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

The smith sent it off and it was years ago but I think it was Northwest Hydro Dipping.

Thinking that a .25 SPC using the 110 grain ELD-X in a bolt action rifle seated to about 2.44" would be good. Although I would lose about 100 fps over the 6.8 SPC with 110 grain bullets, by 200 yards it is going faster and less wind drift, 7.3" 10 mile/hr drift at 300 yards v 9.0", (but 0.4" more drop) and greater sectional density. Really like the 6.8 SPC though. Only shoot to 300 yards with it.

I’ve run a couple in ARs for about 10yrs. I’ve had some other ARs outside of 223/5.56 chambering. I’d keep the next 7.62x39 I build, but doubt I’d own another Grendel or anything else between .224 and .277 bore size. I don’t see a need right now. The 6.8 always performed better on animals to 300, than the Grendel…..FOR ME. It could have been bullets, load, etc….but I can say the same for the 270 vs any other 6.5s I have or had. Anecdotal? Sure. My 6.8 ARs have never let me down on deer, hogs, or coyotes….to any range I could shoot them at where I hunt…..which is most always under 400, and rarely over 250. I’m REALLY wanting a small bolt gun in it, but would likely have to sacrifice one in 223 to get there, and haven’t been able to get there yet. If I got out of the 6.8, I’d probably go straight to the HAMR or a 7.62x39, for my needs. Giving up some trajectory for some perceived authority works better in my mind than gaining trajectory I don’t use on most game or beating out a 77gr 223 if I did. I’ve shot a lot of critters with a 6.8, and it’ll be a while before I run out of loads or components.

What is your preferred bullet in the 6.8?

Deer and hogs mainly.

Yeh, I know the 6.8 is excellent...just curious to see if a .25 SPC with .465 bc 110 grain ELD-X at near 2700 fps might have the edge past about 250 yards over the 110 Accubond in 6.8 with .370 bc at 2800 fps.

Will it have enough velocity for good expansion at distance?

The ELD-X is not a tough bullet, designed to open at long distances through say a .270 Win....that should roughly equate to 200 yards less with a 6.8 ...so I figure. Don't forget I'm talking a bolt gun seated way out with a 22" barrel so velocity is around what I edited above. And if the 110 ELD-X is no good, there's the 110 grain FTX which certainly will expand, bc is crap at .340 though.

The 110 NAB is my favorite. However, to 200-ish, that 90gr gold dot pushed hard is surprising in performance vs heavier stuff, too. Nothing wrong with the SST

The 6mm/257 variants offer nothing for my use over the 6.8 or 223. I have other rigs/combos for playing or hunting long, that I’d use if needed.

I’ve killed deer to 334 with the 6.8 110 NAB combo, but that was a dire circumstance on a backup scenario with a new hunter that shot a deer in a front leg that needed a grace shot.

Normally, I don’t need better performance past 250. I need best performance inside that. 6.8 shines over smaller bores in that window, IME.

I've found the 6.8 110 grain TSX at 2800 muzzle velocity outstanding on hogs.

I don’t know if the 110TSX is as good as the 95TTSX at 6.8 speeds, but I’ve heard they’re very good. I’ve just not tried them. I’ve never had any of the NABs, SSTs, or Gold Dots come apart or fail to penetrate more than enough to leave two holes, unless front on.

From what I've "read", the 6.8mm Rem SPC was designed around lighter bullets.
My best luck reloading for my 6.8 has been with 90 and 100 grain bullets.
Best accuracy and best effects*.
I'd REALLY like to try the Nosler 85 grain bullet, but I'd have to put them on lay-a-way! LOL! My tightwad wallet would pucker every time I put one downrange! 😖
I've got some Hornady 110 V-Max that do okay, but not as accurate as the 90's.
I bought some Federal ammo with 100 grain SP bullets. They're pretty accurate too.
I don't understand putting heavy bullets in a cartridge designed for lighter bullets.

Too each his own!

* - one shot kills

The 110 Accubond has been the perfect balance for me. A 95gr TTSX is a good weight vs bc, and the 90gr gold dot is very good….it just runs out of steam quicker than longer/heavier pills. If I was staying inside 150 all the time, light bullets would be a viable choice. Then again, it’s getting away from what it’s capable of. It wasn’t ‘designed’ to only be useful with a specific bullet weight, anymore than the 30-06 was…..else there’d be nothing above a 150gr in an ‘06. MOF, the original 6.8 loads were a 115gr SMK and a 115gr FMJ….IIRC.

With the Spec II chamber, a 22" barrel and without the length restriction of around 2.26", you can seat the projectiles way out and gain easily 150 fps or more. 110 grain projectiles at just over 2800 fps gives excellent performance on game. As stated by Whiskey, the 6.8 was designed for the 115, 110 grain bullets but it was found that with the magazine length restriction of around 2.26" and short barrels like 16", the bullet weight needed to come down for optimal results as the velocity wasn't there.

The Spec II/6.8x43 chamber correction (along with sensible throats and twists) from Remington’s SAAMI bungle allows the necessary velocity in AR mag length restrictions. Sure, a longer mag box allows you to do more…but that’s true with most any cartridge. Same with more barrel length. The 6.8’s strong suit is that it’s able to get very good performance within the AR mag AND short barrels….something the smaller bores (224s/6.5s) struggle with. The bullet weight doesn’t need to be over 110-115 for the 6.8 to do its particular thing. It also doesn’t have to come down for it to get plenty of velocity for what it’s best at, either. Everything can be ‘tweaked’ or improved upon with adjusting parameters. Where it’s a true need vs a desire is debatable.

Still thinking on a 6.8 upper. Good info in this thread.

While I’ve shot deer and hogs with my 6.8s (and it’s great for it), I’ve never seen any other cartridge be more emphatic on coyotes to 300, either. I have the occasional ‘live a minute’ on coyotes with 223s, but never with a 6.8. I’ve probably shot only 25-30 with the 6.8, so maybe my sample is smaller than some….but it’s hard for me not to naturally grab 6.8 over a 223….especially if I know it’s going to be mostly short to mid range stuff. Then again, there’s no flies on a 77gr 224 for all around, either.;)Just more opinion, though.

If you are interested in the HAM'R or 7.62 x 39, have you considered the 6.8 case necked up to .30 cal? You should be able to run the .30 125s at around the same velocity as the 6.8 110s with similar trajectory if using the Nosler Ballistic Tip or Accubond as the b.c. is similar to the 6.8 Accubond .370.

^^^^ at one time, absolutely….30 AR (Herrett). It would be ‘ideal’. However, my loading is on hiatus due to moving to an old farmstead and waiting to get stuff built. I’ve got a stash of 6.8 to tide me over, so it’s the easy button….but it would be able to equal 30-30, for sure. Right now, I have to pick convenience over possibility.

Advantages of the 30x6.8 over the Hamr?

Velocity and trajectory (which is related to velocity). In a bolt action rifle with a 2.5" mag (eg NULA Model 20 Short = less than 6lbs with scope!!!) you should be able to get 2800 fps with a 22" barrel using the .308 125s and 2550 fps using .308 150s, I would expect. I get 2820 fps with 22" for the 110s in 6.8 and just under 2600 fps with 130s in 6.8. Actually, I'm going to download my .308 and see how it performs at these velocities with 125s and loan it to a new shooter and also to satisfy my curiosity. It will be interesting to see if it works as well as the 6.8 SPC. Sectional density of the .308 125s concerns me a bit.