6.8 SPC Upper - any opinions? pros, cons?

bkln

bkln

New member
Anyone got 6.8 SPC upper on your regular AR-15 rig? Any word of advice, do's and dont's? What do you like and what you don't like? With them being more affordable now (around $500) is it a right time to jump on the bandwagon? Just let me know what you think.
Thanks Fellaz
 
Originally Posted By: bklnAnyone got 6.8 SPC upper on your regular AR-15 rig?

Yes, well 2 actually.


Any word of advice, do's and dont's?

Yes, Do get one, and don't get one of the early spec 1 chambers that are being sold cheap.


What do you like and what you don't like?


I like very little recoil, short, light barrels, very accurate, fast follow up shots, and 95gr TTSX pushing it's practical hunting range to around 400 yards. I like watching Mule Deer buckle

Dislikes? HMMMMM,....I'll try to think of one later.



With them being more affordable now (around $500) is it a right time to jump on the bandwagon?

Yes, past time actually
smile.gif
but like I said make sure you are getting a spec II chamber.

Just let me know what you think. Naw, I'm too shy to give an opinion. lol
lol.gif

Thanks Fellaz
 
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Originally Posted By: bklnThanks Ricky,

This is helpful, where did you get yours?

Thanks,
Mark

My first one Is a Kotonics.( no longer in business, but a pioneer in the 6.8 world) It is a 20 inch BBl. My second is an AR performance with an 18 inch BBL and I can't recommend AR Performance high enough.

This was the first 5 shot group I shot out of it. No load development, just grabbed some ammo that I had for the other 6.8 upper for sight in and bbl break in. I never bothered to do load development because it shoots the same load I worked up for the other upper this good and now I don't need to keep ammo seperate. It also shoots the 95gr TTSX loads I already had.

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Also I am assembling one that will be my little brothers Christmas present that is an 18" Bison Armory upper. I haven't got the upper yet so I can't personally say anything, but they (Bison) rank about even with AR perf. among top level 6.8 builders. They all have the correct chamber and twist for optimal performance in the 6.8.

ETA and before someone thinks I am the kindest brother in the world, My Mom and Dad paid for all the parts, I'm only assembling them for My lil Bro. (I'm 41 and he is 18, he is also my regular coyote calling partner, so I wanted to make sure he was set up right)
 
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Two years ago today I took delivery of my first 6.8 upper from Bison Armory. I bought it specificly to use to hunt coyotes with an AR platform rifle with more killing power than a 5.56. I didn't want the weight of an AR-10, and I didn't want the longer barrel needed with a .243 WSSM. I wanted to use a 16" carbine, and I've not been dissapointed with the 6.8 SPC.
I handload 90 grain Sierra Varminters over 33 grains of HR 335 or 28 grains of RL 7, and get 2750 to 2880 FPS from my 16" barrel. Both of these loads produce sub MOA accuracy. Though I've not had any failures, the RL 7 load seems to function my rifle better than several others I've tried including several factory loads I've experimented with.
This rifle does everything I wanted it to do. No more spinners or runners that I would commonly get with my 5.56 AR. I can also use this upper for other big game up to elk, with heavier bullets.
The only negative I've experienced with my 6.8 is that the trajectory is not as flat as I'm used to from my .22-250's and .243's. With a 200 yard zero, it's 10.5 inches low at 300 yards.
When the 6.8 SPC was certified by SAAMI it was certified with incorrect chamber specs. supplied by Remington. If you decide to go with a 6.8 SPC be sure to buy an upper fitted with the Spec II chamber and a 1-11 or 1-12 twist barrel. This is now the industry standard and will allow you to take advantage of the hotter loads available from SSA and Wilson Combat. YOu can also handload to velocities averaging 100 FPS faster before seeing pressure signs than you can with a SAAMI spec chamber.
Check 68forums.com for more information.
 
built mine with a bison barrel, excellent with 110 sierra pro hunters,working on 130s.they are about a 300yd rifle(imo) seem to lose a lot past that.just one of many choices in the ar world, aint it great!
 
I have one built by Kies and I purchased it from Joebob. It shoots like a dream. My second one is a Bison and it shoots just as good as the Kies cousin. However, since I use it for nocturnal hog, the Bison one has quad raid and is easier to mount spot light to it. I just ordered the third one from Bison for Xmas, but I doubt it will be here before end of December. They are swamped with orders.

Joebob is also out of Kies 6.8 upper as we speak.

The only con I can think of for the 6.8 is brass cost and availability. It is quite expensive....around 55 cents each.
 
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To anyone on the fence about ordering now or waiting a bit, I really suggest waiting, The second gen stuff is well well worth the wait.

Nickel boron bolt and carrier
billet upper receiver
the new kies handguard, the even more aggressive grip then the original hogues we used, with none of the short comings of the hogue, such as no way to time it to different uppers, removeable rail sections, rifle length with access to our midlength gas system adjustable gas blocks, end cap included for an ultra clean look
 
Originally Posted By: Kies_firearmsTo anyone on the fence about ordering now or waiting a bit, I really suggest waiting, The second gen stuff is well well worth the wait.

Nickel boron bolt and carrier
billet upper receiver
the new kies handguard, the even more aggressive grip then the original hogues we used, with none of the short comings of the hogue, such as no way to time it to different uppers, removeable rail sections, rifle length with access to our midlength gas system adjustable gas blocks, end cap included for an ultra clean look


When is the second gen uppers coming out?
 
That new Kies is sounding very good. I have an upper from White Oak Armory with an 18" Shilen match barrel 1-11" twist, 4 groove.
 
I went with a 18" Dtech upper. It is fluted and compensated and a tack driver. I am shooting SSA 100gr accubond ammo and I am getting sub 1" groups. Not bad for factory ammo. Mike's uppers are top notch quality and his customer service is awesome. Good luck with your purchase. Look at rock river's 6.8 also



blacksheep
 
IMG_3753.jpg


I just built one. Wanted more knock down power than 223 and what coyote6974 said. I shot that double coyotes the other night and they dropped like a bag of hammers.

16" SpecII barrel
 
Mine is an 18" White Oak Armament (WOA) upper with a 4 groove polygonal rifled barrel, SPCII chamber 1-11 twist. Armalite lower (5.56) that was cheap.
It seems to like the Hornady 110gr VMax and BTHP match. I have shot 85gr TSX from SSA in it, it just spreads about .25" group size.

+1 on what everyone else has said!
 
Big fan of the RRA 68's but they do still use the older 6 groove, 1/10 twist barrel. The SPCII chamber lets you shoot anything that is currently loaded or, for that matter, any of the loads on 68forums.

Both mine are under 3/4" as advertised and the A4 after I changed to a FF tube, swapped out buffers, and added an ACE stock has dropped into a mostly 1/2" rifle (if i lay off the coffee)with the 110 AB at 2600+ fps. I've been loading out the 85TSX lately and that round stays in the 1" circle plus shoots about as flat as my 5.56 out to 350 or so. I haven't deliberately pushed it beyond 2950 as of yet. Also, the SSA 85TSX shot at 2935 out of my rifle even though it is listed as a 2920 on the web page.

I've been trying for a good bit to get the 100 ABs from SSA but they are always out of stock. I have loaded a good amount of 110's but am currently still after some of Silver State's 100 AB factory to see how it runs vel wise as well as accuracy.

Best of luck!
 
Originally Posted By: tedhunter the 85TSX lately and that round stays in the 1" circle plus shoots about as flat as my 5.56 out to 350 or so.

No kidding? I haven't tried any 85's, only the 110's. I might have to give that a try.

Here's mine...not enough photos on this thread:

IMG_14492.jpg
 
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