#10MinuteTalk

[@tomcdade]

I too am a Texas hig hunter who owns just about every available caliber in the AR platform. The 6.8 spc is my choice out off all for hig hunting. It's a stopper. I love the round!

[@sms9106]

Texan here and same for me.

[@armstrong2052]

Agreed

[@kevinlewis8642]

What's a hig?

[@joethearcticfox]

I have one and love it. I had some specific requirements for what I wanted to do and the 6.8 was the best choice. I needed something that was ideal for coyote calling, adequate for mountain lion if one came in to the call, javalina hunting, and capable capable of taking mule deer at up to 300 yards. Being a useful home defense platform was a major bonus. The 6.8 SPC is massively underrated for it's capability and versatility in an AR platform.

[@jimedick9496]

That’s exactly why I chose the 6.8 spc last year. I love the versatility of it…. I have recently begone to reload for it, and I’m itching to test my reloads.

[@jeffaldrich7400]

I built a 6.8 SPC on an AR platform for me, one for each of my boys. We have taken pronghorn, deer, elk, and bear. All but one died within 10 Yds of where they stood, most didn't take a second step. One bear made it 60 yds, due to bad shot placement. This is my favorite all around cartridge.

[@austin79761]

Im getting an ar chambered in 6.8spc today and im ecstatic to get out and take some shots

[@luakabsalam1816]

🤭😴

[@georgepatton9744]

My son took his first deer with our 6.8 Spc.

[@patrioticspartan]

I took my first big game with my 6.8spc 150+ lbs black bear ran maybe 30 yards 1 shot went through its collar bone exited by its hip. Novice mistakes were made. I ran up on the dying bear while it lay in a gully shot again blew up the heart. Both shots were 2 inches from each other criss crossing. 50 yards first shot, 10-15 yards second. ( i should have let it be. Less than 2 min between shots

[@jko0526]

I built an AR for this caliber when the hype waves first started for home defense and hunting whitetails. I made a mistake on the build by picking the absolute longest barrel I could find hoping to ring ever bit of accuracy out of this cartridge that I could which made my build extremely heavy. But it is crazy accurate. I love the cartridge. I handload Barnes bullets and have never had an animal go more then 10 - 20 yards after the shot. My teenage son loves the fact that the recoil is so little. I may build a new lighter upper in the future.

[@pjoffrion]

It flat out works here in south on hogs. The 6.5 Grendel stole half the market for 6.8spc. In a shorter barrel the 6.8spc>6.5grendel. The range advantage the 6.5 Grendel has is not applicable where I live and probably not applicable for most. Stirring the pot!

[@Gahmaz0z]

Same. I didn't need the long range. 6.8 offers more power given equal barrel length generally.

[@tylerbarnes5953]

Great comment

[@EMTOLLIS]

No doubt...Theres really no appreciable difference within reasonable hunting distances with 6.8 SPCII or 6.5 Grendel... meaning neither is optimal for killing deer at 400 yards. Out to about 400 with the right sight up, it's feasible but still not as ideal as a real rifle round. Sure shooting paper and steel the 6.5 Grendel will get a bit less of a wind call... at the distance that becomes relevant neither have enough energy nor enough speed to get reliable performance out of a hunting bullet and ethically take large game. Bad breath distance to 300 yard hunting cartridge alllll day, extend that to 400 if you' know what you're doing and the conditions are right.

[@thelion70x79]

@@EMTOLLIS kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpqoqZKAhqiZmMk Confirms your statements about the range limits of 6.5 Grendel. For hunting, they are nearly identical.

[@LRRPFco52]

I like my 12" Grendel a lot. When I run the numbers, I just don't see the advantage to 12" 6.8 over it. 12" Grendel, my actual chronographed results: 90gr TNT 2700fps 120gr Federal 2400fps 16" Grendel 100gr Nosler BT 2675fps 123gr A-MAX 2456fps 123gr Scenar 2450fps

[@Dfleuryoutdoors]

If your going to to discuss 6.8spc, then its worth discussing that they redesigned the chamber which created the 6.8spc ll. Because SAAMI doesnt recognize the spc ll chamber , all ammo company's load for spec 1 chambers. This means factory ammo is usually under powered. I love my 6.8's I have a 12.5", 16" and 20 inch. My 16" is my main hunting rifle, I've taken tons of deer and a black bear with its. Its the perfect 300 yard deer rifle , lightweight, low recoil, and very menuverable. 6.8 is also great from short barrels, my 12.5 will launch 90 grains bullets at 2800 fps and 130's at 2350. The round was designed to address the short comings of 5.56 from short barrels and it does that very well. People today are too focused on long range shooting and ballistics coefficients.

[@tyshine863]

That guy is a grendel fan. It’s funny how grendel fans speak on 6.8 from the SAMMI side of things and speak on the Grendel specs from a 24” barrel. Cut the Grendel barrel back to a 16” then spec on the specs and see if it’s still 2500 FPS and 1818 FPE. I do have both the 6.8 and the 6.5 but if you’re going to make it fair someone do a chrono with similar weight bullets

[@jac502]

Thank you - they danced all around this in their discussion.

[@Dfleuryoutdoors]

@Chano Leyva your correct about the 90 grain bullets have shitty bc's but the 6.8 can shoot up to 140 grain bullets. The hornady 110 hpbt has a BC of .36 which is the same as the mk262 round for 5.56. From a 20 inch barrel you can push the 110 at 2750 which is also the same the mk262. So you have a 110 grain bullet and a 77 grain bullet going the same speed with the same BC, drop and drift is about the same but the 6.8 has much more energy down range.

[@thelion70x79]

@@Dfleuryoutdoors You can push 2700 regularly from 16" with 110gr, I've seen up to 2750 for 110gr in 6.8 SPC. I get 2600 from just factory SAAMI spec 110gr OTM (Hornady) in my 16". I had some SPC II spec 110gr Accubond loaded by Druid Hill I got 2660 FPS from my 16" barrel. I have a relative that pushes over 2650 FPS from 120gr MKZ from his 20" ARP 6.8 barrel.

[@studiesfromthebible]

Absolutely they were talking about reintroducing the caliber. I wish it would be reintroduced with the new specs.

[@keithjanke4321]

I have had an AR I built in 6.8 SPC II that I use for deer hunting in Wisconsin. Been using it for the last 5 years and have taken deer out to 300 yds with it. It’s a hammer on deer with the 110 Nosler accubonds. I made it lightweight and run a strike eagle 1-6 Gen 2. Just an awesome package for deer around here.

[@jonputnam5745]

It would be fun to do a 10 minute on the more obscure AR alternate chamberings. Think .25-45 sharps, 277 wolverine, etc. Would also love a 10 minute talk on the 454 cassull!

[@georgepatton9744]

He said the .277 Wolverine! I haven't heard about that cartridge in forever. I don't actually know much about it.

[@bradystroman7475]

Texas hog hunter here. It wrecks pigs, feeds very well. Especially now that Cpd is making mags for it. Very happy with the fact I have built one. I have a 6.5G, and a .308 as well in the AR platform. And my 6.8spc is what I grab when I need to get meat🤷

[@leviross9450]

Agree. It’s one of my favorite rifles

[@RojoRio86]

Echoing this point. Hunt hogs with it in Texas and works every time. Good size cartridge that fits in an AR15 platform and does what I want it to do. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm keeping it.

[@338federalshooter8]

This talk makes me want one again. I have seen the ammo in Bass pro often and saw it in Academy Sports on Friday. I just might build one now.....hmmmm.

[@JRH6271]

6.8 SPC over a .308 for the size and weight advantage, I imagine?

[@bradystroman7475]

@@JRH6271 yes. And sub 400 yards a good 6.8spc load is very close to some .308 ballistics Less recoil Way lighter gun and ammo Overall I just like it way better

[@aaronhill9337]

Here in Western Oregon, it's perfect for anything I encounter in my walks through woods or if I ever dare to venture into Portland: deer, black bear, coyotes, cougars, rioting mobs of criminals. A friend talked this lifelong bolt-action hunter into an AR 15 a while back, and with that 5.56 I was never too enamored of it, but the addition of the 6.8spc 2 upper (and a great little drop-in .22lr conversion) it's now surpassed all my other beauties in my esteem. The short barrel is delightful too. And, I love Jesus.

[@z987k]

You guys probably should have mentioned the 6.8SPC II in a talk about the 6.8 SPC.

[@pocketbike698]

Only difference is chamber dimensions. Cartridge specs didn't change so the best remedy is to load your own to get the rounds a bit hotter

[@samthai818]

Yep! Big fail for the boys!

[@bfwatt696]

It's worth mentioning that the 6.8 is optimized for a 16" barrel. 5.56 is optimized for a 20" and most of the grendel data out there is using a 20" plus barrel. If you want a 16" barrel the 6.8 is a fantastic choice.

[@JRH6271]

"400 yard combat cartridge" Something to be appreciated there, for sure.

[@mikestrunk3282]

Optimized for a 14.5" or shorter!

[@djl5634]

A 6.5grendel with 12in barrel can shoot 1000yds. Buy 6.5 over 6.8spc.

[@samthai818]

@@djl5634 there's alot wrong with this statement. The grendel cannot burnt powder efficiently unless in a 24". what makes you believe that a 12" grendel can do 1000 yds with half the barrel? the 6.8 is designed for the AR platform 10" and longer, the grendel is designed for a 24" bolt.

[@rc-pm1fe]

@@djl5634 correct 6.5 grendel 12in to 13in fantastic

[@rmcclary66]

My 10 year old daughter tagged her first 7 point white tailed deer at 178 yards with an AR-15 6.8 SPC in 2016 that I built. I personally like the 6.8 SPC it's great medium range round for all ages young and old with it's low recoil and good ballistics out to 350 yards or so.

[@billmartin5709]

I agree. I have killed 2 pigs at over 250 yards at night with my FLIR scope 1 with the 120 SST and 1 with a 100gr Accubond. 1 at 220 during the day with a 95 gr TTSX. Probably another 40 plus hogs..lol amateur compared to our hog hunting folks down in the Southern USA and 1 whitetail deer. Most were killed with the 120 SST and I think it is a great bullet .I just picked up some 105 and 120 gr Cavity Back MKZ bullets. I have tried the 105s at the range and they shot great. I will be giving them a go shortly at the range again and in early Feb will kill some pigs with them:) The 6.8 really shines when handloaded.

[@jimedick9496]

@@billmartin5709 Have you hunted with those MKZ ammo yet? What do you think? I just ordered some 120 gr. projectiles to reload. They didn’t have the 105 gr. in stock, but I’d like to get a few boxes once they are restocked.

[@psywarrior5934]

Great little round! Started development in the US Army's special forces in conjunction with Remington. 5.56 is a nice round but the 6.8 gives the AR platform more knock down power and range while still keeping weight down and magazine capacity. Love the podcast

[@oldphilosopher9143]

Ex SF here and when my younger brothers wanted a knock down round, as you say, the 6.8 has that "Special Purpose" for its interchangeability with the AR Platform. Good choice for my old eyes. I got one as soon as I could. Love it. Only 200 yards is my sweet spot. Great Performer. When Lake City makes the improved SPC II, I can just go to my favorite machinist and gunsmith to re-bore the chamber. I do believe it will be more speed and knockdown power. Just my Humble opinion.

[@quintinleong4967]

Part of the “flop” with this cartridge is an issue with original chamber design causing dangerously high pressures. The result of this initially was to reduce the charge load for factory ammo and then a 2gen chamber design called 6.8spcII, as well as 6.8x43. To my knowledge the original chamber design is no longer available any new builds are based off the spcII or similar chamber designs. Initially the 6.8 was designed at the request of Spec Ops guys wanting more knockdown power from a smaller platform. The cartridge excels from an sbr style platform and still retains the energy for medium range purposes. All while fitting in the ar platform with only slightly increased recoil. The cartridge itself is very efficient and has spawned the .224 Valkyrie and some wildcats like .30hrt. I have several platforms in this chambering including a bolt gun in the original chamber design that is a 3/4moa all day with factory ammo hog gun.

[@propnut7085]

The issue with the gen 2 spec was also what I wanted to point out. I was an early adopter and got rid of mine when the gen 2 came out and pursued a 300blk.

[@albertlemont5471]

@@propnut7085 they also changed the common twist also. I had a ARP 18 inch barrel with 5r 12.5 twist If I remember correctly. It was a shooter and a very fast barrel. I am confident it would smoke a grendel out to 300 or so.

[@georgepatton9744]

My reload dies are for the 6.8x43 but I load fir my SPCI.

[@DC-cf1hm]

I love the 6.8 SPC!!! I have an 18'" AR with a Wilson Combat Recon Tactical barrel and she is deadly accurate with 90 grain Federal Fusion ammo and she performs great on the deer 🦌 here in Virginia and West Virginia. And the Federal Gold Dot 90 grain bonded soft points are an excellent load for a home-defense carbine or an SPR.

[@nickzabloski9430]

I have had a 6.8 SPC for 6+ years and it has performed flawlessly on Whitetail deer and taken multiple mature bucks and does from 15 yards to 125 yards. Scoped with a Vortex LHT 1.5-8 it is a favorite in the whitetail forest!

[@mikemirabella2930]

I laughed at the opening 1:38 when Jason was trying to say something nice- "it's a good little cartridge". Before I go on let me say you guys do a real nice job with these video's. Not easy to do and we all enjoy them. Keep them coming. I am fortunate to have many many rifles to hunt with. I am in Texas and nearly half of the wild hogs in the U.S. are in our great state. I hunt them often with this cartridge. Like a few other guys on here, I have killed deer, red stag, hogs by the dozens, axis and IMO the hardest to drop-Nilgai. (At least 20 of them). It is a great mid-range cartridge. A few guys have mentioned 300 or 400 yards. If it works for them great. I try and keep my shots under 300 for this cartridge. Others have mentioned the spec II chamber. That is important. Also it works with a short 16inch barrel which others have said. I own at least 4 of them and it is a great soft shooting caliber that anyone can shoot. I am not an expert but been fortunate to be able to own many firearms. The key is; know its limits and hit your mark. It is NOT the Hammer Of Thor. If you guys have ever watched/seen Todd Huey @ LoneStar Boars- he is an expert. I get to hunt hogs often and have killed well over 200. This guy will kill 200 in a month at times. He is an expert and one of the best out there period. *As of a year or two ago. His #2 choice was the 6.8 spc. 308 was his first btw. For quick follow up shots it cannot be beat. Anyway- based on how many guys wrote in I can see why I can't find ammo on the shelf. Hey guys hunt with something else for a while so I can restock! 🙈 Happy New Year to you three young men and my hunting brothers below.

[@thelion70x79]

What we need is actual SPC II spec (aka the originally Murray spec) ammo commercially. Everything on the market aside from Druid Hill is SAAMI spec at 55k psi. SPC II is kind of like 5.56 NATO, 58k~60k psi. Handloads typically load to those specs and net around 100 FPS more than SAAMI spec commercial loads. Even with standard pressures, it still substantially outperforms 5.56 at all ranges one would expect to use 5.56. I own both 5.56 and 6.8 uppers, 5.56 for training, 6.8 for duty.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@thelion70x79 Chris Murray had at least 3 different chambers. 1 was for best accuracy, another for max speed, another for reliability/slop. There were several different people with their mitts in the kitchen asking for different things. Army and Navy elements within SOCOM wanted a DM rifle with better energy on-target and better hit probability from a Special Purpose Rifle. Other units within the same communities wanted something similar to 7.62x39 energy from CQB carbines based on the M4 receiver/frame. The most influential community of customers though were civilians looking for a standardized, industry-supported factory cartridge that stepped-up the AR-15 as a legitimate medium game hunting solution, especially in States that didn't allow .224 centerfire bores. That's where 6.8 SPC really took off. What they didn't see coming around the corner was 6.5 Grendel, which was designed to kill medium game and serve as a long range target cartridge from the AR-15 receiver set. The two immediately ended up in a competition on the civilian side, with lots of back and forth that made 9mm vs .45 look like a friendly picnic. JSOC evaluated 6.8 SPC and rejected it. Proponents of 6.8 burned a lot of bridges on Bragg, the FBI Ballistics Lab, and UK MoD, as well as Remington (who took it to SAAMI). 6.5 Grendel was very quietly evaluated by certain elements, USASOC, NAVSPECWAR, USMC Sniper Instructors, and they unanimously all loved it in-place of where they had been using SR-25s/Mk.11s/M110s. Hornady took all that feedback and basically mimicked 6mm AR (6mm Grendel) with 6mm ARC. For the civilian market, the biggest vectors for 6.5 Grendel's dominance over the 6.8 SPC were 1. a trouble-free SAAMI process done by Hornady and 2. the 7 years of work laying down the technical specs back and forth with Barnaul for steel case production. Once steel case got turned on, that sold a lot of rifles, uppers, barrels/bolts/mags, and ammo. Before the Rona, there were at least 94 factory 6.5 Grendel loads on the market.

[@jaycupples4362]

I’ve had two Lwrc and one home build have taken several whitetail deer with it and some coyotes. I think it’s a 350yard gun and in with regards to killing clean. Lite recoil good woods rifle , I always say it kills bigger than it looks.

[@Wilt11-14]

Love my SPC. Wish they had talked about Remington's mistakes with the SAAMI spec and that if it had been done right, they would all be shooting about 100 fps faster. Could have changed the 6.8's future

[@georgepatton9744]

Remington killed their own creation.

[@patrioticspartan]

Ar performance barrels have a specific chamber designs to get as much as you can out the 6.8spc. ARP 16in barrel will be almost the same performance as a bison armory 20 in barrel

[@MattDonkin430]

From my understanding they made an accident when submitting the specs with free bore and it took some very dedicated individuals to fix it to the Spec II chamber, which I load an average of 150-200 fps faster than the factory equiv. If they changed the Sammy NOW and started loading Spec II ammo... (Druid Hills loads spec II) this would take off in droves. Please give me a light weight bolt gun!

[@Wilt11-14]

I plan on getting into reloading so I get the extra 100 fps out if it that the round deserves. Then I might one day neck it down to 6.5 and get the benefits of higher bc too. Might be the best version of the cartridge. I can't imagine why the military would ever need more power than a 110 grain bullet coming out a 16 inch barrel at 2650 fps with a .39 bc.

[@gunsandcars3648]

YES!!!!!! I love my 6.8SPC AR, its what a .556 should be able to do, punches above its weight , amazing

[@jnwarren1977]

I own 2 6.8mm ARs. One is a general purpose hunting gun. The other is an SBR with an 8.5" Noveske barrel. I basically wanted the shortest possible rifle possible that would still be effective. Since I already hand loaded 6.8mm, and since I had a lot of the Federal 90gr Gold Dot projos, it made sense to go 6.8 over .300 Blackout. It's a really slick little rifle.

[@LRRPFco52]

What velocities are you getting from the 8.5" and what bullets/loads/brass? 8.5" suppressed would be handy.

[@michaelgarvin3506]

If you want to hunt deer and hogs inside 300 yards with a standard AR rifle, this works awesome. Add a suppressor and it is by far the best platform to introduce a kid to hunting. Very low recoils and noise!

[@bgiardi]

Agree I have 2 for hogs in TX!

[@georgepatton9744]

They kick ass suppressed.

[@stephaniemusick171]

I’ve had a RRA 16” heavy barrel carbine in 6.8 SPC II for some years now. The 6.8 SPC is a great cartridge for out to 400 yards. Something not mentioned is that the rated velocities and energy are published based on a 16” barrel, that’s what the cartridge was designed around. My carbine is very accurate, the recoil is moderate. Love my 6.8 SPC.

[@randallkelley3600]

I have an RRA Coyote Carbine. One of the older ones that came with the Ace Skelton stock with a hogue pistol grip. It’s crazy accurate! Kills deer and pigs wonderfully.

[@georgepatton9744]

I have the original MODEL1 SALES that shoots 130 grain interlocks very accurately.

[@jameshall2889]

Mines awesome!!!

[@jmmette82]

6.8 SPC II chamber - 90 gr Speer TNT is amazing for Night coyote hunting in the Midwest. AR platform. Slightly more drop than the Grendel with a 90 gr vmax but equally as devastating and a real pleasure to shoot. Very accurate and extremely easy load development.

[@72RR446]

I've had the SPC for more than a dozen years, it is one of many cartridges I have used/owned and I like it. The Grendel is better down range and has a better bullet selection, but the SPC does what it was engineered to do ... deliver more energy than the 5.56 out to 300 meters.

[@Marcusb338]

@Chano Leyva how..?

[@Marcusb338]

@Chano Leyva 6.8 has way more energy up close and out to 500yds and has a bigger frontal area. Straight from Hornadys website. .223 - 20 inch barrel and 62gr FMJ at 3050fps ( the most the standard twist .223 can handle ) 500yd drop ; 340 ftlb 500yd energy ; 49.7 inches 6.8spc 120gr SST at 2460 from a 16 inch barrel, could easily add another 100fps for a 20 incher. 500yd energy ; 619ftlb 500yd drop ; 64.1 inches Not sure which planet 340 is higher than 619ftlbs and would cause more damage. Sure the 5.56 has less drop still. 6.8 was never designed as a long range cartridge though. Even the 73gr eldm from a .223 has 519ftlbs at 500yds, 6.8 still wins..

[@Marcusb338]

@Chano Leyva sure it retains energy better but it takes out to 600 yards.. which is past the 5.56 effective range anyway lol. Even the 100gr GMX from a 16inch barrel has more energy at 500 yards than the 73gr ELDM from the .223. Seems like the 6.8 beats the .223 out to 500 yards easily with any offering, only the heavy match projectiles in the .223 get close but you can’t even use them in most 5.56’s anyway because they eat up powder capacity and the twist rate is too slow.. The 90gr Speer at 3000fps still has 419ftlbs at 500yds which beats the standard 62gr from the .223 comfortably and has way more energy up close. Just not the ideal offering. If you want to compare the 90gr in the 6.8 why not compare it to the 40gr in 5.56? Not fair?

[@bedlamite42]

Biggest problem was Remington screwed up the chamber when they submitted it to SAAMI. Most companies use SPC2 chamber now, but factory ammo is weak because of the SAAMI specs. Handloading really makes the 6.8 shine. 90gr Fusion at 3k fps with H4198 powder from an 18" barrel, 130gr Pro Hunter loaded to 2.42" OAL at 2600fps with CFE223 powder

[@timothybayliss6680]

The difference in chamber spec is 0.030 free bore. When wester powder tested both on the same rig there was a 1500psi difference in pressure and less than 30fps difference in velocity. Its pretty unlikely that even a good shooter would ever notice this under 300 yards. If you are handloading there is very little difference.

[@bedlamite42]

@@timothybayliss6680 There is also an error in the SAAMI print, the numbers don't add up and most of the reamers ended up with a 78 degree leade angle, even though the print says 45 degrees. It was bad enough it was stripping copper from some bullets making the problem worse with each successive shot.

[@borkwoof696]

But who handloads for busting hogs?

[@georgepatton9744]

I Handload.for every Caliber except 7.62x39 because Aks aren't really accurate enough to nit shoot steel Russian junk.

[@squealteamsix479]

I've been shooting a couple 6.8 for years in a thermal equipped 16 in suppressed AR. It's a great cartridge for killing pigs out to 300 yards. Better range than 300blk/7.62x39, does more damage than 5.56 and less recoil than 7.62x51. Although factory ammo is getting hard to find. Good thing I reload and stocked up thousands and thousands of Federal 90gr Gold Dots to reload my own. Yea, I'm one of those guys with a brass catcher to save my brass. I've got a set of brass that has over 12 firings on it and the primer pockets are still good. I do anneal it after every firing. If you're going to hunt at night shooting suppressed it's very hard to beat the 6.8 Spc.

[@dalemyers9045]

I went the Grendel route. 3-4 rifles in, I'm still satisfied. I probably will get an upper in 6.8 just because...

[@NinjaFoxProduct]

I built mine from the ground up with a Bison Armory barrel and I love it. The recoil is not ungodly, the power is amazing, and I wish it was more popular. It is under appreciated and I have it for home defense and hunting, with the occasional range trip.

[@shawnbuss8671]

I did the same thing. If I remember correctly white oak makes their barrels 1-11 twist with the spc11 chamber. I load 95gr Barnes ttsx for it at a bit under 2800fps and does a good job on coyotes and deer.

[@bullionsean456]

I have a Wilson Combat 14.7" AR chambered in 6.8 and it's prob my favorite all around gun (and I own an 11.5" KAC CQB). If you want a 14.5-16" AR-15 that you can use for hunting than there's honestly nothing better.

[@ravissary79]

Great observation on diameter trends. Long range shooting and 6.5 trends caused the SPC to drop off, but now that the 277 Fury and the 6.8 western are a thing, the 6.8 SPC could actually shine if it hadnt fizzled already.

[@michaelharris95]

Well put! I was one of the first in my area of east Texas to adopt it. In the woods and bottoms it is a great deer and hog cartridge. Since then, about 2006, we have assembled hundreds of them. No it isn't a glamour cartridge, but it works. Thanks guys.

[@adamthatguy454]

From what I've read Remington/Bushmaster screwed the pooch on the 6.8 SPC also. The SAAMI chamber drawing was screwed up on release and they had to come back with a 6.8 SPC II chamber to correct it. They screwed up an angle or something. I wish it hadn't been screwed up and people understood it better because it's an excellent intermediate cartridge. 300 HAM'R fits in this capability realm somewhat too. (another shameless plug/request)

[@downeastjd1711]

I love me some 30-30, and most of my hunting is done within its ranges. For reasons that were, mostly, political I built an AR, and I wanted 30-30 type power. I don't need to be able to shoot out to 500 yards, the Maine woods don't offer many of those oppotunities. I thought about a Grendel, but I would've needed a longer barrel. The 68 gives me the power I want, in a compact rifle, that's easy to carrry in the woods.

[@blondewulff16]

I believe, based on actual conversations with shooting associates - most people are hung up on BC. It seems everyone thinks that if it doesn't perform at 800 yards and beyond - it is not a viable modern cartridge. 6.8 SPC is wonderful at mid-range. It does not punch the long range, high BC ticket; thus, not sexy enough in today's marketplace. I love the 6.8 SPC for what it excels - hard-hitting, mid-range soft targets. I have 3. As a side note: When built on the LWRC Six8 platform - the feeding is flawless.

[@ravissary79]

Right, but what's the point when the Grendel does both?

[@72RR446]

Yeh, too many people hung up on B.C. which means very little 0 - 300 yards. The 6.8 is still carrying around 1,000# of energy at 250 yards, which is good enough for deer size game.

[@papajohnsy6659]

@@ravissary79 because with high bc bullets the grendel is getting 2300-2500 fps depending on barrel length, not exactly what I'd call flat shooting.

[@ravissary79]

@@papajohnsy6659 yeah but you can load lighter bullets and the performance is almost the same. And they both have more than enough velocity to get the job done at short range. Their trajectories aren't different enough at medium ranges with similar weight bullets for the 6.8 to gain any significant advantage. Add more range and the Grendel outstrips it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad round. It's not. It certainly feeds better, and it seems slightly better suited to the m4 style weapon.

[@Wilt11-14]

The 6.8 is better than the grendel.... as a military cartridge. It feeds better and shoots way better out of a 16 inch barrel. Most hunters are used to a longer barrel and have no problem carrying the extra barrel they need to get the grendel going. And with equal barrel lengths and bullet weights, the 6.8 has a tiny edge on speed, but not enough to win any arguments.

[@jimmctie1394]

I’ve been hunting in northern MN for whitetails with my 6.8 for 8+ years, and it’s darn near perfect for the application. 16” barrel so it’s handy through dense woods and brush or in a tight stand, relatively cheap to shoot, low recoiling so practice is enjoyable, with enough velocity and energy to humanely reach out to 250-300 yards if needed in a clearing (which is typically the longest you’ll see in rifle zones in MN). Runs beautifully in an AR platform, so I get all the optics mounting and ergonomic amenities of an MSR.

[@mrhemmer]

Great Job guys. I'm really enjoying the cartridge talks. Keep it up!

[@mr.joshua1791]

I recently built an AR in 6.8SPC. Although the ammo is a bit harder to come by, and more expensive, this cartridge has the potential to replace 223/556 in tactical scenarios. I'm a fan.

[@jfess1911]

@@Chester_Oliver ???? What makes you think that? The 6.8 SPC has considerably more energy inside 300 yards, so when it comes to hunting medium-sized game, the 6.8 is better. I will grant that the 5.56 is cheaper and has less recoil for target shooting, varmint hunting and plinking, though.

[@edgratz3425]

I also built 6.8's for my sons. Two of the three have killed whitetails with them. Bang/flops both times. It's like any cartridge. Understand its limitations and what its advantages are and use it accordingly. The SPC is a 200 yard deer cartridge with minimal recoil that works well in an AR platform. Great for kids and recoil sensitive adults. We all have 5.56 uppers for our AR's so when deer season is over, we use the same lowers for coyotes and just plinking around.

[@tofan2622]

6.8 SPC is at an all time high as far as popularity goes, lots of myths here. There was never a "true" redesign that brought about 6.8 SPC II, what happened is that Remington's Engineers messed up the blueprint that was given to the military with the wrong freebore. There are alternate specs for some increased performance for some different loadings. 0-500 yards there is no better rifle, period. There is no point to compare long range bullets, because the 6.8 SPC was never meant to be a long range cartridge. It trumps all other calibers out of a 16" barrel, which was it's design parameters. LWRCis still sell out of all the Six8s they make, ARP keeps selling out of his 6.8 SPC barrels, more magazines are being made. Manufacturers are bringing new 6.8 SPC II rifles into the market, life is great. If you are a hunter or somebody who cares about self defense, do yourself a favor and switch to 6.8 SPC. If you want an 8.5" CQB rifle, make sure you get the 90 grain Fusion MSRs, they are the closest to the XM68GD loading. You guys may need to do a little bit more research it sounds like, pretty far off on a lot of stuff.

[@Jwalls1980]

U some kind of expert

[@samthai818]

@@Jwalls1980 He's doing pretty good. 😄

[@LRRPFco52]

The truth is that no reamer maker worth their salt would cut a reamer with the kinds of errors claimed (80° transition from the mouth to the freebore). If a reamer maker sees that print, SAAMI or not, they will contact the customer and say, "Something's off with the step from the mouth into the freebore. I think we should do a more common angle there to prevent any jacket shearing as the bullet is handed off from the neck into the freebore." Customer's engineering staff would look at the print and say, "You know what. You're right. That angle doesn't make any sense, and can only cause problems really, especially toward end of reamer life." There were at least 3 different chamber designs that Chris Murray had made reamers for when he was at AMU. 1 for accuracy in 18" SPR type rifles. 1 for speed in 14.5" and 16" guns, and 1 for slop/reliability. There was a meeting with Remington engineers and DoD reps, including senior weapons guys from NAVSPECWAR, who weren't impressed with the initial velocity numbers from 14.5". At this meeting, the Navy folks said, "Can you get the 115gr to 2900fps?" Remington engineers without even doing some napkin math said, "Yes, we can do that for you." It was just poorly-managed with nobody taking ownership of it from the start. The initial development guys who fixated on .277" bore really missed the boat there, should have gone .257". They ignored and insulated from all the available ARDEC data and then burned bridges at AMU. Went to SHOT Show saying, "....there's a new secret cartridge SOCOM is adopting, don't tell anyone. By the way, there's this other cartridge called 6.5 Grendel that's utter trash. Stay away from it." They then burned bridges at Bragg with SF and another Army SOF unit, who independently acquired and tested 6.8s to early destruction/failure, weren't interested. Guys had to literally be escorted off post after not taking NO for an answer. Then they flew to the UK, went to MoD under false pretenses of official coordination and told MoD, "USSOCOM and now USMC are moving to 6.8x43 NATO. You had better start tooling-up if you don't want to be left behind." FBI ballistics lab banned them by cartridge affiliation explicitly, after they pulled tips off the 95gr V-MAX and tried to submit it as an Open Tip Match round. The whole push for military adoption was an absolute clown show, worthy of film. The other companies in the private sector like ArmaLite, Hornady, Nosler, Sellier & Bellott, Wilson Combat, LWRC, Stag Arms, Bushmaster, etc. kept it growing with good options for hunters. The whole attack on the industry and the SAAMI spec really undercut its legitimacy, while promoting tiny shops who could never produce sufficient volume for the broad market. Western Powders ran tests with a SAAMI chamber and "SPC II" chamber from a 24" barrel, only saw 19fps difference and minimal chamber pressure variance. SPC II proponents cried foul, variables weren't to their liking. It's an example of what happens when zealous and incompetent people build enough momentum to push an idea, and get enough well-meaning people behind it. The opportunity was timely due to the confluence of AWB expiring, GWOT kicking off, and proliferation of the AR-15 with tons of people wishing they could hunt with it, or have more energy on-target without having to step up to the unwieldy AR-10. They bungled it with bore diameter, amateur marketing and promotion to DoD, and undercut their own standardization process for the civilian industry. It's not a bad cartridge, just had bad parents who gave it too fat of a head at birth, then watched it pass from their broken home into multiple foster care residences as it grew up.

[@samthai818]

@@LRRPFco52 Again, a lot of fantastic claims and assertions, and really cool stories. I don't know how to argue any of your "facts". 24" SPC II with only a 19fps gain? 115gr at 2900fps? So much missing information. All I can do out of civility and respect is take you at face value on your experience and disregard any information on ballistics and performance that deviates from my personal experience and knowledge unless there are verifiable data to support it.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@samthai818 You didn't see the email response from Western Powders on 6.8forums, where their ballistician ran their test breech with 6.8 SPC SAAMI, then reamed it with a SPC II reamer, ran the tests again with the same loads. The most he saw was 30fps difference, 19fps avg. It was pretty well-circulated. Yeah, you're not getting 2900fps with a 115gr from 14.5", 16", or 18" even in a 6.8 SPC. That was the point. Remington was excited and didn't push back with real numbers and limits at that meeting. ~30gr cases don't push 115gr to 2900fps. SEALs aren't ballistics experts. They just asked if Remington could up the performance. Remington should have told them 2550fps was probably pushing it already, which would have jeopardized Navy interest, so they just told them they could do it. This is coming from people who were at that meeting, not internet hearsay.

[@codymartin5930]

I commented on the .300blk video that 6.8spc is superior for hunting. Got some flak for that comment, but y'all mentioned the fact that it's the darling of Texas hog hunters in this video. It's a better supersonic round than the blackout, not really debatable.

[@K-bob_45]

More powder behind the bullet. Idk what people don’t get about that

[@georgepatton9744]

And powder I energy. Some people caliber snobs. I have had a.6.8 for about 15 years and a 300 BO that I have a night scope that I shoot suppressed and subsonic. They both are different calibers that were created do different things.

[@snakemanwilliams7231]

Currently there are 4 firearms in my safe chambered in 6.8SPC, three are AR style, one Remington 700, and one Thompson Encore. I have run two of the ARs suppressed and they are all fun to shoot. Last summer while at a gun club rifle range my adjacent shooter was on a 5.56 AR running drills as part of the local Sheriff's SWAT. He noticed my camo Black Rain AR and asked what I was shooting, after telling him it was a 6.8 he was very curious. Long story short he ended up running a mag of Hornady 120 grain SST on steel at 180yards and was instantly impressed, stated that was the smoothest AR he had ever shot. We have taken whitetail deer and hogs with that rifle and it's Wilson Combat barrel is very accurate. My truck gun is the Encore with custom 18" barrel and folding stock, or my AR 6.8 pistol with 12.5" barrel. Chose this caliber initially due to the .277 bullet diameter and could not wrap my head around the 300BO. Since them my wife has shot the 300BO and taken deer, hogs, and a Texas Dall Ram with her bolt gun. As for me the 6.8SPC filled my need for more out of the AR platform quite nicely.

[@maxdragonette5016]

Is there a cartridge that Ryan thinks isn’t “a cool cartridge”? Maybe need a 10 minute talk on ones that aren’t cool 🤔

[@thomasls1276]

The Vortex Nation Bottom Ten Cartridges, the worst ones ever designed? Contrasted by the Top 10 Cartridges. Broken up into eras of development perhaps? Like up to end of WW2, end of Cold War, and Present Day.

[@peterreily1490]

Agreed.

[@willrowell3218]

Didn't Ryan say that he didn't like the 7mm Rem Mag in the 7mm-08 video or am I imagining things?

[@jbradley500]

I was just going to say the same thing. It would be fun to see some of these talks on cartridges that were doomed by design.

[@nathanhumphrey354]

When firearms are literally your life there’s probably not too many you don’t think are cool

[@tekanger975]

I got into AR's for "political reasons" and not for any particular love of the platform since I am a handloader and trying to find my spent brass is a hassle. After the 5.56 purchase, I wanted to build a complete AR because it was more fun than a jigsaw puzzle and within the capabilities of an old retired guy. I chose the little 6.8 and haven't really been disappointed with it at the range where it has proven to be very accurate. (I still can't believe an autoloader can be so accurate.) The hunting has not turned out well, but that's been a matter of opportunity and laziness. I have taken deer quite handily with the 7X30 Waters in a Contender which is in the same performance league with the 6.8 SPC, so I would say why not use it for deer. I have never hog hunted, but if the action is as fast as reported, I think I would fall in love with the AR & 6.8 SPC in hurry. My guess is that the 6.5 Grendel has hurt the 6.8's popularity, but for most hunting the differences are pretty much academic. I also built a 6.5 and I can envision a 6 ARC in the future. I like many, if not most, American shooters just like to try something different. Why not and we are fortunate to have the choices to argue about.

[@Clark8435]

I have a Stag Arms in 6.8spc and its my go to rifle for Hogs. I have 3 gun safes full of rifles and I always pullout the 6.8. LOVE IT

[@Mr.Run-n-Gun]

I built a 6.8 SPC spec ll with a stag arms 16" upper and a hodge podge lower-based on a spike tactical stripped lower. Taken deer with it and a hog. I liked (still do like) the cartridge. 60% increase in ballistic performance of the 556 & much less recoil than the 308. Works great for the deer woods in middle Wisconsin.👍🏼

[@Tim798Bran]

I purchased a LWRC 6.8 SPC Razorback edition rifle years ago when they first came out and still have it. Living in Ohio I used it mainly for coyote hunting and it did a great job runs suppressed fine and has killed it’s fair share but in the last year has been moved to safe queen status due to the ammo crunch and inflation. I always hoped this cartridge would really take off and drive ammo prices down and availability up but, timing is everything. If the 6.8 spc would have been used to kill bin laden everyone would own one. 6.8 SPC is still a good cartridge for its intended ranges.

[@xenomorphelv4265]

the bottleneck of the 6.8spc was the AR15 plateform itself. Reusing a platefrom designed for a .223 round was a bad idea from the very start. even the six-8 made by LWRCI barely improve this bottleneck, and just deal with the reliability. What should have been done is a true intermediate round on a true intermediate AR plateform : a 6.8x48 round (with the same base diameter than the 6.8SPC) with an overall lenght of 65mm instead of the standard 57.4mm allowed by stanag mag and ar15. The new round would fit into a redimensionned magazine, and the new AR plateform dimensionned accordingly to this new magazine. The whole system would easily push a +100gr projectile at +3000fps from a 16" barrel and could finally accomplish what an intermediate round is supposed to do.

[@TexAg787]

I built my first AR in 6.8 SPC. I love this round. It does exactly what it was designed for.

[@donaldmonroe8503]

Love these podcasts! Please, keep them coming

[@TheDiamonddave2]

I love my 6.8 SPC. It shoots Barnes 110 TTSX very accurately and I'll use it for hogs, deer, and very close range elk hunting. It's light, shoots sub MOA at 300 yards, and doesn't beat you to death. What more could you want in an AR? Also, you don't have the case head issues like the Grendal and 6mm ARC. Still would love to see the 6mm WOA in comparison.

[@daviddorminey1434]

Remington totally botched the introduction of the cartridge and submitted the wrong chamber to SAAMI with too short of a lead and too fast of a twist, this meant it was not able to get the targeted velocities with out being over pressure. The 6.8 SPC II chamber fixed it but the damage was done and the ammo industry loads only to the original 6.8 SPC specs, so you end up with a very much watered down round. If you hand load it is an incredible round that is leaps and bounds better for hunting than the 300BO, and better at 300 yards and shorter than the Grendel especially out of shorter barrels. Just as an example I'm running a 120 SST at 2600 from an 16" barrel whereas the factory ammo is a little over 2400. Like the 30RAR Remington ruined what should of been a great round.

[@gusmengers5454]

I have a whole stack of the 90gr gold dots. What would you say I could get those moving at out of my 16" SiX8? And what powder would you recommend?

[@bedlamite42]

@@gusmengers5454 2900-2950 fps is easy to get with H4198 or RL7 with 90gr bullets from a 16" barrel. I get 3K fps from an ARP 18" barrel and 90gr Fusions.

[@daviddorminey1434]

You should be able to get high 2900 to 3000 with RL7 just be sure you've got a SPC2 or 6.8x43 chamber. Heavier than 100gr AA2200 is king.

[@gusmengers5454]

@@daviddorminey1434 yea its a SPC 2 chamber

[@scotteisenbraun1581]

Wasn't much Remington didn't manage to F up the last twenty or so years before they went bankrupt.

[@AboveMediocrity2010]

I shoot 6.8. I reload for it, too. It's the 5.56 after it gained the freshman 20 after it went off to college. It's s little slower but more muscular. It's definitely capable for defense and hunting. And once i eventually run out of ammo, i can use 5.56 like everyone else.

[@wideopenyamaha]

Great cartridge. Have had one 10 years. Media buzz killed it but works great between 80-115 grains. 95 ttsx going 2900+ is deer killer.

[@ronharris3272]

How are you getting 2900 ? Manuals top out at 2750

[@DeltaEchoUSMC]

I think the 6.8 SPC remains a good option and continues to be relevant in 2023. Personally I run it as my daytime police sniper rifle and use it for hunting in South MS. The platform I use a RRA LAR-6 X-1, which conceptually is similar to the SAM-R that I used in the USMC. For distances out to 300m, which is longer than most people statistically take game or two legged targets, in my opinion it is better than the 5.56mm. My kit also includes an RRA midlength setup as well as a custom suppressed upper. Commercial ammunition is limited however available. The S&B 110gr FMJ has served nicely and surprisingly groups well. For other projectile types I hand load, Barnes 110gr TSX and Sierra 130gr SBT being my favorites. In todays market the cartridge will not win in the cost department, though it has joined the mass of cartridges that have appeared recently which are perfectly suitable for the purpose that they were designed.

[@ericturbeville7388]

I have both the 6.8 spc and .224 Valkyrie based on it and there's nothing these 2 won't do where I hunt. They are both phenomenal rounds for the AR platform.

[@ibdaffy]

Amen! I also have both and they do what they were made for and they both do it very well from the AR-15 platform!!!

[@madczechoutdoors1088]

I own 3. They are deer and hog killing machines. I started my wife and son on the 6.8 SPC. They have both killed huge deer with it.

[@NELLY-jg2rx]

I always wanted a 6.8SPC because of the 6.8 ACR from COD Modern Warfare 2 So I just finished my build this year! I don't care if it isn't as popular anymore, I just think it's a cool cartridge that brings me back to my teenage years

[@georgepatton9744]

COD!?!?!?!?!? I used to freak people out when I told them I had a REAL 6.8 Special as they called it. Like it was a .38!🤣🤣

[@NELLY-jg2rx]

Still rocking my 6.8SPC, it's such a sweet shooter, suppresses really nicely as well, gonna try and take a whitetail next year!

[@thomasswick4589]

Absolutely LOVE my 6.8spc for everything from whitetail down to smaller game like hogs and coyote out to 400yds. At my age of 60, I don’t really care what others say. It has worked perfectly for me in all scenarios and it will be my go to for years to come. The best performing ammo for me has been the Hornady Custom 120gr SST

[@chevyon37s]

If we’ve learned anything, it’s that Remington just sucks at rolling out cartridges.

[@borkwoof696]

.280, .350…

[@anthonywells3959]

Remington has sucked at rolling out much of anything for years. I hope the new management hires some quality control.

[@ashadow315]

It’s like we have one guy with cartridge knowledge and 2 goofballs talking rifle chamberings. The 6.8SPC was the first thing available in the AR that made it a legit hunting platform. SSA brought premium loaded bullets in this chambering to the public. The 85 grain TSX at 3,000 from a 16” barrel is pure evil on deer and hogs at typical hunting ranges. The 100 grain nosler accubond was another favorite. Now federal has the 90 grain gold dot in its fusion line up. The round works phenomenally well on deer and hogs. It comes in a small tight package in the AR platform with negligible recoil that’s great for fast follow up shots on moving hogs or youth shooters. Both my kids took their first animals with the 6.8SPC and I have taken probably 100 deer and hogs with it. I’ve yet to lose an animal with this round. It’s like if it’s not a .308, 5.56, or has 6.5 mm or Creedmor stamped on it the other 2 guys aren’t interested. The 6.8SPC was chosen based on the terminal ballistics of the round to stop enemy combatants. Well it stops 120-250 pound game animals with amazing efficiency. Everyone always argues the 6.5 Grendel has better ballistics…those are measured in longer barrels than the 6.8SPC. The 6.8SPC performance listings are typically in a 16” barrel. Put the Grendel in a 16” barrel and it loses quite a bit of its ballistic advantage. The 6.8 cycles better. The 6.8SPC is a great round, it’s here to stay, and it’s very under rated with all the 6.5mm talk that goes around.

[@Matt6511]

I love this week of cartridge talk

[@dc_rubberduck6970]

I built a 6.8 SPC with Wilson combat BCG and barrel. I drop hogs at 350 yds and in every night and on the run while shooting .4 inch groups with 95gr Barnes ttsx at 100 absolutely love it.

[@Fredmullegun]

We like it on pigs because it brings more energy and caliber than a Grendel without any bolt issues.

[@LRRPFco52]

I've been shooting 6.5 Grendel since 2009. I have a 23" heavy bull fluted Lilja pipe/Seekins billet set, 18" LaRue Stealth 2.0, 18" AA fluted, 17.6" Lilja lightweight, 16.5" Lilja lightweight, 12" Faxon 5REE pistol build, had a 16" AA SOCOM profile barrel build originally that I gave to my brother. I have large moving boxes full of spent brass that are all 1-5x fired. I've also built many 16", 18", and 20" uppers for people and tested them for accuracy/reliability. Guess how many bolts I have broken? None I have broken 5.56 bolts in tortuous high volume CQM sessions where you can smell the metal cooking way beyond normal chamber heat. Bolt issues just haven't been a thing for me, though I know they have happened to some people on rare occasion. It's more common with 7.62x39.

[@Fredmullegun]

@@LRRPFco52 I play in the street all the time and have never been ran over. I have ridden a motorcycle for 20 years and have never crashed. The bolts are weaker by design than the Remington design.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@Fredmullegun Chamber pressure is less. It's more of a story of metallurgy, heat treating, and processes with appropriate SAAMI MAP. Find a better analogy that accounts for 5.56 bolts I've broken. I don't see how the playing in the street or riding motorcycles crosses over to this, since both of those are inherently unsafe, whereas shooting 6.5 Grendel at the volumes I do is not, and I shoot it a lot.

[@koehn979]

The Spec 2 made it the cartridge it should have been from day one.

[@jfess1911]

At least three issues affected the popularity of the 6.8 SPC 1) The 6.5 Grendel, a direct competitor, was introduced at the same time (within weeks). That split the market. 2) Errors in the chamber drawing Remington submitted to SAAMI (two errors in dimensions that caused pressure issues), so the production rifles made to SAAMI-spec could not meet the initial advertised performance. The SAAMI chamber drawing was never corrected. Many rifles now use non-SAAMI chambers (SPC-II, ARP, Bison, etc). 3) Highly publicized overpressure issues caused by bad chambers (from flawed reamers) combined with a large batch of barrels with undersized bores (mostly six-groove, 1:10 twist). This, combined with the SAAMI-chamber issues caused further downloading of factory ammo.

[@shanerigdon8428]

Built a 6.8 spc 18 inch upper for my son to hunt whitetails with. Really wish it would have been a bolt gun. Handloading for it is frustrating with the adjustable gas block the barrel came with, trying to get the rifle to cycle with the heavier projectiles at an acceptable velocity. Found the sweet spot after many range trips with some 120 sst's at 2490 fps. Took it out and punched a doe in the v at 165 yards, she buckled and ran, and no blood. Found her 30 yards away with no exit wound, presumably buried the round in the opposite shoulder. Keep in mind these are southeast coastal Georgia whitetails, so not very big test subjects. Definitely will be going with an all copper variant next go around. Wish it was a bolt gun, not fantastic in longer barrel AR, but did its job and the boy loves shooting it. He's 9 and can hold a good 1.5 inch group at 150 yards. Just our experiences so far.

[@julietlima5564]

When I was on leave I went with my buddy to his uncle's ranch in Texas. One day they took me hog hunting with them, my first and only time... so far. Him and his uncle both had a bolt action 30-06. They gave me a 6.8 AR. I looked at them and said why. They said that if that hog either goes down, runs away for a bit, or gets pissed off and charges... thats where I would come in. Luckily they didnt need me but we got 2 that day.

[@adrianw3985]

I don't know if you have done the cartridge talk on the 224 Valkarie, but since it is a necked down 6.8 SPC it might be an interesting follow up to this video...

[@VortexNation]

We have not, but we'll look into it. Thanks, Adrian! :)

[@robinsok]

I love these cartridge talks.

[@montemorast7867]

The year Bushmaster made a weapon in 6.8 I had the local rep get two so I could get one. Not sure I was the first in Texas to have one but have to be high on the list. Noted that just to document that I have been shooting this round for many many years. I would not even try a guess how many whitetail or mule deer have been taken with this rifle. The one point I do know for sure: Every one of those deer dropped within 10 yards. It has become my primary hunting rifle.

[@HB-kp6rl]

Kinda curious how this compares to the 6 arc. Or how much is milled out of the bolt face to fit in an AR without making the bolt the weak point like 762x39

[@DanielBoone337]

I gotta say I'm in the 6.5 Grendel camp and I know for a fact between me and my buddies who do a ton of thermal hog hunting the main 2 cartridges you see the most is 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC. Now depending on which one you shoot you hate the other and we'll argue to the death on why ours is better... The only thing we can agree on is that 7.62×39mm sucks more then either of them!!! LOL so I can't wait to get yalls take on it!!!

[@daviddorminey1434]

I own both and love both of them, there is quite a bit of overlap in their performance but there are areas where one is better than the other especially to a handloader. The 6.8 is a little better out of shorter barrels at intermediate ranges, the Grendel is better at longer ranges, if I could only have one though it would be the Grendel and if I didn't build the 6.8 first I probably wouldn't have one, both open up a lot of opportunities for the AR15, and since I've had them my AR10 collects dust.

[@DanielBoone337]

@@daviddorminey1434 I agree with that... I also dont really hate the 6.8spc it's all in good fun giving our brothers a hard time... LOL I do love the 6.8mm/270 family I have a 270WIN and a 270WSM but for some reason the 6.8spc never did anything for me... Even though I love my Grendel I just built a 6mm ARC and getting it dialed in. I'm pretty sure once do my ARC is gonna be my new favorite because I've never shot a gun chambered in anything that was as inherently accurate as it is. Take care brother!!!

[@frankgonzalez3822]

7.62x39 is my personal favorite over 6.8 or 6.5

[@daviddorminey1434]

@@DanielBoone337 I'm really wanting a 6 ARC but I'm waiting on all of this ammo and components craziness to die down before I pull the trigger. I'm a little different in what I want with the 6 ARC because I'm wanting to load lighter bullets 80-100 gr for coyotes and maybe deer, I'm thinking in a 90 grain bullet I can get close to 250 Savage ballistics.

[@DanielBoone337]

@@daviddorminey1434 I deer and coyote hunt with my 6.5 Grendel also and either use a clip on thermal or swap optics back and forth when I hunt hogs at night... My rifle really loves the 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tips but the coyotes hate it and I can crank the velocity up on them. I also shoot the 100gr and 120gr Barnes TTSX's for deer and hogs. I haven't hunted with my ARC yet but once I figure out what it likes I definitely will be. We have a horrible hog problem down here in SW Louisiana and that's why I almost exclusively hunt with a gas gun because if I'm out deer hunting and hogs show up I can send a lot of bullets down range much faster then a bolt gun... I've been out of my TTSX's all year but I like a bullet that holds together and retains as much weight as possible when deer and hog hunting but I didnt want to jump up to the 129gr Nosler Accubonds LR so I picked up a few hundred of the 120gr Speer Gold Dots luckily my gun loves them (I really haven't found anything my Proof barrel doesn't love yet) but I have them cranked up to 2575fps and I've shot a bunch of hogs coyotes and I've shot 5 of my 6 deer allowed a year 1 of which was the biggest deer I've ever killed in Louisiana. They've all either been a bang flop or found them piled up about 20 yards away. I've already ordered a few hundred more of those bullets because the performance is so good even at a distance of 250 yards and they're not very expensive... I'm not sure if they make 6mm Gold Dots but if they do they're definitely going to be tried by me... I would say start piecing stuff together for the 6 Arc and just look for deals along the way because I dont see things slowing down as far as prices or things being hard to find any time soon and the 6 ARC is 100% worth it brother!!!

[@badbowtie71]

Love my 6.8spcII for whitetails in east Tennessee. If you want an Ar15 for hunting, but want more power than the 223 its perfect. Ballistics past 300 doesn't matter to me, your lucky to shoot 100 yards in the mountains where we hunt.

[@jsinger04]

Excellent hunting round for kids. I built one for my son when I couldn’t find a bolt gun that would fit him properly. He loved shooting my AR. He’s since filled the freezer with cow elk every season he’s hunted with it. All have only required one shot, average 200 yards. Amazing internal damage from the 100 grain Accubond load I worked up for it. He’s also turned into one hell of a shot because he’s never developed a flinch.

[@PaulAmerican]

Steve Holland (5th group) is the man. The 6.8spc should have been the new ammo standard for US troops. The military need a higher impact energy rate at the same distance as 5.56 out of a carbine and the 6.8 filled that role better than anything else. When Steve Holland and his team were testing these rounds the 6.5 grenadal was a better round but the bolt face had to be killed to far and wasnt reliable out a of a m4.

[@ThunderousCacophony]

I just bought a 6.8 spc in an Ar15 platform and I love it. Sure I'm not getting distance out of it like my Creedmoor but things packs a punch shooting at 1/4-1/2 steel up this 400 yards

[@adrianw3985]

I don't have a 6.8 SPC, but I do have a .224 Valkarie. The Valkarie is the 6.8 necked down. The Valkarie has been enjoying some success so far. I have thought about getting a 6.8 barrel, since my Valkarie would shoot the 6.8 with a simple barrel change...

[@CoBryan]

6.8spc is one heck of a great hunting round. I’ve taken Coyotes, mule deer with this rifle. And thanks for this cartridge talk, because now great ammunition options are available everywhere!

[@hayglo3707]

What happen to the 277 wolverine? It is great for people reloading with 5.56 brass to convert to. Nice in a bolt action hunting round faster then 300 blackout.Is it because wasn't called 6.8 wolverine or something cooler.

[@SkyRiver1]

Guess this vid is old: anyhow: what intermediate would you choose for an AR pistol build. That is one of the qualities I have heard about the 6.8 SPC: that it is far more efficient in a short barrel than say, something like a 6.5 Grendel. What say you? What preforms best out of a 10-12" inch barrel?

[@matthowell1633]

Parent case for the 224 Valkyrie? It didn't have the issues with the bolt face and size issues that 7.62 x39 and all its variants supposedly faced. Would it had seen better reception if brought out in 6.5 or 6mm?

[@DanK-pz5re]

I would love to hear you guys do a 10 min. talk on the 450 bushmaster cartridge!! I shockingly seen they started selling them in my Walmart in Wisconsin Rapids and they only sell like 5 or 6 different calibers their. I can still get them cheaper at my local gun shop for my AR-15 chambered in 450 bushmaster. It's a wicked fun gun to shoot at the range though!

[@scotteisenbraun1581]

I had a 6.8 SPC spec II upper custom built about 15 years ago. It has a 1 in 11 inch rifling, which is important to keep chamber pressures down, when handloading hotter loads. When Remington developed the 6.8 SPC, they had the chamber slightly off and the riflingt at 1 in 10 inches, which was ideal for 130 grain bullets, but not the 110 or 115 grain bullet used in the 6.8 spc. This rifle will easily shoot half inch 5 shot groups with handloads. It has also taken several deer. I laugh when people talk about needing some super magnum to kill deer size animals. What they need to do is spend some time at the range learning to know their gun and scope and shoot well enough to insure a humane kill on the animal they are aiming at.

[@jfess1911]

As it turned out the "fast twist problem" with the 6.8 is a myth was traced to a large group of barrels with undersized bores that happened to have a 1:10 twist. These days, faster twist is common, with one of the best selling rifles having a 1:7 twist (to be able to shoot subsonic ammo).

[@LRRPFco52]

@@jfess1911 Ko-Tonics with inconsistent chrome lining. That was the most impressive catastrophic malfunction I've ever seen in an AR-15. Guy took it to the range, loaded up one of the hot SSA loads, sent a piece of the BCG into his Eotech inside the glass FOV, sent the bottom of the BCG through the petrified wood table like a hot knife through butter. They scrubbed all the photos later. Nothing wrong with tight twist in 6.8 and I would probably go as tight as I could if I was building one.

[@jfess1911]

@@LRRPFco52 It took a while before the extent of the undersize bore and groove problem was identified. Eventually a group of Kotonics/Cardinal Armory owners bought a set of precision pin and star gauges to precisely measure the groove and bore (land) diameters. They were passed around to determine the actual extent and magnitude of the problem. It didn't help that the majority of the barrels produced had not followed the SAAMI specs in the first place. The specification is the same as for 270 Win with an internal cross section of 0.0596 sq in. I recently ran the numbers and this results in a land-to-groove ratio of 25/75. Douglas barrels used in the prototypes met the spec, but most of the other barrels did not. The 6-groove Shaw barrels that Kotonics/Cardinal Armory used were 50/50. In other words, even if the groove and bore dimensions were .277 and .270 respectively (and they were actually smaller), these barrels would still have been undersized. Even today, a large percent of 270 and 6.8 SPC barrels are technically undersized since the lands are too large.

[@LRRPFco52]

@@jfess1911 I remember all that. There was a guy at Barrett they hired who knew in his soul he could get 115gr going 2900fps because that's what the Navy guys asked for. Tried using duplex loads and blew the hell out of multiple uppers before he was stopped. My 12" Grendel has reduced rifling depth, since most .264" pipes use unnecessarily-deep grooves. My 16" AA with Enfield rifling shot pretty fast though as well, faster than my 17.6" 3 groove Lilja with the same loads.

[@jfess1911]

@@LRRPFco52 Bill Alexander was an advocate of "deep, sharp European rifling" early on. Part of that, I think, was that he had been working on getting inexpensive Russian Grendel ammo and he said that type of rifling worked best with bimetal bullets.

[@HighWaterFarm]

Great episode as always. What about some straight walled cartridges for us midwestern folks? 45-70, 444 Marlin, 450 Marlin, 375 Win, 38-55, etc.

[@z987k]

They did some of those in a previous one.

[@HighWaterFarm]

@@z987k yeah, I found a couple about 15 minutes after my comment.

[@wilfredsalacup7810]

I appreciate the review gentlemen, thank you very much, I surely learn what I needed to know as, I think I’ll get the 6.8 spc2 uppers, this caliber will have a future like the 6.5 creedmoore

[@JimmyJusa]

I think this is a great intermediate cartridge, and could be used to make a super light mountain gun project. For people who borderline think 223 is too small for deer they should find this to be sufficient. With the recoil being so low it would also be at home as a good "first gun" caliber. There are always different options that are better in a given task so it always comes down to what the intended use is and finding out what cartridge fits it best and whether you want to get something super specialized or more of a "jack of all trades"

[@z987k]

But now we have 6.5 Grendel and 6 ARC.

[@JimmyJusa]

@@z987k not saying this is a superior choice over anything, just that it is an option and could perform well within given parameters. I think the cost and availability of ammo is always a factor when selecting something new.

[@ML014983]

I went for broke and got an LWRC six8 soon after they released that platform. I love the gun. I am just now building a New Frontier C-68 pistol. Love the .270 caliber. I am concerned that fewer and fewer ammo companies are reducing their sku's.

[@jasonthiele2898]

I won’t argue that the 6.8 missed its timing on being debuted which is unfortunate because the cartridge performance in the platform is second to none. I have two LWRC Six8 A5 Razorbacks and they are by far the best platform for night hunting and hunting in general. The reliability of the LWRC is amazing and suppressed it is amazing to shoot. I have multiple calibers in the platform and I only use the Six8. No other manufacturer has spent the time LWRC has to to ensure they make the cartridge and firearm perform on another level.

[@billmartin5709]

So it sounds like a reliable good shooting gun. Like many other manufacturers or hundreds of thousands of home built guns. I think LWRC makes great guns. But your 2 last sentences sound like an ad for LWRC :)

[@jasonthiele2898]

@@billmartin5709 I have built 6.8s and bought them and if that’s the cartridge you want to run I see no other option than LWRC!

[@LRRPFco52]

The 6.8's timing was perfect really. The small group of guys who latched onto it and were taking it to Remington, FBI, USMC, UK MoD, and Fort Bragg really did it a disservice because they were in over their heads/professional skill sets. It really should have been .257" bore, not .277". That would have satisfied CQBR, DMR, and hunting ARs alike with a vastly-superior projectile weight class that ranged from 60-120gr. Could have put the SR-25s to bed and made the SPR a 1000yd+ capable light semi auto system, and SBRs punching outside of their class with .500 BC OTMs topped with the emerging LPVO scopes. That was the missed opportunity. Murray and Holland were offered decades of RDT&E from ARDEC dating back to the pig studies and 6mm Lee Navy (conducted before .276 Pedersen), but they insulated themselves from extremely competent people at AMU (the AMU Commander at the time was one of them), and settled on .277" bore based on flawed assumptions. The next best bore diameter for that case would have been .264"/6.5mn, followed by 6mm, but .257" was really the optimum place.

[@nocturnalspecialties642]

140gr berger in a 20" 6.8 loaded long does very well out to 800 yards. They got kinda expensive to shoot so went back to the 120gr sst and 105gr Cavity Back bullets.

[@grantdonley4014]

I’m a huge 6.8spc fan. Been reloading it for years. Mainly 95gr Barnes TTSx and 110gr Hornady VMax. The Jordanians adopted this cartridge and are extremely happy with combat results using the Federal XM68GD.

[@dakotalucky13]

I remember this cartridge coming out of a 5th SFG solicitation. Had something to do with special forces guys not having access to enough 5.56 or stoping power when we first went into Afghanistan. I remember reading in in SOF in 2003

[@jfess1911]

That's basically correct. The M855 ammo being issued had had inconsistent performance, especially out of the shorter barrels that Special Forces used. Since then, 5.56 ammo with better performance has been developed and issued to US troops.

[@markboatwright944]

What if you neck it down to 6.5 and same weight bullets, obviously there is grendel but im not a fan of the tapered case

[@MrJtin69]

Whats the best 6.8 and what do you use it for

[@kevinbillow4185]

My LGS has had the same 12 stacks of 6.8 ammo for so long, that if from the time I first saw it an asked what it was about, I started saving $50/month, I could now afford the LWRC Six8. Real question I've had is if you're going to build a Hog/Deer AR, would it be in 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC?

[@downeastjd1711]

What barrel length do you want, and what kind of ground do you hunt? The 6.8 is better out of a shorter barrel, which works better in thicker brush. If you hunt close, in the thick, I'd think about a 6.8. If you don't have a need, for a compact rifle, a Grendel might be a better choice. It's thick and close, mostly, here in Maine.

[@crashdsnowman1]

If you build a 6.8 with a barrel that has the correct specs you can handload to get much more velocity. Every 6 groove barrel made does not meet the bore area specs. We were pushing 110gr bullets to 2750fps out of a 16" barrel in 2008. Go to 68forums and research. Hog hunters down south still love the 6.8 and it's tough to beat for taking deer and hogs.

[@russherbert839]

I bought a T/C 23” barrel for the wife’s contender. Works very well for her, ~2700fps with 110 gr, has killed everything shot with it.

[@codyway7424]

I have never used the ar platform for big game, but I have a 20" spc match barrel that I will build out soon.

[@jeffcopenhaver2217]

No mention of the 6.8 SPC ll in a 6.8 SPC conversation?

[@jac502]

Scratching my head the whole time they talked. I simple Google search would have set them up better for this. They literally pondered what would happen if it were reintroduced!

[@AspenSavage]

Loving the daily uploads

[@VortexNation]

🤜🤛