6.8 AR vs 308 Bolt gun

[Jmccracken1214]

I’ve got a 20” 308 tikka that doesn’t get much use, and was looking at a RRA x series 6.8 ar15, 18” fluted barrrel… thought if I pick it up, will the 308 still serve a purpose for 500 yards and in?

I’m sure both rifles with glass probably weight about the same, but the 6.8 is semi auto.

Which would you take ?

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

What are you hunting, and where?

 

[338dude]

I’ve got a 20” 308 tikka that doesn’t get much use, and was looking at a RRA x series 6.8 ar15, 18” fluted barrrel… thought if I pick it up, will the 308 still serve a purpose for 500 yards and in?

I’m sure both rifles with glass probably weight about the same, but the 6.8 is semi auto.

Which would you take ?

Which one are you more comfortable with?

 

[Jmccracken1214]

What are you hunting, and where?

Whitetail in NC

Which one are you more comfortable with?

Comfort is about the same for both, Im sure the AR is a little more handy as far as ergo's go.

 

[338dude]

Whitetail in NC

Comfort is about the same for both, Im sure the AR is a little more handy as far as ergo's go.

Well I guess that leads us back what distances

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Well I guess that leads us back what distances

Deer will be biggest animal and 500 yards probably max shot, for shooting, not hunting at that range.

I guess what Im looking for is since I have a 308 20" bolt gun, is it worth it to give it up for a 6.8, or get both, or just stick with 308

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I think the 6.8spc is a great whitetail round out to 400y. 338 dude and I live about 20 miles apart west/middle TN where the average shot at a whitetail is about 80y. If your ground looks like ours, then they both work great. I have only killed one whitetail with the 6.8spc, with a factory hornady 120gr sst and it performed admirably. I really like that 16" barrel length when you add 8" of suppressor.

 

[338dude]

Well my generic answer would be AR to 300 bolt gun to 500 or 600

 

[338dude]

Deer will be biggest animal and 500 yards probably max shot, for shooting, not hunting at that range.

I guess what Im looking for is since I have a 308 20" bolt gun, is it worth it to give it up for a 6.8, or get both, or just stick with 308

Always the correct answer would be both

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I think the 6.8spc is a great whitetail round out to 400y. 338 dude and I live about 20 miles apart west/middle TN where the average shot at a whitetail is about 80y. If your ground looks like ours, then they both work great. I have only killed one whitetail with the 6.8spc, with a factory hornady 120gr sst and it performed admirably. I really like that 16" barrel length when you add 8" of suppressor.

What powder are you using, if you load?

my current stash of powders is H335, XBR8208 and Staball 65

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Here’s what I’m looking at, all the ammo wjth it is Hornady 110vmax. But good to have for brass.
I offered $1000 for all and he declined.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I think if a man loaded up some of those hammers in the 90-110gr range, and got them grouping well, he could efficiently kill almost every whitetail he had a chance at in the south, and never wish he had more gun.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

That 110gr vmax is a nasty little round. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a whitetail with them. I have not done any loading for my 6.8spc yet. I bought a couple thousand rounds of factory hornady ammo really cheap, before everything went crazy. I've had dies for more than a year and I've never opened them.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

That 110gr vmax is a nasty little round. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a whitetail with them. I have not done any loading for my 6.8spc yet. I bought a couple thousand rounds of factory hornady ammo really cheap, before everything went crazy. I've had dies for more than a year and I've never opened them.

What’s your opinion on the price of what he has?
I asked about a regular rra 6.8 earlier, a basic rifle and people said it was a 500-600 rifle.

But seems the x-1 series is a little more expensive

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I really don't know much about that brand. If you have an ar now that you aren't in love with, all you need is a barrel, a bolt and a new magazine. You can convert one for $300 pretty easily.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I really don't know much about that brand. If you have an ar now that you aren't in love with, all you need is a barrel, a bolt and a new magazine. You can convert one for $300 pretty easily.

I wish I did, I’ve got my go to 14.5”, and a m16a4 clone I built like my weapon in Afghanistan and my wife’s 10.5” that I tried to talk her into letting me change over and she doesn’t want me touching it… lol

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Seems the RRA uses a 10 twist and 11-12 twist are preferred. I might just pick up a complete upper from bison and grab a lower from psa

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Gut that m16A4 clone, you probably won't need that musket again. That makes you marine I suppose. You guys were running around with those fence posts long after our cooks had M4's.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Gut that m16A4 clone, you probably won't need that musket again. That makes you marine I suppose. You guys were running around with those fence posts long after our cooks had M4's.

Nope, Army. I deployed with an A2 but like the quad rail better. We had brand new FN m4’s and our command said we weren’t taking them over there and fucking them up, so they stuck us with the m16’s lol.

It’s a heavy bitch but something about it calls to me.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I was army too. Started with the m16a2 in 1997, had a break, went back, and when I left in 2013 my ultralight m4 had 10lbs of attachments. Glad we saved all that weight.

 

[diggler1833]

I got my feet wet into thermal hog hunting with a 6.8. It is a fantastic round that is really underrated. That being said, I'd take that in an AR for hunting deer out to 250 yards. Especially if you're in wooded areas where your shots will most likely be under 100 and maneuverability matters. From 250 - 400 I'd prefer a .308.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I got my feet wet into thermal hog hunting with a 6.8. It is a fantastic round that is really underrated. That being said, I'd take that in an AR for hunting deer out to 250 yards. Especially if you're in wooded areas where your shots will most likely be under 100 and maneuverability matters. From 250 - 400 I'd prefer a .308.

Sounds good.
I hear pistol length does good but I’m not up on velocities. Is 16” a safe bet?

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

From what I remember reading when I started down that road, there was almost zero benefit to running a barrel longer than 16", and while it works well in a pistol length barrel, I wanted all of the velocity I could get (within reason), so I went 16"

 

[diggler1833]

Sounds good.
I hear pistol length does good but I’m not up on velocities. Is 16” a safe bet?

A 16" barrel is just about optimal for the 6.8. I run an 18" barrel, but that is just how mine came (Ambush Arms/Daniel Defense).

 

[Mister Ridge]

So, if you're not buying that specific rifle, why are you sticking with the SPC?

 

[Jmccracken1214]

So, if you're not buying that specific rifle, why are you sticking with the SPC?

I don't have to, I like the spc but I guess that'd leave me open to any upper caliber.

I like the ARC but dont currently have any powders that'd be good for that. Maybe do another grendel if I can get brass, since Ive got plenty 8208

 

[fdkay]

The 6.8 was designed around a 16" barrel. A longer barrel will net you more velocity, only you can decide if it is worth it.
The 6.8 is a very well designed cartridge that performs really well.
Typical Remington, they fucked it up.
Will it do what you want it too?
Yes.so will the .308.
You can load the .308 with 125 to 135 grain bullets for deer and 155 to 175 for punching paper or shooting steel.

 

[greentick]

Here's some H335 data I culled from the 68forums years ago. 16" will serve you fine hunting to 400 and shooting to 500. I've shot my 12.5" ARP out to 500, when I had access to that distance.

Since you're a reloader, Cavity Back Bullets makes some fine hunting projos and some flavors of loaded ammo. Most 6.8 mags let you load to 2.285-2.295".

As always, work up the loads!

 

[357Max]

I don't have to, I like the spc but I guess that'd leave me open to any upper caliber.

I like the ARC but dont currently have any powders that'd be good for that. Maybe do another grendel if I can get brass, since Ive got plenty 8208

I went with a 10 twist 16” Black Hole poly barrel.
AA2200 is the go to powder for 6.8. Getting 2545 & SD of 5.0 with 120SST’s. Nosler 130 Ballistic tips were 2437 & 9.9 SD.

About to work up a load for some Lehigh 112 solid copper controlled chaos.

6.8 is a great hunting round, but honestly if you’ll primarily be target shooting to 500 I’d stick with the 308 or consider a 6ARC.

270 cal bullets don’t have very impressive BC’s till you get north of 140gr & the 6.8 doesn’t have enough horse power to run those fast enough.

 

[diggler1833]

I'll get the haters fired up here, but if target shooting to 500, and wanting a more maneuverable AR platform for woods hunting...the Grendel is probably going to be my pick.

The 6.8 SPC is still a very capable cartridge on paper and steel to 500...you'll just have a bit more wind deflection, and a bit less options for target bullets. It's on the shooter to determine if that matters to them.

Owning both the Grendel and 6.8, and using both quite a bit on hogs, I found that the terminal performance of each cartridge is extremely similar. I even made a couple shitty YouTube videos on the subject with a bunch of kill footage. You'll notice more effect from bullet selection than you will cartridge selection with those two.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Right, but you can get almost all the 6.8 has to give in a 16" barrel, where the Grendel needs 24" to really get going, 20" just to be competitive. If you're hunting in tight spots or running a can, that barrel length is significant.

 

[Forward543]

Took longer than i thought to get into 6.8 vs Grendel. Does not matter, they are so similar its silly. @Constructor with Ar15 performance .com has a rediculous amount of info in this realm and barrels that kick ass.
Within 500, shooting white tail, get whatever you want. Shoot the hell out of it and move to the next debate.

 

[Mister Ridge]

I don't have to, I like the spc but I guess that'd leave me open to any upper caliber.

I like the ARC but dont currently have any powders that'd be good for that. Maybe do another grendel if I can get brass, since Ive got plenty 8208

Well, if you're considering a Grendel, I've got this thing in the post excha...

Just kidding. I'm not going there. Joking aside, why not a large frame AR if hunting is in the cards? What about an Aero M5 in 6.5mm Creedmoor? That's kind of the direction I want to go, but I kind of want a SCAR.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Well, if you're considering a Grendel, I've got this thing in the post excha...

Just kidding. I'm not going there. Joking aside, why not a large frame AR if hunting is in the cards? What about an Aero M5 in 6.5mm Creedmoor? That's kind of the direction I want to go, but I kind of want a SCAR.

Did that with an aero 16” 308 build and it’s just too bulky for me to want to carry around.

I’m going to pick up a 223 barrel that’s had work done today and might just drop my 20” tikka 308 off and have them cut it to 15” and pin my brake on. That’ll look sweet with the dead air nomad and in the keg bravo wjth enclosed forend

 

[Snaz]

I haven't shot 6.8 in several years, but when I did I used barnes 85gr TSX & 95gr TTSX over Reloader 7 & Reloader 10x. Great velocities, all deer DRT.

H335 & H322 were also good powders. Settled on RL10x as it was the quickest, 95gr right at 3k in an 18" & a little over 2900fps from a 12.5". Most loads I played with were within 80fps or less between the 12.5" & 18" barrels. Speer 90gr TNTs were cheap and reached similar velocities. I never used them on deer, but they were great on prairie dogs & coyotes.