I'm seeing 50 rds of Hornady brass for around $30, or 60 cents a piece, for brass.

I'm seeing loaded S&B reloadable ammo for 60 to 65 cents apiece.

Seems like a no-brainer.

Sycamore

You have one?

yep

Could swap to a Contender and use .30-30 brass as a parent

Mike

No brainer for me as well.

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=474

never a fan of S/B brass, but in this instance shooting the 6.8 it might be worth a try.

SSA brass is what I like for my 6/6.8.

bout halfway down

I tend to listen when you talk.

I haven't tried S&B brass myself, but if it lasts 3 loads, I think I will come out ahead.

Sycamore

Keep an eye out on SPS for SSA brass. $45 for 100 when in stock.

http://www.shootersproshop.com/ssa-products/ssa-brass/ssa-6-8mm-spc-unprimed-brass-case.html

Some may disagree.....

...but I consider the 6.8 an optimum whitetail cartridge for shooters of small stature or sensitive to recoil. Most that fill that description won't be shooting at extreme distances and the 6.8 has lots to offer.

If it was marketed right, I think you'd see a surge in popularity. The bullets designed for the cartridge are up to the task.

Its an ok deer round. So is the 243 and the 223. But there are always arguments.

Mostly you have to pick a good bullet and these days since Barnes came along thats a LOT easier. Not that partitions have any flaws since they were early controlled expansion ones.
Bonded ones are doing well too.

Beyond that put it in the right place.

There is nothing magical about 6.8 though. 7.62x39 has been doing very well for as long as I can recall too. RE smaller rounds for deer.

Heck if as long as you don't try for big bones, I don't think there are many deer that could not be killed with a 22lr.

deer are pretty easy to kill.

LWRC was selling 1000 pcs once fired for $250 or something

Most of the S&B brass that I have reloaded, both rifle and pistol, have tight primer pockets and require a trip through the Dillon 600 to ensure smooth operation in a progressive press.

good to know. what was case life like?

Thanks,

Sycamore

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/13720/category/63/

Federal 6.8mm SPC 90gr Bonded SP 20rds XM68GD
$15.99
PSA

Seems like almost all distributors of this load have dropped the prices down to about 15 to 16 dollars per 20/box. Used to be closer to 20 dollars.

Seems like a very very good thing to me. Trying to buy off the shelf 5.56 with similar terminal ballistics for hunting is going to cost over 21 dollars per 20... at least from what I can find.

I just ordered 2 boxes of S&B from PSA - about $30 with shipping is cheaper than I can buy 20 rounds of Hornady for around here.

Wrong topic.

also turns out the magazines are not as common, or cheap, as they were a few months ago.

hard to beat the 223 for ubiquity.

Sycamore

Just keep an eye out for sales when it comes 6.8 stuff. S&B loads are regularly ran on sale for 11.99/20 and PSA had mags for 4.99/ea around new year's. I'm stocked for a while!

screaming deal on the mags. I'm stocked too, but if I saw that price, I might have been over-stocked!

Sycamore

Sorry for the delayed response. I don't check into this topic very often.

I've only reloaded any of it 2x at the most. No issues so far.

I troubles me to see the Hornady loaded 6.8 ammunition just sitting there on the shelf in Academy Sports every time I go in there. It just hate seeing it sitting there on the shelf doing nothing. I don't need a 6.8 but I am compelled to build one just to keep that ammunition from sitting there, of course then I will be compelled to buy reloading dies, a new rifle scope, magazines. Is the Betty Ford addiction clinic still in business, I need to call them.

LOL, buy the ammo and sell it later when there is a shortage.

I have SSA brass, have loaded it probably 4-5 times so far.

Heads up on cheap 6.8 ammo. Federal made 90 grain gold dot moving along at 2800 fps, made for jordanian and saudi forces. $12.99 a box and it shoots hair under a inch out of my 12.5" arp barrel ar-15.
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/13720/category/63/