For now, Remington is loading it with two bullets at 2,800 fps: 123-grain FMJ for practice and target shooting and 125-grain pointed Core-Lokt for hunting. The FMJ option is a member of the UMC family of economy-priced ammunition and is loaded with the same bullet loaded by Remington in the 7.62x39mm Russian. As for the other load, as Remington ads have told us for many decades, the Core-Lokt is the deadliest mushroom in the woods.

When either load is zeroed three inches high at 100 yards, it will strike about two inches above point of aim at 200 yards and approximately seven inches low at 300, where it is still packing upwards of 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy.

Whether or not the .30 AR will eventually be offered in additional loadings remains to be seen, but in my opinion a bullet weighing 150 grains might just prove to be a useful option. My guess is it could be pushed along at 2,400 to 2,500 fps, placing the new cartridge in about the same performance class as the .300 Savage.

As I gaze into my crystal ball I also see the possibility of other calibers on the same case with .338, 7mm, .270 and .224 of interest to me. And while the .30 AR was designed with hunting in mind, it might be fun to see how it performs at medium-range paper-punching when handloaded with the Sierra 155-grain MatchKing bullet.

By now you might be asking yourself, why bother? Remington already has the R-25, and why buy a rifle chambered for a .300 Savage-equivalent cartridge when the R-25 is available in .243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington and .308 Winchester?

I can think of three reasons worthy of consideration. For one, the versatility of the R-15 is easily increased by switching out its upper for one in .204 Ruger, .223 Remington or .450 Bushmaster, an option that's not possible with the R-25. For two and three, the R-15 is lighter and less expensive than the R-25.