What is the point of this round? Ammo is hard to find and expensive. Also it's ballistic advantage is vastly over exaggerated when compared to the 5.56.

Yes, the standard 110 grain 6.8 may be better than the standard 55 grain 5.56. But when compared to a higher weight 5.56 load like in 75 or 77 grains, it doesn't really provide an advantage. If anything it is worse than a 5.56.

Comparing a 75 grain 5.56 to a 110 grain 6.8. Both Hornady loads. The 5.56 has basically the same energy out to 300 yards. At 400 and 500 yards the 5.56 load has more energy. Not to mention the 5.56 drops less. At 500 yards, the 5.56 drops 43 inches. The 6.8 at the same distance drops 63 inches.

In my opinion I don't see the 6.8 surviving. The ammo and rifles are more expensive. Ammo is also hard to find. In a SHTF scenario it would basically be useless. Also as described above it provides no real ballistic advantage. If you don't like a 5.56, the real solution is to move to .308. Why anyone would buy a 6.8 I will never understand.


[This message has been edited by ag92tx (edited 7/24/2014 3:09a).]

I hear 6.8 owners hate america

That's a facepalm.

Why would anyone ever want a 270 Win? I mean like, whatever, the 30-06 already exists, and if you look at ballistics....
And ammo availability....lordy, don't get me started

I don't see that 270 Win ever surviving.

Who needs anything other than a .308 for North American hunting? Owning any more guns that that is pointless.

Maybe we could all start driving fuel efficient hybrids to work too. And motorcycles?! Those are dumb death machines. Same fuel economy as a car but no crash protection. Why anyone would buy one I will never understand

That's why I shoot 6.5 Grendel.

ag92tx- Where are you getting your info? The 6.8 SPC was designed to address deficiencies in the 5.56 cartridge, especially with short barreled weapons. This is from Wiki:

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The 6.8 SPC delivers 44% more energy than the 5.56 mm NATO (M4 configuration) at 100–300 metres (330–980 ft). The 6.8 mm SPC is not the ballistic equal of the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, but it has less recoil, is more controllable in rapid fire, and lighter, allowing operators to carry more ammunition than would otherwise be possible with the larger caliber round. The 6.8 mm generates around 2,385 J (1,759 ft·lbf) of muzzle energy with a 7.5-gram (115 gr) bullet. In comparison, the 5.56x45mm round (which the 6.8 is designed to replace) generates around 1,796 J (1,325 ft·lbf) with a 4.0 g (62 gr) bullet, giving the 6.8 mm a terminal ballistic advantage over the 5.56 mm of 588 J (434 ft·lbf).

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Almost every major manufacturer of AR style rifles offers 6.8 SPC. Also, Remington, Savage, Thompson Center and Browning offer bolt action rifles in the caliber.

Ammo is easy to find and widely available. I can get several flavors at my local Academy. Bass Pro and Cabelas also carry it. Silver State Armory makes great ammo and delivers it to my front door via UPS.

I can vouch for its accuracy and killing ability. I have had multiple one shot kills on whitetail, hogs, turkey, and even an aoudad.

The 6.8 SPC is here to stay.

[This message has been edited by TRIDENT (edited 7/24/2014 10:02a).]

I love the responses above but the 6.8SPC round is a game changer for hunting IMO. I first started researching it about 5 years ago and noticed it as being a round used for medium game out to 250 yards with the AR15. Simple advantages were that it allowed the use of a standard AR15 lower (with the use of mags modified for the round) and had reduced recoil in comparison to the larger calibers used for deer/hogs. After debate on here(just search the threads)and speaking with Tx4Guns, a group of friends and I with the help of Tx4guns spec'd out a build for uppers and had 5 built. These were quality builds with premium barrels and parts, but no more than what the same 5.56 upper would cost with similar parts and materials. When paired with a standard AR15 lower, these uppers have shot inside 1/2MOA and performed flawlessly in hunting conditions. The hunters using them have collectively harvested over 20 hogs and 10 deer with shots out to 185 yards and to my knowledge all animals shot were recovered. I personally have used mine to harvest 3 hogs and 3 deer, two of which were South TX beasts. I will post pics later once I am home and not at work.
We can debate all day on numbers, ballistics, etc. and over the years I have strayed from getting into these. Ultimately I hold a round’s effectiveness in how it holds up in the field and what I need it to do. Again this round is fun to shoot, has little recoil, compared to larger 30 caliber style hunting rounds, will kill out to 250 yards, enables an easy way to access the AR15 platform for hunting and overall is effective.
As far as ammo availability, it is no harder to find or as expensive as any other hunting load. Yes you can find more availability for 30-06, 308 and 5.56, but Academy now stocks it in Remington and Hornady. I usually buy ammo off of SSA since my gun shoots their 110 grain Sierra Game Kings like a tack. I am on their mailing list and get notified when they do a production run of these. Cost for the 6.8SPC ammo is almost the same for premium ammo (~$25/box). Sure you’re not going find a box of core loks for this round but the hunters using it probably don’t shoot core loks in their other hunting weapons either.
So let’s get back to your original post, is this a SHTF gun, probably not. If SHTF I grab my 5.56 and my 870 and leave this one for harvesting game for my family. Is this a gun to take to the range and shoot 500 rounds and plink with, no it’s a hunting gun. Do I do this with my other hunting guns, say my 30-06 Rem 700, nope. I leave this to my 22’s and my 5.56’s. Should you go with the 308? Sure, that’s a great round as well, but it depends on the situation. For my taste the 6.8 will perform in hunting situations for what I need it for comparatively. I can kill out to 200 yards, and the deer are no more dead than with the 308. It packs less recoil, so my kids and learn on it without being scared by the recoil and it has similar parts platform to the 5.56 they know and already shoot. Is it as universal as the .308, no, you have to look at it for what it was developed for and what it is being marketed as. It was developed as a specialized round not a replacement to the 5.56 or 308. If you’re looking for an all-around gun than sure the 308 will fit that to you much better. If you’re looking for just a pure hunting gun given the needs presented above, I will put my 6.8SPC up against anything out there. And talking with the hunters, those in the industry and the guides I have shown it to, it isn’t going anywhere but up.

^ what he said is the reason I built mine

Well said, sir.

[This message has been edited by tx4guns (edited 7/24/2014 10:25a).]

Might be one of the worst OPs ever here and that is saying a LOT.

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Might be one of the worst OPs ever here and that is saying a LOT.

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ag92tx- Where are you getting your info? The 6.8 SPC was designed to address deficiencies in the 5.56 cartridge, especially with short barreled weapons. This is from Wiki:

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The 6.8 SPC delivers 44% more energy than the 5.56 mm NATO (M4 configuration) at 100–300 metres (330–980 ft). The 6.8 mm SPC is not the ballistic equal of the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, but it has less recoil, is more controllable in rapid fire, and lighter, allowing operators to carry more ammunition than would otherwise be possible with the larger caliber round. The 6.8 mm generates around 2,385 J (1,759 ft·lbf) of muzzle energy with a 7.5-gram (115 gr) bullet. In comparison, the 5.56x45mm round (which the 6.8 is designed to replace) generates around 1,796 J (1,325 ft·lbf) with a 4.0 g (62 gr) bullet, giving the 6.8 mm a terminal ballistic advantage over the 5.56 mm of 588 J (434 ft·lbf).

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Almost every major manufacturer of AR style rifles offers 6.8 SPC. Also, Remington, Savage, Thompson Center and Browning offer bolt action rifles in the caliber.

Ammo is easy to find and widely available. I can get several flavors at my local Academy. Bass Pro and Cabelas also carry it. Silver State Armory makes great ammo and delivers it to my front door via UPS.

I can vouch for its accuracy and killing ability. I have had multiple one shot kills on whitetail, hogs, turkey, and even an aoudad.

The 6.8 SPC is here to stay.

[This message has been edited by TRIDENT (edited 7/24/2014 10:02a).]

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I have a 20" barreled AR in 5.56. With the Hornady 75 grainers, it puts out more energy and drops 20" less at 500 yards than a 16" barreled 6.8 SPC. Again, what is the point of the 6.8 SPC?? I can shoot three mags of cheap fmjs for fun in 5.56 for the price of 1 box of 6.8 SPC. Then I can swap in the heavier Hornady load and get better performance than a 16" 6.8.

Are most of you getting your 6.8 in 16" or 20" barrels? Why would you get it in 16"? Unless you've won the lottery, it is too expensive to plink with like a 5.56. And at 16" it doesn't maximize the cartridge and is basically a glorified AK-47. Except the AK round is about 5x cheaper.

There is a reason the military didn't adopt the 6.8. Out of the standard M16 20" barrel, the 6.8 provided no real advantages over the 77 grain black hills they were shooting. Also the short, stubby 6.8 bullets were found to be unstable at longer ranges.

Dude, no reason to dog on people's caliber choices. Neither has enough energy at 500yds to kill. At that point it's paper punching and has everything to so with optics and shooter skill.

And yes I have mine in 16" barrel. Do the research, not a whole lot of difference between 16" and longer. Tht was a design reason of the cartridge. 16" makes for a great hunting rifle length if you're walking in the brush. And where are you getting your ballistics from? 6.8 outperforms the AK. Lots of people shoot the 6.8 out to long range.

Everyone can have their own opinions. Obviously you are in love with your 5.56. That's great. I like mine as well. I also love my 6.8 and it's capabilities as a hunting round.

ag92tx give it a rest. You are starting to look foolish.

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ag92tx give it a rest. You are starting to look foolish.

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Good facts right there.

Since the OP is referencing a 20" barrel (5.56):
I have the 20.7" Stag AR, and a Rem 700 w/22" barrel in 6.8SPC (sold the Bison 18"). Reloading easily allows ballistics (from published sources, not Internet forum voodoo) to reach levels 200-300fps faster than most factory 6.8 rounds (excluding some SSA). There is already an advantage in energy (over the 223) for most hunting ranges, now even more so with reloads.
And the 223 sees the same or more loss if going to a 16" barrel.

The 6.8 delivers what it was designed for: more energy at modest ranges, using the AR-15 platform.
And who the h*ll sees bullets "tumbling" from their 6.8, unless it's out past the supersonic range?

^^^^ True (I guess), but a dumb stunt with a fortunate outcome.

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Neither has enough energy at 500yds to kill.

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The owner of AR Performance took an elk at 472 with a 6.8.

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True. Harris makes top notch 6.8 (and other) stuff. And he pushes the edge of reloading for the 6.8. Alot different that buying an off the shelf gun and ammo and trying that shot.

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Good facts right there.

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It is. Thank you for agreeing. You are finally making sense.

Basically this is why I use mine. It can take just about anything I need to take here in Texas out to 200 yds. Again, this is a purpose built gun for hunting. It's not to plink with, just like I don't take my 30-06 bolt action out for a day of 250 rounds. I can do plinking and lead flying with my 5.56 all day with the same lower and trigger. Why does your dad still love his Weatherby or Remington chambered in 7mm mag or 300 Win Mag. Same deal I just do mine with a black rifle that is as accurate do to the quality of the build.

The deer below was shot on a low fence south tx ranch and is a management buck. Field dressed at 175 lbs and measured right at 150" and 13 points.



[This message has been edited by TEXAG1996 (edited 7/24/2014 5:17p).]

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