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I have an extra complete lower looking for a new upper partner. I've been considering something more/different than the standard .223/5.56 and have been doing some reading on the 6.5 and the 6.8.
Which is better in terms of using my existing lower, commercial ammo availability, ballistics, and any other factors I've not mentioned?
Help me make a decision! Thanks!
Do you want long range accuracy at 600 yards or deer killing power up to 300 yards?
military is switching to 6.8
I'm thinking long range accuracy, I believe. Not necessarily looking at it as a hunting platform, although a friend in GJ insists his 6.5 is outstanding for coyote banging.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rucker61
6.8 > 6.5 , but I would seriously consider 300BLK
6.8 is easier to find commercially and have more options from manufacturers for
configuring your rifle. You want to get a Spec II chamber so you can shoot the "combat" or "tactical" loads.
300BLK is the new hot round.....mtn man i dont see the .gov switching cartridges in the near future
Says who?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
450 bushmaster. Go big or go home.
Seriously: 6.8 or 300blk have more potentials/parts available right now.
I am thinking of adding a 300 blkQuote:
Originally Posted by ruthabagah
[Beer]
Do the 300 blackout and let me know how it goes...then I can get one for the piggies!
I vote 300 blk. That's what I'm building.
My bud just built one but he lives in KS so I can't test his.....boo!Quote:
Originally Posted by Musashi
The military is not switching to 6.8mm.
I'd say that 6.5mm looks to have more support than 6.8 in the market, but I think I'd wait a bit longer to see which of the .30 sort out on top.
Says one of my boys in the Rangers. we have recieved a butt load of 5.56 stuff as they are discontinuing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by ruthabagah
Yeah uh huh.Quote:
Originally Posted by spqrzilla
I dont get the whole 6.8 thing either.............
Yet years later SOCOM orders the SCAR 16 & 17 in 7.62 NATO and 5.56 NATO..............................Quote:
............was developed by Remington Arms with collaboration from individual members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, United States Special Operations Command.[3] to possibly replace the 5.56 NATO cartridge in a Short Barreled Rifle(SBR)/Carbine.
I doubt the military will full scale adopt a new cartridge with the current leaders in washington and the future of our money...........
I think the .300 BLK would be a better upgrade anyway, cheaper to switch out barrels............. wishful dreaming.
I was leaning on making a 6.8 at first, not a big hunter, which 6.5 or 6.8 appears to lean to community wise, which is why I was so intrigued with the .300 BLK and ended up going that way.
A nice little 10" barreled pistol for now and turning in to an SBR in the future. perfect! ...........and cheaper.
The US army is changing over, we have 2 family members in there. we have recieved a buttload of 5.56 mags etc as they are converting to the 6.8
And our boys get first shot at the discontinued New items pertainging to the old 5.56
Even an Old retired Marine specialist I know has said he knew they were switching.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
First I have heard of a full scale switch over, I heard it never went anywhere??????
..............anyone else still in, enlighten us? Would be cool to know which branches, units are switching?
No. Not happening. No Army units are converting to 6.8 SPC currently. No procurement of the 6.8 SPC has been made, or even put out for bid. Without even an open RFP, such a conversion could not start for years if the RFP went out today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
SOCOM got spanked years ago for their efforts with the 6.8 SPC by Army brass.
And there is no budget for converting to a new rifle caliber, with the need for new parts, new ammunition, new magazines.
It is not happening.
It is not happening. The Army is sticking with 5.56. For Afghanistan, they developed a new 5.56 round which resulted in surplus green tip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
Quote:
Originally Posted by airborneranger
The SOST round????
truth about guns post
I can't remember the name but that sounds correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skully
Quote:
Originally Posted by airborneranger
There was a Navy Times article about it I read and various other sites had something on it.
Suppose to be more deadly..........they have a round in .300 BLK that is available from GUNN manufacturing I was interested in.
No, the new Army round is the M855A1 "EPR" round. Supposedly more "green", there was a recent Guns & Ammo piece that highlighted a claim of reduced accuracy of the new bullet.
Aint happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skully
New ammo is being used, but not a new caliber.
SOF guys use different stuff, but Big Army/Marine isnt making any changes.
The only recent change to Army rifle procurement is the switch of the manufacturer of the M4 this spring. Remington starts delivering new M4A1 carbines late in 2013. Everyone of them will be 5.56mm.
The Marines started issuing a new sort of LMG at the squad level but its in 5.56mm.
Awhile back SOCOM announced that they would not buy anymore SCAR in 5.56mm, but that was because they decided that it was not so much "better" than the M4 that it was worth the cost to them. They might still be buying SCAR in 7.62mm.
There will be no new small arms caliber anytime soon. I'm betting that 2020 will not see a new small arms caliber.
I thought that is what I had read up on, although maybe Army Rangers or other special units in some special areas/situations can play with other things????Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoser
It is odd that Mtn Man was told they have something new??????
Oh well..........
We wont have a new caliber will be using a Pulse plasma rifle in the 40 watt range...........
Who is geek enough to remember where that came from? :D
no one is switching to anything. IF anything there is a move back towards more 7.62x51 but 5.56 will remain.
Exactly and that happened years ago during the first few years in the Stan. The 5.56 couldn't reach guys on distant mountain tops, so the Army pulled out the old M-14s from inventory. They started as the standard wood stocks but have evolved to the full railed systems.Quote:
Originally Posted by whiskeyjack
Both the Marines and Army developed their own bullet specifically for Afghanistan. I don't think these are the "green" bullets but I may be mistaken.
Just to put this thread back on course...
The general consensus is, the 6.8 SPC over the 6.5 Grendal.
How about barrel length? 16, 18 or 20" length, or does it really matter? How about twist? The ones I'm seeing have a 1-9.5 twist rate? Is there a optimum bullet weight for that twist rate or does the 6.8 even come in different bullet weights?
Inevitable, but I tried... http://www.ar-15.co/forums/showthread.php?t=50890Quote:
Originally Posted by OneGuy67
I hear less and less from the 6.5 community and WAY more from the .300 community now... Hell, I hope to own both someday as both are just fine options.
6.5 vs. 6.8 is beaten to death; personally, I chose 6.8 and it's WAY far from nearing death and one of the more popular "alternate" options/flying off the shelves. "Cheap" ammo and different mags are an issue but it's well-proven death on hogs/mid-size game from the TX-gang and one hell of an upgrade to even the best reloads of 5.56/.223... The Barnes 95 TTSX projectile is near perfection but there are plenty of options.
Can't we all just get along? (Don't make me bust out the 458 SOCOM...)
B2 ;)
Another way to decide might be to count how many different ammo manufacturers are producing the cartridge. I just jumped on MidwayUSA and counted different manufacturers listed for each caliber. By that measure, 6.8 SPC is way ahead of 6.5 Grendel.
Of the other AR calibers, .300 BLACKOUT is ahead of .30 AR by quite a bit but still a bit behind 6.8 SPC.
Oddly Wolf Gold line has 6.5 Grendel in several loadings including two in the Wolf Gold line (probably an inexpensive source of brass) but none of the others.
Quote:
Originally Posted by babirl
It may have been beaten to death for you, but I'm trying to learn here in order to make a good decision on what to spend my limited dollars on. There are people here with personal information and accounts that can aid me in that decision. Hence, the reason I started this post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneGuy67
I am going back to thinking of doing my 6.8 upper again as well. Might as well have one of everything right? :D
I think SPC II is 1/11 twist and there is some differences in the chamber from SPC I
I am not a hunter, so I am looking at all around rifle I can use in case I needed to, so a 16" barrel 1/11 with a mid length gas system.
The 6.8 would be a good choice, if brass was not stupidly expensive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoser
Luckily I haven't gotten addicted to reloading yet.
Commercial bulk ammo is cheaper than I thought and there is a lot of custom stuff out there.
I already have a .300 BLK in a 10" barrel. Am I silly for wanting to do a 6.8 SPC to have another caliber? I guess I have to think about my limited $$$ to feed the beasts. I think the .300 is great for all around, but the 6.8 SPC II has a slightly more punch. I would like to have an AR I can slap in the back of the JEEP when I go wheeling / camping that I can use to defend against 2 & 4 legged critters and just all around.
I am.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skully
http://www.goingfaster.com/term2029/miscte4.jpg
I've got an extra lower as well that I want to turn into a deer gun. Was originally thinking 6.8 but the 300 is looking really nice. And ammo seems to be a lot cheaper.
This is my current dilemma. I want to use it on Turbo goats and deer. Not sure if I should go the 6.8 or the 300 blog route. I don't reload yet so that kinda has me leaning towards the 6.8. What say the knowledgeable elders of this site?Quote:
Originally Posted by bogie