Got my new 6.8!!!

JPK

New member
Got my 6.8 last week and my MD law limited 10rnd magazines yesterday.

[MD's gun laws are a joke. It is legal for me to own higher capacity mags, I just can't buy them here. So I'll grab a couple in neighboring VA when I have the opportunity.]

The upper and lower are by a local company, Engage Armament, which has to be one of the last hold outs in the gun manufacturing business in the Leftist Republic of Maryland.

The rifle has a White Oak Armory 16" bead blasted SS barrel and a BCM slim aluminum/magnesium alloy lightweight hand guard. Can't recall who made the butt stock, but I tried several at Engage and chose this one for fit and cheek weld and because it didn't rattle. Trigger is a Geissele G2S, which is a two stage, 4.5lb non adjustable trigger, which I find crisp and clean with virtually no over travel and think is a good compromise for SHTF and hunting use. Bare rifle weight without mag is 6.6lbs.

FWIW, the rail section in front of the magazine well is where I mount a panning bipod with a QD mount. I found by trial and error that if you are using a bipod when predator hunting the further rearward the bipod is mounted the easier it is to pan to cover a wider FOV with less movement. The sling point on that rail is temporary while I wait for the right mount for in front of that rail section. I shoot long guns lefty, but my 15yr old son is a righty. I'm a bit mixed hand since I shoot pistols and bows righty and play pool lefty. I don't find the operation of a right handed AR awkward or slow in any way, so I have decided, at least for now, that our AR's will be righty and I will adapt. Sling mounts on our rifles will be centerline or both sides.

The scope is a 1.25x4 Swarovski in a Bobro mount, and it will switch with the EoTech next to it in the photo. This is the rifle on which I hope to mount either an Armasight Apollo or IR Defense MKII as a clip on. If I go IR, and I think I will, I will try it as a scope as well, to see which I prefer. But I am hoping to use the Apollo or the MKII as a spotter and then weapon mount for approach.



I have four hundred rounds of 6.8 ammo, half FMJ and half Hornaday 120 SST. I've been kicked out of the house this weekend since my wife and 18yr old daughter are hosting a prom after party, so this weekend both the 5.56 and the 6.8 are going to get a work out on the range at one of my hunting clubs. [I offered to stay home and clean guns in the kitchen all Saturday night, but my daughter didn't take me up on the offer. FWIW, I am a life member of D.A.D.D.s - Dads Against Daughters Dating.]

ETA: I got the 6.8 because my son and I have done some hog hunting and really enjoyed it. And also because my daughter will be attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas next year. And I WILL visit her toting my rifle for extra curricular porcine activities!

JPK
 
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Very nice. I have a BCM KMR hand guard on both of mine and love them - very slim and very lightweight.


That stock is either a LMT or B5 SOPMOD. Both companies make them, the but LMT costs a lot more.
 
Originally Posted By: dwayVery nice. I have a BCM KMR hand guard on both of mine and love them - very slim and very lightweight.


That stock is either a LMT or B5 SOPMOD. Both companies make them, the but LMT costs a lot more.

Our other AR is a Troy in 5.56 I bought just before the new, really stupid MD gun law went into effect. I had no experience with AR's and bought it mostly because I don't like the f'in Gov't telling me what I can or can't have. My son and I have had an unexpected ton of fun with the 5.56, so we are expanding our AR opportunities.

But the Battle Ax stock on the Troy is so butt ugly compared to this stock I think I might have to change, plus it rattles more. And while I really liked the Troy Alpha rail it doesn't make the grade compared to the BCM KMR after you have had both in hand, so that might get changed out as well.

I'll pick up a 5.56 upper for this rifle too. MD now requires all 5.56 uppers which go on post law lowers to be HBAR, making it tough to keep weight down.

JPK
 
Any reason to visit Texas is a good one. But you have an excellent one coming up. That's a bit of a long haul for you and son to go hunting but well worth the effort.

Those SST's are held in high regards as hog killers an accurate too. BTW the .223/5.56 is also a good hog killer if you pick the right bullet and adhere to strict shot placement self control. As a matter of fact one of this forum;s members Skypup has posted many pictures of some BIG hogs that he has killed with his Wylde chambered Sig AR.

You may wish to visit the 6.8 forum for much more detailed 6.8 information.
 
Nearest hogs are NC, nearest big numbers are Georgia, we have hunted there, but TX was better by far.

Funny, I expected great accuracy from the Hornaday 120gr, but they performed poorly in my 6.8. The Federal FMJ's were far plmore accurate. Need to find a different hunting round, since I won't reload for this cartridge.

Re the 5.56, I will try the 62gr and 70gr TSX, as well as the Fushion and NP. We'll try whichever shoots best.

JPK
 
Well, had fun shooting the 6.8.

I did some more shooting to confirm my earlier take and got the same results.

As I wrote, the rifle loved the Federal 115gr FMJ's and really didn't like the Hornaday 120gr SST's. They did shoot to roughly the same POI at 100yds, but the FMJ's shot very nice tight groups and the SST's shot more like patterns.

The SST's provided hunttable groups at 100, maybe 3", but I won't settle for that.

I don't want to reload for this rifle so I'll be looking for another deer/hog/all around factory load. I was thinking maybe the Federal 115gr Fusions, and hoping for similar POI with the FMJ's.

Anyone with experience with Fusions in 6.8 on hogs and deer?

JPK
 
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