Talk Me Out of a 6.8 SPC

[Varminterror]

I’ve been shooting the 6.8 SPC (and 6.5 Grendel) since before either was really available commercially - in the first ~10yrs of their lives, the 6.8spc had the upper hand in market by a considerable margin. But that advantage evaporated something around 5-8yrs ago. Performance wise, there really is no difference between the two, so the calculus between them in ~2015-2017 and beyond is really about component availability, and the Grendel owns that discussion. I remain to have two 6.8 SPC’s which are my primary hunting rifle and my home defense SBR, but I’d much rather both would be Grendels.

I’ve used these taking big, corn fed Kansas Whitetails as big as God makes them for almost 20yrs, so I don’t share concern for geographical influence on deer body weight. Most of the deer I have taken in the last decade have fallen to 100-123grn bullets at 2800 fps - deer really don’t take that much killing…

I’d personally rather buy/build a Grendel today over an SPC, but something on the order of Grendel, ARC, or SPC make the most sense to maximize the capabilities of the AR-15.

I’m not sure what about the LWRC would be proprietary in the lower which would make it incompatible with Stanag mags but optimized for 6.8spc, but that would be a massive turn-off for me for future-proofing. If I want to abandon the 6.8 SPC, for example, I only need replace my bolt, mags, and barrel, and I can keep my AR’s exactly how I want them, or make them more marketable if I decide to sell (and then have better retained value of the conversion parts to someone wanting to convert their 5.56). So it would be a non-starter for me if the LWRC lower was incompatible with stanag mags.

 

[BreechFace]

Unless I was getting ammo for free, the last thing I would do is add a boutique caliber to my logistics, esp. a AR. I would sooner get that new skinny lightweight Ruger AR10 (308).

Some wisdom here, especially with the advent of Ruger's SFAR, small framed AR10; an intermediate cartridge for the AR15 that's in the boutique realm does start to not make much sense. Especially when the alternative is 308 WIN.

 

[citizenconn]

[QUOTE="BreechFace, post: 12463947, member: 262706"especially with the advent of Ruger's SFAR, small framed AR10; an intermediate cartridge for the AR15 that's in the boutique realm does start to not make much sense. Especially when the alternative is 308 WIN.[/QUOTE]
I think it depends entirely on how much you like or are comfortable with the AR platform. I have ARs in so many different chamberings I'd have to conduct an inventory to give you an exact number, but I have numerous 6.8 SPCs and enjoy shooting them.

For me, putting together an upper in a different chambering is only a 15-20 minute endeavor. I have enough unused AR receivers, handguards, gas blocks/tubes, bolt carrier assemblies, grips, buffer tube and parts kits that its just a matter of deciding if one wants left handed/right handed, rear or side charging, pistol or carbine or rifle length setups and then getting a barrel. I realize that is probably not how the majority of gun owners look at the AR, but to me its an adaptable system of which the chambering is an easily swappable factor.

My shooting partner reloads almost all of our ammo, so to add a new chambering simply requires another set of dies.

I thoroughly enjoy shooting the 6.8 SPC II and find it a great supersonic hog or Texas whitetail hunting round. If you can find a faster twist barrel and 190-200 grain bullets it is also a lot of fun to shoot subsonic. The thing I like best about the AR platform is that if I want to change chamberings its not a huge investment of money or time to so.

 

[horsemen61]

You’ll pay more for ammo mags barrels you name it but if you like it then knock yourself out

 

[Beck]

Talk Me Out of a 6.8 SPC

I wouldn't want to talk you out of it. 6.8 Rem SPC is a great round. Since it was designed to potentially replace 5.56 NATO because of shortcomings of the latter, I would replace one of your .223/5.56 firearms rather than your AK in x39.

Since you handload you can maximize the performance of x39 well beyond the rather anemic factory loads made in the US. You also have endless choices of factory loads in x39 from around the world with greater velocities and cost effectiveness that you can buy cheap and stack deep (once prices come back down again).

It was the effectiveness of the enemy's 7.62x39 raining down on US and British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq that finally had our military thinking that 5.56 NATO just wasn't cutting it in that environment.

Loaded to its potential, X39 can match or come very close to muzzle velocities of 6.8 SPC given the same bullet weight and same barrel length. However, 6.8 bullets generally beat x39 (.308 - .311) bullets in ballistic coefficient for flatter trajectory and slightly longer ranges.

7.62x39 does everything I need it to do in my 18-inch barrel Ruger Mini-30 this side of 500 yards, so I'm not in the market for any other intermediate solution. But if I were to consider an alternative it would be 6.8 SPC in a weapon with an SPC II chambered barrel.

 

[mavracer]

My shooting partner reloads almost all of our ammo, so to add a new chambering simply requires another set of dies.

Have you actually looked at the price of brass reciently. There's one vender on ammoseek with 6.8 for $125 for 100 there's dozens with 308 starting at $15 per 100.

 

[Varminterror]

Some wisdom here, especially with the advent of Ruger's SFAR, small framed AR10

Small framed 2.8” cartridge AR’s have been on the market now for what, a decade? DPMS Gen II’s, Savage MSR10’s, POF Revolution, and Mega (if memory serves) all had small frame 2.8” compatible AR’s going back to 2013.

 

[citizenconn]

Have you actually looked at the price of brass reciently. There's one vender on ammoseek with 6.8 for $125 for 100 there's dozens with 308 starting at $15 per 100.

Then I suggest you don't buy from that vendor. A quick search shows available brass much cheaper on other sites. Factory 6.8 ammo is also much cheaper than the price you quoted for brass. As far as the relative price of .308 vs other chamberings: I'm sure it is cheaper than .300 PRC, too. That doesn't keep me from shooting my .300 PRC. I'm not sure what argument you are positing by quoting the price of one outlier.

 

[James Fonteneaux]

I built a 6.8 SPC II upper a few years ago, it's reliable, very accurate and I enjoy shooting it. That being said, I also have at least one AR in 5.56 and an AR 10 so it really doesn't fill a "need". I think a lightweight 308 build may be a better option, especially logistically. Whenever I think about culling the herd for new project funding, that upper and the related gear are usually high on the list.

 

[mavracer]

I'm not sure what argument you are positing by quoting the price of one outlier.

Ammoseek is a search engine that searches several vetted venders so the fact they only listed one means it isn't exactly widely available. And my point would be that a person may want to look at ammunition and component availability before they just toss an upper together and cant afford to feed it.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Despite the limitations of the cartridge, I've become dead set on acquiring an LWRC six8.

Hunting is not a top priority. I have 4 223s and 2 308s already. The 6.8 would replace my AK as my intermediate caliber carbine.

I load, so I'd be making my own ammunition. That is one plus, because the only limitation on ammo availability is the quantity of components I'd keep on hand.

Near as I can tell, within 500 yds the terminal performance of 6.8 is a great enough improvement over 223 shooting 75gr to warrant adding the caliber. I have the 308s to shoot distance.

LWRC making a proprietary lower receiver and magazines is a plus to me. This round already mimics the geometry of the 223 cartridge, just on a larger scale. I had a Grendel, and it soured me with its feeding issues. I feel like there is no reason why 6.8 in an AR wouldn't be every bit as trust your life to it reliable as 223 is.

Watching ballistics gel videos comparing cartridges, 6.8 delivers its maximum energy around 5-6" inside the target, whereas Grendel delivers the most energy around 13".

I want an intermediate caliber carbine that is maximally effective against soft targets inside of 500yds, that has better barrier penetration than 223, that is as reliable as 223, and that works in a small frame AR. The LWRC appears to be it after all the reading I've done.

What say you, THR?

So I got a 6.8SPC upper from palmetto state and I literally never shot it and traded it away for something else after two months of it collecting dust... I like the idea of the intermediate caliber but 5.56 is just so much cheaper to shoot and components are more available for reloading. I do understand if your wanting a better hunting set up, then 6.8 would be more suited for that. So while I don't have any actual experience with the caliber, I'm not going to dissuade you from getting it due to my indecisiveness... Now I have a chungus 24in bull 223 Wylde upper along with my 10.5 5.56 SBR.

 

[LocoGringo]

To echo Varminterror and citizenconn, I also have 2 ARs in 6.8. One is a 16" barreled, fast twist (1:7) for both supersonic and subsonic handloaded ammo. My supersonics mimic the factory loading of Hornady 120 SST at 2460 fps and provides consistent 1.25" 5-shot groups, and I have 200 gr. Woodleigh bullets for my subsonic loads. I shoot suppressed and have had zero reliability issues with either load. I also have a 12.5" barreled suppressed SBR for home defense that launches a 90 grain TNT 2600 fps and is VERY accurate.

As others have mentioned, I'm concerned about replenishing brass when that becomes necessary, but I don't shoot them often and I have a pretty solid stash for now.

My question would be, if you're not hunting with it, what is it for? It's a great hog and whitetail round, but it is expensive to use in volume and difficult to find brass for.

 

[small town life]

In ar15 platform I have 223/5.56/wylde, 6.5gren and 6.8spc. I do enjoy my beloved 26cal projectiles, but I have to give the nod YES to the 6.8spc. Just like so many wanting and saying the 6.5creed is way better than a 260rem. Well I wished I never bought the creed, but it's a good cartridge + seeing a 26cal make me happy. I do (as a few others have stated) own a 20 and 24" version. I would go with no shorter than 20". I will also state my criteria for what bullet weights I use for the 2 different barrel lengths goes as follows per set maximum distance I'd shoot. I set a minimum of 2,700fps per gun and if a bullets weight falls into that category, then I'll use it. So, from 85gr to 115gr is all I'll use. Having a 27-08 is on my next list for an ar10 platform.