Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Somewhere between 223 & 308

I was just being a smartazz.


223/5.56 for the win on the AR15 frame.


If you just have to go up, on that frame, the 6.8 seems like the logical choice.

Couple of thoughts:

.300 Blackout - buy a barrel only, use your existing 5.56 components and shoot.

Probably cheapest for your build investment. Several opinions on the value unsuppressed, and whether you are shooting sub-sonic or above.

6.8 SPC - buy barrel, bolt, and magazine, and use existing components.

My alternative caliber favorite - but doesn't mean it's the "best" for you, or your plan. Good bullet choices, plenty of information on the round, and finding components has been easy of late.

6.5 Grendel - buy barrel, bolt, and magazine, and use existing components.

No experience shooting it, but price out the components and ammo before jumping.

In the .308 level cartridges, weight of the rifle, bulk of the rifle to carry it, and the lack of standardizing in the build components are the three issues most builders gripe about IMHO, YMMV.

I have built a couple, they run Ok for what I need. As stated, I don't see replacing bolt guns with them, but I could see a pig hunt and a high stand...or a DJ-Jones type hunt being a doctrinal truckload of fun.

6.8 spc2 done next question. Lol

Ya know I heard about this 6.8 thing. From the video below it seems to work pretty good.
Thermal hog hunt- video

I had a 300BO,yea it works. The 6.8 SPC is more suited to hunting in my opinion.

the lr10 aint the most accurate rifle and it's dam heavy, but for my 'type hunt', it's hard to beat. still, sometimes hogs soak up a lot of 308 damage. took three hits to bring down the first one. as you can see, several others left a few parts on the battle field and still made it to cover.

a friend was by my side shooting a 223. he WAS able to make one squeal!!

It all depends on what you need/..... I've killed a LOT with the 300/221 out to 200. I"ve never shot anything other than suppressed subs

If I was in D Jones shoes I can see the use of the 10....and might be leaning to 338 federal myself....

Nothing funnier than a 30-30 and a .270 that have had the last bit of decentness sucked out of them.

But hey, pigs are tough. TFF.



Dave

I'm impressed with the 6.8 after only a month with one. This rig weighs 7.5 as it sits, only cost $911(including scope and mounts), and shoots moa frequently. I just built it the first part of January, so only got in two late season doe with it. After busting shoulders on both and still getting exits with the 120SST at 2590 MV, I feel fairly confident it's going to be a winner for medium game. With a .400 BC, it's not too bad and offers more than the 5.56 in my eyes. It's so much easier to tote vs an AR10.

You can get 90 grain bonded Gold Dots for only $9.99/box, so ammo isn't too bad. Many claim the GD loads shoot quite well and perform great on pigs.

Tough to trump 120gr's @ 2,590fps.


Sign me up!



Dave

I have owned/played with the 6.8 SPCs and 6.5 Grendel.

Went right back to .223s and .308s.

I would suggest that you just load up some 77 grain SMKs or buy MK262 and shoot it at longer distances.

You will be money ahead .

i certainly can't argue with the voice of experience, but not all my hogs run off after being shot. sometimes a 168gr amax traveling at... well... i don't know what it's traveling at, but it knocked this guy off his feet AND sent fireworks out the other side!!

Mac i cannot deny the 5.56 kills deer well as I have used it, on the other hand I am enjoying the 6.8SPC as well.

WOW!!!





Travis

Rost,

"FWIW I'm back to the point if I can't do it with a 223 and good bullet, then I'm going to a bolt gun also…."

Are Your 300 Blackout(s) bolt guns only? If so why no AR in the Blackout?

Reason I ask is I've got a box of AR parts and am going to do another build… was thinking down the lines of a 6.8 SPC or a 300 Blackout (I/The kids have 2 bolt guns and a single shot in the 300 B.O.).

Thanks,

Jerry

No need to bridge the gap, unless you want to hunt with an AR in a state that has caliber restrictions. The 5.56 does most things and if you want more, you probably want a .308. After years of saying I wouldn't I just got an M1A scout/squad and am liking it so far. I like the Garand action and traditional stock or I would have just stayed with an AR. I probably don't *need* a .308 battle rifle, but it is fun for me and that's what counts. FWIW, .308 AR's didn't really do anything for me, but everyone is different.

OK I had a thought last night but am not sure if I am missing something but here goes

I know NOTHING about 6.8 but from the posts it looks like a fine round. When I think of the gap I think of the 7.62x 39

and as I look in my Hornady book the 7.62 and 6.8 have similar bullet weight choices and not exact but similar velocitys.

My Favorite ARs are 7.62 x 39 normally you will always find one in my trunk.
I dont know practical hunting distances with the 6.8 and I believe the x39 is probably a less than 150 yds (probably OK for hogs)

I checked to see if there was any openings at the Fire Hog Hunt (there was not) but my first thoughts were I have a box of TSX bullets for x39 and I would take an AR and 527 in x39 for the hunt

Maybe not as sexy as 6.8 but a solid work horse

Yes/No?

Hank

I'm shooting a 30 Herrett in an AR15. It's a wildcat of course, and using 6.8 SPC brass loaded to higher pressure than the old Contender loads. Ballistics are roughly the same as the 300 Savage, or in between the 30/30 and 308.

I have a 308 AR too but the 308 platform is bigger and bulkier.

I vote for the 6.8 as a good alternative to the 223 in an AR15. It has less reliability issues than the 6.5 Grendel and shoots flat out to 300 yards. My personal 6.8 wears a 16" ARPerformance barrel and is the most handy and accurate hunting carbine I have.

The 6.8 will give you that range? That's pretty cool
Hank