Best AR Style gun/caliber for youth?

JSWOOD · Nov 14, 2017

My girl will be 10 next yr but she is taking after her mom and is very small. I plan on starting her out shooting the .22 LR and then work her up from there. I want to get her an AR style platform but not sure what caliber would be best for her? 223, 243, 300 Blackout...anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Timberman · Nov 14, 2017

6.8 Remington SPC

JSWOOD · Nov 14, 2017

where did you pick that 6.8 up at and what did it set you back?

Timberman · Nov 14, 2017

I bought it over 10 years ago I paid up for it but it’s top shelf. Rock River Arms

https://www.rockriverarms.com/index...onid=F50BCD73EE82005EAA4A34665E6DCA88.cfusion

Offroadtek · Nov 15, 2017

I gotta give a thumbs up to 6.8 also. Mine is a Yankee Hill. I talked a friend of mine into a 6.8 also. He got one from Palmetto State.
https://yhm.net/6-8-spc-build-kit.html

wareagle700 · Nov 16, 2017

I say .223 or 6.5 Grendel.

killerv · Nov 16, 2017

If its your/hers first AR, go with a 223. Can shoot/practice year round for cheap. The 62gr federal fusions is a good deer bullet. Can always pickup another upper in a different caliber later.

Gator89 · Nov 16, 2017

killerv said:
If its your/hers first AR, go with a 223. Can shoot/practice year round for cheap. The 62gr federal fusions is a good deer bullet. Can always pickup another upper in a different caliber later.

Good advice! I have a DIY lower and a LMT upper in 6.8.

Nannyman · Nov 30, 2017

6.8. Heavier bullets than 223 and better factory ammo choices than Grendel

NCHillbilly · Nov 30, 2017

7.62x39. Almost no recoil, cheap ammo for plinking and getting used to it, kills deer dead inside 150.

rjcruiser · Nov 30, 2017

.308 Not a lot of kick in the AR platform and possibilities are endless.

Derek · Dec 1, 2017

got an Ambush AR in 6.8 made by Daniel Defense....it is my favorite gun I own.....perfect for kids. 120 grain Hornady SST's are deadly on deer & hogs.

abrannon · Dec 1, 2017

The great thing about the AR platform is you can change uppers when you need to.

Get 223/5.56 first and then as she progresses, you can upgrade her with a new Upper in 6.8 SPC or 300 BO. This will be a gift with Built in gifts for the future. The only reason to go with a 6.5 Grendel is if you plan on shooting past 400 yards.

223/5.56 = 2.4-4 FtLBS of recoil
300 BO = 6-7 FtLBS
6.8-6.5 = 8-9 FtLBS (similiar to a light load in a .243)

GunnSmokeer · Dec 2, 2017

.223 would be the top choice for low recoil, which is VERY IMPORTANT to beginner shooters, especially girls.

But, what about muzzle blast?

What barrel length will this round be fired from?

If the answer is a 16" barrel, maybe something that throws a bigger bullet and will have less chamber pressure at the time the bullet exits the muzzle would be beneficial?

Also, even though steel-cased .223 ammo is dirt cheap, and dirt cheap is good for lots of practice, what about the advantage of .300 Blackout SUBSONICS for the first few range sessions with the new AR rifle, and then transition her to full-power supersonic ammo (for hunting)?

Going from .22 LR up to full-power centerfire rounds could be shocking.

I think a better transition would be to go from .22LR up to a pistol-caliber carbine in 9mm (the scoped ones would be accurate for plinking out to 100 yards), and then from there go up to an AR carbine.

A 9mm fired from a carbine has similar LOW recoil to a .223, but it's got a lot less noise and muzzle blast (the concussion wave of compressed air that you can feel).

GunnSmokeer · Dec 2, 2017

How about this:

Go from a .22 LR rifle to a first-generation AR in the style of the M16A1.

Very light weight rifle.
Shorter butt stock than the A2 and all later variants.
Or, put a telescoping stock on it (but I think a fixed butt stock aids comfort and accuracy for beginners).
This rifle would have a skinny (pencil profile) barrel, even skinny under the handguards.
And the barrel would be the full 20" length.

You might experiment with taking the flash hider off and putting on a 6" long fake suppressor or barrel extension (bloop tube) which will make the gun seem a bit less noisy and will cut muzzle blast.

After she's used this M16A1 type rifle for a year, you can get her a different upper for it in a better profile for hunting-- different caliber or at least different twist rate--and shorter, to be handy in the woods.

GunnSmokeer · Dec 2, 2017

How about this:

Go from a .22 LR rifle to a first-generation AR in the style of the M16A1.

Very light weight rifle.
Shorter butt stock than the A2 and all later variants.
Or, put a telescoping stock on it (but I think a fixed butt stock aids comfort and accuracy for beginners).
This rifle would have a skinny (pencil profile) barrel, even skinny under the handguards.
And the barrel would be the full 20" length.

You might experiment with taking the flash hider off and putting on a 6" long fake suppressor or barrel extension (bloop tube) which will make the gun seem a bit less noisy and will cut muzzle blast.

After she's used this M16A1 type rifle for a year, you can get her a different upper for it in a better profile for hunting-- different caliber or at least different twist rate--and shorter, to be handy in the woods.

GunnSmokeer · Dec 2, 2017

How about this:

Go from a .22 LR rifle to a first-generation AR in the style of the M16A1.

Very light weight rifle.
Shorter butt stock than the A2 and all later variants.
Or, put a telescoping stock on it (but I think a fixed butt stock aids comfort and accuracy for beginners).
This rifle would have a skinny (pencil profile) barrel, even skinny under the handguards.
And the barrel would be the full 20" length.

You might experiment with taking the flash hider off and putting on a 6" long fake suppressor or barrel extension (bloop tube) which will make the gun seem a bit less noisy and will cut muzzle blast.

After she's used this M16A1 type rifle for a year, you can get her a different upper for it in a better profile for hunting-- different caliber or at least different twist rate--and shorter, to be handy in the woods.

Best AR Style gun/caliber for youth?

JSWOOD

Member

Timberman

Senior Member

Attachments

JSWOOD

Member

Timberman

Senior Member

Offroadtek

Senior Member

wareagle700

Senior Member

killerv

Senior Member

Gator89

Senior Member

Nannyman

Senior Member

NCHillbilly

Administrator

rjcruiser

Senior Member

Derek

Senior Member

abrannon

Senior Member

GunnSmokeer

Senior Member

GunnSmokeer

Senior Member

GunnSmokeer

Senior Member

GunnSmokeer

Senior Member

Similar threads

Latest posts

Share this page