Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles caliber choice for an ar-15

Ok I have all the parts for a new ar build and am down to barrel choice I already have a few 5.56 /223 so I'm thinking different. Cal. The question is if I get a 300 whisper or blackout or a 6.8 do I have to change bolt face or mag followers?

300 - no.
6.8 - yes

I have a 6.8 and I love mine

how is ammo to come by? and the cost of such, jwp?

I hope this thread gets a lot of input as I'm highly interested in this topic.

I just purchased 500 rounds of SIlver State Armory ammo on gun broker for 437 dollars including shipping. 200 rounds are their "tactical loads" which are loade to a bit higher pressure and velocity

Thank you sir! Are you finding that that's average for their price or on the low end?

About he low end IME, but good deals are out there if one just looks

Thank you, sir.

I love the things I'm reading about the 6.8


The jury is still out on the 300 whisper for me though...

I do want to learn more about it...

Well, I don't like either of those for the fact that they're comparatively expensive as all Heck, but if you can get a suppressor, .300 blk.

6.8 doesn't do anything in particular that 5.56 won't, except cost more and recoil more, if we're talking about defensive use.

How about the 6.5 Grendal or 458 SOCOM? The 6.5 makes a dandy hunting gun for critters up to deer, and the .458SOCOM can handle anything up to big bears or pigs with little trouble.

My personal preference is the 6.8 over the Grendel. I won't be giving up my 5.56 anytime soon, but I do reach for the 6.8 more often.

IF I didn't already have a GG in 45-70, the SOCOM would be fun to play with. Hard to justify currently, though.....

George

I like 6.5 Cal. I have a 6.5 rem.mag and two 260's not familiar with the grendle tell me more

Grendel would be cool if it caught on.

Have you ever used either in a defensive situation? The 6.8 definately leaves larger wound channels and factory ammo is readily available

Have you? 5.56 with the proper ammunition is perfectly fine. If it wasnt i would suspect that most L.E. agencies would be switching to 6.8spc.

You know that that for a fact? I have both and my money is on the 6.8. My cousin completed 3 ea 1 year tours in Iraq in a combat unit and his experience is that the 5.56 doesn't put the enemy down very well and that is first hand combat experience. The Special forces were a driving force for a more effective combat cartridge that would fit in the present AR military platform and that is how the 6.8 came to be.

You are only speculating is obvious

Terminal ballistics are much broader than wound channels. Regardless, in any defensive situation, I'll be shooting threats multiple times regardless of caliber. I don't necessarily believe 6.8 has any notable gain in lethality over 5.56, but even if it did, I'd take the one that's cheaper, lighter, and with less recoil.

Minimal difference in ammo weight. Wound channel is the determining factor in wound trauma incapacitation. Recoil difference is negligable IMHO and experience. Use what you wish

Have you ever tried a 6.8?

What was the ammunition used? 62 gr? What were some of the factors involved, i.e. where were the hits at? Some guys THINK they are shooting center of mass, whereas angles, stress, and body factors perhaps led the shot to actually not hit vitals. While combaat experience is important, anecdotal evidence needs to be looked at carefully to avoid erroneous conclusions.

I've been tempted by the 6WOA (6.8 SPC necked down to 6MM) but I'm not having any problems with the 223. Here's a 7 year old that thinks the 223 is about right too.

I traded the upper to his dad last week and he quickly put it to good use.

Though the 75gr V-max at 3100 fps is wicked in the 6WOA.