LWRC: 6.8 SPC is the new 300 Blackout

jimbobborg · Jan 21, 2014

For all of you who are complaining about shot price, remember, most 6.8 bullets are significantly heavier than most 5.56 bullets and it also uses more brass. Even with volume the costs per round will still be higher. But you won't need to shoot the bad guy as many times with it, either.

TxAggie · Jan 21, 2014

I've been debating the whole 300blk vs 6.8 for an upper build. Travis Haley pretty much answered my question, and provides the best reasoning for going with 300 I've seen so far.

http://youtu.be/tgKjbySsAik

KH195 · Jan 21, 2014

I've had an LWRC PSD (8.5 inch barrel) for a few years now in 6.8mm and I love it to death since it performs real well with such a short barrel. I had followed all the LWRC chatter about this foreign military contract when it was first "leaked" a long time ago. If I remember correctly Federal got the ammo contract so the hope was/is that the prices would start dropping as another manufacturer entered the market. Believe SSA still claimes they intend to make a cheap(er) FMJ training round at some point too.

photoracer · Jan 22, 2014

SSA has a new match round with a 140g Berger bullet that stays supersonic past 1000y. Have not been able to acquire any as yet. Still using Remington Match 115g SMK, plus lots of hunting rounds. Been experimenting with everything from Fed XM68C 90g to 120g SST.

thai · Jan 22, 2014

jimbobborg said:
Since the lower no longer takes standard AR mags, like say a 9mm AR, would that make it MD legal?

LWRCI makes piston rifles, so that should make it legal regardless.

If they are making these in DGI would it still be legal per SB281? I am not sure of that one unless it is an Hbar?

Wayne1one · Jan 22, 2014

thai said:
LWRCI makes piston rifles, so that should make it legal regardless.

If they are making these in DGI would it still be legal per SB281? I am not sure of that one unless it is an Hbar?

It would be legal because it can only take the proprietary magpul 6.8 magazine. So different bolt, barrel, mag/lower, ammo, etc, no interchangeable parts just like an AR10 (which is legal)....

Hopalong · Jan 24, 2014

TxAggie said:
I've been debating the whole 300blk vs 6.8 for an upper build. Travis Haley pretty much answered my question, and provides the best reasoning for going with 300 I've seen so far.

http://youtu.be/tgKjbySsAik

Great video, but I wanted to smack him so hard every time he put his hand over the muzzle.

I haven't ventured out of 5.56 land yet, but if I ever do, it'll be for .300 BLK.

FlatsFlite · Jan 24, 2014

Wayne1one said:
Yes .300 blackout is easier to switch too because of magazine & bolt interchangeability, but when you talk about ARs in other calibers such as AR-15, with bolt modification

223 WSSM
5.45x39mm (.21 Genghis)
243 WSSM
6mm PPC
6mm WOA
6mm BR Remington
6mm Hagar
6.5mm PPC
6.5 WSSM
6.5 WOA
6.5mm Grendel
25 WSSM
6.8x43mm SPC
.30 Herrett Rimless Tactical (6.8x43mm case trimmed to 41mm and necked up to .308; the 6.8mm version of the .300 Whisper)
7.62x25
7.62x39mm
.30 RAR
300 OSSM
.357 Auto
.35 Gremlin (necked up 6.5 Grendel to 358)
.358 WSSM (various names, but all are some form of a WSSM necked up to 35 caliber, some are shortened to make them big game legal in Indiana)
.458 SOCOM
.50 Action Express
.50 Beowulf

I think 6.8spc is the better/more popular round out of the ones listed! either way this round is moving forward, I remember when it first came out everyone killed it and said it would never last (this is after the US Military decided to stay away from it)! "6.8spc, don't buy it 6.5 grendel is the way to go"...... Oh my how things have changed. It will increasingly get better as ammo becomes more affordable and a little cheaper. More manufacturers are offering ammo, and more rifle companies are making provisions for it either as conversions or standalone offerings. Barret, Magpul, LWRCi, PRI, Federal, Ruger a lot of big names (and that is just the tip of the iceberg) I am happy with this!

My 5 top AR must have rifle calibers are (in no particular order) 5.56/.223, 7.62x51, 6.8x43 SPC, .300 Blackout, .22LR

6X45 is a barrel change only. Ballistically, it bridges the gap between 5.56 and 6.8. That's my next build. I already have a 6.8 and 6.5.

The BO does not interest me in the slightest as far as performance, but then again, I'm not tacticool either and my days of running through the woods and crawling under barbed wire have long since past.

Indiana Jones · Jan 24, 2014

At least 6.8 actually kills things.

Just kidding. No use for me to try 300blk as i dont have a can yet.

BradMacc82 · Jan 24, 2014

Sold off the 300BLK's, have no desire for another round that I'll have to either reload or pay out the nose for.

There's other options available that are more mainstream, and readily available.

deesly1 · Jan 24, 2014

I am an absolute sell out for the 300 Blackout. I have 2 and yes I reload. This round is my absolute favorite. I have a vinyard of 5.56/300 brass and I can reload just about any .30 cal round from 110gr to 240gr. whatever I can get my hands on. I can shoot 5.56 multiply times then turn around and use the same brass another 5 or six times as 300 Blackout. It is a nice accurate powerful round, that I swear by! Note the avatar!

stu929 · Jan 24, 2014

Unless you are running a can I have yet to see the reason for 300blk. If you have a can then I get it but if you dont or dont Intend to get one a 6.8 will likely serve you better.

BradMacc82 · Jan 24, 2014

stu929 said:
Unless you are running a can I have yet to see the reason for 300blk. If you have a can then I get it but if you dont or dont Intend to get one a 6.8 will likely serve you better.

When I started with the 300BLK's, my main purpose was for hunting. In that aspect, a 3 to 400 yard round was more than enough for my purposes and areas I hunt.

The fact that it was relatively easy and convenient to convert an AR and the brass for the round was also a selling point.

After seeing the accuracy I could get out of it, I was sold. After I dropped my first 6-point buck with 1 clean shot, I was impressed. After Chad ran some factory subs thru a can in front of me, I was amazed.

It does have versatility, and limits.

Ultimately I sold mine off for my own reasons, but if I didn't have some things come up, I wouldn't hesitate to build another one.

stu929 · Jan 24, 2014

BradMacc82 said:
When I started with the 300BLK's, my main purpose was for hunting. In that aspect, a 3 to 400 yard round was more than enough for my purposes and areas I hunt.

The fact that it was relatively easy and convenient to convert an AR and the brass for the round was also a selling point.

After seeing the accuracy I could get out of it, I was sold. After I dropped my first 6-point buck with 1 clean shot, I was impressed. After Chad ran some factory subs thru a can in front of me, I was amazed.

It does have versatility, and limits.

Ultimately I sold mine off for my own reasons, but if I didn't have some things come up, I wouldn't hesitate to build another one.

I will give you those but I would venture to guess with the exception of the super heavies or sub sonic I believe 6.8 would be equal or better in almost every case. Not saying its not a good round if cant I believe it is but if I have to have one and wasn't running a can it would be a 6.8 thats all I meant by it. I get it for a massive amount of versatility 30 cal has numerous loads but... they now have 6.8 from 75/80 up to 140 so there is variety there as well.

BTW there is a crowd now that is starting to suppress 6.8 also as more and more heavy bullets come out.

BradMacc82 · Jan 24, 2014

stu929 said:
I will give you those but I would venture to guess with the exception of the super heavies or sub sonic I believe 6.8 would be equal or better in almost every case. Not saying its not a good round if cant I believe it is but if I have to have one and wasn't running a can it would be a 6.8 thats all I meant by it. I get it for a massive amount of versatility 30 cal has numerous loads but... they now have 6.8 from 75/80 up to 140 so there is variety there as well.

BTW there is a crowd now that is starting to suppress 6.8 also as more and more heavy bullets come out.

To be honest, I'd considered 6.8SPC long before the 300BLK hit the scene, and there are things I like about the round, and some parts of the round I feel could be improved upon (availability and pricing is the 2 big ones).

I may still do a 6.8 in the future.

The only real point I was trying to make was the 300BLK isn't just for the tacticool mall-ninja types. Some of us actually have a practical use for the round.

stu929 · Jan 24, 2014

BradMacc82 said:
To be honest, I'd considered 6.8SPC long before the 300BLK hit the scene, and there are things I like about the round, and some parts of the round I feel could be improved upon (availability and pricing is the 2 big ones).

I may still do a 6.8 in the future.

The only real point I was trying to make was the 300BLK isn't just for the tacticool mall-ninja types. Some of us actually have a practical use for the round.

Absolutely! In my mind both rounds are meant for handloaders and when handloading 300blk still wins out price wise by a little but not by a huge margin. My main concern is finding brass that is a huge advantage to the BLK. If you are purely buying commercial ammo I don't think I'd choose either round.

I should amend this to say if I had unlimited funds and lowers I WOULD have a SRB BLK with a can but I had to pick one..... I just picked the other one as it will be a hunting rifle.

BradMacc82 · Jan 24, 2014

stu929 said:
Absolutely! In my mind both rounds are meant for handloaders and when handloading 300blk still wins out price wise by a little but not by a huge margin. My main concern is finding brass that is a huge advantage to the BLK. If you are purely buying commercial ammo I don't think I'd choose either round.

Completely agree there, either one in factory loading is just too costly right now.

jimbobborg · Jan 25, 2014

stu929 said:
BTW there is a crowd now that is starting to suppress 6.8 also as more and more heavy bullets come out.

They've been doing this for years on the 6.8 Forums. The 6.8 uses the same diameter bullets that the .270 Winchester does.

FlatsFlite · Jan 25, 2014

If you want to compare 300 BO to something, go with the 7.62x39 as that is it's closest equivalent.

The 6.8 blows both of them out of the water in velocity and down range energy.

lennyk · Jan 25, 2014

FlatsFlite said:
If you want to compare 300 BO to something, go with the 7.62x39 as that is it's closest equivalent.

The 6.8 blows both of them out of the water in velocity and down range energy.

totally agreed...but everyone seems to agree that the best round for the "intended purpose" for these rifles is the 7.62x39. Kalashnikov knew ballistics and hated when the 5.45 came out. Why? Because the West did it, according to him. I think it is fair to say that in 7.62 x 39 the AK is more then adequate for its intended purpose. And so goes for the 300 Blackout. Finally we have a reliably feeding round that matches the AK's round and ballistic performance. From my understanding, there was talk at the SHOT show for 300 win mag AR, 338 Lapua AR. I mean where do we stop in balance ballistic perfomance vs intended usage?

For my money in terms of feasibility to the existing platform, the 300 Blackout is a clear winner.

LWRC: 6.8 SPC is the new 300 Blackout

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