6.8 SPC or 300 Blackout

[DaronUSN]

I am thinking about buying a second AR rifle and I want something with a little more punch than my current 5.56. I was looking for some advice as I have not owned/fired an AR in 300 Blackout or 6.8 SPC. It will be a target, self defense rifle. I don't plan on running suppressed. Which is the better caliber? Pros/Cons of each caliber?

For brand I'm looking at LWRC, DD or POF. I have an LWRC now and love it, but have owned the other brands and liked them also. Any advice/experience on the calibers will be greatly appreciated!

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[Mr Smith]

7.62x39. cause cheap ammo and near identical ballistics to .300blk supersonic ammo.

upside: super cheap ammo...like $0.18-0.23/rd cheap... unless you want brass then you are in .300blk territory for pricing.
Also if you are running 124gr JHP or FMJ like wolf military classic... it is sub-moa capable. Roughly 600yd effective range.

downside: gotta run banana shaped magazines for proper stack/feed. however those same magazines will also work with 6.5 grendel. so it wouldn't be terrible to buy a bunch of them and use them for grendel and 7.62x39

They don't show that they will feed 6.5 grendel, but they do...hold just as many too. I have c-products 28rd and 30rd magazines for my 7.62x39 AR-15's and both the 28 and the 30rd will hold 28 and 30rds of grendel and feed/cycle 100%.

 

[DB is Here]

Love my 300 BO, but the ammo is expensive, so it doesn't get shot very often. SO unless you re-load...

 

[Member 5605]

6.8 if you don't want to ever go suppressed.

 

[Flopsweat]

I am thinking about buying a second AR rifle and I want something with a little more punch than my current 5.56. I was looking for some advice as I have not owned/fired an AR in 300 Blackout or 6.8 SPC. It will be a target, self defense rifle. I don't plan on running suppressed. Which is the better caliber? Pros/Cons of each caliber?

For brand I'm looking at LWRC, DD or POF. I have an LWRC now and love it, but have owned the other brands and liked them also. Any advice/experience on the calibers will be greatly appreciated!

The biggest advantage of 300BLK is that performs well suppressed. Unsuppressed it's still a good medium distance round. 6.8SPC will shoot flatter and hit a little harder. 300BLK is more compatible - takes the same bolt as 5.56 and usually fits well in 5.56 magazines. The 300 is easy to reload. I don't know anything about reloading 6.8. For home defense frankly I'd more likely go with 5.56 since it will be less likely to over-penetrate. If you're expecting people in fancy body armor then by all means step it up, but for most 2 legged intruders it should be fine. For target shooting if you're going to shoot multiple distances and past 200 yards you'll probably like the 6.8 better for the flatter trajectory and less wind drift. If you're going to shoot 500 yards or more you might consider 6.5 Grendel. It's not just a cool name.

ETA: An AR10 in 308 would be more versatile than any of the above.

 

[Dreadi]

Speaking from a data aspect, in my notes I have the following.

300blk 10.5" SOTA Arms barrel AR
Barnes Tac-X 110gr
IMR-4227 17.8gr
1861 fps


6.8 SPC 18" ARP Barrel
Barnes 6.8 SPC 95gr
Accurate 2200 30gr
2759 fps

 

[Stomper]

The whole point of 300BO is the sub-sonic option. I have a 6.8SPC-II and I like it quite nicely. Ammo is definitely a bit more expensive than 5.56/.223 and your mags may require a slightly different follower... I'd also have zero qualms about using to hunt small/medium and some "largish" game.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

if you are a reloader, i vote 6.5 grendel.

here are my reasons:
first off, nothing wrong with either 6.8 or 300blk or...in my recommendation, 6.5 grendel. very minimal recoil over a 5.56 with any of those.


with 6.5 and 6.8 they take different magazines than a standard ar15 mag. different bolts too. 300blk is just a simple barrel change.

6.5 bullets generally cut thru wind better than 6.8 due to a higher BC and sectional density. 300blk does not at any range compared to those two.

wolf steel case 6.5 grendel ammo is very cheap. its not accurate but good for blastin!

6.8 is about as long as you can get for a standard ar15 reciever. LWRC actually makes a 6.8 lower that is slightly larger in the magwell for a slightly longer magazine to accommodate case over all length.

300blk was created to run suppressed and i really like it. but i dont like it for long range with supersonics but still lod supersonics for it anyway for deer hunting western oregon.

i own a couple 5.56s a 300blk and a 6.5 grendel. i like all 3 and all 3 serve different purposes. i also have an LR308 which serves an even different purpose than any of my AR15 variants. i think you havent caught the AR bug yet. once you start buildin'm you cant stop and you'll want one in every caliber

honestly, if you reload, and your choices are between 300blk and 6.8, i would ask yourself how far youre actually gonna shoot... 300 yards and in? 300blk. further? 6.8

 

[oli700]

ETA: An AR10 in 308 would be more versatile than any of the above.

go here and cut to the chase

 

[turq]

I suggest you go to 68forums and read up on it.
There you will have any questions answered.
Happy hunting

 

[Unka-Boo]

I'll second 6.5 G....piecing one together right now myself.

 

[Boboclown]

.300 blk out of 9" barrels, or suppressed. 6.8 SPC otherwise.

 

[Quezun]

Hell, get both unless you're on a budget. I have 300blk and I love mine but I plan to add 6.8 to the repertoire as well, it's good to have options after all. Also as others have said the ammo can be a bit on the pricey side for both when comparing to 556.

 

[Boboclown]

I like .300 BLK, and .30 cal is what I think the AR should have been. But 6.8 spc might suit your needs better.

 

[DirectDrive]

If you like LWRC, they have advanced 6.8 rifle development with their SIX8-A5
SIX8-A5

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I'll second 6.5 G....piecing one together right now myself.

i dont think you'll be disappointed. i was very surprised with how mine performs at 500+ yards!

 

[Mr Smith]

ETA: An AR10 in 308 would be more versatile than any of the above.

nonsense! just needs one of everything!

 

[JadeFox]

300BO is an amazingly smashing round CQB. 6.8 OTM's are deadly on deer at reasonable ranges. We re-load this in several configurations and are very happy with it. 115 Nosler OTM's over 27 gr H322 give very good accuracy and the one coyote my husband knocked out with it at 125 yards was very badly damaged. He has another load with 110 gr AccuBonds using 4895 that hits same POA at 200 yards as 100. With a heavy buffer in our RRA, the recoil on the 6.8 is very comfortable. We have a friend with a 6.5 G who loves it. Depending on your scenario perhaps consider the AR-10 or M1A Scout or SOCOM. Why not try as many as you can! Happy shooting!

 

[Flopsweat]

I remember running across an AR in .50 Beowulf at the range once. The guy offered to let me shoot it. Like I'm going to say no? The recoil was a bit more than I expected. Maybe a lot more. It occurred to me that I was thinking of the 6.5 Grendel. Well the names are from the same poem. I braced a little better for the second shot.

 

[P7M13]

To me, this is a moot question. Get both. And get a 6.5 Grendel. And an AK, AR10, AR30 - don't stop.
All guns have personalities. I have 223/556, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 224 Valkyrie, AR10 and AR7mm-08. I'm happy with all of them.
Never been interested in 300BO.