The wife wants to hunt with an AR platform rifle. I'm not sure I want her to do it with a .223/5.56. The 6.8 looks like it has a lot more potential for deer. She is comfortable with recoil from .243 and 30/30. She is a very competent shot and grew up in a hunting family but hasn't taken a deer yet.
So I'd like to hear from folks that have taken deer with the 6.8 and hear their take on it. I am a hand loader so recipes are appreciated as well.

Go to www.68forums.com

They have all the information you want.

My son has taken two with his 6.8 at my lease. Both DRT



He used factory ammo, Hornady 110 gr. V-Max. Published velocity 2,550 fps MV out of a 16" barrel.

Best

GWB

My nephew Kirk's son, Grant Wagoner, a cancer survivor, has used a Daniel Defense 6.8 to take kudu, red deer, axis deer and quite a few whitetails, all one-shot kills. Pictures here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.422365724451931.89831.176618059026700&type=3

I'm sure you could look it up but this is from Hornady 9th edition.



The manual sez bullets of 115 gr. and less in an AR platform are best.

GWB

Tell him congrats!
on both counts.
Surviving and hunting.

Best,

GWB

Just be sure you get her a 6.8 SPC II! And get some 90gr Barnes TSXs. Lights out time on hogs and deer.

1B

I thought when the 6.8 came out that we would see all manner of bolt guns etc chambered for it. It seemed to me to be a pretty perfect deer/hog round, especially for recoil sensitive shooters. I was apparently wrong, though it does produce good results�.

I owned two Tactical Rem 700's sort of the LVSF except they were in the blue and one Ruger Compact 77 bolt action. They were all super accurate with good speed.

I have since traded them away, now they are turning to collectors items - hard to find.

My Idea of the perfect Whitetail rig would be a Ruger Ultralight SS with a skeleton stock chambered in the 6.8 SPC.



To bad Ruger doesn't agree....

Thanks everyone. It looks like it's a sweet deer killer. I'l plan to build a little later this year.

I thought about one many a time, but then I shoot a deer with a 75 grain Swift or a 62 grain TSX and it dies just fine. There really is not that much advantage in the 6.8SPC over the 5.56, what one does the other does the same. Considering ammunition availability, practice ammunition and how much powder you can get into the little case, magazines, the 5.56 wins for me it has not failed me yet.

Last year I heard this comment "how come I shot mine with a 30-06 and found all kinds of blood but could not find my deer and you shoot one with that little gun, we find no blood but the deer is dead 50 yards away"

Did you tell him because a 30-06 shooting FMJ is no good for deer?

I think a Remington Model Seven in 6.8MM would be nice to have.

Everyone knows the 30-06 is only good for wounding deer

3 deer this year with a 6.8 with 120g SSTs. No complaints from me. Would love a small SS bolt gun.

Cause he was shooting core loss bullets

There are non-AR 6.8 options.

I had a Remington 799 mini-mauser Mark X in 222 Remington punched out to 6.8 SPC II and also have a custom Carolina Precision Ruger #1 in the same caliber. Both are in custom camo finishes and have 20" barrels.

1B

I never put together a Contender Carbine for my youngest son in .223 as planned, And he now has a .22/250 and .300 WM.

Now pondering itty bitty carbine for me in 6.8 v .300 Whisper/Blackout v .223 AI v .357 Max on the TC.

My oldest killed two bucks one morning in '05 w SBR Barrett running 115 OTM loads. Looked like any .270 deaths. Straight down.

What is the difference between the SPC II and the original?

Longer throat and, usually, slower twist (11 or 12").

I put together one on an AR. Wilson SST Recon Fluted barrel. Shoots amazing and really hammers a deer. I run an 85gr E-tip at 2900fps from a 16" barrel. Can't say I will run something else next year.

If you put together an AR, run an H2 buffer in it. Sucks up the recoil a little more than a standard carbine buffer. I built the same rifle I have for my buddy and have a Mako recoil reducing stock with a carbine buffer in it. That thing is a pussy cat to shoot. Damn stock works!

You also get a smidge more powder in the SPC II case and you can safely use hotter tactical rounds that have pressure spikes that blow up some older style SPC ARs.

6.8 SPC II is now the standard chambering among most of the smaller 6.8 SPC makers. The majors -- Federal, Ruger etc. -- stick to the original 6.8 SPC it because it is the SAAMI standard thanks to Federal's original mistake in adopting it.

1B

Been hunting whitetails 5 years now in Wi. Killed 7 deer in those years with my 6.8 and have not had one die more than 30 yards from where it was shot. What I really like is there is no recoil and I see where most bullets hit. This year the buck I shot in the neck I watched fall backwards out of the scope. There really is no need for a build. My stag 7 shoots sub moa with 110 Accubonds either in the original SSA tactical loads at 2750 fps (SSA has since loaded their TAC loads lighter) or my reloads with 10x at 2780. I get the same velocity with 110 Sierra prohunters also. I use CCI regular primers and when I use the mags I get less velocity. Haven't tried the 41's yet. The Stag comes with a very good 2 stage trigger and 20.7 inch ss barrel also SPC II 11 twist. AA2200 is the new miracle powder but I haven't tried it yet. I also have not stopped one of those 110 accubonds in a deer. All pass throughs even on shoulder shots. Longest shot has been 300 yards with excellent exit wound even at that range. Have read that lots of guys like the ttsx's also and I have used them in my 708 but with the results I get with the AB's, it's hard to change. This is last years buck #1.

This image shows the exit of the deer shot at 300 yards.

[img:right][/img]

The Stag 7 also comes standard with the Hogue handguard and grip so it isn't as cold to hang onto. I prefer the A2 stock for hunting. Really like the 3x9 Conquest in Burris PEPR mount, also. PRI 10 round mag doesn't stick out too far either. To get the full capacity of the 6.8 case the extra room in the PRI mag is very helpful. Have heard that the Stag isn't gassed right for the 85 gr boolits, though I believe it might have been an RL7 issue.

I forgot how many hogs I have killed with a 6.8 but it is a truck load. Also a few deer.

The Hornady 110gr bullets, V-max and BTHP both work very well at these moderate velocities.