other options may be appealing to me.

ARTrooper · December 9, 2019

2 hours ago, Albroswift said:

Yeah, all good points.

Offsetting that, I only reload, never buy (well, maybe if I see a case of 223 or 40 S&W on a screaming deal...) and have close to 5 gallons of commercial 223 brass, lots of good powders on the shelf, so for me ammo a big plus in the 25.45. Cheap bullets and every thing else almost free. Pile of magazines in the shop, plenty of 300 yard guns in the safe already, and wanted a light profile easy on the wallet 16" so the 25.45 is it. Maybe do a 6.5 20" next year!

Fair enough, it is a cool round. I always liked the 6mmAR but it didnt go far with the market. Such a small niche for them.

Albroswift · December 9, 2019

1 hour ago, 98Z5V said:

This is such an easy cartridge to make, brother. Pass your .223/5.56 brass through the 25-45 resize/deprime die, and you're done. Instant 25-45 brass. It's that easy. My best accuracy results were with Sierra GameKings in the 90gr flavor - excellent accuracy. I'm using RL-7 powder and CCI-400 primers. Nothing special. It's a great round, and I need to put it to a coyote, it's driving me bananas...

I still need to sort out my load with the Barnes 100gr TSX projectiles. If I can make that work, it'll be one badass coyote-smashing load.

Ran 250 clean cases through the press, plenty of Imperial lube inside the neck. then through the pin tumbler. 1.740 to 1.760 resulting length. A few split necks, not bad.

Going to set the trimmer to 1.750 and see how many trim, then do the rest at 1.740.

Loading some 80gr barnes, 87 hot core speer, and some 90 game kings. RL7 and Data2200.

Carbine is pretty much built except for the barrel which should be here Wednesday

Anderson upper, Anderson forged 80% lower, CMT 2lb+2lb 2 stage FCG, Raidan Talon 45 ambi safety, Toolcraft BCG, 16" lightweight profile ss barrel, VG6 comp, Daniel Defense furniture. Have a Burris Droptine 4-14 x 50 going on top.

98Z5V · December 9, 2019

2 minutes ago, Albroswift said:

. A few split necks, not bad.

That's just speed in the ram, right there. Gotta go slow/smooth, since we're upsizing the necks. I split a few when I started, but caught that quick. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Haven't split one since.

Matt.Cross · December 9, 2019

2 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

That's just speed in the ram, right there. Gotta go slow/smooth, since we're upsizing the necks. I split a few when I started, but caught that quick. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Haven't split one since.

Brass is like bubble gum, pull the ends apart slowly and it'll streeeetch. Jerk the ends apart and it'll snap in two.