6.8 spc vs. 6.5 grendel

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  • lee2

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Oct 8, 2007
    19,012
    if you could only pic one for the ar platform which one would it be?
    reasons?
     

    woodline

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 8, 2017
    1,947
    I don't own either, but I would pick 6.5grendel (and will when I have time/energy to finally build one out). 6.8 is great too, but 6.5 has cheap ammo, works well from a variety of barrel lengths (including SBRs), and is better for long range. It is my understanding that 6.5g can be finnicky when it comes to gas systems and suppression, and 6.8 appears to not have that problem.

    In short, it offers enough advantages/differences to 5.56/.223 to be interesting to me. 6.8 is less so to me, though I wouldn't be sad to own an AR in 6.8.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    if you could only pic one for the ar platform which one would it be?
    reasons?

    I picked 6.5 Grendel and I don’t need two “6mm” AR-15 platforms, so not getting 6.8SPC.

    At least until not long ago, one perk was 6.5G has cheap steel cased ammo. I mean, it does, but it turns out at least in mine, the 200rnds I’ve gotten from the one batch is just lousy accuracy. It just won’t group. In a 5 shot group I’ll get 3 rounds that’ll group 2MOA, and thenthe other two are 3-4” out from the main group pushing practical accuracy out to a good 5+MOA. My 1915 manufacture Gewehr 1898 with a bad bore with 70 year old Surplus Yugo ammo groups better (I expect with new ammo it’ll group more like 3MOA, I’ll see next range trip).

    Anyway, I digress in that. I need to try some from the latest Wolf batch, maybe this one is better than the last.

    6.8SPC you can find brass cased ammo cheaper than 6.5 Grendel now (which was not the case just 18 months ago). 6.8SPC has slightly higher energy at up to around 200-300yds and then less after that.

    6.5G has more medium to long range energy and much less bullet drop, especially at medium to long ranges. For handloading 6.5G is fractionally cheaper with more bullet options. And I am just starting to get in to handloading.

    Parts were cheaper/more common for 6.5 Grendel. I spent $250 to build a 6.5 Grendel upper including BCG and it shoots a little under MOA 5-shot groups with federal 120gr fusion and 1.1MOA with Hornady ELD-M and HPBT 123gr. I have a couple of boxes of SST, but have not tried it yet. Both barrel and BCG were on sale from Classic firearms.

    6.8SPC hardware seem to have less options and cost more.

    IMHO if your purpose is deer hunting you are splitting hairs on which one is a better deer cartridge under 300yds.

    6.8SPC with the popularity of .224V may mean someone makes a .224V polymer magazine and since .224V is based on the 6.8SPC case, that means it should be compatible with it.

    That’s my only real annoyance is having to use steel mags for my 6.5 grendel rifle (or download my 10 round mags to 4 rounds. Bulges/won’t feed with more than 4 in a PMAG. A Lancer seems to manage 5).

    Though 6.5 and 6.8 are dimensionally close enough you probably could use .224V magazines for 6.5 Grendel is such animals are ever invented without any changes and at most you might need to download 1-2 rounds from the mag.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Oh, PS if you do build a 6.5 grendel, Sportman’s Warehouse apparently has a distributor exclusive on Hornady 6.5 Grendel 123gr HPBT American Gunner 200 rounds Ammo cans of it for $129.99 and free shipping is the cheapest quality 6.5 grendel I can find. 65 cents a round shipped is pretty good (and matches the cheapest 6.8SPC I’ve seen and that was a 6.8SPC sale price). I am managaging the same 1.1MOA shooting it out of my 18” build that I do with Hornady Black ELD-M. Though I am not being terrible methodical on those groups with either.

    I might be able to get it just under MOA if I was being more careful and using a better rest.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I picked the 6.8 a while back. I don't do mag dumps with it and I'm a reloader, so cheap ammunition isn't even something I'm concerned about. If I want to do mag dumps, I have a lot more 5.56 ARs that are more than capable of doing that. There's a decent selection of bullets, it works great out of shorter barrels, and I have no problems hitting out to 500 yards with it. I can get real 30-round magazines if needed. I've shot it in a couple of 3-gun matches, it does well. If I want to go hunting with it, I have three loads on hand that are more than capable of taking down deer and black bear.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I think 6.8 SPC is better for hunting and the 6.5 Grendel is better for target shooting, esp. longer range. 6.5 Grendel works better in longer barrels (18 - 20") while 6.8 SPC is fine with a 16" barrel. Both are excellent IMHO.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I will also add; I built a 6.5 G upper from the ground up; the accuracy initially was so so. I went through the SOTAR AR building class where we tore down the rifle and rebuilt it; lapping the receiver, polishing feed ramps, bedding the barrel, etc. This was very effective and the rifle is reliably under MOA with good ammo.

    If you are not really handy (I am not), you might want to get a complete upper, or get some assistance (which is what I did).
     

    kenpo333

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 18, 2012
    3,322
    Salisbury Maryland
    I bought a 6.8 LWRC a few years ago. We did a dead chicken target review with 5.6, 7.62X39 and the 6.8. Bought a bunch of frozen chickens and shot the hell out them. The farmer complained about buzzards a while later but that's a different story. The 6.8 did the best job on the chickens. Literially blew them apart. I wish that I had been into Utube at the time but we were just having fun. Didn't have a 6.5 but would love to do it again. I just bought a ballistic torso mold and the stuff so if someone wants to come down and bring a 6.5 AR we can try it out. PM me. I live on the eastern shore and we shoot at a private range which will allow us to do anything.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I bought a 6.8 LWRC a few years ago. We did a dead chicken target review with 5.6, 7.62X39 and the 6.8. Bought a bunch of frozen chickens and shot the hell out them. The farmer complained about buzzards a while later but that's a different story. The 6.8 did the best job on the chickens. Literially blew them apart. I wish that I had been into Utube at the time but we were just having fun. Didn't have a 6.5 but would love to do it again. I just bought a ballistic torso mold and the stuff so if someone wants to come down and bring a 6.5 AR we can try it out. PM me. I live on the eastern shore and we shoot at a private range which will allow us to do anything.

    I mean, if you were thinking A Sunday in July or some weekend in late August I’d be way more than happy to bring my 6.5 Grendel build out and out some rounds down range with you. My summers pretty stacked up right now with kids’ sports and a vaction in August.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Wait until the military makes a decision, then I will pick which ever one the military picks, because ammo will be cheapest.

    US military? Probably never. They were looking at 6.8SPC for awhile, but I am not aware they are looking at it anymore. The military maybe wants a 6-7mm round, but I am pretty sure they want it based on the 7.62 cartridge or something between x51 and x45. They need extra penetration which’ll take more than the 6.5G or especially 6.8SPC to do.

    That said, I believe it is Serbia is looking at adopting 6.5 Grendel as a service rifle cartridge. I beleive they are looking at a 90gr for general service and a 110gr steel core AP round. Where 90gr probably makes more sense in FMJ for the shorter range of a general service rifle. Flatter shooting than the typical 123gr you find for most of 6.5G and going to hit harder than 55gr or 62gr 5.56.
     

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