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Why the 6.8 SPC?
If you asked me to sell you an alternative cartridge without telling me what exactly you planned to do with it, I’d probably choose the 6.8 SPC. My selling points would be based on its development.
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What is the 6.8 SPC?
The 6.8 SPC, also known as the 6.8mm Remington SPC, is an intermediate rifle round designed to outperform the 5.56. This is especially true when it came to close quarters use, the 5.56 was underperforming in the close range firefights that were common in the urban combat in Iraq. It was also designed to function in the AR-15 family of rifles with the end goal being a minor loss of magazine capacity and minimal increase in recoil. There are some reports that the bullet was used overseas, but details on who used it, and how exactly it was successful are scant. I chased internet rumors and could find vague mentions of special forces use.
While ultimately successful in its goal, the 6.8 SPC was never adopted on a wide scale.
Some advantages for AR owners is the fact the 6.8 SPC will work with a lot of common AR parts. This includes lowers, triggers, buffers, stocks, handguards, etc.
The biggest swap will be the upper, bolt, and magazines. 6.8 SPC mags are quite standard, and most large manufacturers make 6.8 SPC uppers.
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Ballistic Performance
That being said the round is ballistically superior to the 5.56 regarding energy relative to bullet weight. The 6.8 SPC delivers 44% more power than the 5.56 on average. It’s also a better performer from short barrels. The 223, which the 5.56 is based off, is designed for 20-inch barrels. 20-inch barrels aren’t exactly popular options for close quarter fighting. Once you start chopping barrel length down, you start killing ballistic performance.
Platforms
The most common platform that uses the 6.8 SPC is the AR 15. That is what the round was designed for, and where you’ll find the most options for rifles, pistols, and SBRs. That being said the round has seen itself on several different platforms.
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Best 6.8 SPC Ammo
The 6.8 SPC is a robust little round that can be used for a variety of different tasks. We are going to break down the 6.8 SPC by use and give you a few ammo options for each role. Since the 6.8 SPC is such a versatile round, we’ll pair purpose built cartridges with their actual use. The 6.8 SPC is a surprisingly popular hunting cartridge. Its been a popular alternative for AR hunters in states that prohibit the 5.56/223 as a hunting round. It also offers a little more oomph and power for more massive game as well.
1. Federal Fusion 115gr
Amazing for mid-sized, thin hide game such as deer – the Federal Fusion round. This round was designed for modern sporting rifles like the AR 15. As AR 15s become more popular as hunting weapons, we are seeing more manufacturers produce ammunition for it.Best All-Around 6.8 SPC Hunting Ammo
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2. Hornady Full Boar 100gr
The second round is the Hornady Full Boar load. If you can’t tell by the name this load is designed for those pesky pigs. These are one piece, monolithic copper alloy projectiles that are topped with a polymer tip. Beneath the polymer tip is a cavity that encourages the round to expand upon contact.
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3. Hornady BLACK 100gr
Lastly, we have the Hornady Black V-Max ammunition. The AR 15 is used for a variety of game hunting, and it does well for varmint hunting. As someone who lives in the middle of nowhere, I despise coyotes.
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4. Hornady Custom 120gr SST
The AR platform is an outstanding home defense weapon, and the 6.8 SPC is perfect for close quarters fighting. In a pistol or SBR, you are going to get some solid ballistic performance. That being said you need to pair it with the right round for quick threat elimination. The Hornady Custom 6.8 SPC is an excellent go-to home defense round. It’s a 120-grain projectile that uses Hornady’s famed Super Shock tip to ensure quick and effective expansion. A home defense round needs to expand.Best 6.8 SPC Home Defense Ammo
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5. Remington UMC 115gr
Who doesn’t love to shoot a gun? Shoot it fast, or shoot it straight, or train to be better at your chosen goal? As much as we like to talk tactics, ballistic performance and all that jive the majority of people shoot to shoot. Turning money into noise is my favorite hobby. Hell, I write to do just that. Training and plinking is a high volume activity, so you’ll need affordable ammo. For that, we are going to go to the simple, but always reliable Remington UMC. These full metal jacket rounds are brass cased and boxer primed. They are affordable, but reliable and of course safe to use.
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The Kinetic energy carried the flat shooting ability at decent range and the relative light recoil make the 6.8 a great option for Coyote, javelina, deer, rodents, etc. To knock the round all out just because the 223 is so standard seems a little silly. I have an affinity for oddball rounds true but this is NOT one. In typical Military ops for....and combined with REM habit of chopping off the best of for speed they fouled up "pin intended" the ability of this round to max perform. Enter wildcatters and the SPCII fills in nicely. This is an AR platform high performer when outfitted correctly that can carry multiple duties very well. The only real question is AR style optics or full range long vision optics for this rocket ship.
Just a short comment , I have( 5 ) 6.8 spc rifles and the best bullet weight over all seems to be 110 grain. problem is that Sierra has discontinued its 110grn pro hunter and I believe Nosler maybe discontinuing its 110grn accubond, But Hornady has 110 varmint. anyway try the 110 s and hope you all have good luck .
If this cartridge were actually better than “whatever”, it would have grabbed the American shooting market by storm It has not. It’s slow, fat and expensive, thus a military favorite, albeit better than a blackout.
Compare it to a Grendel, an ARC or any of the legends or stick with the 5.56 and run a 75 gr bullet.
The SOCOM was a special purpose round, and it is amazing. But America needs a great all around battle round, but whatever we come up with should not be a subjective choice. It should be a clearly superior cartridge. Weight, speed, accuracy and trajectory.
Could not believe Remington didn’t get the throat right after the 223 and 556 cartridge issue. So people interested in 6.8 x 43, look for Spec II / SPC II chamber. Most barrels in the last 15 years have the better chamber, the Spec II, with 1:10 or 1:11 twists. ARP barrels are innovative and give the performance and accuracy most look for. Combined with a Super Bolt and the Six8 platform, longer OAL of 2.320 vs 2.260, you got the best! Just my experience.
You give no numbers on effective range, energy retention and bullet drop. This is just a fluff article with no real information
Um, 50% more power downrange compared to 5.56, for starters. Solid 250 - 300m performance, with bullet weights up to 120gr, vs the 5.56 with at best 70 gr. No question it will anchor a deer with accurate shooting, and in TX its' one of the more popular rounds for hogs.
Not real hard to find all the numbers needed, search is your friend, site won't link a URL.
I have been considering making a "wildcat" 6.8 based on the Nosler .224 so as to not have to change bolts in my "Fite Lite" lower. It seems it would be easy to trim the .224 nosler case to 6.8 SPC length ;then size/expand to 6.8.
I Have 5 of the 6.8spc rifles , 2 Remington 700 LTR s with factor hammer forged barrels. 1 shoots 1/2 moa at 100 yrds with hand loads 110 grn sierra pro hunters , The other is new in box. Have a Remington 700 sendero accusport that shoots very well 1st production run . as well as a LWRCI 6.8 Razorback 1 and a Ruger ranch. I have taken Hogs- Deer-bobcats-coyotes-foxes -and raccoons.Its a great round out to at least 200yds . most everything I shoot is inside 150yds. Perfect for most of Texas hunts.Also you can shoot it all day at the range ,and not go home feeling beat up.I mostly hunt with the LTR and do head shots on hogs.The new LTR is to be set up with night vision. Remember anything we hunt should be at ethical ranges and shot placement is key.The Owner of a large hunting ranch in Texas put it simply "don't stink up the place" meaning Make a good shot so it doesn't run off, suffer and die. Anyway 6.8 is great . and if you hand load you can get it dialed in . It was totally designed to perform out of a short barrel, thats what intrigued me. so its perfect to take in the woods and in the blind. Happy hunting and be safe. Kentari
Built a 16" 6.8 SPC with an Aero Precision builders kit, in M81 Woodland Camo. The intent is for a lightweight hunting rifle thats fairly compact and wont wear you down lugging it through the woods.. ive put some high end parts and a nice trigger in it, just wish the barrel waa a better performer. It may soon get an upgrade to a wilson combat barrel.
If you upgrade the Barrel, then heck I would be willing to try an get yer Old one.
I love my 6.8 spc. I first built my AR in a .223/556 wylde barrel for target shooting but soon after and much much research decided to build an upper in 6.8 for hunting. I used a DD bolt carrier group and wilson combat 18" 1-11 twist barrel. I experimented with many rounds both for their grouping and also expansion and weight retention by shooting lines of water jugs where I could retrieve the bullets for examination and weight. the best round I found for deer hunting or really also Hogs and coyote is the fed fusion 115 grain. they even out performed more expensive rounds. I do lots of ground hunting in my ghillie suit up close and personal and this light accurate gun with reflex sight chambered in 6.8 is spot on for the 50-100 yard shooting in thicker cover areas I like to hunt. with a magnified scope I'd trust it to at least 200 yrds and more but thats what my Tikka .308 and Trijicon Accupoint is for.
This is an older thread but I'll add my input, in case anybody is still watching. I use my Spikes Tactical 6.8SPC II build for coyotes mainly, but also for deer, bobcat, and pigs. It's 14.7" 3R, TFW-profiled barrel from AR15Performance.com, with a Leupold VX-R 3-9x40 CDS scope and turret. Rugged Razor for the can. I've used mostly solid copper bullets, mostly Barnes TTSX and some Hornady Black as well. I like the caliber because in the Wisconsin Northwoods where I hunt it handles any length shot I'm likely to encounter for any one of the species I hunt, and when I get my next bear tag I may even try it out for that. Biggest kill to date was a 244lb buck a few years ago, the shot was 160yds and he didn't get more than 20yds in a thicket. It's about to get an ATN Thor LT scope for coyotes as well. Love the caliber, love the gun and I've found it performs very well for everything I've applied it to.
My thoughts exactly, it’s simply a great performer. I’ve had mine for a long time and it’s my “go to” hunting gun.. Love the 6.8!
I am still watching :)
Hi all,
I have been using the 6.8 for about 8 years. I live in Wisconsin but have not used it for deer yet but that will change in 2020. It is my pig hunting gun. I have taken 10 trips between Texas and Alabama to pig hunt. I have used 95 gr Barness TTSX hand loads and 120 gr Hornady SST hand loads. Both shoot under an inch in an 16 inch ARP Barrel and an 18 inch Bison Armory barrel. I like the way the 120 SSTs kill better then the Barnes. Just personal preference. There are many good bullets for this caliber. I know several people that have used it for deer and it works great. I just killed a 160 pound boar in TX a week ago. It was my first thermal kill and was an HONEST 250 plus yards. The pig did run but only about 75 yards.It was not where I wanted the bullet but it was at night.
I have a 6.8 PSA upper in 18”, and a nice two stage in the lower. Easily shoots MOA at 100 yards with Hornady 120g SST. It does not seem to like the Rem 115g UMC as much. Use it for deer hunting and intermediate range shooting. Really enjoy it.
I have a fairly expensive piston driven 6.8 and the accuracy sucks. 3 MOA with Hornady GMX and 4 MOA with Hornady SST ammo. I won’t mention the name brand because it is currently there being inspected because of the accuracy problem. I don’t in any way want to put a bad image in peoples mind before they’ve had an honest chance to correct the problem. Certainly hope it’s returned to me better though. So far my 6.8 experience hasn’t been good.
Just finished my 6.8 with an 18" barrel. I have shot about 150 rounds of various grains with terrible accuracy. I let my son shoot to see if it was me( he is a mile shooter) and low and behold he had the same results.While we each shot 5 rnds. of 120gr. SST, our group was the size of a quarter @50yds . All others were 4" high,low left and right. All reloads of which I pride myself with, I have never seen this issue before.Any ideas? I can give a lot more info.
I guess I didn't mention in my blog, but the issues are with lead-free ammo. Lead bullets shoot perfectly with any grain plus or minus, but the lead-free are all over the paper. I have found that loading to 2.360 OAL has made a tremendous difference. You must modify your mag to accommodate the longer length. Cavity Back Bullets offers a modified mag, and also projectiles in 120gr. lead-free that shoot like lead.
Sounds like an issue with the build. I have built over 20 D.I. guns in 6.8 and all of them have been sub MOA with ARP barrels. My 20" barrel will consistently put 5 shots that are completely cover by a penny, and has been in the 0.3 moa range with handloads. I have heard of several folks with accuracy issues on piston guns though.
Built an AR15, Anderson lower and Bear Creek 6.8mm SPCII 24" barrel. Impresses by the accuracy with both factory and hand loads. I will be using it on antelope and prairie mule deer next season. The prairie dogs haven't stood a chance. It dos better in the windy conditions for me, than my 5.56mm.
I have a Barrett Rec-7. It's a 6.8 SPC piston driven AR. It is a tac driver for sure and smooth to shoot. Never had any issues with it and looking tonadd optics to it now.
I shoot the 6.8mm SPC Hornady CUSTOM 120 gr SST cartridge through a Stag Arms Model 7 AR-15. The rifle has "stock" components: bolt/ gas system, trigger, barrel. I have owned the rifle for about 5 years. It has been flawless at taking white tail deer humanely at ranges of about 100- 150 yards on the rolling prairie of North Texas. I use a Burris 4x scope on a Burris PEPR mount. The gun is sighted in at 100 yards and can consistently create 1- MOA groups. Once I decide that a deer is " a shooter", I aim at the base of their neck. This results in a broken neck- instant death. This location preserves the shoulders, which don't fare well in a shot aimed at the heart. I shoot wild pigs every time I get the opportunity. The aim point here is the front of the shoulder. The rounds are extremely accurate. Recoil is minimal so there is no flinching. I enjoy using the 6.8 mm AR- 15 for hunting because of its accuracy, reduced recoil, relative short length ( 20" barrel ), which makes it easier to handle in a blind than my Remington bolt- action .270 and for its durable construction. Having 4 "back up" rounds available for only another trigger pull is especially welcome when shooting a group of pigs. I certainly prefer the AR to my older bolt- action rifle for hunting at ranges up to 200 yds.
The neck is a great impact point for deer. I too have used this technique with great results using the 6.8. I mostly aim high in the shoulder though. I’m not sure about the science behind this, but it drops them dead 90% of the time. And no, it’s not hitting the spine or damaging the back strap. It may be doing spinal damage remotely, but there’s no bruising or visible damage around the spine. My dad calls them voodoo bullets because They seem to work using black magic. If they don’t drop dead instantly they’re certainly not running off without shoulders. I know it’s a waste of meat, but I hate cleaning shoulders anyhow. They have too much silver skin that has to come off before it’s palatable for me. Besides my dogs love them regardless of the damage. I generally make neck shots when the deer is walking directly to of from me. This technique is very effective. The 120 gr SST has given me issues in the past with long range performance. They don’t like to expand past a few hundred yards, but they are accurate. They’re just too heavy(long) of a bullet to get enough speed to perform at extended ranges. If you get a chance try out the 95 gr TTSX. They do a great job a dumping energy quickly and expand reliably out to 350+ yards depending on load and gun. It’s been the most accurate hunting bullet I’ve tested in my builds. I like the idea of solid copper bullets too. Less chance of metal pieces in my meat. I’ve only killed a few pigs with my 6.8’s but I aimed where you do. All 3 shoulder hits dropped them literally in their tracks. All were complete pass throughs. I’ve never recovered a bullet in any animal using a 6.8(same can’t be said about 300BLK). I too have found that my .308 bolt gun doesn’t get the attention it used to. The 6.8 does everything I need it to do without all the weight, length, and recoil(I know the .308 isn’t a bad kicker, but it’s certainly harder than a 6.8) I’m able to keep my eye in the scope without loosing my target when shooting the 6.8 at longer ranges. I can’t do that every time with my .308’s. The AR 15 platform is great for hunting. The ergonomics, size, and firing speed make it a winner. With the right parts they can rival a bolt gun for accuracy too.
I’m building a .277 Wolverine. If you haven’t heard of the round, try to imagine if the 6.8 SPC and 300 BLK had a baby together. The parent case is the .223 that’s been trimmed and necked down to the same 6.8 bullets with nearly the same performance as the SPC without the need for a different bolt or magazine.
The wolverine is a good compromise between performance and compatibility. I’ve never hand loaded this caliber but from what I’ve researched the difference is about 200-300 fps difference in velocity from my 6.8 spc hand loads using the same bullets. Over the counter 6.8 spc is watered down for use in the old(original) spec 1 chamber which was prone to pressure spikes. The spec 2 or better chambers that are used by today’s barrel manufacturers are capable of higher pressures. In fact the most limiting factor in reloading 6.8 spc spec 2 is case volume. You can’t fit enough of the RIGHT powder in the case to go past the “danger zone.” My bolt action 6.8 spc loads are hotter than my AR15 loads because I can load the cartridge longer allowing more room for more powder. My 95 grain Barnes load from my bolt gun run just over 3,000 fps, while out of my AR’s they run around 2925. Not a huge difference but notable. The extra few tenths of a grain of powder help. That’s fired from 16” barrels btw. So the advantages of the 6.8 spc over the wolverine are simply a slight edge in performance across the board. The wolverine offers a lot of cost savings when it comes to converting from any 5.56 based cartridge chambered weapon. With only a barrel change being necessary and a plethora of cross compatible parts. It’s an appealing concept. Within 200 yards I doubt you’ll see any real difference when it comes to terminal ballistics on four legged critters between the two cartridges, but I like having the odds stacked in my favor whenever possible. I often take shots past 200 yards and feel comfortable knowing my bullet will carry enough energy to reliable expand for a humane kill. That extra 200-300 fps gives me that confidence. The difference between .308 win and 300 win mag is about 300 fps.
I’ve been building 6.8 AR’s and bolt guns for a while. I’ve kept most of what I’ve built, but some were for paying customers. I also reload for this caliber. If you really want to see what this caliber can do you have to start reloading. The 95 gr TTSX is my all time favorite bullet. I load it with 30.2 grains of 2200 with a COL of 2.295. Velocity from my 16” Bison Armory barrel is 2925. It shoots sub MOA. I’ve used Bison Armory and ARP barrels for my AR builds with excellent results and I use X-Caliber barrels for my savage bolt action builds. No need to go over 16” with the barrel. I’ve seen very little increase in velocity past 16”. My 18 and 20 inch barrels only shot 40 fps faster than my 16! Not worth it. I’ve taken countless deer with this caliber using the load I’ve listed above. I make this load for family and friends too. They all agree that it’s all the gun you need to get the job done. Most of the whitetails we shoot drop instantly if you do your part. I’ve also had great results against pigs with this caliber. I’ve only killed a few, but they all dropped in their tracks from shoulder hits. The biggest was nearly 300 lbs and the smallest was 185. Killed all three within a few seconds of one another. I just talked a friend into converting his AR to 6.8 for hunting. I’m currently deployed, but once we’re back he’s going to play with a few of my 6.8’s and decide what he wants to do. Hopefully we’re back before deer season. If anyone has questions regarding my builds or load data let me know. I’m not shy about sharing my research. This caliber is in my opinion the best all around cartridge for the AR15 platform. I own and reload for 5.55/223, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 spc, 300 BLK, and 458 SOCOM. Of all of them the 6.8 takes home the gold. The author nailed it when he said it’s a jack of all trades. And a master of none I would add, but I would change its grade to a “B” instead of a “C”. It scores higher than a “C” if you consider its class, which is AR 15 compatible calibers.
could I possibly get more information? Im looking to build my first AR and I want the most information and you seem like the type to help. I have hunted with 300 blackout, and 308. I really liked the size and weight of the 300 blackout but not the power. 308 was to heavy to be carrying around all night for hunting.
I’ll share with you the key points on what I’ve learned about hunting with AR’s. I prefer to hunt with AR 15 vs AR 10. This is due to the shorter and lighter size of the 15. I hunt public land and have to hike to my hunting location then climb a tree. The lighter gun is favorable. As far as calibers go for the 15 that depends of your intended use. For most the 6.8 will do just about everything well. The 300 BLK is great for close range, or for subsonic suppressed hunting. I’ve done both. But for an all around great mid range hunting rifle I highly recommend a 6.8. Here’s my recommendation:
-Get a quality barrel with 1:10-1:11 twist
I use Bison Armory or ARP. No need to go past 16” in length. If you go with a mid length gas system you may need to open the gas port up to .09 for reliable cycling of lighter faster bullets like 85-95gr. I use an SLR adjustable block to fine tune the system and for using a suppressor
-Get a good bolt. You can use a standard carrier, but don’t go cheap on the bolt. I use LWRC, ARP, and JP. They use harder alloys and great coatings along with improved extractor designs.
-Use a good trigger. This goes for any hunting rifle in my opinion. The AR’s lock time is inherently slow. JP makes a great set that includes a “speed hammer” to reduce lock time and the kit will reduce trigger weight and reset. This will aid in accuracy.
-Use PRI mags, they allow for longer cartridge lengths
-other than that it’s not really crucial on what other parts you use. I do recommend above mil-spec quality on the receivers, but the choices are endless. Pick your favorite optic and use a quality one piece mount like Burris PEPR, Vortex, leupold, Warn, etc...
If you need any reloading info I’ll post it as well.
I'm looking for an optic for my 6.8. What do you recommend? This will be mostly for deer, pigs, and coyotes yardage. Generally shooting 300 yards or less.
Great question, and I’ll share with you my journey to find the right optic for me. I started off with a Burris fullfield 2 in 2-7x32 which is an amazing scope for the price and has really good clarity and outstanding eye relief. It rivals my leupold. That being said I found out that shooting past 150 yards I had a hard time seeing my impact points on paper targets and at 200 yards I couldn’t make out the “shoot-n-see” targets. I found myself using my other guns with more powerful magnifying optics to see shot placement. This was only an issue for sighting in my rifle, you can still see deer clearly out to 200 yards. So I migrated that optic to my 300 BLK and purchased a Sig Sauer 3-9x50. I’m now able to zero my rifle at 200 without issue and I can count points on that questionable buck at 250 yards. I’ve also got a Vortex diamondback 2-10x50 on my bolt action 6.8. It’s clarity is great, but eye relief is not so good. Everyone who looks through my SIg Sauer, Burris, or Nikon’s really can’t tell a difference in clarity even when compared to more experience optics. So my advice is to get a minimum of 9x magnification for those long shots. It’ll help identify the size of the critters as well as help you sight in the rifle much easier. I will admit I really liked the 2-7x32 for walking in thick brush. At 2 power that Burris could point and shoot like a red dot. Really great eye relief. Use a good scope too. If you’re using this on an AR, which you probably are, try the Burris PEPR Mount. It’s a great mount at a fair price. I’ve seen my scope take some pretty good hits and it’s never lost it’s zero. So I’m sold on that mount. Hope this helps.
Edit *use a good scope mount too*
I have a Vortex "Strike Eagle 1x-8x on my LWRC SIX8 and it helps keep the rifle as accurate and on point as possible. Worth the money
hey what i have been trying to figure out is the 6.8SPC the same ammo as .224Valkrie?I had ot buy 6.8SPC mags to feed my .224Val. ammo into my .224Valkrie rifle......so can i shoot 6.8SPC thru my .224Valkrie?
No, they are very different ammo and are not interchangeable in any way. Only shoot the cartridge your barrel is stamped for!
The reason both cartridges share some of the same parts(bolt and magazine) is because they share the same case, or at least the same parent case. Which is the .30 Remington. The .224 V is a necked down 6.8 spc case with a smaller bullet shoved in it. Even though they share a parent case they are not interchangeable. The bullet diameter of the 6.8(.277) is larger than that of the .224. Luckily the 6.8 wouldn’t go into battery on a .224v chamber because of this difference. But, the .224v would probably load into a 6.8 spc chamber potentially causing some safety concerns. Be very careful with what ammunition goes in each firearm. Good rule of thumb is if it’s not written on the barrel don’t use it.
A grade of "C"?? Now there's a backhanded compliment. You sure must hate on the 6.5, 5.56, 300 BO, etc if the 6.8 spc is the " best" with only a grade C. The only thing less is a failing grade.
Anyone using the 110 accubonds? I've had graat performance out of them on whitetail along with the 120 sst. Love my 6.8
Kill first deer with 6.8 about 7-8 years ago. Litlle Michigan 4point. Hit frontal neck. Stopped under skin outside left hip. Full front to back penitration with the prettiest 110 barnes copper flower u der the skin. Deer spun hit a tree and dropped. Have seen 4 more deer shot by teen relatives. They call the lttle ar "No Track" and argue over who gets to take it to the blind. Have of late become a little confused after shooting up all the first batch of bullets. Now it all 6.8 spc ll. Working up a new load, but getting conterdicting data. I'll work it out too good a round not to.
O have ruger 556 and looking to buy a 6.8 spc for deer and hogs.I am looking at a complete upper from Sanders armory in the Hunter series.I am new at this,is this a good choice ?
I have two AR 15 rifles chambered for the 6.8 SPC cartridge. I also have two 5.56 AR 15 rifles. I find that the 6.8 is a more affective round then the 5.56 although I like both rounds and shoot a lot. I use my 6.8 rifles for deer hunting and for home defense and use loads that have great expansion. I never want to come in second in a gun fight. The 6.8 is a great round and fun to shoot. A little more recoil then the 5.56, but this is easy to over come with practice and getting to know your weapons.
Giving this round a 'C' grade is an insult, especially, since I would never attribute a C to doing a good job. As a jack of all trades this round is a B+ across the board and THAT means a good job performer
I have to ask how it compares to its child the .224 Valkyrie. It’s clearly better at close range but where does the trade off overlap? 600yards?
probably 400 yards
There’s a lot of variables here. Bullet velocities, design and weight(ballistic coefficient). But to give you the basic answer I would say the Valkyrie is a flatter faster round overall, but the 6.8 is a better “terminal” performer inside its respective range. The Valkyrie is a great target round, but I would hesitate to take medium to large game at long ranges. I won’t even shoot deer with my 6.8 past 400 yards. My longest shot was 325. Anything past that and the energy levels and reliable expansion become questionable.
Several years back I took down a pig with a 6.8 SPC AR using some 130gr handloads. It was the largest boar we had seen on the property and I suddenly wished I had my trusty .270 bolt-action. I didn't trust myself enough for the head shot and was leery of trying the shoulder, so I waited and got lucky with a chest as it stepped forward, giving me a clear target. Honestly it never mage a sound, but it ran about 30yds before it keeled over. My friend and I could not move the beast ourselves. We had to resort to using the truck to drag it back to camp. No idea what it really weighed but we guesstimate it was somewhere around 400lbs based on body measurements we took at the time. Not a hogzilla by any means, but still big for the coastal plains of South Texas. Shoot me an email and I'll dig up some pictures.
Apparently 6.8 SPC is very seriously considered as a replacement for 5.56.
Too bad it only addresses one of 4 major factors-terminal performance.
Ballistics,penetration and range are still not much better than 5.56.
It looks like we will be paying for this 60 year old disaster for years to come.
We are also tied to AR platform which in itself is a limiting factor by dimensions.
No commercial load for 6.8 is going to impress anyone trying to decide on a hunting caliber for their AR. The handloads are where it’s at. I’ve built several 6.8 rifles over the years and have been hand loading for the caliber for 8 years now. I can tell you from personal experience that a 16” barrel is all you need to make a 95 grain bullet hit 2900 fps. I’ve loaded bullets from 85 to 130 grains, but nothing works like a 95 grain x bullet. Every whitetail and pig I’ve shot have been one shot kills and most of them never take a step after impact. I had one 9 point run about 40 yards due to a bad shot, but that’s nothing to sneeze at. If your really wanting to see the true potential of this caliber make sure you have the updated spec 2 chamber or better and start hand loading. Accurate 2200 is the best powder for accuracy and velocity with RL 7 and RL 10 being good as well. Best all around caliber for AR 15 hands down. I own several other AR’s chambered in 300 BLK, 6.5 G, .458 SOCOM, and 5.56. I hand load for all of them and still consider the 6.8 to be the best all around. It’s more like a B student in all categories not a C. All of my 6.8’s shoot sub MOA with hand loads. I have 2 AR’s and one Savage bolt action in 6.8. Get a good barrel, bolt, trigger, and optics and this round won’t disappoint.
I first turned to the 6.8 SPC when I wanted to combine my love of feral hog hunting with my equal love for ARs.. With the right bullet and placement, the 6.8 will handle any hog at any reasonable distance. Most of the time, you see way more hogs under 100 pounds than over. The 5.56 can handle the little guys just fine, but, in my opinion, it isn't enough cartridge for adult sized pigs. I know, I know... lots of guys kill lots of pigs with their ,223/5.56 AR15s. Good for them. You don't always get the shot or angle you want, Heck, sometimes they're already running when you first see them. Also, wild pigs are tough animals with thick skin and hair, thick, sturdy bones and they can be heavily muscled with plenty of fat.. Have I lost hogs I've shot with the 6.8? You bet. Have I lost pigs that I hit with the .308? You bet. That's pig hunting. Have I lost pigs that I shot with a .223/5.56 rifle? Nope, because I've never shot at a pig with a rifle in that caliber...I like to stack some factors in my favor.
I started with a 16 inch Rock River Arms carbine topped by a Millet 1 x 4 with an illuminated reticle. I had very good success in day hunting and using feeder lights at night with that set-up. I soon added a 20 inch Stag Arms upper for longer shots using a Nikon 2 x 7. 90% of the time, the 6.8 SPC was my go-to rig for pigs, day or night. I shot them with many different rifles in many different calibers, but when I was using an AR, the 6.8 was it for me. I generally shot a pig just once to kill it and was sufficiently satisfied with the on game performance of the 6.8 SPC to recommend it to other hunters.
My ammo choices were the excellent 120 grain Hornady SST, the 115 grain Federal Fusion and the 90 grain Gold Dot as loaded by Federal for military use. For reloads, I liked the Sierra 110 grain Pro Hunter. Any of these will drop even large hogs in their tracks if I do my part. The SST is the winner if I have to pick the most effective pig load. Believe me, they're all good, but the heavier weight combined with the very effective SST bullet puts the Hornady load in first place.
Recoil is negligible, similar to the 5.56 and accuracy is very good. Trajectory is flatter as the bullet weights go down but even the heavier 120 grain bullets with a 200 yard zero will put you about 2.5 inches high at 100 yards and about 10 inches low at 300 yards. Compare that to the performance of the .300 Blackout supersonic loads.
I always seem to meet those 6.5 Grendel guys who delight in telling me that the 6.8 may be more effective from the muzzle out to 350 yards, but the Grendel round will leave the 6.8 in the dust from 350 yards to 1000 yards and farther out. All I can say to that is I'm not one to shoot at pigs that far away with an AR15. AR10...now that;s another story. In fact, my current favorite pig gun is a DPMS .308.GII Recon under a Pulsar thermal optic.
The 6.8 SPC has been a fine pig round for me and I would imagine it would be a pretty good deer round. I also like it for a truck gun and for farm defense. If you have an AR15 in ,223/5.56 then you are halfway there. Just get yourself an upper and some magazines, add ammo and you are in the game!
Just want to give a shout-out to all of you... I’ve enjoyed reading your comments on the 6.8mm SPC! Aim small-Miss small, Shoot Hard! God Bless, Steve H. Former 5th SFG(A), US Army (Ret), Designer 6.8mm SPC
If you're interested in chatting with us some time or maybe even writing an article, PLEASE reach out! It would be positively fascinating to speak with you about the development and design of it all.
Steve THANK YOU for your service!! Thank you for helping design what I and many consider the best round for deer and hogs in the AR15 platform!!
Love my 6.8! For what it was designed to do, I will take it all day long. The long-distance shooting fantasies of too many shooters hurt the 6.8 from becoming even more popular.
That initial spec submission really hurt. To this day, no commercial rounds are made that are loaded to higher pressures due to this act of sabotage (LOL).
Just finished building my first AR, and I decided to chamber it in 6.8 SPC for deer hunting.
And since it's a deer gun, I didn't want it to look like an "assault weapon", so I went with wood A2 furniture from Boyd's, a geissele low profile gas block, and a sporter low profile upper. No iron sights, just a Redfield Revolution 3-9x50 scope.
First shoot will be this weekend. Thanks for the ammo suggestions.
Love that wood furniture look, I'm planning on building an AR-10 using it sometime!