6.8 SPC as an all-around caliber

[HarcyPervin]

Hi all, I'm a new member here, but I have been doing some research into the 6.8 SPC and I have a few questions. I have also posted something similar to this on 68forums.com, but those are all fans of the 6.8, so I'm looking for a more diverse group to weigh in.
I'm an all around shooter, and the only one in my family who deer hunts, but I am getting more and more obsessed as I get older. I'm thinking about getting something in an AR platform so that I can have an upper to go stalk bambi, and down the road maybe a .223 or a 7.62 so that I can go blast some glass bottles and target shoot, or maybe do some varmint with the guys and not break the bank.
So far, I've heard great things about the 6.8, especially when looking at the SPC II tactical rounds for deer hunting. Really just looking for feedback, maybe some shopping tips when buying/building my own. I'm not very familliar with the AR platform, but I do enjoy tinkering so I'm not overly intimidated by building from components, if I know that I'm doing it right, not just buying random and possibly incompatible parts that are going to make a mediocre gun.
Any and all feedback is appreciated, thanks!

 

[HorseSoldier]

If all around is limited at the top end to deer sized game for you, I think it's a good choice.

 

[HarcyPervin]

Opinions/Information on the 6.8 SPC

Hey, I started this under a different name and realized that I may not get the hits on it I may be after so I'm reposting it under this heading, here is my original entry...thanks...

Hi all, I'm a new member here, but I have been doing some research into the 6.8 SPC and I have a few questions. I have also posted something similar to this on 68forums.com, but those are all fans of the 6.8, so I'm looking for a more diverse group to weigh in.
I'm an all around shooter, and the only one in my family who deer hunts, but I am getting more and more obsessed as I get older. I'm thinking about getting something in an AR platform so that I can have an upper to go stalk bambi, and down the road maybe a .223 or a 7.62 so that I can go blast some glass bottles and target shoot, or maybe do some varmint with the guys and not break the bank.
So far, I've heard great things about the 6.8, especially when looking at the SPC II tactical rounds for deer hunting. Really just looking for feedback, maybe some shopping tips when buying/building my own. I'm not very familliar with the AR platform, but I do enjoy tinkering so I'm not overly intimidated by building from components, if I know that I'm doing it right, not just buying random and possibly incompatible parts that are going to make a mediocre gun. I'm basically looking for feedback on the round and also tips and advice on building a gun around it.
Any and all feedback is appreciated, thanks!

 

[rbernie]

We've talked a lot about 6.8SPC since it's introduction. I would recommend a quick search for '6.8 SPC' in the Rifle forum; you'll drag back a lot of good reading material.


===

ETA:

I have bought one factory 6.8SPC gun (Bushy) and built four. Any SPCII barrel will do you fine; my current 6.8SPC guns use Bison barrels. I also use Stag bolts and C Products magazines. The rest of the build is standard AR bits.

if you've not built an AR before, then your questions are going to largely be non-specific to the 6.8SPC and more about the platform itself. Again, a good search for 'AR build advice' or similar will drag back lots of good reading material.

 

[amprecon]

Welcome to the 6.8 club HarcyPervin, I consider the 6.8 a great all-around calber and will be even greater when we recruit more shooters to the caliber which will hopefully bring the price of ammo down some more.
Getting into this caliber drew me into the AR club where I had never endeavored before. I've found that I really like the platform, its modular, comfortable/ergonomic, accurate, light and recoil is pleasant, even in 6.8.
I have even considered that I could be perfectly well armed if it were the only rifle I owned.

 

[Kachok]

If by all around you mean vamrint to whitetail deer within 200 yards the anwser is yes, if you mean varmint to brown bear within 400 yards the anwser is ABSOLUTLY NOT.
The 6.8 carries alot of impact on close shots but it fizzles out pretty quickly due to it's low BC. It is also not suitable for larger game due to it's low SD bullets. There is simply no AR-15 caliber that is a true "do it all" gun not even the 6.5 Grendal. Now an AR-10 in 308, 7mm-08, or 260 rem that is a differnet story. Any of those packs enough punch for some BIG game hunting.
I am a 6.8 fan myself but I like it for it's terminal performance on two legged anamals, in the feild I have my trusty 6.5x55 that really is a "do it all" rifle.

 

[longdayjake]

I own several AR's. Among them is a 6.8spcII and a 6.5 grendel. Here is what I believe the difference between the two calibers are as an all-around caliber.

First, the 6.5 Grendel factory ammo is loaded pretty close to max and it will be hard to beat those velocities with a handload. I have been successfull once or twice getting slightly higher velocities but in the end a factory round is almost as good as a handload. The only downside is that factory ammo can be hard to come by unless you buy online at http://www.precisionfirearms.com/29.html
I personally think that the 6.5 is a better all around gun because of its ability to function as a close range hunting rifle, a long range target rifle, and even self-defense.

The 6.8spcII seems to have the ammo availability online if you want it but I have found that you can usually get your own handloads to out perform any factory load (even SSA tactical loads). So, though more factory ammo is available for 6.8, I have found that in order to out perform any of the Grendel loads, you do have to handload your own. Even then, "out perform" is a relative term that usually refers to initial velocity which the Grendel can make up for with high ballistic coefficient bullets.
The 6.8 really is a light bullet for short range caliber. It was designed specifically for Iraq close quarters combat. It serves that purpose very well and will kill a deer very dead within its range capabilities. My personal opinion is that the 6.8 is not near the range gun as the 6.5 but it can be used on the range just fine. The 6.8's short, fat bullets slow down quickly and are easily affected by wind making it a shorter range weapon. However, it really shines up close as it was intended to. There are also some better quality mags for the 6.8 then the 6.5 as well as more manufacturers to choose from.

So, is the 6.8 a good all around caliber? Well, I say that even if you handload the 6.8 is only a good caliber for hunting or short range target practice. If you want some long range capabilities (even from shorter barrels) as well as hunting capability I suggest the 6.5 Grendel.

I personally would buy a .223/5.56 ar before anything else. Starting out trying to pay for a lot of 6.8 or 6.5 would put a sour taste in my mouth for the AR and the caliber. Though I know you want it for deer hunting I would not buy either 6.8 or 6.5 if I wanted the gun to double as a plinker range toy. I bought both of mine because I love to handload and test the accuracy and limits of different calibers. I admit that I haven't shot thousands of rounds through either one of them. That is something that I leave for my other AR's in .223. The exotic calibers are only used for load testing and hunting.

P.S. "Someone" will come in here talking about the mags and the bolt size not meant to work for the 6.5. Don't pay any attention to it. He will probably add something about shorter barrels too, but in all actuality the 6.5 does just fine from a shorter barrel.

 

[Tirod]

"Someone" took Longdayjake's explanation of the 6.5G's not so tapered case and agrees.

All in all, a nice summary of the differences.

One thing that is a fact is the 6.8 was designed by military specialists in combat and ballistics, and that their focus was on using it in the issue 14.5" barrel. If anything, barrels longer than 16" don't gain much for the 6.8SPC. In that regard, it is developed for short range use. That means under 500m, plenty enough for anyone game hunting.

Considering the .30-30 remains one of America's top selling cartridges for over one hundred years, and it's effective range is less, "short range" bullets do ok. It's what America really shoot, and exactly what the military discovered researching real combat since WWI. Soldiers don't shoot larger caliber guns much, or shoot over 500m much. Combat - in a two way environment - tends to limit much of it. It's the whole point of moving to intermediate calibers, and gaining the resulting lighter guns, with less recoil, and being able to carry more ammo, which the soldier will shoot. It's all good.

Choosing the AR and any alternate caliber for hunting is adding more to the mix. Fortunately, a hunting rifle tends to be that - not a tactical ammo blaster. If dumping a lot of brass on the ground is a habit, very few would recommend anything other than a military caliber supported by taxpayer dollars and surplused on the market for .25c a round.

Those that choose something different reload to drive their costs down. It's mostly the naive and inexperienced who expect cheap ammo in ANY caliber, they post up pretty often about the cost. You gotta wonder what they were thinking - nobody sells pallets of surplus non military calibers one step away from being a wildcat cartridge.

Sadly, I see more posts about "pricey" 6.8 ammo; apparently the 6.5G shooters understand that from day one. They seem to get it.

6.8 SPC is the #1 alternate caliber for the AR in today's market, the 6.5G is also available, and the new .300 BLK (Whisper) shows a lot of promise for those willing to give up a bit more range for the advantages of a .30 bullet. The flatter shooting 6's will give less error in hold over in the field, and that makes them superior in my view, but the .300 BLK, touted as having the same ballistics as the 7.62x39, will do the job, too. Some people consider that an all around game cartridge, so the focal point becomes defining "all around - which needs to be from the OP's perspective. It's what he wants that counts.

If hunting live targets at real world distances is the goal, the 6.8SPC can do it. Don't worry about the incremental increase in power of tactical loads, just spec the barrel to take them, and you get the best of dozens of suppliers and ammo makers out there.

 

[biggameballs]

I kind of have to laugh when I hear 6.8 ammo is "expensive". Compared to junk 223 ammo that is only intended for shooting paper maybe, but I pay over $35 per box of premium hunting ammo for my 270 winchester which is one of the most common rounds around. Also keep in mind that ballistics for the 6.8 are usually listed from a 16" barrel. Put an 18 or 20 inch barrel on the gun and some of the tactical loads are going to produce close to 1900 ft lbs of muzzle energy which exceeds just about any 30-30 round out there. As someone mentioned above the 30-30 has killed more deer in this country then any other round out there. Now add in the benefits of AR platform and you have one hell of a versitile hunting rig for any application other then open plains country.