Thoughts on 6.8 SPC?

Defense Rifle · Mar 29, 2020

Hey folks, just wanted to get some thoughts on 6.8spc, especially if you have experience with the caliber.

I've been thinking about getting a rifle chambered in this caliber. I'm thinking in a few years the 5.56 could see a decline with some units of the military contemplating switching to this caliber, there are trials going on.

The caliber has an interesting history on how and why it was created, basically many inadequacies with the 5.56 in actual short/mid-range combat.

John from MD · Mar 29, 2020

I wouldn't make the jump until the Army signs a big contract. Until that happens, ammo and components will still be more expensive and hard to find. When the 6.8 first came out, many ran to the caliber. Now I see many 6.8 barrels for sale on Gunbroker and other forums.

Defense Rifle · Mar 29, 2020

John from MD said:
I wouldn't make the jump until the Army signs a big contract. Until that happens, ammo and components will still be more expensive and hard to find. When the 6.8 first came out, many ran to the caliber. Now I see many 6.8 barrels for sale on Gunbroker and other forums.

Do you see units within the military actually switching to 6.8 SPC in the near future (within 3 years)?

Based on what I've been reading, the DoD is interested in piloting this with a few units and it seems like a promising prospect and not just hype.

John from MD · Mar 29, 2020

I have read where the Army is going to equip a few units with it. The article didn't give too many details but I have not seen any firearms manufacturer sending out press notices saying that they got a big government contract for 6.8SPC chambered firearms.

teratos · Mar 29, 2020

I thought the new guns were 6.8, but NOT SPC?

John from MD · Mar 29, 2020

I don't recall if the article I read said SPC or not. Is there a 6.8 not an SPC?

jollymon · Mar 29, 2020

I jumped on that band wagon when it first come out and don't regret it , It's a extra upper that I like for deer and hog hunting so if your interested in it for that by all means get one if your thinking it's going to leave the 556 in the dust not anytime soon , If the Military jumps in Big you'll see more choices but now not so much .

Mr.Blue · Mar 29, 2020

teratos said:
I thought the new guns were 6.8, but NOT SPC?

This. It”s not 6.8 SPC. They are developing a new round that just happens to measure 6.8 in diameter.

engineerbrian · Mar 29, 2020

My go to deer / hog rifle is a 6.8SPC shooting Federal Fusions. Over the years I have turned that rifle into what I consider the perfect deer rifle and this year I plan to SBR as a final step.

The only problem I have with the 6.8 is that ammunition is fairly expensive so it turns the rifle into a dedicated hunting gun rather than a weekend plinker.

Mike3888 · Mar 29, 2020

Op be patient, Mr. Encyclopedia will join shortly to explain it all.

teratos · Mar 29, 2020

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mi...artridge-armys-next-gen-squad-weapon.html/amp

Park ranger · Mar 29, 2020

I would not pick the 6.8 spc. The 6.5 grendal maybe.

Defense Rifle · Mar 29, 2020

teratos said:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mi...artridge-armys-next-gen-squad-weapon.html/amp

Given that this caliber made by True Velocity is a 6.8m diameter cartridge; I take it that means a rifle chambered in 6.8 SPC should be able to feed this new True Velocity 6.8m ammo as well.

teratos · Mar 29, 2020

Defense Rifle said:
Given that this caliber made by True Velocity is a 6.8m diameter cartridge; I take it that means a rifle chambered in 6.8 SPC should be able to feed this new True Velocity 6.8m ammo as well.

No. Do you know how many different rounds are topped with a 6.5mm projectile? 6.5 Grendel, .260 Remington and 6.5 Creedmoor all can be topped with the same projectile. They are far from interchangeable.

Blacksmith101 · Mar 29, 2020

6.8mm SPC Sammi drawing page 42 compare that to the picture of the plastic 6.8.
https://saami.org/wp-content/upload...99.4-CFR-Approved-2015-12-14-Posting-Copy.pdf

woodline · Mar 29, 2020

As far as I know there are still three different competitors in that solicitation, all three with different cartridges roughly in the .308 family in size, but probably significantly higher in energy. The Army is not adopting 6.8SPC, and it was never in serious contractual consideration for that outside of where it was dreamed up (5th grp). The Army did th NGSW competition as an attempt to inspire a paradigm shift in small arms design as much as they did to buy a new gun. 6.8SPC is slightly better than 5.56 for some things, slightly worse for others. But it won't be zipping through inexpensive Russian body armor with a 140ish grain pill moving at 3000+ fps, which is what the solicitation required for NGSW the last time I checked. It also requires a quick change battery pack built into the rifle to power optics, lasers, etc as well as other new features. The Army does this sort of thing regularly, but rarely adopts whatever comes of it. I believe the last one was PROJECT SALVO, which resulted in the adoption of the M16. Actually they sort of adopted a grenade launcher that was developed as a result of OICW but without all the cool augmented reality aiming features and selectable arming/detonation profiles. Looks like they are dead set on moving forward with the NGSW, but you never know with contracting. The final awardee might find the contract scope expanded or reduced sharply.

That said, there is nothing wrong with 6.8SPC. It is a great cartridge that stands on its own merits. But it is not going to be the Army's new gun food.

PowPow · Mar 29, 2020

When I got my 6.8 SPC, the big thing was 6.8 SPC vs. 6.5 Grendel. It's still a holy war, IMHO. I'm disappointed to hear the military's new 6.8 might not be the 6.8 SPC. However, I knew I was getting into a fringe cartridge when I got it.

firemn260 · Mar 29, 2020

After spending way to much to build one, I’m happy with my 6.8. It’s probably one of the most accurate ar style platforms I own next to the ar 308 I put together for even Way more money.

I do however believe it’s true potential can only be reached by hand loading. Thats just my opinion from my own experience with it. My pet load is pushing a 95 gr Barnes ttsx around 2700 FPS. I could get a bit faster with the 85 gr but my gun seems to like 95s. My barrel is an ARP 14.7” with a 1-11 twist. It seems to like the lighter bullets but will still shoot the 110s and up around 1 moa. That load proved a very lethal combo on the 2 deer I have shot with it.

If you go over to Arperformance.com they explain a lot about the cartridge and it’s potential.

I chalk this one up as a gun I didn’t need but I am pleased at the performance I got of it. It’s also very handy in the deer woods. It’s anchored a few yotes too.

woodline · Mar 30, 2020

PowPow said:
When I got my 6.8 SPC, the big thing was 6.8 SPC vs. 6.5 Grendel. It's still a holy war, IMHO. I'm disappointed to hear the military's new 6.8 might not be the 6.8 SPC. However, I knew I was getting into a fringe cartridge when I got it.

It is definitely not going to be 6.8SPC. 6.8SPC, while a fine round, does not remotely meet the performance specifications of the solicitation.

For those interested, here is an article that goes into .277 Sig Fury, which is their 6.8mm entry into NGSW:

https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/277-sig-fury-demystified/

3000+ fps (originally the solicitation was for 3400fps if I recall correctly, but was loosened to 3000) out of a 16" barrel with a 135gr projectile @ 80,000 PSI. Fits in a .308 family short action, and is about the same OAL as .308. Muzzle energy from a 16" barrel is about 2700ft-lbs.

Biggfoot44 · Mar 30, 2020

Do you like the 6.8spc on purpose, for its own merits ? Cool , by all means get one , and enjoy .

Would you only be interested in 6.8spc if it were adopted big time by Uncle Sugar , or otherwise became massively popular ? Never say never , but its best chances were a decade ago, and didn't happen .

Thoughts on 6.8 SPC?

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