Tell me about your experience with the 6.8 spc.

greenmountainboy

greenmountainboy

New member
I am thinking about building an Ar for whitetail hunting. I am considering the 6.8 to keep the weight down and avoid the Ar 10 platform. I believe the cost to build a 6.8 will be about the same as the .223 but with a slight advantage in down range energy. I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. I love my Ar in .223 but would like a more suitable caliber for larger bodied northern deer. Besides, my wife and son have claimed it for themselves for deer hunting.
 
I have shot deer out to 300 yards with my 6.8 using 110 Sierra pro hunter with great results. I am taking it tomorrow to try out my 85 grain barns reloads on some deer. If I get a few I will let you know the results. I have also put quite a few foxes down with the 6.8 and it did not do major pelt damage. I would recommend it to anyone....Jason
 
My wife took her first Whitetail Buck (8 point) with the 6.8 (Hornday SST 120GR).

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Wilson Combat Lightweight hunter SS barrel 16", Hogue FF handgaurd,2 stage RR trigger, Magpul CTR stock, standard mil spec lower, Spikes T2 buffer, PEPR mount, 3-9x40 4200 scope w/ BC scope covers, and clip with 5 rounds.....weighs in 8.5 lbs

Use a Plumbcrazy or NF lower and reduce weight by 6-8 ozs.


6.8 forum is the best place to learn about the 6.8 and look under "Hunting with the 6.8"
 
I had to show a deer to. My 6.8 is a RRA 16inch 110 pro hunter SSA ammo,you can see what it does that is the exit side I believe...Jason

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I have a 6.8 spc shooting Hornady SST 120 gr. I've taken an 8 point buck that went 20 yards and piled up and a couple of yotes. The recoil is very minimal which is very helpful on follow up shots, especially on multiple yotes.
 
Don't forget about the 6.5 Grendel....it's a nice round as well. Either way, give Ritch Johnson (R Johnson) a PM and he can get you set up with a great upper using BHW barrels.
 
Here is a Javelina sow that I took last year with my RRA coyote carbine in 6.8, 145 yds with the 110 prohunter.

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here is the new 6.8 for this springs hunt

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I love the 6.8. great for everything you would use a 30-30 for and out to 250 is no problem.
 
Originally Posted By: mj36639What is the max range you would reasonably expect to take a shot during a hunt?

300 yds on deer and pigs are no problem
 
Originally Posted By: TXCOONDOGOriginally Posted By: mj36639What is the max range you would reasonably expect to take a shot during a hunt?

300 yds on deer and pigs are no problem

yep I say 300 yds maybe a little more...Jason
 
If you reload have you considered building a 6x45? I was looking for similar features that you describe. After researching the 6.8 I decided to go with the 6x45 because it allowed me to use the same magazines, same bolt carrier group, and the same brass that I already had for my 5.56 AR.

I have loaded up to 95 grain bullets with excellent results. My go to hunting round is an 85 grain Barnes TSX at 2800 FPS.
 
Originally Posted By: smith1559I had to show a deer to. My 6.8 is a RRA 16inch 110 pro hunter SSA ammo,you can see what it does that is the exit side I believe...Jason



I have a Bushmaster 1-11 SpecII 16" upper. It loves Silver State ammmo. I do not have feeding problems and I do not have to form cases. SSA brass has small primers. So, I can use CCI #41 hard primers. It is just like shooting a 270win, with a little loss in fps. SIG 556 Magazines work great and cheap, two for $50.

I would of bought the RRA but could not find one but I am happy with the Bushmaster. My upper is from the old Bushmaster plant before they got bought out.
 
I have a Stag 16" model 5H that I reload with 90 and 110g Sierra bullets. I know several people who have killed whitetail to 275 yards with their 6.8 AR. My reloads of 90 g HP Chrono at 2800+fps. As for accuracy, my best group to date for a 5 shot group at 100 yards is .59". That iis similar to my 20" 5.56 and a lot lighter. In fact, I only use my 5.56 for paper and crow shooting from my bench because it is so heavy compared to the 6.8.
 
I gave the 6.8 a Luke-warm reception at best. After it had been out a while, I warmed up to it and built myself an 18" mid-length. I killed several whitetail with it, and was very happy with it's performance.

It has never failed me, and I really like the short barrel without sacrificing a bunch of velocity.
 
I was looking for something in an AR platform that was close to my .243 for coyotes. I considered an AR 10 but didn't want the weight. I considered a .243 WSSM but I didn't want the handloading hassels or the long barrel needed to make it work. I found the 6.8 SPC II and have been very happy with it. I shoot 90 grain Sierra and Speer bullets at 2800 to 2850 FPS. It doesn't shoot as flat as my .243 Winchester, but for called coyotes it works very well.
I built my 6.8 with a Bison Armory 16" recon profile barrel mounted to a RRA upper receiver. I used a Colt bolt carrier and a Stag bolt. I've had this upper mounted on a RRA lower with a Timney trigger and a Magpul MOE stock for two years, and have yet to have a malfuntion from it. It's easy to load for, and if I want it, I can easily find factory loaded ammo. Also Federal is gearing up to offer American Eagle and their Fusion ammo in 6.8 SPC next year.
 
Originally Posted By: smith1559I have shot deer out to 300 yards with my 6.8 using 110 Sierra pro hunter with great results. I am taking it tomorrow to try out my 85 grain barns reloads on some deer. If I get a few I will let you know the results. I have also put quite a few foxes down with the 6.8 and it did not do major pelt damage. I would recommend it to anyone....Jason

Shot a couple now with the 85 grain Barnes both have exits with maybe a 20 yard run before folding up. The 85 is looking good so far....Jason
 
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Just picked up a used DPMS Panther Lite Hunter in 6.8 SPC. This one was purchased originally by a friend of mine a year or so ago, so it is the older version with the 18" Barrel and Miculek Compensator. I do not think the 6.8 needs a compensator and it was horriblly loud so I removed it and am getting a thread protector made to replace the Miculek Comp. SO far I have only shot 120gr. Hornady SST Factory Ammo, and am so far quite pleased. No deer have fallen as yet but we are less than a week into the season too. I have high hopes that at least one Whitetail will fall to it before the year is over.

Larry
 
I was going to go traditional and go back to a lever action carbine for Michigan Whitetail. Most shots are under 100 yards and my 270 bolt action just seemed a little too much for the thicker wooded areas where most of my hunting would be this year.
I got a great deal on a SD 6.8 spc II 20" from Scott last spring. I hooked this up with a light weight Frontier polymer lower and topped it off with a Redfeild 2-7 and although I still have an itch for a slick little lever gun I couldn't be happier with my "modern" carbine in the 6.8spc II.
This rig shoots SSA and Hornady factory loads very well. So far no problems with the polymer lower. Hopefully the trigger will improve with further use but it ain't bad.
Now if I could only get the deer to cooperate
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I have shot 4 deer with this cartridge, 1 @ 143 yds standing, 1 @ 182 yds running straight away, 1 @ 50yds standing and 1 @ 156 yds quartering away, every one dropped like a ton of bricks with 100 grain Accrubonds. I simply love this cartridge and SSA ammunition.
 
I say go for it! I love my 6.8, great all around caliber. Call up one the site sponsors and they'll build you a great rifle. Also, check out 68forums.com for more great info on this round. Good luck!
 


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