I know it's limited to shorter ranges than the 6.5 Grendel, but good grief I'm seeing great deals pop up on 6.8 ammo all over the place. Palmetto State has the FBI Gold Dot load for $10 a box, and 6.8 selling at all my ammo retailers in greater variety and better prices than ever before. 6.8 parts are also easy to find these days.

I shoot some pigs, usually at close to intermediate ranges, and have .300, and 5.56 rifles for different jobs but have never been really impressed with 5.56 performance.

So why shouldn't I put together a 6.8? Is the 6.8 going through some sort of renaissance?

My 6.8 with 12.5" barrel has as much energy as my dads 16" barrelled 300 blackout with his using the factory barnes round and my 6.8 using the 90 grain gold dot, the 120 sst factory hornady will add about 35% more energy then the 16" blackout. Then if you reload you can add quite a bit more velocity then the waterdowned hornady rounds. We are getting 150-200 fps more velocity then the factory loads with no pressure signs. If you use a arp barrel, go to 6.8 forums and look up constuctors post. He owns Arp barrels and you can find just what kind of velocity you will get out of his barrels. Hell i bet you can shoot him a msg and he will tell you his exact loads he uses.

Used as described, the 6.8 is a big step up in killing power from the .223.

I think it is a great cartridge, and wish it were available in more of the lightweight bolt rifles.

It was my most favorite ar caliber by far. For get the long range ghost that haunts the www. It will get the job done

You should build one.

I'm really liking the Wilson Combat 6.8 upper I put on my 556. I highly recommend it.

I built mine out of Aero Precision and Black Hole Weaponry barrel. Could not be happier.

If you want to use Magpul magazines LWRC is your best bet. They also have a combat bolt which is a bit more reliable due to dual spring extractor. LMT makes a similar bolt. Wilson Combat is also a good choice. Very good customer service.

I had no idea regular mil-spec bolts were so unreliable.

There is no reason. Build it.

I was afraid there'd be a lot of 6.8 lovers here.

I held out for years thinking the 6.8 would disappear and that the 6.5 would overtake it in popularity but that hasn't happened. Instead it looks like 6.8 is really catching fire in the market. I wonder why that is.

I had no idea regular mil-spec bolts were so unreliable. [/quote]

Wasn't meant for you. We already know you know everything.

Both are catching on and not sure which is growing faster or at least in relative terms of where they were last year. It would be interesting to know which are receiving more orders at the manufactures and if the 6.8 deals are in part a result of slumping orders and parts already built. More and more manufactures are making Grendel barrels because the market for it is growing. Then again it could be with record gun sales happening who knows. Heard a guy the other day that was buying 4 ARs that he was buying them while the price was good before the next gun grab try.

Would you build the 6.8 or build 7.62x39? Not what was asked originally but just wondering.

I really like the 6.8 and it is much more effective for hunting hogs than the 223. 68Forums is a great resource and the AR15Performance owner is a frequent contributor there.

I've taken my 68's out to 600...plenty of range for any practical shooting I will do.

I've built them both. Either is a great round in an AR platform. X39 has the advantage of cheaper ammo when buying surplus. But if you build a x39 Plz use an enhanced firing pin and a full or xtra power hammer spring or you may have FTF's/light primer strikes. I had great experiences with the ASC x39 mags as well.

My 6.8 with an ARP barrel.

Is that the one you haven't shot yet

You should send it my way for testing

Has been now. Yall aren't gonna know when I shoot with my can attached

I have built two 6.8 SPC's. I have a day scope on one and a Pulsar Digisight N750 on the other. They are a great caliber and you are correct, more and more factory ammo is coming into the market. When I first started in the caliber, I gave 75 cents apiece for unprimed brass. It was a pretty expensive proposition for a couple of years or so. The Federal XM68GD 90 gr. ammo @ PSA is good stuff. They also have recently started stocking American Eagle 115 gr. FMJ. I am in the process of building a 7.62x39 AR carbine to shoot the cheap steel ammo, waiting on upper parts as I have the lower built and tested but I do not expect the accuracy from it that both my 6.8's have. So back to the original question, why wouldn't you build a 6.8?

Dont let people tell you that it wont do good at over 300 yards because i shot one at 352 and she dropped like a bag of rocks and wouldn't hesitate to do it at anytime. Love that little round almost more than any other i have .

I just paid for a Form 1 to SBR my Wilson Combat Recon with an 11.3" 6.8. Gonna give it a whirl.

Yes we will. We will see your truck driving circles looking for it

Here is my newest AR, Its a 10.5 in 6.8SPC. I assembled it just to go shoot it and get a pic and then took it back apart. Its currently at the Cerekote shop getting a Burnt bronze and Black battle worn paint job and the barrel is with Morgan getting a 5/8-24 thread job. I thought I was going to love the Strike force butt stock but hated it so I sold it and got another Magpul STR.

It was a one shot, one kill. Compared to your 5 shots from a 30-06 to drop your buck.