What are you grabbing while walking out the door?

Good catch either way 🐟

Look, we all know the open waters down in Point Nemo are getting lawless. You’re out there minding your own business in your kayak, just trying to enjoy the salt air with your dog, and the next thing you know, a boarding party of lawless scallywags is trying to commandeer your vessel.

I needed a dedicated maritime backpack PDW. I already have a suppressed .300 BLK for the house, a suppressed sbr 6.5 grendel, and I am absolutely not buying a dedicated .338 can just to drop it in the ocean. This thing is running a 7.5-inch barrel, completely unsuppressed, and yes, it is going to be a concussive flashbang. Deal with it. Oh and it was dirt cheap and runs flawlessly, so when i drop it in the water, idgaf.

After doing the math, I settled on the Hornady 215 gr FTX Black for my anti-piracy loadout. Here is why this setup is mathematically the ultimate close-quarters swashbuckler-stopper:

The Ballistics (The Short Barrel Tax)

The .338 ARC was built on the 6.5 Grendel case, meaning it has a short, efficient powder column that actually performs out of a micro-barrel.

• 16" Factory Spec: 1,900 FPS | 1,723 ft-lbs
• The SBR Math: Testing shows supersonic .338 ARC loses roughly 28 FPS per inch when chopped. Going from 16" down to 7.5" means dropping ~238 FPS.
• My 7.5" Output: ~1,662 FPS | ~1,315 ft-lbs of muzzle energy.

For context, I am launching a 215-grain projectile out of a 7.5" barrel with more kinetic energy than a standard 5.56 out of a full 16" rifle.

Why the 215gr FTX over MonoFlex?

It comes down to hull integrity.

Alternatively, the 170gr MonoFlex is a solid copper penetrator. If I hit a boarder with that, it's zipping straight through them, right through the deck of their ship, and potentially through my own hull.

The 215gr FTX has a polymer Flex Tip designed for violent, rapid expansion. Out of my 7.5" barrel, it crosses the subsonic/non-expanding threshold at roughly 150 yards. Since all naval engagements from my kayak will be well inside 125 yards, that massive slug is going to hit, instantly mushroom, and dump all 1,300+ ft-lbs of energy directly into the target without over-penetrating and sinking my own ship should i be boarded.

Roast the unsuppressed 7.5" cannon all you want, but my dog and I will not be yielding to any black flags today.

Shit list:

• Upper Receiver: Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) 7.5" .338 ARC Forged Upper, 7 inch shooters gate quad rail

• Lower Receiver: PSA AR-15 Blem "Stealth" Stripped Lower and LPK

• Folding System: Sylvan Arms Folding Adapter

• Brace Setup: SBM4 Brace on Pistol Buffer Tube

• Sights: chopped a2 rear and front irons

• Magazine: 25 round asc 6.5 grendel

Kimber Micro 9 Stainless with Rosewood Laser Grip

gawS

.25 Cal Air Venturi Ascent Hybrid PCP Air Rifle

Not really sure on the value of these.. heard they are great duty pistols... That's it

I already own AR's in .22, 9mm, 5.56, 6.5 Grendel, .300 blackout, and .338 ARC. Had an AR-10 in .308 and I just recently sold it.

Just picked all of this up today and haven't even had a chance to shoot them yet! Decided to stretch the budget and ended up with two completely different setups for around $1,200 out the door (including the can).

The Bolt Gun:

• Rifle: Savage B22 FV-SR (.22LR)
• Optic: Vortex Crossfire 2-7 Rimfire
• Rings: Warne Scope Rings

The Tactical Plinker:

• Firearm: Rossi RS22P
• Optic: Vortex SPARC
• Brace: SB Tactical FS1913
• Forend: Arisaka Handstop

The Suppressor (Currently on the Rossi):

• Hi-Point "Hush Point" .22 (planning to swap this between both hosts)

Super stoked to get these out to the range. Let me know what you guys think of the builds!

I'm a broke boy that wants to get into thermals, I know those 2 things don't usually mix well. What's the consensus? I saw an amg rattler for an affordable price at the lgs, I think under a thousand. I'm ignorant, educate me please.

8.5'' 300 blackout pistol

16'' 556 rifle

12'' 6.5 Grendel sbr

YHM Resonator R2 w/ qd's

Got a savage b22 fs-sv and a 22 can waiting for me at the lgs. Definitely grabbing a rossi rs22p to plink next week, saw one today and loved it, along with a 5.7mm keltec sub2k that would make a great backpack gun. Or maybe a cheap over/under next instead? Any recommendations appreciated, although my budget is limited.

In the bin!

A true dual role pistol.