6x6.8 or stick with the 6.8

D

Dholsapple

Member
Hey I’m looking for some opinions on the 6x6.8. Now that night season is over here in IL I’m making plans for next year and considering switching to a 6mm round in my ar. Thought this may be a good place to ask since there seem to be several guys shooting a 6mm something. I was considering the 6x6.8 as the brass is plentiful and didn’t need to be fire formed and as I primarily night hunt I generally don’t recover All the brass but if there is a better round then I would reconsider. I’m currently using a 6.8 with a 20” barrel shooting 90gr American Eagle factory loads. It’s working fine but I can’t help but think a 6mm would be flatter to say 300-325 which is pretty much my max at night. What experience do you guys using a 6mm bullet have with runners from pin holing or surface splash or gut shots. Also what is the preferred bullet to use. Im not concerned with saving fur as much as seeing them fall over. I wasn’t sure about barrel length but I’d error on the speed side as length doesn’t matter to me as it will be shot off a tripod in the middle of a field unless it is at a target. Is Ritch the go to guy for an upper I assume or are there better options. The only other use I’d have for it besides coyotes is longer 5-800 yard shots at targets for fun. Appreciate any info and experience you can offer.
 
Ritch likes the 58 VMAX. The dogs don't go anywhere when hit. He got one at a tad over 400 last month.

The flatness is a plus and if you want paper punching the 87 Hornady works great for me at 500 in F-class matches.

Extremely easy to load for and Ritch can set you up with a super barrel and the custom Hornady dies that just got ordered. I have a short ton of loading data if you go down this road.

Greg
 
For hunting the 18" is fine. It has less muzzle blast and that's a plus. It will easily like handle your paper. I like long stuff of 22-24" but my concentration is paper and PD's. Ritch is more pragmatic and likes the shorter tubes of 18".

Greg
 
As I’m planning to primarily use it night hunting i won’t be carrying it far and won’t be swinging it around in the brush the longer barrel wouldn’t be much of a hinderence to me I was just wondering if you could tell me if there was much speed difference. And thankyou Greg for your input.
 
I'll get you some numbers for comparison. To quote Quigley, "I said I didn't have much use for one. Didn't say I didn't know how to use it." I have three if them between 17" and 24" so I have some good data for you.

Greg
 
Never had a 6.8 but based on ballistic reports I read and on what I get from my 6x6.8 its my opinion that the 6.8 should have been a 6mm to start with.

If longer is not a hindrance, go longer. My 22in will do 58s at 3550fps, 70s are 3350.
 
Ritch is the man to talk with , I could go on and on about stats and details but you can easily find that out by searching the information yourself. Between Ritch and Greg you will have a platform that is set up for what you want and the knowledge behind it that makes it work. Do as you please, but I definitely would have a chat with Ritch first. He is a great guy to talk with. Greg always helps with any questions you may have, I can't say enough how much I appreciate these guys. And yes, I believe this is the "go to" coyote caliber from what I have seen so far. I am really impressed with my 6x6.8 from Ritch so far, mine is 18" supressed and i wouldn't change a thing.
 
22" 10 twist 6x6.8 = 3650 with h322 and 58s. No suppresors here in the land of communists so don't short yourself on barrel length.

I just screwed together a bhw 6x6.8 last night and I am still waiting on my barrel from Ritch. Hopefully I will get some lead down range today.
 
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I got in to 6,8mm when it went from SPECI to SPECII. It is 100fps less than a 270win.
That is pretty good for a short case. I have supply of Silver State ammo for it.
I do own a 6mm in a DPMS AR10 with and old Bushmaster 243win upper.
 
Some quick numbers over 18-20-24 tubes. None with same same same loads but the guns shot well at these.

58 VMAX 18/3460 20/3550 24/3511 The 24" was not pursued as I shoot it in LR matches but would probably be in the 3625-3675 area.
70 TNT 18/3181 20/3292 No 24" With a 75 24/3329
87 VMAX 18/None 20/2985 24/3151

I try for a trade of in brass life vs. firewall numbers but I'll push them when I learn. The 24/87 load was backed down a bit and I have over 12 loadings on the brass with no issues.

Greg

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: willy1947

I got in to 6,8mm when it went from SPECI to SPECII. It is 100fps less than a 270win.
That is pretty good for a short case. I have supply of Silver State ammo for it.
I do own a 6mm in a DPMS AR10 with and old Bushmaster 243win upper.


I was just getting ready to load for a 270 and I figured with about twice the powder in the 270 vs. the 6.8 would gain at last 300 FPS thanks to that and a longer barrel. Hornady book says that 6.8 is within about 200-300 FPS at MAX with the lowest starting 270 loads.

What load are you using in the 6.8 as I might want to try that rather than messing with the bigger round if you are getting that kind of real world performance. My 6.8 is SPC II chamber so I'm home free there. What velocity and what bullet? Trying to save some time and effort if I can.

Greg
 
Appreciate the info guys. Is the 58 gr vmax the favorite bullet for coyotes in the 6x6.8 then? I’m assuming it is as that generally the one I’ve read about in other posts. For you guys that use that bullet has it performed well as far as not surface splashing not exiting and not pinholing coyotes? I realize that if every shot is in the shoulder it may be great but I also realize I don’t always hit them in the shoulder so I’m more interested in how it did on the guy shots. In my 6.8 I’ve been using a 90gr tnt with good enough results. Do any of you use the tnt pill in the 6mm or is the vmax the way to go? Again I do appreciate the info. Thanks
 
I have killed a few dozen between the 58vmax and 60 Sierra with great results. My only runner was a liver shot with the 60s at 531 yards. And he didn't go but 30 yards. In my 6DTI (basically same as 6x6
8) I'm shooting 70BTs and they are a hammer. I have only killed 4 so far and all with perfect results on chest shots
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooterOriginally Posted By: willy1947

I got in to 6,8mm when it went from SPECI to SPECII. It is 100fps less than a 270win.
That is pretty good for a short case. I have supply of Silver State ammo for it.
I do own a 6mm in a DPMS AR10 with and old Bushmaster 243win upper.


I was just getting ready to load for a 270 and I figured with about twice the powder in the 270 vs. the 6.8 would gain at last 300 FPS thanks to that and a longer barrel. Hornady book says that 6.8 is within about 200-300 FPS at MAX with the lowest starting 270 loads.


What load are you using in the 6.8 as I might want to try that rather than messing with the bigger round if you are getting that kind of real world performance. My 6.8 is SPC II chamber so I'm home free there. What velocity and what bullet? Trying to save some time and effort if I can.

Greg

Sorry, I do not load for AR's. I have loaded 220swift for 56 years.
I go buy the Silver State ammo box for FPS.
Reloading hand books always low ball everything.
I do not load for my lever rifles or autos
Just for bolt and single shot
I did pick up a 6,8mm barrel for my Contender, it is 23in.
I am going to have it cut to 16in and threaded for my can.
I have an old Company Bushmaster upper,6,8mm SPECII.
Willy
 
Originally Posted By: willy1947Originally Posted By: GLShooterOriginally Posted By: willy1947

I got in to 6,8mm when it went from SPECI to SPECII. It is 100fps less than a 270win.
That is pretty good for a short case. I have supply of Silver State ammo for it.
I do own a 6mm in a DPMS AR10 with and old Bushmaster 243win upper.


I was just getting ready to load for a 270 and I figured with about twice the powder in the 270 vs. the 6.8 would gain at last 300 FPS thanks to that and a longer barrel. Hornady book says that 6.8 is within about 200-300 FPS at MAX with the lowest starting 270 loads.


What load are you using in the 6.8 as I might want to try that rather than messing with the bigger round if you are getting that kind of real world performance. My 6.8 is SPC II chamber so I'm home free there. What velocity and what bullet? Trying to save some time and effort if I can.

Greg

Sorry, I do not load for AR's. I have loaded 220swift for 56 years.
I go buy the Silver State ammo box for FPS.
Reloading hand books always low ball everything.
I do not load for my lever rifles or autos
Just for bolt and single shot
I did pick up a 6,8mm barrel for my Contender, it is 23in.
I am going to have it cut to 16in and threaded for my can.
I have an old Company Bushmaster upper,6,8mm SPECII.
Willy



That explains part of it. If it's the old stuff that's the SSA tactical ammo they were loading way over SAAMI pressures and pulled off the market. Wilson was doing the same thing and pulled his too.

What velocities are you getting with the SSA? Have you loaded for a 270? The current loading lists a 90 at 2840. I can load the 6X6.8 and easily run at that speed in a short tube and a bit more

Greg
 
Ive got a 16" 6x6.8 that im loading for and found the 85 gr Sierra BTHP Gamekings are easy to tune. IM using H322 and need to get the chrono out.
Zeroed it at 100 yards and went to 600 yards with about 15 MOA of drop so its around 2950ish FPS.
Compare that to a 120 gr SST in a 6.8 and its withing 12" of drop.

I now shoot a 12.5" 6.8 and the 16" 6x6.8. No complaints on either.
 
Originally Posted By: midwestpredatorNever had a 6.8 but based on ballistic reports I read and on what I get from my 6x6.8 its my opinion that the 6.8 should have been a 6mm to start with.

If longer is not a hindrance, go longer. My 22in will do 58s at 3550fps, 70s are 3350.



^^^^^^^^
I also firmly believe this. There is a substantial bullet drop difference past 200 between the 6.8 and 6x68. Even a fairly significant difference between the 6x68 70gr and 90 grain to the drop on the 55's and 58's. 3000fps with a 90gr accubond is nothing to sneeze at. 3500 with 55's is easy. My gun shoots 55 NBT better than vmax.

I have a 6.8, and had the 6x68 been developed first I don't think I would own a 6.8 unless I had lots of close range hogs in brush. I shoot suppressed so swinging a 16" with a 9inch suppressor still is a challenge so I would opt for a sbr length barrel.

I have not had a yote take a step with a 55gr. The 90gr 6.8 tnt will blow a yote darn near in half. All of my 6mm 55gr yote hits had exits but didn't leave a distinguishable exit wound.
 
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