Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Anybody use the 6.8mm Rem SPC?

About 2008, I was tired of dragging gramps clean Marlin 336R .30-30 Win through the thickets, brushbusting ferals.
The old 870 and buckshot was a good choice but like fly fishing in a cane break.
A trip to my LGS in search of a Ruger "Mini" revealed a better (?) choice.
A Ruger "Ranch" in 6.8mm Rem SPC. I bit!
Love it!
At the time, there were no available "hi-cap" mags and all Ruger would sell were 5 round.
I was bummed, but didn't give up.
Thanks to my eldest, I finally became interested in AR's.
Thanks to my youngest, I got into "building" AR's.
Thanks to my LGS dealer, I got interested in the 6.8mm!
COOL!
Doing some "research" on my next AR build, I stumbled into a 6.8mm Rem SPC II barrel. Further research revealed hi-cap 10 and 30 round mags.
I was sold!
I've used my 6.8mm AR on deer, hogs and vermin.

Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know Rem did the same thing with the 6.8mm that it did with the .244 Rem. Screwed up the chamber and rifling, leaving otherwise fine cartridges to languish in the dust.

Does ANYBODY here use and/or like the 6.8mm Rem SPC?
...or am I just doomed as "the schmuck who likes a dud cartridge"?

I have one. Built off a Colt LE6920. I don't see it as a dud.

I have a mini, ar and a bolt in the 6.8. Great round. A good round for older people (me), matches my eyesight and recoil tolerance. Never had a problem with deer or hogs.

I started into shooting the 6.8 SPC by buying a used barrel from a member here.

The idea was to have a deer-legal AR, though already having a .458 SOCOM. I was thinking 6.5 Grendel but the deal came up on the 6.8, so that's the way I went. The 6.8 kinda sat on the sidelines while I played with the 458 and some heavier LBT cast bullets, but I picked it back up earlier this year.

Somehow I managed to get a little damage on the crown, so I took the opportunity to order a new barrel. This one is a Bison Armory 18" SPR. This barrel shoots pretty damn good with the only load I've tried so far, Hornady's 110 grain BTHP, which is probably not the best deer bullet available. I don't have enough Nosler 100 grain Accubonds to do the amount of testing I'd like to do, but I have several hundred Hornady 120 grain SSTs and several hundred 120 grain Cavity back MKZs to try.

I just finished a second build with an AR Performance 18" SPR profile, and its accuracy is comparable to the BA barrel, again with the 110 Hornady load. I have several hundred Hornady factory-loaded rounds along with 400 Nosler rounds loaded with a bullet I really don't want to use for deer, so there's my source of brass. I got a hot tip that Accurate 2200 was a good powder for the 120s, I've got other powders, too. Components can be on the hard side to find, specifically bullets and cases.

I've kinda gotten to like the round, view it as a niche round instead of a dud, and fully intend on using it in the field, for deer and yotes.

I'm about to pick up my 4th one tomorrow, an 18" Bison upper. I have two other 16" AR's, and a 11.5" pistol setup also in 6.8 SPC...as well as a T/C Contender with a 23" barrel. Start picking up as much brass as you can, I doubt it will get any easier in the future...just be aware Remington (and some others I *think*) use large rifle primers, most others use small rifle. Ammo can still be found for around $1/rd, which compared with other stuff, isn't that bad. I missed out on the ammo PSA was blowing out a few years ago for $7/box.

It really shines as a reloaded round, and AA 2200 is one of the better powders. I caught a deal a year or so ago from Midway on 90gr Gold Dots, and bought a bunch. A 90gr Gold Dot at 2850fps+ is an impressive round out of a 16" AR! You can use 6.5 Grendel AR mags...the only difference between the ASC 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC marked mags are the legs on the follower are a little shorter, everything else is identical.

Killed a pile of animals with it various 6.8's but mostly a 12.5" bbl. In factory ammo it's a toss up for me between the 90gr gold dots and 115gr fusions. The 115gr definitely penetrate deeper and maybe because I've shot more animals with them, I trust them a little more. The 90gr are easier to move fast. The 110gr accubonds are supposedly the bees knees but I never got around to shooting anything with them.

If you treat it maybe like a 30-30...great to 100 yards, but definite drop off in killing power past 200 yards, it will serve you well.

You could say I'm a fan as I have 3 6.8 SPCs. The mini is SAAMI and the others are spec 2.

yes but mine is necked down to a 6mm.
You should try one!

I have 2 of them. I have made a bunch of others, mostly ARs but also a few bolt actions on Howas and CZ 527s.

I have killed 38 head of game with mine, and I love therm. I have several friends who also are using the ones I made from them, one of which has 44 kills with his AR.
Accurate and very deadly. I(t never took off the way I thought it was going to, but for my use I see nothing to complain about at all. I love mine

Yes, it’s a great round for deer from an AR. I have multiple, including a bolt gun. My family has used the cartridge for a while now and have put down many deer with it.

The bolt gun is an 18” bbl and the ARs are 16’s. The lack of recoil and blast make it a contender for the perfect youth deer cartridge. I still enjoy using the bolt gun from climbers and when rattling, as it’s very portable. I have taken deer out to 250 yards.

The ARs are great, especially suppressed.

I mainly shoot Hornady 120 SSTs but want to try the Accubond loads to see if it is any better. Friends say the accubond is the bullet for the 6.8 on deer, due to performance at its velocity. I have heard good things about the Barnes bullets from it.

The 6.8 has become my favorite Texas Hill Country deer rifle. It is a Ruger #2 with 22" Shilen barrel standard spec II chamber.

I have heard the same, that the 110 Accubond is the bullet for yhe 6.8 SPC.

The only problem is getting any, they seem to never have them. I manged to get 50 100 grain ABs when I put my first 6.8 together. They happened to be in stock and I thought that's the way it was.....yea, right..... 50 ain't enough to really find things out and have enough to load for a season or more. I don't want to try to get by on just a few, I'd like to have another 150 or so just to have a decent amount that is uniform in lot numbers.

The 120 Hornady is, from what I gather, the next best one but can be rather destructive though it seems to penetrate well. I may try out some Cavity back 105 grain MKZs also, this being a monlithic bullet.

Nothing 6.8 SPC, component-wise, really seems to be readily avaiable.

Got an Anderson 6.8 SPC II bbl in reserve. Need to complete the parts purchase.
Deer, hogs and 'yotes and I'm tickled to death.
Glad to hear I'm not the ONLY fan!
Everybody around me gives me that, "Does he have two heads?" look when I tell them I shoot a 6.8.
Finally got some AA2200 and the Speer 90gr Gold Dots.
My little rifle loves them.
After building my AR, I found a box of Sierra 90gr HP's.
My first three hog kills were with the 90gr HP.
...and yes, Hornady and Federsl use SRP and Rem uses LRP.
Not only that, the Hornady primers are crimped. 😖!

Great round.
Low recoil.
I'm not much sniper. My max range is 200/250 yards.
Yeah, I can see and shoot further and I trust my rifle....I don't trust me any longer. 😉
I like venison, but if I'm hungry, I'll go to the grocery store.
If I'm THAT hungry, I'll get within range.

Thanks for the input folks.

If you haven’t purchased the barrel yet, look at AR15 Performance and Bison Armory. Both specialize in 6.8 and offer outstanding accuracy for about $200.

Yeppers, I've got a barrel.......no other parts right now!
A couple of LGS carry lowers, but their "cheapie" is like $150/$200! ☹
Hard for me (I'm a tight wad! Okay?) to spend that much when I can get one through Primary Arms for +/- $50 + shipping and transfer.

I like Primary Arms, especially their optics.

I built a 6.8spc AR a couple years ago and have used it for 2 KY whitetails. I use the 110 grain Accubonds and they work great.

This bullet entered on the front of the shoulder of a buck and ended under the hide behind the last rib for about 18-20 of travel.



The 6.8 is my main deer hunting rife here in KY. Really need to build a 12.5" AR in it.

Primary Arms has always done me right.
They ran a special on some barrels 9ne weekend, but my "mad money" account needed an infusion. Monday morning, I made the transfer and called Primary Arms.
"You had barrels on sale last weekend. Can I still get one at that price?"
Yeppers! Got one! Thank you Primary Arms!
Called and told one of the salesmen, "I need one (1) short roll pin." Guy sent me 4, no charge!
I use PA as much as I can.
Great bunch of guys!
Great information.

Have one of each, both 18", absolutely no complaints with either.

I've had good luck with PA as well but haven't had to use their customer service. Good to know they take such great care of their customers.....will keep that in mind next time I'm shopping around.