6.8mm SPC

[A4sForever]

My 6.8 top end just came in -- I think I'll drop it onto a DPMS lower that's a "spare", just because I can, until I can think of something else.

Now I'm looking for a reliable source of ammunition. I cleaned the local guy out of his Remington 6.8 115gr SPC/OTM @ $20/ box. Any ideas other than Midway or Cheaper than Anybody ???

Will all the 5.56mm 3X and 4X DOS optics work satisfactorily w/ 6.8mm 16" bbl. ???

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rocketman]

I have 3) 6.8's. A 16" lite weight, a 16" med weight and an 18".

IMHO the best ammo out there is made by SSA. Silver State Armory. Their 115gr OTM round is the most accurate factory ammo I've ever fired out of an AR. My 6.8 16" med weight is the most accurate of my 9 AR's and that's saying something.

The 6.8 lite weight is easily my favorite rifle including Garands, M1A and 03 etc.

You can buy ammo directly off of the SSA web site. Just google Silver State Armory. It ain't cheap but then none of it is any more. Their brass is considered by many to be about as good as it gets if that helps.

 

[A4sForever]

....IMHO the best ammo out there is made by SSA. Silver State Armory....

Thanks for the tip -- I checked them out, their prices are fair, so I ordered some. I've heard of that outfit, but I couldn't remember the name of their company.

I think SSA and Remington are the only two companies currently making complete rounds for civilian sales ???

 

[Zissou]

I second RocketMan.

The SilverState Armory is rated #1 in the 6.8 round according to the former SOCOM 6.8 program evaluator. He also suggests Hornady and Remington, in that order.

I'll ask the bullet geeks about sourcing the ammo manyana. Though it may be SSA is not only the best but also the cheapest.

If you care to share, what make upper? Length?

Z

 

[Rocketman]

Actually I'm not sure who is still in the game from an ammo standpoint. I do believe this. The 6.8 SPC is here to stay and has grown way beyond just being a specialty round. All of the major manufactures are making uppers for it (except I think Colt) I honestly think it is the perfect round for the AR platform.

I'm pretty sure you will be buying more SSA ammo after you shoot a bit of it. They have plans to produce a less expensive 110gr plinking round as soon as they run thru the big contract they won.

I've shot several 3 shot, 100 yrd groups out of my 16" upper that you could cover with a dime using the 115gr OTM enhanced frag round. I'm not a bench rest shooter by any means. I'm more of a CQB wannabe. It just so happens that this round is both very accurate and their best self defense round so I'm covered either way.

If you haven't already you might want to check out http://68forums.com/ . It's not real big but active and full of people who know the 6.8 SPC. You should be able to get your optics question answered there no problem.

Let us know how she shoots.

 

[C420sailor]

Will a 6.8 SPC lower work on a standard 5.56mm AR lower?

 

[BGrady.USMC]

Will a 6.8 SPC lower work on a standard 5.56mm AR lower?

a 6.8 UPPER will work on a 5.56 LOWER, yes. And, a 5.56 upper will work on a 6.8 lower. Don't be surprised if you can't find a 6.8 lower though, cause they are the same as a 5.56 so most won't call them a 6.8 lower.

 

[A4sForever]

....If you care to share, what make upper? Length?

Z

Assembled from various quality (?) parts by an outfit called "RATWORX" out of Illinois. They are also into the MSAR STG 556 AUG look-alike big time and build some of their own stuff as well.

To date, they seem to have first class customer service, at least in my experience. The one on the right is similar to my setup (top end) ... 16" bbl, GG&G flip-ups, Yankee Hill handguards, etc. We shall see how it all goes "bang".

Ammo: after some more checking, it seems like "the best" is whatever someone likes "the best". For example, in another little "survey" ... Hornady came in first, Remington second, and Silver State a "close third".

I guess, like most things -- it's personal preference and all in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Zissou]

Sweet bangsticks.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Is that a Larue scope mount? If so, nice.

I have been loving my 6.8 so far (I also use SSA 115gr). I am thinking about taking out for a summer deer hunt.

Edit: After seeing some pictures of black bear and some big azz elk taken down with 6.8mm, I might give it a try for those as well.

Gear Porn:

 

[Flugelman]

^^^^^^^

Great snowscape camouflage, you would be undetectable from 6000 m on out....


J/K I know what you meant to demonstrate...

 

[Rocketman]

a 6.8 UPPER will work on a 5.56 LOWER, yes. And, a 5.56 upper will work on a 6.8 lower. Don't be surprised if you can't find a 6.8 lower though, cause they are the same as a 5.56 so most won't call them a 6.8 lower.

+ 1. That's one of the coolest things about 6.8 SPC. Just put the upper on your 5.56 lower, stick a 6.8 bolt in your bolt carrier and buy a couple of 6.8 mags. Now you have a weapon with @75% of the power and 50% of the recoil of a 7.62 round. All in a standard 5.56 form factor. Everything else stays the same including your kit. I don't hunt but everyone says it's a hell of a deer round.

Finding a 6.8 marked lower hasn't always been easy and as BGrady says isn't necessary at all. It's pretty easy to find lowers marked "multi" if you like that.

I ended up buying my 6.8 marked lowers from Bushmaster. They are listed in their catalog and were in stock. The quality of their lowers is plenty good enough in my experience and I kinda like "the snake" logo anyway. Other than RRA I don't know who else sells 6.8 marked lowers. When I was looking, RRA would only sell complete weapons in 6.8. No lowers or stripped lowers. That may have changed by now.

 

[A4sForever]

Finally got to shoot the 6.8mm ... 120 rounds downrange, no FTF or malfunctions of any kine', slooooo or rapid rife ..... Remington and Silver State ammo ...

What made me happy was the Leupold CQT Mk IV dropped onto the rails and required no zero-in -- drilled paper POA w/out any adjustments. The flip-up GG&G iron sights were almost MOA @ 100 yards.

The ONLY negative I could report was there was more felt recoil than I was expecting; certainly more than 5.56mm. Nothing like .30-06 or 7.62mm (obviously), but more than I was expecting. Maybe I don't know what I was expecting. I may swap an A2 buttstock for the present CAR collapsible one, perhaps that will help the "comfort factor" a little. Not a biggie ... just a minor irritant when I was expecting little/no recoil difference w/ compared to 5.56mm based on the advance reviews.

 

[MasterBates]

Nice. I am 99% sure on 6.8 for my next AR build. (winged lower no less)

Just need to kill some more bills first.

 

[Slammer2]

I shot a buddy's 6.8 about a week ago. I was actually expecting it to feel more like a 7.62 recoil than a 5.56, so it felt about right. It had a 16" barrel and a fixed A2 style stock. I will try to get some pics of it. I enjoyed shooting it though. Switched to a 5.56 after and definately felt the power difference.