6.8mm AR - Opinions

eddiek2000 · Nov 11, 2010

Neighbor and I were talking today and he mentions he wants to build his stripped AR15 lower up to host a 6.8mm upper. Any opinions on this? I told him I was going the 7.62x39mm route and would ask which is better and more reliable. Also, which packs the best punch?

Patrick · Nov 11, 2010

7.62x39 in an AR format is unreliable due to magwell incompatibility. The extreme taper in the 7.62 round requires the classic curve of the AK, and the AR just won't allow it. As a result, even "good" AR 7.62x39 mags are inherently troublesome.

I created a post around here about the issues I faced with an XCR trying to load from these. C-Products is about the best manufacturer for these mags out there, and they still have issues. I finally sorted mine (kinda). I still don't trust it. Not much you can do when the case doesn't fit the gun.

6.8 SPC is just that "special purpose". Remington abandoned the caliber and never bothered to submit it to the right standards bodies. As a result, nobody can make it without license and it is fracking expensive to shoot (nearing $.80 a round). The only way to afford 6.8 is to reload. And time adds money, unless you have time and enjoy reloading. But otherwise people say it is reliable (I do not shoot 6.8).

So my answer to your question: "None of the above."

EDIT: I have some good C-Product 20-round 6.8 mags for anyone who wants them. Still new in the plastic. I was going to get a 6.8 upper until I found the price prohibitive. PM me. They've been sitting for a year now.

Patrick · Nov 11, 2010

OK, more info from the LWRC forums. A Remington/AAC guy is trying to pimp their new 300BLK (.300 AAC BLACKOUT) round to the group over there and they ain't buying it. A lot of the 6.8 Remington drama is covered and the Remington guy seems to acknowledge what I penned above - they abandoned the caliber. A good read for anyone interested in 6.8.

FWIW, I once asked the LWRC production manager about 7.62x39 in an upper from them. His answer was basically: "Never. Too many mag issues."

Ironically LWRC tried 5.45 and figured it would run better. I guess it did, but it looks like people are having mag issues there, too. They sold them as "fun guns", but I suspect they ain't having fun with the CS required to keep them running.

I'm buying an AK just so I can burn my 7.62x39 ammo.

JoeBobOutfitters.com · Nov 11, 2010

eddiek2000 said:
Neighbor and I were talking today and he mentions he wants to build his stripped AR15 lower up to host a 6.8mm upper. Any opinions on this? I told him I was going the 7.62x39mm route and would ask which is better and more reliable. Also, which packs the best punch?

6.8 is better than 7.62, especially the SPCII chamber/ammo combination. If you're buying new, make sure it has a SPCII chamber. Some manufacturers don't.

Patrick said:
7.62x39 in an AR format is unreliable due to magwell incompatibility. The extreme taper in the 7.62 round requires the classic curve of the AK, and the AR just won't allow it. As a result, even "good" AR 7.62x39 mags are inherently troublesome.

I created a post around here about the issues I faced with an XCR trying to load from these. C-Products is about the best manufacturer for these mags out there, and they still have issues. I finally sorted mine (kinda). I still don't trust it. Not much you can do when the case doesn't fit the gun.

6.8 SPC is just that "special purpose". Remington abandoned the caliber and never bothered to submit it to the right standards bodies. As a result, nobody can make it without license and it is fracking expensive to shoot (nearing $.80 a round). The only way to afford 6.8 is to reload. And time adds money, unless you have time and enjoy reloading. But otherwise people say it is reliable (I do not shoot 6.8).

So my answer to your question: "None of the above."

EDIT: I have some good C-Product 20-round 6.8 mags for anyone who wants them. Still new in the plastic. I was going to get a 6.8 upper until I found the price prohibitive. PM me. They've been sitting for a year now.

I'll PM you in a second :thumbsup:

The 6.8 isn't cheap to shoot with retail ammo, and never was meant to be. The 6.8 is a good deer/hog/SD type caliber to fill the void inbetween the 223 and 308.

223 doesn't have a ton of punch, and 308 requires entirely new everything and lots of recoil. The 6.8 is the AK caliber for AR-15's. I'll be getting a 6.8 upper here real shortly from Kies Firearms as they become available.

The 6.8 is a decent Coyote caliber and the like as well as it is optimized for short barrel length, so isn't hurt nearly as bad velocity wise in an SBR/carbine type setup as 223 and especially 204.

boricuamaximus · Nov 11, 2010

The main problem with Remington and their 6.8 is that their regular plinking rounds are garbage and Core-Lockt are to expensive. The only real company out there making dependable rounds for the 6.8 is SSA (silver state armory). They also make the brass too. They use small pistol primers instead of large primers like Remington. Hornady aslo makes an underpowered round.

As stated before, reloading them is best. Much cheaper and gives you flexibility. Also, seems that the market for 6.8 is picking up. People are liking the end result but it's not a gun that you want to take to the range every weekend cause of ammo costs.

In my opinion it's perfect to defend your property or hunting. Love my 6.8.

Patrick · Nov 11, 2010

There are a ton of positives on the 6.8. I cannot wait for it to get cheaper.

Until then, those mags are yours (got your PM). Thanks.

JoeBobOutfitters.com · Nov 11, 2010

Patrick said:
There are a ton of positives on the 6.8. I cannot wait for it to get cheaper.

Until then, those mags are yours (got your PM). Thanks.

I've been waiting for the 17HMR to get cheaper..it has, to an extent. I bought some ammo once from an online retailer for 8.99/50 when buying a case of 500 at a time. Hopefully the SPCII 6.8 stuff comes down as well. I can get some 6.8 115 gr matchking BTHP from a commercial reloader semi-locally for ~$18/20, plus discounts in bulk but...limited selection in bullets unless I were to order a ton.

jimbobborg · Nov 12, 2010

Patrick said:
6.8 SPC is just that "special purpose". Remington abandoned the caliber and never bothered to submit it to the right standards bodies. As a result, nobody can make it without license and it is fracking expensive to shoot (nearing $.80 a round). The only way to afford 6.8 is to reload. And time adds money, unless you have time and enjoy reloading. But otherwise people say it is reliable (I do not shoot 6.8).

Um, no, that's the Grendel you're thinking of. The 6.8 has a SAAMI standard, which is the weak version. There are three manufacturers of 6.8 SPC ammo, and the only decent ammo maker is Silver State Armory. I use their ammo and brass in both of my 6.8s. There are three reliable magazine manufacturers for the 6.8, Barret, PMI, and C-Products. I own several from each of them. Barret's 30 round magazine is great, but you have to keep the OAL of the cartridge to 2.260". The PMI will let you stretch it out to 2.300". C-Products kind of takes the middle. It's a great round, especially for handloaders. I can get 2800 fps out of my 20" barreled AR with 110gr Accubonds using SSA brass. It's my go to long range and deer round.

Jim

Grey_Man · Nov 12, 2010

While the 6.8 may be the superior round and would function better in the AR platform, there is something to be said for being able to walk into almost any sporting goods section or outdoor store and finding plenty of 7.62 x39 rounds, not to mention the savings in cost.

jimbobborg · Nov 12, 2010

While it's nice to be able to walk into almost any sporting goods section and find plenty of 7.62x39 rounds and save a few bucks, there is something to be said for an AR with reliable magazines

Jim

JoeBobOutfitters.com · Nov 12, 2010

jimbobborg said:
While it's nice to be able to walk into almost any sporting goods section and find plenty of 7.62x39 rounds and save a few bucks, there is something to be said for an AR with reliable magazines

Jim

I don't see the point in taking 7.62x39 and throwing it in an AR platform with SKS's and AK's out there, really, unless they fed/functioned better. They don't. So, doesn't really make much sense to me...

I'd prefer to have a 7.62x25r upper over x39 :party29:

dwsjr · Nov 12, 2010

Funny this has come up. I have been looking at 6.8s recently and was really interested in a 7.62x39 upper to use for hunting. Never really found the upper I had to have so I went a different route...bought a mini 30 in 7.62 to use as a fast handling autoloading hunting rifle. BIG MISTAKE, it doesn't shoot russian made ammo which unfortunately is the cheapest and most commonly found. I like the mini idea but really hate that gun.

boricuamaximus · Nov 13, 2010

jimbobborg said:
Um, no, that's the Grendel you're thinking of. The 6.8 has a SAAMI standard, which is the weak version. There are three manufacturers of 6.8 SPC ammo, and the only decent ammo maker is Silver State Armory. I use their ammo and brass in both of my 6.8s. There are three reliable magazine manufacturers for the 6.8, Barret, PMI, and C-Products. I own several from each of them. Barret's 30 round magazine is great, but you have to keep the OAL of the cartridge to 2.260". The PMI will let you stretch it out to 2.300". C-Products kind of takes the middle. It's a great round, especially for handloaders. I can get 2800 fps out of my 20" barreled AR with 110gr Accubonds using SSA brass. It's my go to long range and deer round.

Jim

Have you tried using 130gr bullets with the PMI? I read on 68forums that using the longer 130gr bullets will not fit in mags like Barret or C-Product waffle mags.

OLM-Medic · Nov 13, 2010

Why not use 6.5 Grendel instead?

boricuamaximus · Nov 13, 2010

Cause it's easier to find 6.8 ammo.

JoeBobOutfitters.com · Nov 14, 2010

boricuamaximus said:
Cause it's easier to find 6.8 ammo.

Yep! I looked at the 6.5 and 264 LBC-AR (grendal-ish, you can research it fi you wanna know more) as well as 6.8 and 6.8 will do everything I want. The 6.5 really won't offer anything the 6.8 won't for the type of setup and usage I forsee and ammo is easier to get.

jimbobborg · Nov 14, 2010

boricuamaximus said:
Have you tried using 130gr bullets with the PMI? I read on 68forums that using the longer 130gr bullets will not fit in mags like Barret or C-Product waffle mags.

The 130gr bullets are loaded longer than 2.300, which is as long as you can put in a PRI mag. I've single-loaded them and they've shot fine, but I can't get past 2400 fps with them without pressure signs.

Jim

Winged Pig · Nov 14, 2010

What kind of load are you using with the 130 grain bullets?

jimbobborg · Nov 15, 2010

Winged Pig said:
What kind of load are you using with the 130 grain bullets?

I pulled the data from Hornady's book. I started close to their max and worked up a little higher, since I'm using SSA brass.

Jim

Maverick0313 · Apr 7, 2014

jimbobborg said:
Um, no, that's the Grendel you're thinking of. The 6.8 has a SAAMI standard, which is the weak version. There are three manufacturers of 6.8 SPC ammo, and the only decent ammo maker is Silver State Armory. I use their ammo and brass in both of my 6.8s. There are three reliable magazine manufacturers for the 6.8, Barret, PMI, and C-Products. I own several from each of them. Barret's 30 round magazine is great, but you have to keep the OAL of the cartridge to 2.260". The PMI will let you stretch it out to 2.300". C-Products kind of takes the middle. It's a great round, especially for handloaders. I can get 2800 fps out of my 20" barreled AR with 110gr Accubonds using SSA brass. It's my go to long range and deer round.

Jim

I know this is an polder post....but Wilson now makes 6.8 SPC mags as well...

6.8mm AR - Opinions

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