Switching to 6.8?

I’m sure this has been beat to death at this point but I figured I’d ask anyway.

I’ve been killing hogs and coyotes for a couple years now with 300 blackout SBRs, 8.2” Noveske barrels to be exact. While I’ve been effective I just feel that the power isn’t there. I’m shooting a max load with 125 GR SST’s

Looking to learn about 6.8. It seems like the hardcore hog hunters are all just about shooting that round and doing so very effectively.

My normal hunting situation is typically about 150 yards or closer. I’m using suppressors and thermals and want to stay at as short a barrel as possible. I do reload.

I understand a barrel change, plus bolt, plus mag is all that really needs to be changed to convert to 6.8. What else?

Any and all knowledge would be appreciated. Where to source parts, etc.

Subsonic 300 isn't a deciding factor either. I find it totally worthless for hunting.

New barrel, bolt, and magazine is all you need. I love my 6.8s

Oh yeah how about load preferences too?

I'm really leaning towards 6.8.

Also, leaning towards another Noveske barrel. Anything else I should consider? I'm a big noveske fan and always trust their stuff.

Arp , bison, Wilson combat
Arp super bolt
Mags

Noveske is good to and really not that much more.

IMO this would be about like going from a .308 to a .30-06. You're not going to see great improvement. And I have a 6.8.

I own rifles in both calibers as well, but have the complete opposite opinion. IMO the difference between the hunting effectiveness of the 6.8 vs .300 BLK is substantial. My 6.8 knocks pigs dead, I have pretty much stopped hunting with the .300 BLK.

All the .300 BLK diehards argue that shot placement is key and if you make a proper shot it will kill a pig dead. This is true. However, this is also true with pretty much every other center fire rifle caliber which, to me, makes this a pointless argument. The advantage of the 6.8 is that it gives you more room for error. So, less than ideal (i.e. running piggies) shots are more lethal.

You can pop the top off of a beer with a screwdriver, but I'm still reaching for the bottle opener every time if I have one handy. Just because the .300 BLK can do the job doesn't mean it's the best option.

Go with a 12.5" ARP 6.8 barrel and get ready to smile.

Dr. Morrow, do you know how fast my 125 SST runs in your 8.5" barrel? I'd be curious to know. As physics would show, the shorter the barrel, the lower the velocity. The lower the velocity, the lower the bullet energy. I have been hunting with the 115 Bergers and 125 SST/BT for several years in a 16" bolt gun. My speeds are 120 fps faster than a 16" AR barrel, since it's a bolt gun. I've had really good results with the 125's in the bolt gun so far. In my AR-15 with FLIR thermal scope, I run the 125 BT ammo, and have taken a pig and many night time critters. You should gain/lose about 20-25 fps per inch of barrel. But when you get to 10" and 8.5", you may lose more fps per inch, since it's so short. The hard part is finding a powerful round and keeping the barrel short, like you want. The 6.8 does hold more powder, which will increase speeds. But I don't know how much you will gain over the blk out by keeping it in a short barrel, also.

Be different and get the Six5

ARP has a smoking deal on a barrel for 150 bucks

Otherwise the standard ole 6.8 will do...

You just missed his Labor Day sale on the Triad barrels (modified chamber) .

Plenty of people like the caliber and if you're going with Noveske what's not to like ?

I have heard from to many people the blackout lacks thump in real life.

Strange...I've killed about 5 or 6 hogs with mine and none have gone more than two steps. Also killed several yotes as well with the same results. All I use is a 8.5" or 10.5" barrel.

Killed a huge hog that probably went 275 lbs and he dropped like a rock with Chad's 125 SST's with one shot at 150 yards.

I don't get the 300 BO hate.

Believe me I love my blackouts. I've got a bunch of money in them too with all premium parts and what not but I just don't see the pigs drop like I did when I was shooting a 308. My load is 17.5 gr of 4227 over a 125 sst. I can't remember my velocity but I've got it down in my load book. I kill pigs but I feel like I always have to put another bullet or two in them and consequently lose other pigs because I'm focusing on dropping the first. Now coyotes drop like rocks but they're a lot more fragile critters then pigs are.

With the 6.8, would there be much gained by going from 10.5" to 12.5"?

I'm looking hard at noveske with a matched bolt.

How is the sound of a suppressed 6.8 vs a hot super sonic 300 blackout? I have an omega and a saker.

Love my 6.8. 12" barrel pushes 110gr bullets at around 2350 fps, 90gr bullets around 2600 fps. Still have yet to take a hog with it, but my 6.8 is my go-to rifle over my 5.56.

My 16" 6.8 wears an Omega. It's great.

I've got a 16" ARP barrel and I love it. I use 95gr TTSX's over 29gr of 1200R. Off the top of my head I think they go about 2780 fps. It has been bad medicine for a lot of hogs.

This. I have this setup suppressed and shoot lights out with my 95 gr Barnes reloads. The factory Federal MSRs shoot sub-MOA too. From a short barrel. At supersonic speeds the 6.8 thumps the 300 BO all day long.

Visit the 68forums.com and you find all the info you need

btw. My 6.8 is my go to rig.
16 in ARP bbl
I run SSA factory 110 accubonds for now. Took my last buck at 180 yds and fell in his tracks

For a short barrel, 4227 would not be the powder I would recommend to get top speeds. It's an extruded powder, where H110 is a ball powder. In a standard 16" barrel, 4227 is about 150 fps slower than H110. In a short barrel, there will be even more difference. If you switched to H110, you will see an increase in velocity, and will give you more energy.

I would recommend a complete Wilson Combat upper.

Sure, the 6.8 has more energy, because it's a bigger cartridge. It holds 36% more powder, and shoots about the same weight bullet (90-110 grains) about 160 fps faster, if both rounds were fired out of a 16" barrel. The 6.8 has a very narrow and limited bullet use. The blk out is one of the most versatile rounds for cycling subs, and supersonic bullet choices. The 6.8 can not come close to that.



I don't either. It's a great cartridge and performs flawlessly for me in everything I need it to do. A 30 caliber bullet in the blk out has dropped almost everything I have shot in it's tracks. I have shot 270 and 308 for years, and if the animal didn't know what caliber it was shot with, the performance has been on par with both of those. (With supersonic ammo, not subs)

sounds good Chad. I think instead of making the switch now I'm going to spend some time on load development. When I starting using the 4227 it was only because I couldn't locate any 110.

I have a bunch of 125 SSTs left but I'm going to pick up something in a 110 grain.

Anybody used the 110 Hornady SP? I know that barnes is the one everyone seems to like but I'd like to know other options as well.

I do have 110 on hand now. Got a couple of pounds the other day.

H110 would be a good choice. Also, I would not go to the Barnes bullet in an SBR. That bullet will not open up and expand like it should at the lower speeds an SBR will push them. It will act more like an FMJ, a very expensive FMJ. It does well at the 16" barrel speeds, 2200-2300 fps. The 110 grain SP or V-max would be a good choice, and it will not fragment like a varmint bullet since it's going slower, but will have a good chance at opening up since it is a thin jacket design.

When I was shooting the 150 grain Nosler Ballistic tips in my 300 blk out bolt gun, I shot some pigs with it. The exit wounds were a litter smaller than the size of a dime. This tells me the bullet is not expanding much, if at all. I was launching them at 1950 fps, and the speeds were lower at impact, so looking at expansion data, I doubt they were expanding. I also had reports form customers about 2 kills with one shot from the 150 grain bullets going straight through. Same thing with a slower SBR round. You want as much speed as you can get for expansion, so lighter bullet weight is a plus.

I'll look into the SP I think. I appreciate it Chad. That was my concern with the barnes and plus its way more expensive than the hornady bullets.

My two rifles are 8.2" noveskes by the way.

For OAL & BC, would the v-max be a better choice though? I think the SP is a shorter rounder bullet.

Sir, please explain what you mean by this. I'm no 6.8 fan boy, but available in bullet ranges most commonly from 85-120 grains, at practical hunting ranges, it's just fine for everything from varmints up to the largest hogs, black bears, and every whitetail and mule deer walking in North America. Not saying I'd use it as a moose, elk, or grizzly cartridge (though I don't doubt my ability to kill those animals with it), but below that, I wouldn't have a worry in the world. And I certainly would not worry about anything I'm likely to hunt on my Texas ranchito.

Even subsonic, while I've not heard anyone claim the 6.8 is better than the 300 BO in this respect, the 6.8 still has a strong following with bullets from 130 to 200 gr that I've seen.

That's not exactly the definition of "a very narrow and limited bullet use". I'm not asking this to be flippant or as an attack. While I also don't get the debate between the 6.8 and 300 BO, it's a serious question to what "appears" to be a misinformed/biased statement.

Good choice man, 6.8 rocks.



My 6.8 running 95 grain TSX does the trick everytime.

Keep moving ahead with the 6.8.

It is a hog killing machine. It is very accurate. It is standard AR-15 size, which means you can swap out uppers with your 5.56.

The difference is in the ballistics. Check them out. When I started years back, I wanted something that would at least duplicate my 6mm. I knew how that would kill.

I have never been happier with any other caliber like my two 6.8's in AR-15 config. Not a long range weapon, but some have taken game out past 300 yards. I figure it's excellent inside that range.

Good Luck on your decision;

Never shoot past 300yds and am very happy with my 6.8. never shot the 300 but the ballistics are so close i dont need to get one. If i need more power i go to my ar10

This is great info and I would also recommend looking at components at ARP ar15performance.com. AA2200 seems to be the go to powder and 120SST the go to bullets. I really like the 6.8 and it is my go to truck gun, hog gun and nighttime predator gun. Factory Hornady 120SST shoots really good in both my rifles as well.

I just recently ran some factory ammo thru my chronograph out of my 12.5" sbr. 90 grain federal xm 6.8 2746 fps, 115 federal fusion 2438 fps and the S&b 110 pts at a fast 2661 fps. Taken at about 80' elevation and 80 degrees. My wife's .243 winchester 18.5" suppressed kimber Montana averaged 2717 fps using federal fusion 95 grain. My dads 16" blackout with wilson combat barrel that I gave him ran 2364 fps with barnes factory 110 blacktips.

I built an ARP SIX5 a while back. It's a fun gun to shoot,but I've had trouble getting the velocities out of it without trashing the brass.
Then there's the problem of finding brass. Hornady brass is easy to find,but it's the problem brass with weak primer pockets. If your lucky,you can find Federal or SSA brass at times,but guy's that know where to get it grab it up quickly.

I'm in the process of testing a lot of different powders with this cartridge,and hopefully I'll find what I'm looking for with the performance. So far,using the load data that ARP has,I can't get anywhere near the velocities posted before I'm blowing primers or trashing the case rims.